In Gaelic (Irish, Scottish and Manx) myth, the Cailleach is a divine hag and ancestor, associated with the creation of the landscape and with the weather, especially storms and winter. In Scotland, the Cailleachan are known as Storm Hags, as personifications of the destructive elemental powers of nature. They are said to raise the windstorms of spring. The word Cailleach literally means “old woman, hag”. In modern Irish folklore studies she is also known as The Hag of Beara, while in Scotland she is also known as Beira, Queen of Winter. Cailleach is associated with winter and wilderness, as well as horned beasts and cattle. She is credited with making numerous mountains and large hills. She carries a hammer for shaping the hills and valleys, and is said to be the mother of all the goddesses and gods. She herds deer, fights spring, and her staff freezes the ground.