Kyla asked Juliet Marillier:

Hi! Listening to Raven Flight right now and was wondering if the Hag of the Isles ties back to the Sevenwaters series?

Juliet Marillier Hi Kyla - great question! She ties back only in the most general way. Sevenwaters is set in a vaguely historical version of Ireland, and there is certainly a Hag figure in Irish mythology. The Shadowfell series is set in a completely imaginary version of Scotland - no real history or geography in it at all, and the character names are made up rather than historical, though the Good Folk all come from Scottish folklore (the brollachan, the urisk and so on.) There's a figure called the Cailleach Bheara who appears in the folklore of Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man. She's a winter goddess, a powerful hag with the ability to change the landscape and make the seasons turn. My Hag of the Isles could be her or another like her. Sister?
I wrote a short story about the Cailleach - it's in an anthology called Relics, Wrecks and Ruins that was published in January this year. Set in contemporary Australia, but very much based on ancient folklore!
So I guess that long answer means 'yes and no.' There are lots of old stories that pop up in both Irish and Scottish folklore, because the Irish settled in the kingdom of the Picts and it became what is now Scotland.
all the best, Juliet

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