Visions of the Cailleach: Exploring the Myths, Folklore and Legends of the pre-eminent Celtic Hag Goddess

by Sorita d'Este, David Rankine

Standing astride the British landscape looms the giant blue form of the Cailleach. Whether she is seen as a benevolent earth-shaping giantess, harsh winter hag goddess, shape-shifting crone, guardian of sacred wells and animals, or ancient bestower of sovereignty; the Cailleach appears in many roles and manifestations in myths and legends across the British Isles. The authors have tracked the Cailleach across thousands of years through folklore, literature and place names, uncovering startling references which hint at a hidden priestess cult worshipping the Cailleach from ancient times through into the twentieth century.

By exploring her myths and legends, they demonstrate the hugely significant role of the Cailleach in the early history of the British Isles. The demonization of the Cailleach through the Middle Ages by the Christian Church paralleled that of women and witches, and is reflected in various other supernatural hag figures possibly derived from her and discussed in detail, such as Black Annis, Gyre Carling, Mia Lia, Nicneven and the Old Woman of the Mountain.

Looking beyond the veil of the sacred landscape, the vision of the Cailleach confronts the seeker in hills and rocks, lakes and wells, burial chambers and stormy skies. Now finally the primal elemental power of the Cailleach is revealed in her full glory, in the tales and places of Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man; as well as in traces of her presence in England, Wales, Jersey, Brittany, Spain and Norway. This unique and ground-breaking work brings together for the first time the wealth of folklore, stories and legends regarding this most significant of British supernatural figures, whose myths and wisdom are as relevant today as they have ever been.

Genres: Mythology, Folklore, Nonfiction, Witchcraft, Paganism, Spirituality, History

148 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2009

About the author

Sorita d’Este is an author, researcher and priestess who has devoted her life to the Mysteries. She is the author of around 20 books exploring subjects related to the practice and history of magic, mythology, religion, folklore and witchcraft. Her previous books include titles such as Hekate Liminal Rites, Practical Elemental Magick, Visions of the Cailleach, Wicca: Magickal Beginnings and The Isles of the Many Gods. Her latest release is Circle For Hekate: Vol I. She lives on a hill in Glastonbury (Somerset, UK) from where she works as a publisher and writer. She is frequently distracted from her work by her love of gardening, exciting visitors and the promise of interesting esoteric knowledge.

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fasinating history and compilation of various Cailleach myths. Though I had heard stories fo her before, I wasnt aware of the scope and geographic spread of the legends and the connections to a possible priestess society. Or the connections to Malta, a place I have been intrigued by.

This book was very readable as well as informative making it more accessible than I expected. Very enjoyable.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Visions of the Cailleach is a solid introduction to the figure of the Cailleach, as well as some other mythical figures which may be related to or have common origins with Cailleach. The text is well organized, clear, and very readable. The authors have demonstrated their thorough research, having included an extensive bibliography and footnotes throughout, and have helpfully included an index as well. I'm not sure about the subtitle, as now having read the book (and a few other sources) I'm not convinced 'goddess' is the right term here, and I do wish there was a short conclusion included as the book does seem to end rather abruptly. I do think some of the connections made in the book between Cailleach and other figures as well as the positing of the existence of a possible cult seem like over reaching with insufficient evidence; however, the authors are consistently very clear about what is speculative vs. what is based in textual evidence, which is important, so I have no qualms with the speculation. Recommended.

[Kenneth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short-ish look at a figure from the folklore of the British Islands with possibly related figures. This survey takes all these figures and stories and breaks them down into characteristics they have in common. This is not a retelling of the legends and stories. The tellings here are bare bones, as the authors try and tease out commonalities and possible links to older, pre-literate societies.
This work is a work on folklore and folktales, it's a glimpse into an older thought process that was bigger, more complex, stranger and more diffuse than we imagine from the Christian writings on them from later times. Recommended.

[Nay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good collection of the stories of Cailleachan, but the interpretations around them can be very odd. Despite being aware that Cailleach may be a class of beings rather than one being/goddess, the stories are often treated as one set of motifs, rather than being clearly separated by area. Additionally, the writers' belief that an ancient priesthood survives in the Cailleach stories is based on dated scholarship and influenced by Murray. That said, this is a helpful set of stories, some of which are hard to find elsewhere.

[Janette · Rating 5 out of 5]

The editing could have been tighter, but the research can't be faulted - the bibliography is huge and varied. This book has brought together all the various tales and legends about this figure in a very accessible and enjoyable way.

[Shelby Fullington · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an interesting read. I am not 100% sure on some of the connections made, but it does give the reader something to think about.

