An Cailleach
Cailleach costumes on display during the Samhain Street Party in Cathair Dónall. Photo: Ruth Brophy
An Cailleach is a supernatural shape shifter - at times a wise old hag and at others a beautiful young woman. She is the goddess of winter. In her travels, she makes the cairns of neolithic tombs and she creates the mountains themselves. She is particularly associated with the peninsulas of Kerry and Cork.
In 2024, as part of the Kerry Homecoming celebrations, the Cailleach was celebrated in south Kerry through a series of events surrounding Samhain, the start of her season.
Events ran in collaboration with the Skellig Coast Archaeology Festival 2024.
Costume making in Cathair Dónall. Photo: Ruth Brophy
Cailleach Costume Making, 5-8pm 22nd & 29th October, Caherdaniel Community Hall
These workshops were open to the entire community. Led by Dana Winder and Joyce Tansey, adults and children came from various villages to collectively create weird, terrifying and wonderful costumes including the head of the Cailleach herself.
Placenames associated with the Cailleach, 9-10pm 22nd October, Halla Pobail Baile na Sceilge
A talk by Aoibheann Lambe on the various places and placenames associated with the Cailleach and her ‘hag’ persona.
Cailleach - Siúl agus Gaeilge, 1-3pm 23rd October, Ionad na Dromada
A walk in Irish focussing on the winter landscape and places associated with the Cailleach
Samhain Storytelling and Stargazing, 8-10pm 24 October, Staigue Fort House, Castlecove
Seasonal stories and stargazing with a touch of folklore (the cailleach is associated in folklore with Venus) with Paddy Doyle and the Caherdaniel Dark Sky Group
Reclaiming the Cailleach - a guided meditation, 8pm 30 October
A meditation led by Áine Brosnan to help attendees connect with their inner goddess through the winter months.
Samhain Street Party, 5-7pm 31 October, Caherdaniel Village
The culmination of the costume making events, a gathering to welcome the winter and the Cailleach including a parade, drumming from Fuinneamh drums, music from DJ Claire Faithorn, and seasonal competitions.
