Women are creatures with a more subtle mental organization compared to representatives of the stronger half of humanity. And some professions are simply not capable of mastering. But there are also exceptions. 
So, in the glorious dark times of the Middle Ages, it was impossible to imagine the life of society without an executioner. This work required skill, strength and indifference in character. Throughout human history, the profession of executioner was considered exclusively male. 
Roscommon High Street
Almost. Except for the story of Lady Betty of Roscommon. It is part fairy tale, part true story. It may be true, but it may also just be another superstition. Lady Betty gained a reputation as a cruel and cold-blooded executioner living in Ireland in the 18th century.
Among quite authoritative sources, William Wilde is the father of the famous Oscar Wilde. According to Sir William, she painted portraits of all the people she executed on the walls of her home with a burnt stick. The story of this semi-mythical woman has been told throughout Ireland for centuries. But who was she, and why did she become so notorious?
From poverty to violence 
The story of Lady Betty began in the second half of the 18th century. A poor widow of a farmer from County Kerry, Ireland, Elizabeth Sugrue, along with her two children, went to the city of Roscommon in search of a better life.
It was not an easy journey. One of Betty's children unfortunately died along the way, leaving only her eldest son, Padraic. Fortunately, the two of them made it to Roscommon.
In Roscommon, Betty and Padraic found shelter in an abandoned shack and began to beg from the wealthier residents of the city. It is not surprising that Betty and her son became recluses and did not go crazy from impotence only thanks to each other.
It is believed that the woman had a cruel and complex character, which, combined with the difficulties of poverty and deprivation, forced her son to move to the States and seek his fortune there. There is nothing unusual in this, because in the 18th century many people from the British Isles tried to get rich there. It was a land of opportunity.
Betty begged Padraic to stay, but he was determined and promised that he would send money when he got settled. The relationship between mother and son became tense. 
In April 1775, Padraic set off on his journey, despite his mother's urging. Without her son, Betty became even more of a recluse. She left the house only to go to the nearest tavern for food.
Padraic, true to his word, sent money and letters, but this did nothing to improve Betty’s mood and life.
She was too caught up in her bitterness and angry at the whole world for the trials that befell her.
The son began to build his life on a new continent. In his letters home, he wrote that he had enlisted in the army in New York. Unfortunately, this meant that his letters to his mother became less frequent. Betty began to doubt that he would ever return. And despair pushed her to the edge of the abyss.
Fatal choice 
One cold November night, Betty was approached by a tall, bearded man who needed shelter for the night. From his clothes and the fact that his bag was full of gold coins, Betty realized that the stranger was rich.
The nearby inn was full, and the stranger happily stopped at Betty's shack. She offered him her bed for the night and thought about the opportunity. The decision did not take long to arrive. The woman took a knife and killed the guest, taking the money.
It was only after she searched the man's body that she discovered the letters, including one addressed to her, written in her son's handwriting. The stranger was her son, who wanted to surprise his mother by returning with a small fortune.
Her frantic screams were heard by local residents, who brought the city guard with them. Betty was arrested and imprisoned in Roscommon Prison. The court sentence was hanging. 
On the day of the hanging, Betty was taken outside and told that the executioner was ill. To the surprise of the crowd and jailers, Betty offered her services as an executioner and, having received permission, proceeded to hang 25 other prisoners. They say she remained absolutely calm, cold and emotionless.
The full-time executioner was never able to return to work, and Betty was offered to take this position on a permanent basis. However, this meant that she had to remain in prison, since it was not safe for her to walk around the city. 
Betty was very skilled in the role of executioner. She said that it would be better to put the gallows in the prison, and the chief followed her advice. Betty worked with the construction workers and made sure that the public could watch the execution without interfering with the process.
Betty's sentence was commuted, and she was able to continue working as an executioner during the 1798 rebellion, when her skills were especially in demand. In 1802, her sentence was officially overturned.
In the last years of her life, Betty retired and was allowed to tend a garden within the prison. The woman died in 1807, and the boss demanded that she be buried secretly at night in an unmarked grave. 
Production of "Lady Betty" by Declan Donnellan
Lady Betty's legacy was recognized for her services to the safety of the people of Roscommon. Despite becoming a villain to the locals, who called her the woman from hell, Betty Sugrue was able to climb out of poverty and live a reasonable, if dark, life.
Lady Betty is a popular character in Irish folklore. Her image, a common children's horror story with which women frightened their naughty children, eventually inspired cultural figures to create several stories, films and theatrical productions.
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