The Seventh

The seventh son or seventh daughter is the belief in Irish folklore that special powers are given to the seventh born from an unbroken family line of the same gender.

People from far and wide across Ireland would travel to the home of a seventh son to receive treatment for ailments or many a seventh son would travel to perform the powers that they have been bestowed with. Valentine Greatrakes, also known as Greatorex was an Irish faith healer from County Waterford born in 1629 who toured England healing the sick. 

While families may have gotten smaller, there are still some seventh sons in Ireland today who practice healing in their community. One such person is Danny Gallagher. Since he discovered his gift, he has traveled around Ireland, Britain and the world curing people with various ailments.

The media quickly took notice of Gallagher’s powers as those he had cured came forward. According to reports in the Kilkenny Advertiser, the press initially tried to out him as a fraud.

Their criticism drove Gallagher to leave for Britain. He had intended to tour the country but he settled in the industrial heartland where he found many in need of his services. One of his cures became famous. Jean Pritchett a 40-year-old housewife had been blind for 22 years.

She was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa. In October 1976, Gallagher cured her. She could see and her story made front page headlines. After healing Pritchett, Gallagher cured Kathleen Bailey, confined to a wheelchair as her spine degenerated after an injury 11 years previous. Medical treatment could not do anything. It was steadily getting worse. After treatment from Gallagher, she was able to leave her wheelchair for good.