Petronilla de Meath, a maidservant, became the first person to be burned at the stake for witchcraft in Ireland on November 3, 1324, in Kilkenny. Accused as an accomplice of her employer, Dame Alice Kyteler, Petronilla endured torture and public humiliation before confessing to charges of sorcery and heresy. Kyteler, a wealthy noblewoman, managed to flee Ireland, leaving her servants to face the accusations. The charges against Petronilla included sacrificing animals, concocting potions from children's body parts, and engaging in lustful associations with a demonic entity. Her execution marked a significant, albeit tragic, event in Irish legal and social history, highlighting the early instances of witchcraft trials in the region.
