Ali Isaac's Blog: H A G , page 6

H A G-Wise 3: Knowing the Land, Knowing the Hag

Raindrops on grass © Ali IsaacRain, Rain, Go Away!

It has been the strangest summer. According to Met Eirreann, Ireland’s meteorological body, we have had the wettest summer since records began. In Ireland, we received 217% of our long term average of rainfall; here in Cavan, that worked out at 210%. We’re used to rain, it’s why we have so many lakes. But it rained heavily every day in July, and although we’ve had the occasional dry and - dare I say it - sunny day since, it hasn’t changed much. ...

September | From Goddess to Grotesque?

Sheela-na-gigs are virtually the only surviving element of one of the most important aspects of the native celtic tradition, [that is] its feminine orientation or belief in the ultimate deity as symbolised in the Cailleach or HAG, the goddess or the image of female spiritual power. 1

Ireland’s earliest stone Sheela-na-gig at the entrance to the Nun’s Church, Clonmacnoise © Ali Isaac..Introducing Sheela

During my recent work in the Cavan County Museum, I was surrounded by stone-carved Sheela-na-gig...

The Cailleach's Circle: Becoming Wild

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HAG-Wise 2: On Wise-Women and Wild-Women

Into the Woods | A Photo Essay Arrived at Killyon Manor about 4pm and parked by the holy well. My friend Jenni had just arrived too. She had chosen the Foraging course with Lucy O’Hagan of Wild Awake , and I had chose Willow Weaving with Rosemary Kavanagh of Wild Rose Basketry.

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August | Tailtiu and the HAG

Great that deed that was done with the axe's help by Taltiu, the reclaiming of meadowland from the even wood by Taltiu daughter of Magmor. 1

The Church of St Patrick beside the Blackwater River, Teltown © Ali IsaacQueen of Teltown

In Irish mythology, Tailtiu was the last Queen of the Fir Bolg. Her husband, Eochaidh mac Eirc, was killed by the Tuatha de Danann in the First Battle of Moytura. After their victory, in order to establish good relations with the Fir Bolg people, the Danann gave her one ...

Join me in the Cailleach's Circle

Today I’m announcing a brand new addition to my Substack publication: the H A G subscriber chat. I call it the Cailleach’s Circle, and you’re very welcome!

Photo by Frank Leuderalbert on Unsplash

This is a conversation space in the Substack app that I set up exclusively for my paid subscribers — kind of like a group chat or live hangout, but without any of the algorithms, pesky ads, or online trolls. I’ll post photos of my favourite places in Ireland, my thoughts on previous newsletter topics or c...

Join me on Becoming Quantam Conscious podcast tonight!

HI Hag-friends!

I just wanted to let you know that I will be on Bart Sharp’s podcast, Becoming Quantam Conscious, tonight at 8pm Irish time and 2pm CST, and I would love it if you could be there, too.

We will be in conversation about the work of the Cailleach Project, how myth and folklore can relate to our modern lives today, and various aspects of the Divine Feminine.

Join me on Becoming Quantam Conscious

I hope to see you there!

H A G is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and su...

HagWise 1: Welcome and Thankyou

Hi Hag-Friends!

Firstly, thank you all so much for trusting in me and supporting H A G… it really means so much to me. And also means I have some work to do. I feel some trepidation; I want you to get value from the work I am doing, and that’s a big responsibility. So please don’t feel shy about making suggestions if there’s something you’d like me to cover here. And please do get involved; I love to get comments and hear your stories. Sometimes, walking the path of the Cailleach Project can feel...

An Invitation from the Cailleach

The first time I visited Loughcrew, Carys was still small enough to be carried up and back down again in Conor’s arms. In the 16 years that have passed since then, I have returned many times to the Hag’s Hill; I feel comfortable there, it’s as familiar to me as my back garden, and yet retains an air of mystery. I can never get enough of the sense of space and light, that my feet are treading the same earth as the cairn builders thousands of years earlier. When my fingers trace the carved symbols...

July | The Summer Solstice Brings Change

Loughcrew, with Cairn T in the background © Ali Isaac

Did you welcome in the longest day of summer in any special way? The solstice is just one day, perhaps more accurately, just one moment in which the sun reaches its zenith, its turning point, and begins its descent back through the seasons into mid-winter.

Forgive me, if this old hag finds a connection in that moment. It reminds me of my own journey towards menopause. Menopause is just one day, the final day of a year of no bleeding. Before th...