The book of the Cailleach : stories of the wise-woman healer / by Gearóid Ó Crualaoich.

By:

Ó Crualaoich, Gearóid

Material type: Text

TextPublication details: Cork : Cork University, [2004, reprint]Description: xvi, 302 p., [8] p. of plates : ill. (some col.) ; 24 cmISBN:

1859183727

Subject(s):

DDC classification:

398.2 OCR

Summary: This volume presents an analysis of the "wise woman healer" from the oral traditions of Ireland's rural communities. Stories, told and retold, embedded in the texture of culture and community, collected and studied for many decades, are here translated and made available to the general reader. The figure of the "wise woman", the "hag", the Cailleach, or the "Red Woman" are part of an oral tradition which has its roots in pre-Christian Ireland. In the hands of Gearoid O'Crualaich these figures are subtly explored to reveal how they offered a complex understanding of the world, of human psychology and its predicaments. The thematic structure of the book brings to the fore universal themes such as death, marriage, childbirth and healing, and invites the reader to see the contemporary relevance of the stories for themselves.

Holdings
Item type	Current library	Call number	Copy number	Status	Date due	Barcode
Standard Loan	Moylish Library Main Collection	398.2 OCR (Browse shelf(Opens below))	1	Checked out	16/11/2022	39002100588053

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

This volume presents an analysis of the wise woman healer from the oral traditions of Ireland's rural communities. Stories, told and retold, embedded in the texture of culture and community, collected and studied for many decades, are here translated and made available to the general reader.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [288]-292) and index.

This volume presents an analysis of the "wise woman healer" from the oral traditions of Ireland's rural communities. Stories, told and retold, embedded in the texture of culture and community, collected and studied for many decades, are here translated and made available to the general reader. The figure of the "wise woman", the "hag", the Cailleach, or the "Red Woman" are part of an oral tradition which has its roots in pre-Christian Ireland. In the hands of Gearoid O'Crualaich these figures are subtly explored to reveal how they offered a complex understanding of the world, of human psychology and its predicaments. The thematic structure of the book brings to the fore universal themes such as death, marriage, childbirth and healing, and invites the reader to see the contemporary relevance of the stories for themselves.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

