Myths of a Skye Mountain: Beinn na Caillich

Annie and Jenny discover how Skye’s greatest mountains are the remains of an ancient volcano. We unravel rich Scottish folklore about Beinn na Caillich: the Mountain of the Old Woman. We discuss the lore of giant women who battled across the sea with giant boulders. 

Learn about Saucy Mary, a lost Norwegian Princess and, a fake Norwegian Princess. 

If you love Skye, this episode is filled with magical mountain lore. 

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This is part of the Radical Mountain Women, funded by the Royal Society of Literature.

References:

Anderson, J., 1873. Notes of some Entries in the Iceland Annals regarding the Death of the Princes Margaret. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 10. 

Finlayson, J. (Contributor), Maclean C. I. (Fieldworker), 1955. Mar a fhuair Beinn Na Caillich aim, SA1955.169, The School of Scottish Studies Archives, University of Edinburgh. 

Gordon, S., 1927. A Peak in Skye: Beinn na Cailliche. The Scotsman. 

Hull, E., 1927. Legends and Traditions of the Cailleach Bheara or Old Woman (Hag) of Beare. Folklore, 38.

Kallestrup, L. and Toivo, R., 2017. Contesting Orthodoxy in Medieval and Early Modern Europe. Cham: Springer International Publishing: Palgrave Macmillan.

Macculloch, J. and Scott, W., 1824. The Highlands and western Isles of Scotland in letters to Sir Walter Scott. London.

MacKay, J., 1905. How Beinn na Caillich got its name. Celtic Monthly, Glasgow, 13. 

Mackenzie, D. A., 1905. A Highland Goddess. The Celtic Review, 7, no. 28. 

Whyte, A., 2021. The Cailleach in Place-Names and Place-Lore. Journal of Scottish Name Studies, 14.