Description
In the legendary story of the Cailleach of Loughcrew, it says that the giant Cailleach (or witch), one of the oldest figures in Irish mythological history, had to to complete a feat of great strength in order to rule over Ireland. So with an apron full of heavy stones, she leaped from hill to hill dropping handfuls of them which scattered on the ground, forming the cairns we see today. Just as she made her final leap she fell and broke her neck, and was buried beneath the stones on the hill.
This painting is my own interpretation of the legendary story. The passage tomb featured in the image is Cairn T at the Loughcrew passage tomb complex. It bears an alignment with the spring and autumn equinox, marking the turning of the year as winter and the summer months dance around one another. This tomb has a rather unusual kerbstone known as the “hags chair’ where the Cailleach of Loughcrew is said to sit upon her throne. Find another of my paintings depicting her on the hags chair here.
This is an 10″ x 8″ high quality giclée print, printed on beautiful Hahnemühle William Turner paper and signed by Shelly Mooney.
