Hag at the Churn

The Hag at the Churn is a traditional Irish jig whose title conceals a richer story than it might first suggest. Its Irish title, Cailleach 'sa Mhaistrim, translates literally as "the witch inside the churn" — not merely at the churn. It refers to an Irish folk belief that witches could creep into churns to steal the butter. The tune was played specifically to drive them out during churning, and it was considered a very bad omen for a woman to leave the house during this ritual.

The word cailleach itself is more nuanced than a straightforward "witch": it denotes an old woman, sometimes a mythical figure of winter and wild places, endowed with domestic authority, folk wisdom, or supernatural power — not necessarily malevolent.

The tune is held in high regard in the piping community, with the Bothy Band going so far as to call it a great piping tune. In mixolydian mode, its wild yet driving character has made it a session staple, regularly paired with The Pipe on the Hob.