Bridey Murphy

A brief tale of reincarnation and past life regression. You may have thought this was a wholly modern, New Age thing, but the idea is an ancient one.

And it took on the dimensions of a craze in the Fifties. All because of one long dead Irish lass named Bridey Murphy.

Her real name was Virginia Tighe, at least in this time period. But she became famous as Bridey Murphy, a 19th century woman from Cork, Ireland.

Bernstein reenacts the hypnosis.

In 1952 Morey Bernstein hypnotized her, whereupon she began speaking in an Irish brogue,singing Irish songs and telling Irish stories, always as Bridey Murphy. So in 1956 Bernstein wrote a book, “The Search for Bridey Murphy” which became a bestseller, as did his recordings of her regressions. Later a movie followed. Bridey was now big biz. Reporters were hot on the trail to Ireland to find the historical Bridey. While no doubt a boon for Irish tourism, no Bridey was found.

The Chicago American newspaper looked a little closer to home and found a Bridey Murphy Corkell who had lived in Chicago across the street from Virginia Tighe when she was a child. What dear Virginia was dregging up were in fact childhood memories of the lady across the street.