Episode 3: The Wicked Stepmother – Villain or Victim?

A teenage girl makes a promise. A cruel stepmother holds her to it. A father believes the worst. And somewhere along the way, an innocent dog loses its head.

Wicked stepmothers—jealous, scheming, and heartless—are some of the most infamous villains in folklore. From The Children of Lir to Cinderella, these women lurk in the shadows, plotting their stepchildren’s downfall. But why do we love to hate them? And is the real story that simple?

This episode dives into Éadaoin’s harrowing tale—a lesser-known Irish legend of betrayal, survival, and dark justice. But not all stepmothers are wicked. Sometimes, they’re scapegoats for a world that expects too much from them.

Through myth, history, and one particularly messy axe murder, we’ll explore:

Why the wicked stepmother trope exists (and what it really says about family).

The tragic fates of Éadaoin.

The Lizzie Borden case—a real-life "evil stepmother" story that’s far from clear-cut.

Why modern storytelling fears complex female villains.

Fairy tales endure for a reason. And sometimes, the villains aren’t who we think they are.

#IrishMythology #Folklore #TrueCrime #WickedStepmother #CelticHistory #Storytelling #Legends #LizzieBorden #DarkFairyTales #Podcast

Episode 2: A Pissing Contest – Beauty, Jealousy, and Betrayal

Two women. Two worlds. One deadly pattern.

In 1985, a teenage girl was led into the woods and never came back. Over a thousand years earlier, a woman from the Otherworld arrived in Ulster. She was young, beautiful, and married to a king. She should have been safe. But beauty is never just a blessing. It’s a weapon, a target, a threat.

This episode unravels two stories—one a tragic true crime, the other an ancient Irish myth.

Both ask the same question:

When does admiration turn to envy?

How far will people go to destroy what they can’t have?

And in a world where beauty is currency, who pays the price?

It is a tale of power, competition, and the brutal cost of standing out.

#TrueCrime #IrishMythology #BeautyStandards #MissyAvila #IrishHistory #CelticMyth #Podcast #Storytelling #EnvyKills #Folklore

Episode 2: Is it Brigid or Brigit? - Goddess, Saint, Legend

Was Brigid a goddess turned saint or a saint turned goddess?

Brigid is one of Ireland’s most enduring figures, a name spoken with reverence by both pagans and Christians alike. She’s a fiery deity of poetry, healing, and smithcraft. She’s also a saint, a bishop, and one of Ireland’s patron saints. But how did one figure become two—or were there always two stories running parallel?

In this episode, we explore the tangled web of myth, history, and belief surrounding Brigid. We explore her divine origins in Irish mythology, her role in the Second Battle of Moytura, and her sorrowful keening at the Well of Sláine. Then, we follow her possible transformation into Saint Brigid of Kildare, the miracle worker who defied kings, outwitted chieftains, and became a bishop in a male-dominated church.

Along the way, we’ll ask:

Did the goddess inspire the saint, or did the saint shape the goddess?

How do legends form, evolve, and take on new meanings?

And does the power of a story lie in its truth—or in its ability to inspire?

To answer these, we’ll contrast Brigid’s story with another icon of resistance: Boudica, the warrior queen of the Iceni. Just as Brigid's identity is layered in myth, so too is Boudica’s—her name a title, her history shaped by Roman writers with their own agendas.

History, myth, and faith collide in this episode. Whether you worship Brigid, venerate her, or just love a good story, this one’s for you.

#Brigid #IrishMythology #CelticHistory #SaintBrigid #PaganIreland #HistoryPodcast #Boudica #MythsAndLegends #IrishFolklore #Storytelling