Folklore Scotland

A tragic tale to start out the month of October...

Read a written version of this story on our website: https://folklorescotland.com/bonny-jane-of-bothwell/

Support our work on Kofi: ko-fi.com/folklorescotland

Thank you to Linley for providing the fabulous artwork for this series!

www.linleybarba.com/

Check out our socials to keep in the loop!

instagram.com/folklorescotland/

Folklore Scotland is a Scottish registered charity whose aim is to connect the tales of the past with the technology of today. You can visit our website and explore your local folklore at www.folklorescotland.com. If you would like to become one of our voluntary contributors or would like to get in touch, email us at [email protected]

From Highland Games, to lifting rocks, to the ba, there is plenty of sportsmanship in Scottish folklore!

Kofi: ko-fi.com/folklorescotland

Check out our socials to keep in the loop!


facebook.com/FolkloreScotland


twitter.com/FolkloreScot


instagram.com/folklorescotland

Folklore Scotland is a Scottish registered charity whose aim is to connect the tales of the past with the technology of today. You can visit our website and explore your local folklore at www.folklorescotland.com. If you would like to become one of our voluntary contributors or would like to get in touch, email us at [email protected]

SOURCES

https://ntsusa.org/highland-games/

https://www.eftours.com/travel-blog/places-perspectives/highland-games

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_games

https://www.scotland.org/events/highland-games/about-highland-games

https://www.northlandsbandb.com/whats-on/the-history-of-highland-games-and-gatherings/

https://www.absoluteescapes.com/blog/our-guide-to-scottish-highland-games/

https://www.dunsehistorysociety.co.uk/the-ba-game

https://electricscotland.com/history/sport/pastimes8.htm

https://www.scottishfootballmuseum.org.uk/football-for-all/scotlands-football-origins/

https://blog.washingtonpost.com/why-we-compete/2007/12/tradition.html

https://orcadian.co.uk/uppies-revenge-as-both-new-year-bas-hit-the-wall/

https://www.orkney.com/about/culture/the-ba

https://www.scotland.org.uk/features/kirkwall-ba-orkney

https://www.lyonandturnbull.com/stories/the-kirkwall-ba

https://sheilafleet.com/blogs/news/orkney-traditions-the-kirkwall-ba

https://www.scottishbanner.com/2021/12/20/the-kirkwall-ba-orkneys-alternative-festive-tradition/

https://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/orkney-blog/beginners-guide-to-the-ba/

Would you take smithing advice from a mysterious stranger?

Read a written version of this story on our website: https://folklorescotland.com/the-smith-of-the-socks/

Support our work on Kofi: ko-fi.com/folklorescotland

Thank you to Linley for providing the fabulous artwork for this series!

www.linleybarba.com/

Check out our socials to keep in the loop!

instagram.com/folklorescotland/

Folklore Scotland is a Scottish registered charity whose aim is to connect the tales of the past with the technology of today. You can visit our website and explore your local folklore at www.folklorescotland.com. If you would like to become one of our voluntary contributors or would like to get in touch, email us at [email protected]

Ever wondered what happens when you do a Samhain ritual to spy your future spouse?

This story was sourced from: https://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/track/61508?l=en

Support our work on Kofi: ko-fi.com/folklorescotland

Thank you to Linley for providing the fabulous artwork for this series!

www.linleybarba.com/

Check out our socials to keep in the loop!

instagram.com/folklorescotland/

Folklore Scotland is a Scottish registered charity whose aim is to connect the tales of the past with the technology of today. You can visit our website and explore your local folklore at www.folklorescotland.com. If you would like to become one of our voluntary contributors or would like to get in touch, email us at [email protected]

This week on The Crannog, we're going over the sea to Skye to discuss bank robbing witches, a giant's thumb, and a warrior school run by a fearsome queen!

Please note, this episode includes discussion of phallic imagery.

Tobar an Dualchais interactive storytelling map: https://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/map

Kofi: ko-fi.com/folklorescotland

Check out our socials to keep in the loop!


facebook.com/FolkloreScotland


twitter.com/FolkloreScot


instagram.com/folklorescotland

Folklore Scotland is a Scottish registered charity whose aim is to connect the tales of the past with the technology of today. You can visit our website and explore your local folklore at www.folklorescotland.com. If you would like to become one of our voluntary contributors or would like to get in touch, email us at [email protected]

SOURCES

https://katethulumysterycave.com/2019/07/29/mythology-monday-the-wooing-of-emer/

http://www.paddybrown.co.uk/pdfs/The_Wooing_of_Emer.pdf

https://bardmythologies.com/cu-chulainns-training-with-scathach/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sc%C3%A1thach

https://spookyscotland.net/scathach/

https://folklorethursday.com/regional-folklore/sgeulachdan-tales-scottish-highlands-hebridean-islands/

https://folklorescotland.com/sgathachs-warrior-school/

https://katethulumysterycave.com/2019/11/04/mythology-monday-cu-chulainns-rocky-montage/

https://discoverhighlandsandislands.scot/en/tapestry/the-old-man-of-storr

https://theskyeguide.co.uk/moderate-walks/37-the-storr/

https://hiddenscotland.com/journal/legends-from-the-old-man-of-storr

https://www.rabbies.com/en-gb/blog/stories-storr

https://timelesstravelsteps.com/old-man-of-storr-isle-of-skye-legends-hike/

https://hauntedpalaceblog.com/2013/03/21/folklore-and-legends-of-skye-the-old-man-of-storr/

https://www.andthenimetyoko.com/travel-blog/old-man-of-storr-walk

https://risingoutoftheocean.wordpress.com/2017/10/28/old-man-of-storr/

https://www.amusingplanet.com/2014/02/the-old-man-of-storr.html

A tragic tale of two sisters...

