Celtic fairy traditions
Cave of Cruachan
A woman encountered in the manuscript narratives says she comes from the cave of Cruachan. The place is more than a backdrop: it names a route between the human encounter and Sidhe residence. Evans-Wentz later distinguishes the cave’s vaulted chamber from the sid within it while discussing Nera’s entry. His sanctuary reading adds an interpretive layer to the narrative of a crossing.
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In the sources
Principal account
ReportedA woman encountered in the manuscript narratives says she comes from the cave of Cruachan. The place is more than a backdrop: it names a route between the human encounter and Sidhe residence.
Further detail
ReportedEvans-Wentz later distinguishes the cave’s vaulted chamber from the sid within it while discussing Nera’s entry. His sanctuary reading adds an interpretive layer to the narrative of a crossing.
Context & interpretation
Evans-Wentz combines named informants, manuscript narratives, and his own psychical theory in a 1911 survey. This entry preserves those distinctions: collected belief and literary tradition do not establish the physical existence of an Otherworld.
Original passages
Source 1
The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries
Out of uaimh Chruachna, or " the cave of Cruachan ".' Caeilte then asked : * Woman, my soul, who art thou ? 'Open this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Celtic fairy traditions; active reader leaf 317
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0045-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0045-E001-P0317
- Original scan leaf
- 318
- Recorded leaf number
- 318
- Current Reader position
- 313
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries
cave • (uamh) but into the sid of the cave. The term uamh or cave, * according to Mr. Borlase, indicates the whole ofOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Celtic fairy traditions; active reader leaf 444
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0045-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0045-E001-P0444
- Original scan leaf
- 445
- Recorded leaf number
- 445
- Current Reader position
- 440
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed