The Seer
How did a sixteenth-century criminal record give rise to one of Scotland’s most famous legends? Whether an enchanter, a prophet, or a hero who spoke truth to power, his story would be remembered and retold, transforming the real man into a mythic figure. This episode brings you the story of Highland second sight, the historical “Dark Kenneth” (Coinneach Odhar), and the legend of the Brahan Seer.
Researched, written, and produced by Corinne Wieben with original music by Purple Planet.
Cover image: Brahan Seer Stone in Craig Wood. Photo by Julian Paren. CC BY-SA 2.0.
Music
Purple Planet - Rolling Hills
Purple Planet - Misty Ridge
Purple Planet - The Celtic Path
Purple Planet - Introspection
Purple Planet - Ossuary
Purple Planet - Sense of Loss
Purple Planet - Shadowlands
Sources
Primary
Mackenzie, Alexander. The Prophecies of the Brahan Seer (Coinneach Odhar Fiosaiche). Inverness: A. & W. Mackenzie, 1877.
Miller, Hugh. Scenes and Legends of the North of Scotland, or The Traditional History of Cromarty. Edinburgh: A. and C. Black, 1835.
Pennant, Thomas. A Tour in Scotland. Fourth edition. London: Benjamin White, 1776.
Secondary
Bolin, Jillian A. Second Sight in Early Modern Scotland. Dissertation. San Diego: University of California, San Diego. 2020.
Campbell, John L. and Trevor H. Hall. Strange Things: The Story of Fr Allan McDonald, Ada Goodrich Freer, and the Society for Psychical Research’s Enquiry into Highland Second Sight. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1968.
Matheson, William. “The Historical Coinneach Odhar and Some Prophecies Attributed to Him.” Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness 46 (1969–1970): 66-88.
Macleod, John. None Dare Oppose: The Laird, The Beast, and the People of Lewis. Edinburgh: Birlinn, 2010.
Newton, Michael. “Prophecy and Cultural Conflict in Gaelic Tradition.” Scottish Studies 35 (2010): 144-144.
Richardson, E. “Psychical Research, Folklore and Romance.” In Second Sight in the Nineteenth Century. Palgrave Studies in Literature, Science and Medicine. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2017.
Sutherland, Alex. The Brahan Seer: The Making of a Legend. Oxford: Peter Lang, 2009.
Sutherland, Elizabeth. Ravens & Black Rain: The Story of Highland Second Sight. London: Constable, 1985.