Find a text version of this story on our website: https://folklorescotland.com/the-swans-swim-sae-bonnie/

Support our work on Kofi: ko-fi.com/folklorescotland

Thank you to Linley for providing the fabulous artwork for this series!

www.linleybarba.com/

Check out our socials to keep in the loop!

instagram.com/folklorescotland/

Folklore Scotland is a Scottish registered charity whose aim is to connect the tales of the past with the technology of today. You can visit our website and explore your local folklore at www.folklorescotland.com. If you would like to become one of our voluntary contributors or would like to get in touch, email us at [email protected]

This week we have the honour of being joined by Dr Frances Wilkins, a senior lecturer in Ethnomusicology at the Elphinstone Institute, Aberdeen University. Frances joined us to chat all things music and folklore, and even treated us to some tunes! Thank you so much for coming onto the show, Frances 🌿

Kofi: ko-fi.com/folklorescotland

Check out our socials to keep in the loop!


facebook.com/FolkloreScotland


twitter.com/FolkloreScot


instagram.com/folklorescotland

Folklore Scotland is a Scottish registered charity whose aim is to connect the tales of the past with the technology of today. You can visit our website and explore your local folklore at www.folklorescotland.com. If you would like to become one of our voluntary contributors or would like to get in touch, email us at [email protected]

SOURCES

https://clan.com/blog/folklore-friday-culzean-castle-and-the-ghostly-piper?srsltid=AfmBOorDNdUcUDmRDKjxX3KinkdqXtFX9Vb_pySvXD3j_aLU2mGYUAie

https://localfolklore.weebly.com/ghost-piper.html

https://aclanaday.substack.com/p/the-many-ghost-pipers-of-scotland

https://www.firesidehorror.co.uk/blog-2/ghostly-folklore-the-ghostly-piper-of-duntrune-castle

https://scottishtales.substack.com/p/why-does-scotland-have-so-many-ghost

https://theroseandthethistle.com/2019/09/29/the-ghost-piper-of-duntrune-castle2/

https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/the-ghosts-of-culzean-castle

https://sorchiadubois.com/spectral-pipers-musical-ghosts-of-scotland/

https://islabankhouse.com/adventures/local-myths-legends/the-ghost-piper-of-fraserburgh

Never gamble on the Sabbath, or with the devil...

Find a text version of this story on our website: folklorescotland.com/earl-beardie-and-auld-nick/

Support our work on Kofi: ko-fi.com/folklorescotland

Thank you to Linley for providing the fabulous artwork for this series!

www.linleybarba.com/

Check out our socials to keep in the loop!

instagram.com/folklorescotland/

Folklore Scotland is a Scottish registered charity whose aim is to connect the tales of the past with the technology of today. You can visit our website and explore your local folklore at www.folklorescotland.com. If you would like to become one of our voluntary contributors or would like to get in touch, email us at [email protected]

Such a fun part of folklore is observing how it was used to understand the world and give meaning to things around us, so we dedicated a whole episode to it! This week on the Crannog we're looking at how the island of Islay came to be, the origin of the new year celebration of Hogmanay, and how Scotland gained its flag, its thistle, and its stag.

Kofi: ko-fi.com/folklorescotland

Check out our socials to keep in the loop!


facebook.com/FolkloreScotland


twitter.com/FolkloreScot


instagram.com/folklorescotland

Folklore Scotland is a Scottish registered charity whose aim is to connect the tales of the past with the technology of today. You can visit our website and explore your local folklore at www.folklorescotland.com. If you would like to become one of our voluntary contributors or would like to get in touch, email us at [email protected]

SOURCES

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etiology

https://www.icysedgwick.com/islay-folklore/

https://sirbowmore.nl/bowmoresite/legends.htm

https://maltandoak.com/yula-princess-or-goddess-of-islay-island-malts/

https://peatzeria.com/blog/scottish-folklore-islay-myths-legends/

https://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/159393/folklore/clachan-ceann-ile?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://pantheon.org/articles/i/ile.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com#google_vignette

https://blog.historicenvironment.scot/2025/12/cailleach-scotland-ice-queen/

https://www.reddit.com/r/IrishFolklore/s/jVWNx9CPmi

https://folklorescotland.com/a-coal-for-the-hearth-at-hogmanay/

https://scottishtales.substack.com/p/the-origins-of-first-footing-in-scotland

https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/The-History-of-Hogmanay/

https://www.scotland.org/events/hogmanay

https://www.edinburghfestivalcity.com/inspiration/523-facts-about-hogmanay

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/38477036

https://www.visitscotland.com/things-to-do/events/christmas-winter-festivals/hogmanay

https://spookyscotland.net/hogmanay/

A tragic tale of a brother who was left out...

Find a text version of this story on our website: https://folklorescotland.com/the-cruel-brother/

Support our work on Kofi: ko-fi.com/folklorescotland

Thank you to Linley for providing the fabulous artwork for this series!

www.linleybarba.com/

Check out our socials to keep in the loop!

instagram.com/folklorescotland/

Folklore Scotland is a Scottish registered charity whose aim is to connect the tales of the past with the technology of today. You can visit our website and explore your local folklore at www.folklorescotland.com. If you would like to become one of our voluntary contributors or would like to get in touch, email us at [email protected]