Halloween Episode: The Death of Margorie McCall

Scandinavian Crimes (w/ Devante & Delila)

Year(s) of Incident: 1708
Location: Ireland
Halloween Episode: The Death of Margorie McCall
Victim(s):  NA
Method: Coma, Illness


The story of Margorie McCall, also known as Margorie McCall, "Lived Once, Buried Twice", is a famous Irish legend dating back to the 18th century in Lurgan, Northern Ireland. As the story goes, Margorie McCall was a young woman who fell ill and was quickly declared dead. After her burial, some grave robbers, who had heard she was buried wearing an expensive ring, dug up her grave that night in hopes of retrieving the valuable piece.

However, when they tried to remove the ring, they found it difficult, as her fingers had swollen. Determined, they attempted to cut the ring off her finger, and as they did so, Margorie suddenly awoke. It turned out that she had been in a coma rather than dead, and the pain jolted her back to consciousness.

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): 
https://uppbeat.io/t/adi-goldstein/blank-light 
License code: A1C1SZ12UFNPUARU

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/aftermath
License code: JOQREDXACPYKVUGM

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/gathering-darkness
License code: XOEPAQKTHDIVUFWB

Transcript

When we review these cases and talk about these stories, I wanna make sure everyone knows that these cases are very serious. Even though me and Delilah may take the time to crack jokes at each other or try and make the situation a little bit lighter, these cases are nonetheless still very important and they involve real people. And we have to take the time to make sure we let you guys know how serious this is so that way you don't misinterpret anything we say jokingly to each other. But these cases are important. We're trying to bring awareness while also still bringing a little bit of our personalities into these stories so that way you can enjoy them a little bit more. So with that being said,(...) now let's really get into the episode.

(...)

Welcome to Scandinavian Crimes. My name is Devante and say hello to my lovely, lovely host, Delila. Hi.(...) And on this podcast, we talk about famous Scandinavian criminals who made their mark throughout Scandinavian history.

(...)

Happy Halloween, everyone. Today we have,(...) today we have a very special and terrifying episode. It's one of, I don't have very many fears in life, but this is definitely one of them.

(...)

So it's a very interesting episode because this is a tale from the UK. So we wanted to mix it up just a little bit, give a little, you know,

let's step outside. We know it's not Scandinavian. Okay, we know. Yes.

(...) Let's take a journey outside of Scandinavia, but it's still in the EU, so associated, right? So this takes place in the early 1700s of Ireland. Marjorie McCall became one of Lurgen's most renowned figures. Her extraordinary story has captivated listeners for centuries and continues to be shared this day. So you already know every year, we like to do a little bit of something different for Halloween. Every year is gonna be a little something new. This is gonna be a very interesting story. And by the end of it, I want you guys to let me know how you feel about this story(...) because I'm pretty sure you'll find this interesting.

(...)

So without further ado, you already know what I'm about to say.

(...)

Grab your tea,(...) grab your snacks.

(...)

If you're on your way somewhere on this Halloween's Eve,(...) be mindful of what's lurking in those dark corners(...) because you never know what forces may be lurking out there because this is the story of the death of Marjorie McCall.

(...)

In the 1700s, life was hard(...) and people did what they had to in order to make a living. Some turned to trades that were considered highly scrupulous.

(...)

One such trade was that of a resurrectionist commonly known as a grave robber.

(...)

These resurrectionists provided corpses to numerous private medical schools across the UK.

(...)

Among the most notorious of these practitioners were Burke and Hare.

(...)

Their infamy was not merely due to their grave robbing activities, but also because of their disturbing ability to supply fresh corpses on demand.

(...)

Originally from Ireland, the two men crossed paths in Edinburgh(...) where they began their dark enterprise supplying anatomy students with an excessive number of dead bodies.

(...)

Even in their homeland, surgeons were willing to pay a handsome price for the recently deceased creating a lucrative opportunity for local resurrectionists.

(...)

As a demand for the corpses grew,(...) so did the moral decay of those who sought to profit from the dead. Marjorie McCall was happily married to a doctor,(...) John McCall, and he lived a joyful life on the church place in Lurgan.(...) Their days were filled with love, laughter,(...) until the day Marjorie suddenly fell ill.

(...)

John was consumed with worry not knowing what to do.

(...)

In the early 1700s, many ailments we now consider minor could be considered fatal.

(...)

The fever was one of the most terrifying illnesses sweeping through communities like wildfire.

(...)

Tragically, in 1705, Marjorie succumbed to her illness and her family laid her to rest in Shankill Church of Ireland Cemetery, just a short distance from their home.

