The Cailleach and Loch Lomond

The Islands of Loch Lomond, Geology, Holy Women, Nuns...

Cailleach Doll (by Jude Lally), Red Deer and the mountain of Ben Lomond / Loch Lomond

In the eighteenth century the Cailleach is referred to as the Old Wife of Thunder. She is said to leap from hill to hill and had the ability to command terrific thunder and lightening storms, creating great deluges at her pleasure and so folks would not want to incur her ire (anger).

The Cailleach Bheur by Angus McBride

In his poem William Dunbar, from Lothian, makes her the wife of Fionn the giant, and writes:

"Scho spittit Lochlomond with her lippis; 

Thunner and fyreflaucht flew fra hir hippis."

 When she "wald rift" the heaven "rerdit"

Translation from the Scots:

She spat Loch Lomond from her lips

Thunder and lightening fly from her hips

When she would rip the heavens roared

The image above by Angus McBride is a great portrayal of the Cailleach, you can imagine her spitting down on the ground, striking her shillelagh down hard on the ground. I’d be taking cover if I saw her in brooding approaching storm clouds.