Mary Butters c. 1770-1850
MARY BUTTERS, witch, was born in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, the scene of the infamous Magee Island witch trial of the previous century. At an early age she became a practitioner of “white” magic, using herbal and superstitious remedies to cure ailments. Her specialised area was curing cows suspected of being bewitched. Because of the importance of cows, their vulnerability to witchcraft was feared – “butterwitches” could cast spells on cows to make it impossible to churn butter out of their milk.
One such case brought Butters to Carnmoney on a Tuesday evening in August 1807. Elizabeth Montgomery, wife of Alexander Montgomery, sent for her to advise on a cow believed to have been bewitched by some Carrick Town women. First, Butters attempted to churn some butter with the milk, but was unable to, and some people who drank the milk vomited. At ten o’clock she sent Alexander and a young man, Carnaghan, out to the cow-house, ordered them to turn their waistcoats inside out and stand by the head of the cow till called.
Butters remained inside the Montgomery house, with Elizabeth, their son David, and an elderly woman, Margaret Lee. There she applied some witchcraft cures, including putting pins and needles in a pot of sweet milk on the fire. The house was sealed, with all exits blocked, so that the smoke would cleanse the enchantment. At daybreak, having heard no word, Montgomery went to the house to look. Breaking in the door, he found the four lying prone on the floor. Elizabeth and David were dead, with Butters and Lee barely breathing. Lee died a few minutes later, but Butters recovered after being thrown on a dung-heap, and kicked repeatedly by the furious husband.
An inquest was held on August 19th and the coroner, James Stewart, presented evidence against Butters, leading the jury to decide that death resulted from suffocation, caused by a sulphurous brew she prepared to cure the cow. Butters was brought before the spring assizes in 1808 but charges were dismissed by proclamation. Butters claimed that a black man (witchcraft for the devil) appeared in the house and attacked the inhabitants with a large club.
Unusually, the story created no hostility in the area. A humorous, and cynical, ballad about the incident was written contemporaneously, and it is believed to be the only poem on Irish witchcraft extant. Butters moved to the Carnmoney area and practised for decades afterwards. She was also popular with victims of horse-theft; once told the name of the person responsible, she was believed to be able to concoct some arcane punishment. The witchcraft act was repealed in 1821.
From the Royal Irish Academy’s
Dictionary of Irish Biography.
See dib.ie for more details