(...)

The burial was done in haste, driven by fear that the fever could spread like the plague.

(...)

Amid the sorrow of the mourners, there was considerable commotion surrounding a viable ring that Marjorie had been wearing.

(...)

Many attempted in vain to pry the ring from her fingers, anxious that the grave robbers might desecrate her resting place to steal it. However, Marjorie's fingers had swollen so significantly(...) after her death, making the ring impossible to remove.

(...)

As a result, she was buried still wearing the ring, her beautiful gold wedding ring, a lasting symbol of her love, even in death. Unfortunately, news of Marjorie's valuable ring reached the resurrectionist, who quickly recognized an opportunity for profit.(...) After the wake,(...) a solemn tradition where the family sat a vigil over the body for several days to watch for any signs of awakening,

(...)

Marjorie was finally laid to rest.

(...)

That very evening, while the soul had yet to settle on Marjorie's coffin, the grave robbers made their move.

(...)

Operating under the cloak of darkness, they dug through the earth until they reached her coffin,(...) prying it open with a sense of grim excitement.

(...)

Just as rumors had foretold, the ring was on her finger, gleaming in the faint light.

(...)

The robbers attempted to remove the valuable item, but it refused to budge.(...) However, they were not about to let such a pry slip through their fingers.

(...)

In a moment of chilling resolve, they decided to cut off her finger to free the ring, a testament to their merciless greed in the face of death. As soon as they severed her finger, bloodstream down, and in an astonishing turn of events, Marjorie revived from her coma-like state.

(...)

Sitting bolt upright with wide eyes, she let out a wail that echoed through the darkness like a ghostly howl. Accounts of what happened next vary widely. One version claims that one of the body snatches dropped dead from the sight of Marjorie returning to life, while another insists that both men fled in terror, abandoning their grim profession for good.

(...)

Regardless of which tale is true, it was clear that neither would ever forget the harrowing experience.

(...)

Meanwhile, Marjorie, undeterred by her traumatic resurrection, helped herself out of the grave.

(...)

Stumbling through the darkness, she made her way back home, alive.

(...)

At home, John sits surrounded by the children and relatives mourning the loss of his beloved Marjorie.(...) They shared sorrowful yet heartfelt stories when suddenly there comes three distinct knocks at the door.

(...)

Overcome with grief, John muttered, "If your mother were still alive, I'd swear that was her knock."

(...)

To his astonishment, when he opened the door, he was greeted by the sight of his late wife.

(...)

Marjorie standing before him in her barrier clothes, blood dripping from her almost severed finger.

(...)

Reactions to the shocking reunion vary in retelling, but most agree on one thing.(...) John collapsed dead on the floor,

(...)

his heart unable to bear the shock.

(...)

This left the family in a perplexing situation, caught between joy and sorrow.

(...)

They celebrated Marjorie's miraculous return while mourning John, who is now dead.

(...)

In a twist of fate, he was laid to rest in the very plot Marjorie had recently vacated.

(...)

Marjorie eventually remarried and had several children, but whispers soon spread through the town that she had emerged from her grave pregnant by an unspecified suitor.

(...)

Despite the scandal, she built a life filled with love and laughter. When she finally passed away of old age, she was laid to rest once more in Shankill graveyard where her gravestone still stands.(...) To this day,

(...)

it bears a description,(...) quote, "lived once buried twice,"(...) end quote. Even now, the townspeople of Lurgan remember Marjorie, the tales abound of her spirit wandering through Shankill cemetery.

(...)

Some say she roams the grounds in search for those who wronged her,(...) her presence a lingering reminder of her remarkable story and the mysteries of life and death.

(...)

Now, you guys are probably thinking, oh, they're probably checking us again because like last Halloween they did it. Oh, who can believe them? Well, this story actually have some truths in it. So I don't know if you guys know about the lady with the ring tail in Europe,(...) but it's basically a European folklore with different versions of this specific like story.

(...)

But Margaery's, I don't know if I said her name right, Margaery.

(...)

Margaery.

(...)

Margaery's grave exists.

(...)

And there's even a research historian who confirmed that the story is like somewhat based from truth.

(...)

So the story about the whole like lady with the ring folk tale is a story about a premature burial and it was a popular tale throughout Europe in the 14th through 19th centuries.

(...)

So it's very convenient that it's like, I think this story is very mixed with a lot of like things

(...)

from the lady with the ring, but also based from some truths.

(...)

But basically, apparently the historians researcher believe that Margaery and the, sorry, Margaery(...) and the robbers are real.

(...)

