The Cailleach

by Rachel Patterson

The Cailleach - goddess of the ancestors, wisdom that comes with age, the weather, time, shape-shifting and winter. Within the pages of this book Rachel Patterson gives the reader an introduction to the mysteries, myths, legends and magic of the ancient hag goddess The Cailleach, drawing upon ancient legends, stories told and her own experiences.

Genres: Paganism, Witchcraft, Spirituality, Nonfiction, History, Religion

104 pages, Paperback

Published July 29, 2016

About the author

Rachel is an English witch who has been walking the Pagan pathway for over thirty years.

A working wife and mother who has had over 30 books published (so far), some of them becoming best sellers.

Her passion is to learn, she loves to study and has done so from books, online resources, schools and wonderful mentors over the years and still continues to learn each and every day but has learnt the most from actually getting outside and doing it.

She likes to laugh...and eat cake...

Rachel gives talks to pagan groups and co-runs workshops with the Kitchen Witch Coven.

High Priestess of the Kitchen Witch Coven and an Elder at the online Kitchen Witch School of Natural Witchcraft.

A regular columnist with Fate & Fortune magazine, she also contributes articles to several magazines such as Pagan Dawn and Witchcraft & Wicca. You will find her regular ramblings on her own personal blog and YouTube channel.
Rachel is host for the Pagan Portals Podcast, produced by Moon Books Publishing.

​Her craft is a combination of old religion witchcraft, Wicca, hedge witchery, kitchen witchery and folk magic.

Her heart is that of an English Kitchen Witch.

​Rachel was added to the Watkins '100 spiritually influential List' for 2023.



For more information www.rachelpatterson.co.uk and www.kitchenwitchhearth.net

She lives in Portsmouth, England.

Website: www.rachelpatterson.co.uk

Personal blog https://www.rachelpatterson.co.uk/blog

You Tube:
her YouTube channel features lots of videos with talks, information and short reference films.
https://www.youtube.com/user/Kitchenw...

Social Media:
Personal Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/racheltansyp...
Author fb page https://www.facebook.com/RachelPatter...
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/racheltansy...
Twitter https://twitter.com/TansyFireDragon
Kitchen Witch fb group https://www.facebook.com/groups/kitch...

Reviews

[Auralite Ravenna]

Very interesting introductory book, a lot of it is repetitive as it goes over various regional myths but the repetitive gives you a good idea of the subject matter, and at the end there are suggestions for working with the Cailleach in a neopagan context.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cailleach was a huge surprise for me. I am not a huge fan of non fiction but I am a huge fan of myths, mythology and origins of things as we know them today.
The author, Rachel Patterson, a self proclaimed kitchen witch, did a great job bringing the legends of the Cailleach together.
I found it fascinating in how many ways the Cailleach was described through times and in different areas or how influential she was to the people's daily lives.

I can see from where some of the myths of shape shifting might have come.
The book was very interesting and educational and has increased my appetite for history, folklore and mythology. Very well written the book has brought forth a fascinating, magical world of the gods from the past, in particular of the "hag" Cailleach. The story was well researched and has as well the personal experience of the author with the Cailleach.

I highly recommend this book if you want to dive in a mystical world where everything is possible, even a very famous loch's creation, or if you want to understand the origins of some myths that we know of today coming from the Druid, Celtic world.

I have received this book in exchange for my honest review and I thank the publishers for taking their chances with me.

[Dawn Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pagan Portals The Cailleach by Rachel Patterson

105 Pages
Publisher: John Hunt Publishing, Ltd. / Moon Books
Release Date: July 29, 2016

Religion & Spirituality

The book is divided into the following sections about Cailleach.

Birth of the Cailleach
The Cailleach in Scotland
The Cailleach in Ireland
The Cailleach and Brighid
The Cailleach on the Isle of Man
The Cailleach in England
Lady of the Beasts
Globe-Trotting Cailleach
The Cailleach by Any Other Name
Priestess Cult
Working Magic with The Cailleach
Lessons from the Cailleach
Cailleach Ritual
Meditation to Meet The Cailleach
The Witched Witch

The author begins by giving different pronunciations for Cailleach depending on where you are located in the world. I love the creation story of Her dropping boulders or stones from her apron. The stories of Her in Scotland differ from those in Ireland, the Isle of Man, and England. In reference to Her and Brighid, I was familiar with one of the story versions. I was unaware of Cailleach being mentioned in other countries. I really connected with the Lessons from The Cailleach along with the ritual to honor Her.