Foreword (p. xi)
Acknowledgements (p. xiv)
List of Illustrations (p. xvii)
Part 1 Tradition and Theory
A perspective on Irish oral tradition (p. 3)
Oral narrative as literature (p. 12)
The representation of the feminine (p. 25)
Historical displacement of the autonomous female (p. 38)
Retention/Reinterpretation of the autonomous female (p. 52)
Part 2 Stories of the Cailleach and the wise-woman
Introduction (p. 81)
Stories of the Cailleach (p. 100)
Intimations of a female-centred cosmos (p. 100)
1. The Cailleach Bhearrthach and the cold of May-day Monday (p. 100)
2. Cailleach Bhearra's shower of stones (p. 104)
3. The Cailleach Bhearach and the walker (p. 106)
4. The mark left by Cailleach Bhearra (p. 109)
5. Cailleach Bheara (Dun Chaoin) (p. 111)
Victories of a male-centred social order (p. 113)
6. The Cailleach Bheurr and Loch Ba--I (p. 113)
7. The Cailleach Bheurr and Loch Ba--II (p. 115)
8. The Cailleach of Gleann na mBiorach and the black bull (p. 120)
9. The Cailleach Bhearach and Donnchadh Mor Mac Manais (p. 132)
Displacement of the feminine in a male-centred symbolic order (p. 144)
10. The Cailleach Bhearthach (Carna: Aird Thoir) (p. 144)
11. The Cailleach Bhearra and Saint Caitiairn (p. 146)
12. Meelick Round Tower (p. 148)
13. 'Don't believe a woman's words' (p. 150)
14. Ana Ni Aine (p. 150)
Retention of the feminine in a vernacular accommodation (p. 163)
15. The Cailleach Bhearthach (Carna: Cill Chiarain) (p. 163)
16. The Cailleach Bhearach (Ballycastle) (p. 167)
Stories of the Wise-Woman (p. 174)
Accommodating female knowledge and power (p. 174)
17. The woman who used to see the fairies (p. 174)
18. Maire Ni Mhurchu and the carters (p. 175)
19. Incident recounted of a healing woman from Baile Bhoithin--I (p. 178)
20. Maire Ni Mhurchu and the priest (p. 181)
Ordinary troubles remedied through resort to wise-woman (p. 183)
21. The stolen colt and the wise-woman (p. 183)
22. Maire Ni Chearbhaill and the heifer (p. 185)
23. Incident recounted of a healing woman from Baile Bhoithin--II (p. 187)
24. Incident recounted of a healing woman from Baile Bhoithin--III (p. 189)
Wise-woman reveals deeper significance of life events (p. 192)
25. Maire Ni Mhurchu and my own mother (p. 192)
26. Maire Ni Mhurchu and the miner (p. 195)
27. Saint Fanahan's Well and Maire Liam (p. 199)
28. The girl who was struck dumb (p. 201)
29. Carn Tighearna (p. 204)
30. Maire Ni Chearbhaill and the blow from the red-haired woman (p. 208)
Wise-woman is able to remedy extraordinary affliction (p. 210)
31. Maire Ni Mhurchu and the woman who was 'swept' (p. 210)
32. Maire Ni Mhurchu and the young man who was 'swept'--I (p. 215)
33. Maire Ni Mhurchu and the young man who was 'swept'--II (p. 220)
34. Sean 'Ac Seamais (p. 224)
Part 3 Scealta i dtaobh Cailleach Bhearra agus i dtaobh na Mna Feasa
Preface (p. 233)
Scealta I dtaobh Cailleach Bhearra (p. 235)
Comharthai soirt ar an mbaineannacht a bheith i gcroi lar na cruinne (p. 235)
1. An Chailleach Bearrthach agus fuacht Luan Lae Bhealtaine (p. 235)
2. Cioth cloch na Caillighe Bearra (p. 237)
3. An Chailleach Bhearthach agus an coisi (p. 237)
4. Rian na Cailli Bearaighe (p. 239)
5. Cailleach Bheara (Dun Chaoin) (p. 239)
Bua na fireannachta sa tsaol soisialta (p. 240)
6. A' Chailleach Bheurr agus Loch Ba--I (p. 240)
7. A' Chailleach Bheurr agus Loch Ba--II (p. 241)
8. Cailleach Ghleann-na-mBiorach agus an tarbh dubh (p. 244)
9. An Chailleach Bhearach agus Donnchadh Mor Mac Manais (p. 247)
Dispeagadh na baineannachta laistigh den reimse siombalach fireannach (p. 254)
10. An Chailleach Bhearthach (Carna: Aird Thoir) (p. 254)
11. An Chailleach Bhearra agus Naomh Caitiairn (p. 254)
12. Meelick round tower (p. 255)
13. 'Na creid briathra mna' (p. 255)
14. Ana Ni Aine (p. 256)
Buanu na baineannachta i gcomhoiriuntas an choitinn (p. 258)
15. An Chailleach Bhearthach (Carna: Cill Chiarain) (p. 258)
16. An Chailleach Bhearach (Baile an Chaisleain) (p. 260)
Scealta i dtaobh na Mna Feasa (p. 264)
Ag glacadh le fios agus le cumas na mna (p. 264)
17. An bhean a chiodh na 'fairies' (p. 264)
18. Maire Ni Mhurchu agus na carrearaithe (p. 264)
19. Eachtruighthe ar bhean leighis a bhi i mBaile Bhoithin--I (p. 265)
20. Maire Ni Mhurchu agus an sagart (p. 266)
An cruachas a riaradh tri dhul i muinin na mna feasa (p. 266)
21. An bramach a goideadh agus an bhean feasa (p. 266)
22. Maire Ni Chearbhaill and the heifer (p. 267)
23. Eachtruighthe ar bhean leighis a bhi i mBaile Bhoithin--II (p. 267)
24. Eachtraithe ar bhean leighis a bhi i mBaile Bhoithin--III (p. 268)
Leirionn an bhean feasa an bhri cheart ata le cursai an tsaoil (p. 268)
25. Maire Ni Mhurchu agus mo mhathair fein (p. 268)
26. Maire Ni Mhurchu agus an maidhneir (p. 270)
27. Saint Fanahan's Well and Maire Liam (p. 271)
28. An cailin ar baineadh a hurlabhra dhi (p. 272)
29. Carn Tighearna (p. 272)
30. Maire Ni Chearbhaill and the blow from the red-haired woman (p. 273)
E ar chumas na mna feasa foirithint ar an bhfuadach si (p. 274)
31. Maire Ni Mhurchu agus an bhean a fuadaiodh (p. 274)
32. Maire Ni Mhurchu agus an buachaill a fuadaiodh--I (p. 276)
33. Maire Ni Mhurchu agus an buachaill a fuadaiodh--II (p. 277)
34. Sean 'ac Seamais (p. 278)
Notes and References (p. 281)
Bibliography (p. 288)
Manuscript Sources (p. 293)
Index (p. 295)

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Gearoid O Crualaoich is Professor of Folklore and Ethnology in University College Cork.