Elly Kedward

"Legend says that there's been a curse on these woods…"

- Unknown

Elly Kedward, born Eilis Abaigeal Kedward, was an Irish immigrant from Glengariff, Ireland who settled in Blair, Maryland. She was later known infamously as the Blair Witch.

Appearance
Elly has never physically appeared in the franchise. As a result, her appearance varies slightly depending on who is reporting the sighting: According to Rustin Parr, she takes the appearance of an "old woman ghost." Though he never saw her face, she appeared to him in a long, dark hooded cloak. This seems to fit the depiction given in an early woodcut of Elly's banishment, which depicts her as elderly and wearing a cloak.

In 1994, when Mary Brown related her sighting of the witch to Heather Donahue, she described Elly as a dark-haired, half-human, half-animal beast. Mary also noted that the witch wore a wool shaw over her.

That same year, Bob Swanson claimed that he had once seen the spirit of the witch take the form of a grey vapor.

A ghostly photograph supposedly depicting Elly shows her as a young woman with dark hair and wearing a white gown.

Legacy
Following her banishment from Blair, Elly faded away into local superstition and mythology. Despite the sightings and mysterious disappearances reported in the past, the "Blair Witch" soon became little more than an urban legend. By 1994, she was still frequently talked about by the residents of Burkittsville—the town which was built over Blair. She had also been featured on a Discovery Channel documentary about the ghosts and legends of Maryland.

Behind the scenes
Elly Kedward and her identity as the "Blair Witch" were somewhat inspired by the real-life legend of the Bell Witch haunting.

Appearances

 * The Blair Witch Project
 * Curse of the Blair Witch
 * Blair Witch

Non-Canon Appearances
 * Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2
 * Blair Witch Volume 1: Rustin Parr
 * Blair Witch Volume 2: The Legend of Coffin Rock
 * Blair Witch Volume 3: The Elly Kedward Tale