The caoineag () is a female spirit in

Scottish folklore Scottish folklore (Scottish Gaelic: ''Beul-aithris na h-Alba'') encompasses the folklore of the Scottish people from their earliest records until today. Folklorists, both academic and amateur, have published a variety of works focused specifically ...

and a type of

Highland Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally speaking, upland (or uplands) refers to ranges of hills, typically from up to while highland (or highlands) is ...

banshee A banshee ( ; Modern Irish , from sga, ben síde , "woman of the fairy mound" or "fairy woman") is a female spirit in Irish folklore who heralds the death of a family member, usually by screaming, wailing, shrieking, or keening. Her name i ...

, her name meaning "weeper". She is normally invisible and foretells death in her clan by lamenting in the night at a waterfall, stream or Loch, or in a glen or on a mountainside. Unlike the related death portent known as the

bean nighe The (Scottish Gaelic for 'washerwoman' or 'laundress'; ) is a female spirit in Scottish folklore, regarded as an omen of death and a messenger from the Otherworld. She is a type of ( ga, bean sídhe, anglicized as "banshee") that haunts desola ...

, the caoineag cannot be approached, questioned, or made to grant wishes.Carmichael, Alexander (1900). ''Carmina Gadelica (Vol. 2)''. Edinburgh: T. and A. Constable. pp. 240–1.Mackenzie, Donald (1935). ''Scottish Folklore and Folk Life''. Blackie & Son. pp. 239–40. The Scottish folklorist Alexander Carmichael in ''

Carmina Gadelica ''Carmina Gadelica'' is a compendium of prayers, hymns, charms, incantations, blessings, literary-folkloric poems and songs, proverbs, lexical items, historical anecdotes, natural history observations, and miscellaneous lore gathered in the Gaelic- ...

'' states that she foretells the death of those slain in battle, and that her mourning and weeping cause much anxiety to parents whose sons are in the wars. Before the

Massacre of Glencoe The Massacre of Glencoe ( gd, Murt Ghlinne Comhann) took place in Glen Coe in the Highlands of Scotland The Highlands ( sco, the Hielands; gd, a’ Ghàidhealtachd , 'the place of the Gaels') is a historical region of Scotland. Cultur ...

, the caoineag of the MacDonalds was heard to wail night after night. Those whose fears were roused by her

keening Keening (Irish: Caointeoireacht) is a traditional form of vocal lament for the dead in the Gaelic Celtic tradition, known to have taken place in Ireland and Scotland. Keening, which can be seen as a form of sean-nós singing, was performed in ...

left the glen and escaped the fate of those who remained behind. Fragments of the

dirge A dirge ( la, dirige, naenia) is a somber song or lament expressing mourning or grief, such as would be appropriate for performance at a funeral. Often taking the form of a brief hymn, dirges are typically shorter and less meditative than elegi ...

s said to have been sung by the caoineag before the massacre were collected by Carmichael: Little caoineachag of the sorrow Is pouring the tears of her eyes Weeping and wailing the fate of Clan Donald Alas my grief that ye did not heed her cries There is gloom and grief in the mount of mist There is weeping and calling in the mount of mist There is death and danger, there is maul and murder There is blood spilling in the mount of mist Other local names for her include caointeag, caoineachag, caointeachag, and caoidheag.

Caointeach

The caointeach is another version of this death spirit attached to various clans in Islay. When a death from illness was about to occur, she would appear outside the sick person's house wearing a green shawl and begin lamenting at the door. In one account she is said to have been banished from the premises after having been pitied and given a gift of clothing to cover herself, much like traditions of the brownie and the Cauld Lad of Hylton.Briggs, Katharine (1976). ''An Encyclopedia of Fairies''. Pantheon Books. pp. 68–9. . She is sometimes conflated with the bean nighe who haunts desolate streams and washes the clothing of those about to die, but in this context the caointeach is more formidable. If she is interrupted she will strike at a person's legs with her wet linen and the victim will lose the use of them.Briggs 1976, pp. 19–20. ''Caointeach'' is also the spelling alternative given by

Edward Dwelly Edward Dwelly (1864–1939) was an English lexicographer and genealogist. He created the authoritative dictionary of Scottish Gaelic, and his work has had an influence on Irish Gaelic lexicography. He also practised as a professional genealogis ...

in his dictionary of

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well ...

, where she is defined as a "female fairy or water-kelpie".

References

{{Scottish mythology Aos Sí Fairies Fantasy creatures Irish folklore Irish legendary creatures Female legendary creatures Scottish legendary creatures Scottish mythology Tuatha Dé Danann Banshees