Summary of Rewind with Karen & Georgia - 123: Live at Vicar Street in Dublin

Overview of Rewind with Karen & Georgia — 123: Live at Vicar Street in Dublin

This episode of Rewind with Karen & Georgia revisits the duo’s first night of their European tour in Dublin at Vicar Street, originally released on May 31, 2018. Karen and Georgia relive the live-show energy, their chaotic travel stories, audience interactions, and two classic true-crime tales: the murder of Mary Goff by Colin Whelan and the legend of Billy in the Bowl, also known as the Stony Batter Strangler. The episode also includes a hometown story from an audience member involving family murder, which becomes an especially wild on-stage exchange.

Episode Highlights

• The hosts open by joking about:
  • Ireland’s weather and jet lag
  • hotel thermostat chaos
  • their confusion about local pronunciation and slang
  • the ongoing absence of “Steven,” who was not on the tour
• They also repeatedly riff on being corrected by local audience members, especially around Gaelic/Gaeilge, Boots/Pennies, and Irish place names.
• The live show has a very interactive, intimate feel, with audience members helping correct pronunciations and contributing to the atmosphere.

Main Stories Covered

Georgia’s Story: Colin Whelan and the Murder of Mary Goff

Georgia tells the case of Colin Whelan, who murdered his wife Mary Goff in Ireland.

Key points:

• Colin and Mary met in the early 1990s and eventually married.
• Colin was controlling and possessive, while Mary’s family had misgivings about him.
• He secretly increased their life insurance policy before the wedding.
• After Mary’s death, he claimed she had fallen down the stairs.
• Paramedics and hospital staff quickly suspected foul play.
• Evidence showed Mary had been strangled; Colin had tried to stage the scene.
• Police found incriminating internet searches on his computer about:
  • strangulation
  • asphyxiation
  • loss of consciousness
  • how to kill someone
• He also had a downloaded transcript of a similar murder case.
• Colin fled after the murder, faked his own disappearance, and was eventually caught after being spotted in Spain.

Outcome:

• Colin later pleaded guilty and received a life sentence.

Karen’s Story: Billy in the Bowl / The Stony Batter Strangler

Karen tells the story of Billy Davis, a disabled man in 18th-century Dublin who became known as Billy in the Bowl because he used a wheeled iron bowl to get around.

Key points:

• Billy was born in the mid-1700s and was described as handsome and charming.
• He lived in harsh conditions connected to the House of Industry in Dublin.
• A blacksmith reportedly made him a wheeled bowl-like contraption so he could move around.
• He became a beggar and eventually began robbing women by staging a fake injury and luring them close.
• He strangled women during robberies and became known as the Stony Batter Strangler.
• His crimes continued until a woman he attacked fought back and stabbed him in the eye with a hat pin.
• He was captured, convicted, and sentenced to hard labor.

Outcome:

• Billy died in prison and was buried in an unmarked grave.

Audience Interaction and Hometown Story

One of the most memorable parts of the episode is the live audience participation:

• Karen and Georgia repeatedly ask locals to help with pronunciation and context.
• A surprise hometown story from audience member Aoife turns into a bizarre family murder discussion involving:
  • a murdered father
  • an affair within the family
  • a body burned and later discovered through remains found by pigs
• The exchange becomes one of the most chaotic and memorable live-show moments in the episode.

Rewind Updates Shared by Karen and Georgia

Colin Whelan Update

• Colin was later moved to an open prison.
• As of the update in the episode, he was working as a chef at a training center for vulnerable people.
• This raised criticism because of concerns that vulnerable women at the center may not know his history.

Billy in the Bowl Update

• Billy died in prison.
• He was buried in an unknown, unmarked grave.

Themes and Takeaways

• The episode captures the energy of the duo’s early live touring era.
• A big theme is the contrast between:
  • dark true crime
  • absurd comedy
  • audience banter
• The Dublin crowd is portrayed as sharp, engaged, and highly participatory.
• The show also highlights how My Favorite Murder works live: true crime as storytelling, audience interaction, and cathartic humor all at once.

Notable Quotes / Running Bits

• “If you’re going to be boring, please whisper.”
• “Furry Bear”
• “Redundant bear”
• “High on Brute”
• The repeated joke that local audience members should act as translators whenever the hosts mispronounce Irish words or places.