This biography is republished from The Dictionary of Irish Biography and was written by Frances Clarke. Shared by permission in line with Creative Commons ‘Attribution’ (CC BY) licencing.
Born: 1798 (circa), Ireland
Died: 22 April 1874
Country most active: Ireland
Also known as: Bridget Connors or O’Connor
Early, Biddy (c.1798–1874), clairvoyant and healer, was born in the townland of Faha, near Kilanena, Co. Clare, as Bridget Connors (or O’Connor) ; the name Early, by which she was known throughout her life, was her mother’s maiden name. Little is known about her, despite the notoriety she achieved during her lifetime and retained long after. Conflicting accounts of her teenage years refer to her working as a servant for a Limerick landlord named Sheehy or renting property from him; she foretold his murder and when it came to pass her reputation as a clairvoyant was established. She subsequently settled in Kilbarron, Co. Clare, where she lived for the greater part of her life. Over many years she assisted thousands of people who looked for cures from sickness, disability, or possession by fairies. Stories abound of her also healing sick animals. Aided by her herbal medicines and famous ‘dark bottle’, which served a similar purpose to a crystal ball, she is said to have taken no financial payment for her work, but accepted food and alcohol. This is in part thought to account for the fact that several of her husbands (it is not known for certain how many times she married) died from alcohol abuse, which she was – ironically – unable to cure. She had at least one son, and may have had a daughter.
Early’s fame, and in particular the belief that she was in league with the fairies, inevitably attracted the attention of the local catholic clergy. She regularly came into conflict with them and, according to tradition, used her occult powers to humiliate them on occasion. Accused of witchcraft in 1865, she stood trial at Ennis court, but owing to the fact that many witnesses were unwilling to give evidence against her she was not convicted. In 1869 she married for the last time; though her last husband, Thomas Meaney, was a young man he died the following year. She died in poverty 22 April 1874 at her home at Kilbarron.