If you are looking for information on The Cailleach, this short book may fit your need.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This small book focuses on the British goddess who started as a creation goddess but morphed into a blue faced hag of winter. She was the goddess of midwives and of evil, sharing a connection with Brigid. Patterson relates the many tales of her from all over the British Isles, and also shows connections to places further away- even to Spain and possibly to the Hindu goddess Kali. Many of the stories are similar; a lot of natural features in the British landscape are attributed to the Cailleach carrying stones in her apron and the apron strings breaking, dumping the rocks in the landscape. Those show how widespread the worship of the Cailleach was.

In the final chapter the author shares her experiences with the Cailleach, and a ritual to honor her. It’s a nice little book for both pagans and students of lore.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goddess myths, stories and folklore are always fascinating. Pagan Portals-The Cailleach by Rachel Patterson is no exception. Ms. Patterson describes herself as a Kitchen Witch and it is clear that she knows her Celtic goddesses. This marvelous little book provides an introduction to Cailleach in her various forms through the stories of the British Isles. Her writing style is very accessible and sometimes sarcastic- which is a plus for me. There is a section at the end of the book for those who want to work with the images and energy of the goddess. There is also a good bibliography.

~an honest review in exchange for an ARC

[Ik · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first pages were excellent. I couldn't wait to read the rest. Unfortunately, the rest of the book read like a bunch of notes, something you scribble down before actually doing some research. It contained stories that 'may or may not' be connected to the Cailleach. I could've read those stories in any folk tale book. There were different versions of the same stories; why not choose one version and mention the fact that there are different variations?
All in all, a messy collection of seemingly half-finished stories and a lot of question marks placed by the author. I rather like it when authors do a bit more research and put in some more effort.

[CelticMoonGoddess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely introduction to the Cailleach, short and basic book but still filled with interesting detail. Love how the author combines legend, stories, folklore and her own experience and then reminds you to decide for yourself. Magical intention with the book and lovely bonus of a ritual and meditation to connect with the Cailleach energy and meet the goddess herself. Creates an interest to discover and learn more if you feel drawn to do so and instilled a curiosity in me to learn and discover some more.

[S. Wigget · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in an informal and humorous tone, this book is an abundance of information about the Cailleach and similar legends, some of which may be versions of the Cailleach.

[Heidi Hanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cailleach may be one of the least appreciated of the Celtic Goddess pantheon. She has long been a favorite of mine but Rachel Patterson's book provides so much more information about this ancient powerhouse of a goddess. Mostly known as a hag, I have preferred to imagine her as a wise crone and Rachel supports that with scholarship, but knowing the fullness of her power as a sovereign Winter Queen makes me feel so much closer. Having read this just as Samhain nears is extra special. The scholarship was helpful but just as important and helpful are the associations, the meditation and ritual that Rachel has provided. I can honestly say that this is the most personally satisfying book I've read all year. Thank you, Ms. Patterson. Blessed be....

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read about the Cailleach in other books/works on mythology and as such this book was largely a refresher. I enjoyed the inclusion of poems, and there were a handful of stories I’d never heard/read about. I feel that she extrapolated connections in many places, and I felt as though the tongue in cheek humor really took away from the potential that this book had. I also would have enjoyed a bit more inclusion of her sources, and a scholarly approach, as some of the other Pagan Portals books demonstrate.

[Amber | backinthebookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great overview of the mythology surrounding the Cailleach, I really enjoyed the stories that were chosen. Some of these stories included cool traditions that were fun to read about. I also enjoyed the overview of her associations and the ritual listed for working with this ancient goddess. I did skim some stories as they were considered “loosely associated” with the Cailleach, but I think those stories are still important to include.

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very much an intro. The informal style is easy to read however the added humourous remarks detracts from the subject matter in my opinion, as does the overuse of ellipses.
The ritual feels very new-age without a connection to any particular path. It would have been interesting to hear how she came to this ritual.

[Sian Witch reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who doesn't love a pagan portals book

I always enjoy a pagan portals book and the author too
This was short, snappy and jam packed full of information without being overwhelming
Got through it in a few hours and feel I now feel a deeper understanding of The Cailleach after this blend of legend and practical workings

[C.A. LaBrecque · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I am unsure of Pagan Portals structure including author opinions and take within the context. The information was provided, maybe a bit light, would enjoy more references. More quote to quote less oversimplified version from the text. U don’t need to know your (ewwws)

[butterbook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this as research for a project. Great collection of myths and stories and a straightforward and easy read.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great reference and overview for a difficult to understand archetype. It was interesting to see how the view of her varies from Irish to Welsh myths. This was really helpful with Samhain approaching.