[Stephen Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource

Well done but a little disorganized in its presentation. A wonderful resource about this folkloric character, nevertheless, and an interesting collection of tales.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of the Cailleach, a Celtic figure that represents winter. The authors pull together stories and traditional tales that mostly, probably represent the Cailleach. Sometimes, I think it may be a stretch, but it's interesting folk tales nonetheless. It helps put some things in context for me.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice compilation, if a bit redundant at times. However, some sites were misidentified as to country - an island in the Hebrides as Ireland? Not enough depth or analysis in spite of the hefty amount of footnotes and references. The end just ends. No summary or conclusion as to various theories or associations made in passing. Great starting point for someone wanting to do further research. Definitely a quick read - I finished in two days over the holiday. Overall, a flat read.

[Melynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I expected a bit more academic rigor and better editing. I’m glad I read it as there are few books on the subject. Some of the interpretations were odd with no proof provided to back them up, not even UPG. The book also lacked cohesion and felt more like research prep for a more solid volume. Maybe it was rushed?

[Seawood · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic resource for anyone interested in Irish or Goddess mythology, this is an exhaustive collection of Cailleach myths and connections with a huge bibliography.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

review soon @ thefaeryromanticlibrarian.blogspot.com

[S. Wigget · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Tis the season for the Cailleach!

This is place-centered Celtic folklore.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are dozens of brilliant books about Celtic mythology, most of them dealing specifically with Irish folklore and the Irish pantheon. As someone who spent their formative years in Scotland, however, I am more interested in the myths and stories of my adoptive homeland. I was therefore overjoyed when I discovered this slim volume by renowned pagan authors Sorita D'Este and David Rankine.
I thought the book was extremely well researched, the overall tone was academic without being too dry, which made it a pleasure to read. The authors cite older texts throughout the book, sometimes written in medieval English or Scots, which might pose a challenge to some readers at times, especially if your first language isn't English.
The books starts with a short overview of the origins of the Cailleach myths before moving on to some of her individual aspects, such as earth-shaping, the significance of water, her shape-shifting abilities or her role as goddess of winter. The book concludes with a list of possible Cailleach derivatives, includding Black Annis , Nicneven and Mala Lia.
Finally, the authors present a very comprehensive bibliography for further study.
Visions of the Cailleach is a solid introduction to the Cailleach, the myths and folklore surrounding her and her significance in shaping the local landscape. As a reader, you should have prior knowledge of Celtic mythology, as the authors regularly refer to individual figures and stories from Celtic cultures. The book would work both as a reference work and a text one would read cover to cover. It is a very compact, slim little book which gives the reader a very good overview of the topic. I personally would have wanted a bit more detail in certain parts though. However, the extensive bibliography at the end provides ample scope for further research, so this is not a major issue. A short conclusion at the end would have been helpful, as the book ends rather abruptly.
A very good book, which I would wholeheartedly recommend to anyone interested in Cailleach mythology.

[Kylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the stories in this book and because I identify strongly with the Cailleach I am grateful to have more knowledge of stories pertaining to her / the archetype.

Some of the information is quite repetitive, even on the same page, like they were trying to make the book longer (I remember this strategy from writing college papers!)

I think the authors fail to make a compelling argument for a priestess cult in ancient British Isles or elsewhere. The evidence just isn’t there… or if it is it was not presented well in this book! I came into the book with the knowledge that this has been debunked and is considered ahistorical, although it is a lovely idea and story.

[Lauren Watts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction into the Cailleach! The best way to learn about deities, in my opinion, has always been to explore the folklore behind them and that is exactly what this book does. It is broken down into her different aspects and gives lore for each of them from differing regions throughout the Celtic world. I thought it was an easy read as well, pretty short and easy to understand too. If you are looking for a book on how to work magically with the Cailleach this is NOT that type of book! 100% recommend this book to people wanting to learn more!

[Heidi Hanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives an orderly and concise history of exactly what it says- myths, stories and history of Cailleach in Celtic myth. It is not a long book but is packed with information, poetry, connections between the different Celtic countries. If you are interested in this important figure in the Celtic pantheon, this is definitely worth reading.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book though I am new to learning about the Cailleach. There were a lot of points made by referencing geography and specific images. It would have been very helpful to have maps and/or photos in the book to illustrate the points they made rather than just describing with text. That said, I appreciate the breadth and scope of the content and the references.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very complete review of history and myth around this goddess or class of goddesses.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting history of the Cailleach.

[Luce Cronin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slim volume containing all aspects of the Cailleach. A short but intense read.

[Kristy Marquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

The was a very interesting collection of myths, folklore, and legends about the Cailleach that help you understand more about her.

[Nicole Bergen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating survey of myths and legends that mention the Cailleach and some possible connected stories as well.

[Mathher Abbassi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was hard to follow the stories. Not a good book, but many short stories.

[Ryan Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very disappointing. Just a mishmash of stuff all based on circumstantial evidence. It was haphazard, dry, and watered down the folklore of this primordial goddess

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loving learning about the Cailleach. A goddess not to be messed with