Barbara Lee, a white witch for 30 years, allows us into her suburban her home in Killiney where she shares her experience of becoming a Wiccan. Barbara firmly believes that Wicca has been hugely misrepresented in the media. Wicca ritual is about celebrating the earth, channelling positive energies and creating healing. Barbara did not take her decision to become a witch lightly. With her father a former Anglican preacher her upbringing was strictly conventional. Indeed her own two children were raised within the church of Ireland faith. But at 19 years of age, Barbara felt that there was something missing from her religion - it was the recognition of the feminine and the celebration of the cycle of life.

Today, she presides over a coven of witches that meet once a month to perform rituals and initiations. The coven also celebrates the Celtic festivals; Barbara estimates that there are 150 witches from the Alexandrian tradition in Ireland with another 2,000 pagans, druids and shamen. To become Wicca is not an easy process; firstly one must have a wide knowledge of comparative religion and mythology and undergo a nine week course before initiation can even take place. Initiation also involves performing three rituals before one becomes a member of a coven.

In 2007, Barbara's world was turned upside down when her eighteen year old daughter was diagnosed with cancer. Barbara believes that her Wicca faith helped her through the long year of nursing Rhiannon. Sadly Rhiannon passed away in Sept 2007.
Reporter - Anna Nolan
Producer/Director - Geraldine Creed (less info)