*TW: This episode contains discussions and themes of infertility.*

Fairies have long been part of Irish folkloric history, with its landscape dotted with thousands of 'fairy forts'. But there's a dark side to these beliefs.

Changelings are thought to be evil fairies who steal humans from families, taking them to the fairy world and replacing them with weak, disfigured fairy lookalikes.

It taps into a dark history of disease, poverty and even murder.

Joining Anthony and Maddy today is Cecily Gilligan, author of Cures of Ireland: A Treasury of Irish Folk Remedies, to take us back to Ireland's unique and dark folk history.

Edited by Tomos Delargy. Produced by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long.

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All music from Epidemic Sounds.

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal is a History Hit podcast.