Dr Jenny Butler
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drjennybutler.bsky.social
Dr Jenny Butler
@drjennybutler.bsky.social
It is a great honour to serve on the American Academy of Religion's Pagan Studies Unit Steering Committee. At #AAR25, I was delighted to be the Respondent in the Panel "Novel Knowledge : Transmission and Enchantment in History, Literature and Contemporary Media".
November 27, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Please watch my TEDx Talk! ♥️
youtu.be/nl6P3snJacA
Samhain and the origins of Halloween | Dr. Jenny Butler | TEDxTraleeWomen
YouTube video by TEDx Talks
youtu.be
November 21, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Today I presented my paper “‘Enchanted Waters Run Through Every Wind That Blows’: Sacred Landscape and Magical Practice in Irish Contemporary Paganism“ at the CESNUR 2025 conference in South Africa.

#paganism #irishpaganism #contemporarypaganism #neopaganism #wicca #witchcraft #druids #druidry
November 18, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Today Reet Hiiemäe, Andrus Tins and I had our CHRYSES: Mapping Environmental Health Crises - Public Understanding through Myths and Science Project Roundtable, “Mental Mapping of Environmental Health Crises” at the World Anthropological Union Congress in Antigua, Guatemala.
November 8, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Today I presented my paper, “Mental Maps and Narratives of the Safe and Unsafe During the COVID-19 Pandemic” in the Panel “From the Local to the Global: Rethinking Health-Illness-Care Processes from the Perspective of Community Experience” at the World Anthropological Union Congress in Antigua.
November 6, 2025 at 5:19 PM
I was interviewed about contemporary Paganism for RTÉ Radio 1 Divine Sparks with Áine Lawlor, my segment starts at 46:10 on the podcast:

www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

#samhain #paganism #contemporarypaganism #irishpaganism #religion #spirituality

Image: Czesław Stasiełowicz
November 1, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Reposted by Dr Jenny Butler
As we celebrate Halloween, or Samhain, @drjennybutler.bsky.social, Ireland’s leading authority on the academic study of contemporary Paganism, shares the Irish traditions and background of the festival. Read here: www.researchireland.ie/news/samhain/ @ucc.ie #Samhain #Halloween
October 31, 2025 at 1:10 PM
On the Virgin Media Player, you can see me chatting to Elaine Crowley and Martin King on Ireland Am about mythology connected to Samhain at 00:58 (8.45am) on Friday 31 October.

#samhain #myths #legends #mythicalcreatures #otherworld
November 1, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Reposted by Dr Jenny Butler
Wonderful to hear Sir David Attenborough talk so passionately on #BBC Radio 4 this morning about the potential 40-mile (64km) "wild" corridor that could be saved, inc., prehistoric rock carvings, if this campaign by @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social succeeds. www.wildlifetrusts.org/saving-rothb...
Saving The Rothbury Estate | The Wildlife Trusts
The Wildlife Trusts nationally and Northumberland Wildlife Trust have an opportunity to secure the future of the historic Rothbury Estate in Northumberland. But in order to make this happen, we need y...
www.wildlifetrusts.org
October 29, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Reposted by Dr Jenny Butler
🎃As Oíche Shamhna approaches @nationalmons.bsky.social and @opwireland.bsky.social urge you to #ProtectOurPast by not lighting fires🔥 at heritage sites.
Help to preserve our monuments for future generations to enjoy and learn from.🎃
👉 tinyurl.com/3pn7cnkr
#LeaveNoTrace #StaySafe #HappyHalloween
October 30, 2025 at 10:14 AM
I wrote this piece on Ireland.ie which is managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs:

www.ireland.ie/en/visit/hal...

#samhain #SamhainMagic #otherworldly #otherworld #magic #hilloftara #sidhe #sí #síoga
The Otherworld at Samhain | Ireland.ie
www.ireland.ie
October 31, 2025 at 2:05 PM
A #vampire portrait of me titled The Undead Folklorist by Emlyn Boyle 🦇🖤🦇
October 30, 2025 at 10:54 PM
October 30, 2025 at 2:59 PM
I presented my paper, “The Veil Becomes Thin: Contemporary Irish Pagan Practices at Samhain”, at this symposium. We plan on publishing something collaboratively, so I look forward to that. #samhain #paganism #irishpaganism #magic #ritual #magick #samhain2025
October 30, 2025 at 2:58 PM
A segment on the @RTE Claire Byrne Live Show where I was interviewed by Brian O’Connell:

www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

#ringfort #ringforts #fairyfort #fairyforts #samhain
Fairy forts & unexplained happenings
Brian O’Connell, RTÉ Reporter
www.rte.ie
October 20, 2025 at 10:37 PM
My TEDx trophy (not sure what to call it!). It was genuinely an amazing experience taking part in TEDxTralee! I enjoyed meeting all the speakers and hearing their talks and stories. All brave, inspiring, wonderful women!♥️
#TEDx #tedxtralee #TedxSpeaker #tedxtalk #TEDx2025
October 19, 2025 at 7:21 PM
My short story, SOMNOLENCE REVERIE, was published by The Words Faire, an independent press in Dayton, Ohio. You can read it here:

www.thewordsfaire.com/theexhibitio...

#shortstory #fiction #irishwriting #aliens #ufos #extraterrestrials #alienabduction #amwriting

Image by Betidraws
October 19, 2025 at 7:19 PM
October 12, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Reposted by Dr Jenny Butler
Hex Magazine is re-launching after several years in hiatus. The latest call for submissions crossed my desk this morning. You can find it here.

hexmagazine.com
October 9, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Clip from Na Féilte Tine: Samhain with Professor Patricia Lysaght and I 🍂🍁

www.facebook.com/share/v/1BKJ...

You can watch the Samhain episode of Na Féilte Tine here on the RTÉ Player:

www.rte.ie/player/serie...

#samhain #ancestors #returningdead #Halloween #folklore #traditions
Na Féilte Tine S01E01 - Samhain
An exploration of the festival of Samhain which marks the beginning of the Celtic new year. Watch Na Féilte Tine S01E01 - Samhain on RTÉ Player for free
www.rte.ie
October 7, 2025 at 11:10 PM
October 5, 2025 at 1:08 AM
Des Baker's little documentary, Spiorad na Samhna [Spirit of Samhain] about Derry's #Halloween festival, featuring me speaking Irish.

youtu.be/_nAYHHTz0Go

#samhain #HalloweenVibes #DerryHalloween #DerryEvents #derry
Spiorad na Samhna -- Origins of Halloween
YouTube video by Des Baker
youtu.be
October 2, 2025 at 1:39 PM