Customs, Myths & Legends

Wall Comment: #598

HOW THE CORRIEVRECHAN GOT ITS NAME...

This whirlpool is VERY, VERY dangerous at the wrong times... Corrievrechan is the third-biggest whirlpool in the world; it lies between the Inner Hebridean isles of Jura and Scarba and, in certain conditions of wind and tide, is extremely dangerous.

How was it named? there are a few theories and variations, but here are two:-

**Long ago, the people of the area believed that the Gulf of Corrievrechan was where the Hag of Winter (The Cailleach Bheur) washed her plaid. The Cailleach was believed to be an old-woman goddess, responsible for spreading the harshness and whiteness of winter.

As winter approached, she would would use the gulf as her washtub, to wash her plaid; and the tempest resulting could be heard twenty miles away. This could last for up to three days and, when she was finished, the cloth was pure white, becoming the blanket of snow covering the land.

and...

** Once upon a time, there was a Scandinavian Prince called Breachan, or Breakan. He fell in love with a Hebridean Princess but, unwilling to part with his beautiful daughter, her father made a condition: Breachan had to anchor his boat - with him in it, of course - over the whirlpool for three consecutive nights.

Breachan took advice as to how he might defeat the awesome might of this giant whirlpool; wise men gave him the solution. So he had three anchor-ropes made- one of hemp; one of wool; and one of Scandinavian Maidens' hair. (it was believed that if the others failed, the purity and innocence of the Maidens would ensure the hair rope was strong enough).

On the first night, the hempen rope failed - but the other two held.

On the second night, the woolen rope failed - but the maiden-hair rope held.

On the third night ............. the third rope broke - and Breachan's boat was swallowed up by the whirlpool, drowning himself and most of his crew. The sole-surviving crewman and Breachan's dog dragged the body of Breachan ashore - he was buried in the King's Cave.

When the crewman finally made it home again and told of Breachan's fate, one of the young Scandinavian ladies was overcome by guilt, as she was not as pure as she had made out; it had been her hair which weakened the rope.

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