The Hag

About the Hag…There is a large stone, which holds the stories and myths of the Hag overlooking the land and the sea on the Beara Peninsula in Ireland near the village of Kilcatherine.

Through stories, myths and legends, the Hag was created out of the imaginings of the people, sharing common wisdom and responding to the needs at particular times throughout history.    She was known across Ireland, Scotland and far beyond for centuries and the stories have been transmitted through generations.  The Hag was known as a creator, shaper of the land, protector and steward of the animals.  She continually transformed herself from an old woman to a young maiden and birthed generations - she was ageless in her essence.   It is said that individuals were healed and transformed through contact with her.   She carried the voice of wisdom and authority and a responsibility for the earth and all the creatures thereof.

My personal experience with the Hag was at Anam Cara on a painting retreat in 2006.  I had an encounter with the hag - it changed my understanding of aging - the dictionary/slang use of Hag is "the ugly old woman" and this was transformed by the Irish Legends of the Wise-Healing Woman - this was both an internal and external shift of my consciousness.  

In December 2010 I began a five-month stay in the land of the Hag, not far from the home of my ancestors who emigrated to the U.S. in the 19th century. Through new friends there I learned of the myths and poems about the Hag that have been preserved in Irish culture. The myth of the Hag replaced the “mythinformation” that I and other women had been fed, and changed the way I regarded my own aging process from concern to appreciation and celebration. When I discussed this with other women at home there was an enthusiastic response and a desire to embrace this ancient meaning of the Hag and reject the negative symbol of the ugly old woman. We’re beginning to imagine gatherings of hags in circles, which were the ancient paths of wisdom and can be the gate into the future. The Circle is the Gate.