[Luce Cronin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short book that is packed with all the information needed to come to an initial understanding of the spirit of The Cailleach in all her forms.

[NatureBug · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a lot is written about her, so I found this little guide very useful.

[T. Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Rachel Patterson's books and website! 🌞

[Nightshade · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reads as a first draft. The tone detracts from the text. Much more research could have been put in.

[Louise Hewett · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Cailleach by Rachel Patterson was interesting as a collection of references to the stories of Cailleach and related female figures. It's a good place to start an investigation.

[NanLT Pagan Witch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel Patterson has found stories about The Cailleach from around the British Isles. Beyond this, Rachel has also taken a look at stories from other parts of Europe which have either a similarity in name or in legend that could possibly be a hint that The Cailleach had an importance across the continent and not just in the Isles.

I had already found many of these stories in my own research. The benefit here is that I have all of those stories plus others in one handy place. It is divided into easily navigated chapters, focusing first on the stories from Scotland and Ireland, then venturing into the rest of the British Isles.

There is a chapter that specifically looks at the connection between Brigid and the Cailleach, and another that looks at possible connections between the Cailleach in the British Isles and other figures with similar names or stories in other parts of the world.

Rachel finishes off with a chapter giving possible correspondences for the Cailleach and she provides ceremonies and meditations that one could use or adapt to speak directly to the Cailleach. These are her own personal experiences, and she is very clear in letting the reader know this.

One of my real pet peeves are the authors who claim person experience as fact, or who pull their information out of thin air and neglect to say this. This book is not only well written and well-researched, Rachel has provided a reference list of folk stories, essays, documents and manuscripts that the reader can refer to for further studies.

All in all, a very good book and I am very happy to have it on my shelf. I know that I will be referring to it often as I discover for myself what being a priestess of The Cailleach means for me.

[J. d'Merricksson · Rating 4 out of 5]

**This book was reviewed via Netgalley**

The Cailleach, by Rachel Patterson, is one of the Pagan Portals series. This nifty series offers snapshots on a wide variety of pagan topics. The Cailleach focuses on the eponymous deity, little known and misunderstood by many. This little guide covers myths and legends related to the Cailleach, or the Old Woman of Winter. Most chapters focus on regions (Ireland, Scotland, England), though others focus on aspects (Lady of Beasts, balance with Brighid), and a few on magical aspects and working with the Cailleach.
I enjoyed the topic of this little book. The Cailleach is a deity I was not as familiar with. I liked that the author listed the different ways this word could be pronounced. Celtic language of any flavour can be a doozy to suss out if you aren't familiar with it. I liked the number of stories given. Kudos, too, to the author for making it clear little is truly historically known of the Cailleach, and the true depth of meaning for Her to the Celtic peoples is now lost. Patterson also encourages pagans interested in working with the Cailleach to seek their own relationship with her, for it will not be the same for everyone. I loved the cover art, too!

I do feel that the book could have been a bit better organised. Sometimes similar stories are given in the same chapter, but not near one another. Were it me, I think I would have consolidated types of myths, rather than going by region. This book would benefit from another thorough editing.

[K.S. Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn to the Cailleach after visiting Ireland in 2015 and prior to my return in 2016, I decided to do a bit of research on Her. Unfortunately, while I purchased the eBook, I neglected to download it to my eReader and thus had to wait until I arrived back in Canada to actually read it.

I had no idea of her connection to Loughcrew, but it certainly explains my experience there this time around. I was a bit disappointed that the author was so unsure of the validity of some of the stories about/connections made to the Cailleach, however I did enjoy the book and would recommend it. This was definitely a welcomed starting point and I look forward to exploring this Goddess more.

[Claudia Loureiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book... I like the stories and folklores about the Cailleach - however, I wished there could be more personal experiences in this book. For example, how the Cailleach appeared to the writer, the specific experiences and wisdom She imparted. That would take the book to another level!

[Betina Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found by accident or guided?

I wasn't looking for this book but I was hooked as soon as I started reading it. The Cailleach is a very interesting woman, whom I'm sure I will work with soon

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, fast read. More a collection of stories of the 'crone' of the celtic pantheon. I liked seeing how many stories had elements in common, even stories from wildly different countries. Plus the author had a delightful, slightly sarcastic writing voice.
I would have liked a bit more on ways to encounter the Cailleach in ones own life though.