And if you've ever gone in search of 'a cure', refrained from uproooting a fairy thorn, thought more than once about the existence of the little folk, or are sublimely sceptical about all such ancient stories and superstitions, the series explores why so many of us return to the infinitely inexplicable in order to make sense of our lives.
Series producer Natalie Maynes says:
"When most people think of folklore, the word conjures up images of twee stories about the past which offer no relevance to our modern world. Yet many of those same people still believe in the ancient cures, customs and curses that are still with us today. "William Crawley goes on a personal journey to confront his own scepticism and to investigate why these beliefs and superstitions continue to survive the onslaught of scepticism and science."
William has what some believers might consider an overdose of scepticism, as he hears people talk passionately about subjects as diverse as leprechauns and vampires, fairies and banshees, ghosts and exorcists, fortune-telling and traditional healing. He said:
"I wondered if I could keep a straight face while talking to someone who really does believe in the existence of leprechauns and that the rub of a potato can cure a life-long skin condition."
As the sincerity of those he meets comes over strongly on screen, William concedes that most of us still have some space in our world for belief in the supernatural, but that the question he repeatedly had to ask himself was how we should discriminate between those beliefs:
"What makes a belief 'reasonable' as opposed to 'bonkers'? What makes some supernatural beliefs more acceptable than others? So I went looking for evidence. Essentially, I said, 'Here I am. Persuade me. Prove to me that there's more to all of this than meets the eye'."
Each programme in this four-part series investigates a specific folk-belief: (1) how traditional medicine offers an alternative to modern science; (2) how certain practices are supposed to guarantee good luck; (3) the existence of supernatural beings such as leprechauns, ghosts and fairies; and (4) how folklore has promised access to our own future and how folklore's own future is changing.
And in the 'warts and all' The Cure on Thursday, William starts his journey of discovery by visiting Ireland's oldest holy well in Downpatrick: Struell Wells; as well as exploring interesting archive from the Department of Folklore at University College Dublin.
And learning of Armagh man Michael J Murphy, who dedicated his life to recording more than 250 volumes of folklore. William also meets local Ulster legend Kenny Stewart in Dungannon, who has been curing warts in his area for many years using a potato.
Oddly, however, William suspects an old folklore tradition may have come true when he discovers a wart on his own neck. According to the tradition, when a wart is removed from one person, it's always given to another. Did he get someone else's wart? And he has sound reasons for his question in this journey from herbalism to paranormal hauntings.

BBC ONE NI this Thursday, at 9pm.