But because of the records being lost during the great hunger in Ireland, we can't really 100% like guarantee it.

(...)

But there are evidence that they are like they existed

(...)

and the grave as well.

(...)

But I don't know, I don't know if this is true or not. I don't know, I can't say like 100%,(...) but it is based from some truth is all I can say.

I mean, it's still a nice little fun story. So, you know, little-- I

think it's where the doctor like, even though they waited for the wake, you know, basically for her to wake up again, just in case.

(...)

And she never woke up, but she woke up when the finger got cut.

(...)

That's like super weird to me.

You know, it's possible, like remember they said she had a fever

(...)

and it's possible that she wasn't necessarily in a coma, per se, but maybe, you know, if she was weak enough at the time that her body was fighting off something and she probably just didn't wake up quickly enough.

But like he thought she was dead.

Remember, this is 1700s, even though he's a doctor.(...) He was a doctor. Doctors were not as smart as the average person today back then, you know, that's just technology and information. You know, we could have did a better job back then than he would. They would have thought what we were doing was magic probably.

(...) (Laughing)

Like, witch! Yeah, maybe.

(...)

(Laughing)

Witch. But you know, back then they didn't have really any understanding of like, let me really make sure, check the pulse and then-

Check the pulse. They probably didn't know about that.

Yeah, see, there's a steady heartbeat.

I don't know where they started doing that, honestly.

And then even in hospitals, you know, today, nowadays,

(...)

obviously we have like monitors that can register heartbeats, even really faint heartbeats, but also they will poke at the bottom of your feet just in case you jolt, even with people who are in comas, they do that. They will poke to see if like- To

see the reflexes, yeah.

And then if your reflexes are so active, this person's not dead, because you know, once your neurosynapses die, it's not reacting to anything because it no longer exists.

(...)

So. Yep. You know, it's just- But I thought

the story was cool. Yeah, it's cool.

This is a nice little-

It was very interesting.

(...) (Laughing)

I tried to put a little extra pizzazz on the story reading as well for you guys, you know. I'm gonna change up the music to really build the scene out.

It's just unfortunate that the doctor died. Right.

He was like, "Oh my God."

He's like, "You're alive!"

(...)

And then died. And then died. And then she's like, "What?"

It was almost like the cost of her life was his.

(...)

Yeah, like they just changed roles.

(...)

So that's why I can't really say if all of this is true or not, but I do believe that she existed. Then the stories might have been exaggerated to make a spooky story.

(...)

But that's what I think is interesting with the story. You never know.

(...)

Yeah, you never know. No way for us to tell. There's no records, basically.

(...)

Not like records, records, but you know, it's not like video or pictures of clear indication. But I hope, I mean, I don't really have much to say, you know, this is a little fun little thing. So I hope you guys enjoyed it.

Happy Halloween.

And be sure to,(...) instead of us ending it on a good note, because you know, we're all in good spirits here, in spooky spirits, I would say,

(...)

I hope you enjoy the release date for this one. Hollow's Eve. And also don't eat too much candy.(...) Cavities are real.

(...)

And...

(...)

Eat pumpkins.

(...)

Pumpkins are nice. And also stay inside, watch some hard flicks, you know, but still lock your doors.

(...)

And before you go to sleep.

(...)

This is not the like, I feel like you're like using all the scary movies out there. Look, I'm black, all right.

I'm still paranoid.(...) So enjoy the scary movies, lock your door still. People still tend to act crazy on Halloween. And what I'm gonna suggest as well, if you wanna make sure you don't have little nightmares,

(...)

just put on some cartoons before you fall asleep. If you're one of those people who can go to sleep after watching a horror movie, you're a serial killer. And we will be doing a story about you.

(...)

No, you're very cool that you can do that. That's a superpower.

That's not a superpower. That means things have just been so scary already that horror doesn't faze you, which means you're a villain.

(...)

Oh my God, I've got it. Okay, well, thank you so much.

(...)

I'm gonna eat something very special. I wanna eat like potato shaped,(...) no, what's the name of the thing? The taters, totters.

Tater tots?

(...)

Yeah, but like I want them to be shaped like a ghost and like a pumpkin and like Halloween things. And then I wanna put them in the air fryer and then I wanna eat it.

(...)

Okay.

(...)

Okay.

(...)

I can respect that.

(...)

I don't really have anything in particular. I had a really good burger today, so I'm actually content. So I'm not craving anything.(...) So I hope you guys have a happy, safe and spooky Halloween.

(...)

And remember my friends,

(...)

you never know what's lurking out there in the night.

(...)

Peace out.

(...)

Goodbye.