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The Book of the Cailleach: Stories of the Wise Woman Healer Hardcover – December 1, 2003

by Gearoid O Crualaoich (Author)

18 ratings

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Print length

320 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Cork University Press
Publication date

December 1, 2003
Dimensions

6.5 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches
ISBN-10

1859183727
ISBN-13

978-1859183724
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Gearóid Ó Crualaoich is Professor Folklore and Ethnology in University College Cork and is regarded as one of the most original thinkers in these fields. He is the author of numerous academic articles and leading authority on the Cailleach.

Product details

Publisher : Cork University Press (December 1, 2003)
Language : English
Hardcover : 320 pages
ISBN-10 : 1859183727
ISBN-13 : 978-1859183724
Item Weight : 1.4 pounds
Dimensions : 6.5 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #4,422,118 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,399 in Folklore (Books)
- #11,705 in Folklore & Mythology Studies
- #18,080 in Women in History

Customer Reviews:
18 ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

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Josh Cole

The best

Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2016

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This is a work of pre-eminent importance for people wanting to recover or study a sense of the indigenous beliefs of the Irish. It's contains a hermeneutics of wonder and of equanimity, which are ultimately entirely practical. I am humbled and grateful for this study into the world of my ancestors which was taken from them forcibly. But, as Professor Ó Crualaoich demonstrates, many of the things that are passed on contain the truths even if we've lost some of the keys to understanding them. This work is a vital key in bridging that gap of understanding. Go raibh maith agat!

3 people found this helpful

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Shandamac

Bought on a Whim!

Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2008

I didn't know anything about this book, but was hooked at the title, so I bought it. I read the first page or so, a little disappointed. Was I suppose to already know something of the Wise Woman Healer story? (Sadly, my adventurous ancestors shelved childhood stories as they left their homeland and adapted to life here in America.) The book quickly reminded me of a college reference book, so I skipped to the middle where I found the old stories retold in English along with the authors comments. The Book of Cailleach is a text-book of sorts; a review and study on the old tales of the Wise Woman Healer/Hag Goddess persona, an in-depth dissection of tales from pre- and post- Christian influence. Some tales are primitive and dark. Some attempt to make sense of natural phenomena. Some hint of the spiritual struggles of the early Celts, their ancient earth-based beliefs slipping slowly into the shadows of a new religion. The more I read, the more I involved became. I not only read the words, but I began to feel the emotional battle these mystical people must have endured. The last few chapters are the same tales told in their original language (to use as reference should the reader question the author's interpretations.) I'm looking forward to reading the whole book from the beginning, now with more understanding.

19 people found this helpful

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Lianne Drummond

Academic but wordy

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 28, 2020

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It was just too academically written for me to read. I'm a graduate but it was just too wordy and hard work for something I was reading for spiritual interest. I'm sure the author knows his stuff which is a shame because unless you are good at reading wordy academic sentences it just doesn't get passed on, which I found is a shame.

G. J. Hill

Focused Folklore

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 26, 2012

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The Cailleach often appears as a "Hag' figure, usually in Irish or Scottish folklore. Interpretations of her nature and significance are many and often lack a specific focus. The value of this work is that the focus is very specific and and the interpretations offered run in parallel with the Gaelic texts that have been preserved from the oral tradition. The work begins with a long introduction setting out the context and the approach to the tales. The the tales are given in English translation, followed by an exegesis of each tale. Finally the original Gaelic texts are given.

With the emphasis on the traditional tales of the Cailleach Bhearra (and its various spellings in different tales) mainly from Ireland but also from Scotland, this work avoids the interpretation of later imaginative and literary transpositions and is therefore able to concentrate on the significance of the tales preserved in traditional folk literature. Seen as a subverted sovereignty goddess who nevertheless retains her power in the christian society, she remains alive in the imaginative life of the communities that tell here story. Academically the analysis of her significance here rests on a structuralist understanding of the ways myths can be embedded in folk tales. But even if you don't wish to follow such analyses, the tales here can be read in their own right . They have been valuably preserved for anyone to read, and even without the accompanying analysis ( which I found valuable) this volume is worth having if you have an interest in traditional folk literature.

7 people found this helpful

Mrs.C.E. Asprey-Frankel

An absolute keeper

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 27, 2021

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This is one of the best books on the Cailleach. It will take me a long time to read and digest. Sometimes it have to read a paragraph several times but that is the energy of the Cailleach in the first place

Samhaingeal

Four Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 7, 2014

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Good book that covers an important topic.

Marie-José Schmidt-Soisson

Bien documenté

Reviewed in France on May 24, 2021

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