Dr Karen F. Pierce
@darklecat.bsky.social
Cataloguing librarian, author, independent researcher, artist, pagan; lover of stone circles, folklore, myth, cats, books & European social dance. Currently writing a book on the folklore of burial chambers/cromlechs in Wales.
It's hot out there but I just received notification that my short story 'Lost in Space' has been published by @fullmoodmag.bsky.social so that is lovely :-) www.fullmoodmag.com/mood-7-galax...
Mood #7 "Galaxies" (List) | Full Mood Mag
fullmoodmag.com
I was so pleased to get my copy in the post the other day, and very excited that it contained my article on port hole stones! #holedstones #portholestones #folklore
Northern Earth@northernearth.bsky.social · 2mo agoAaand… it's out. The Summer issue: our biggest ever, crammed with everything from porthole stones to Craven Faults, Dartmoor to Alderley Edge. Perfect solstice reading. Inside: @lizziebickerstaff.bsky.social, @cravenfaults.bsky.social, @darklecat.bsky.social and more.
I've published an article on the folklore of holed stones stonefolklore.wordpress.com/2026/05/20/f... #folklore #holedstones
Folklore and Legends of Holed Stones
Earlier this month I was delighted to have an article on the folklore of holed stones published in The Enquiring Eye – the journal of the Museum of Witchcraft & Magic (in Boscastle, Cornw…
stonefolklore.wordpress.com
I'm taking part in a Poets for Peace event: darksideofthecatalogue.wordpress.com/2026/05/20/p...
Poets for Peace
I’m taking part in the following event organised by Unit 3 Poetry Group (specifically Maggie Kellie and Gill Butler-Orli): Poets for Peace – Fundraiser for Medecins sans Frontieres Come…
darksideofthecatalogue.wordpress.com
This cause is close to my heart - please sign: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/sa...
Save the second floor of Cardiff University's Arts and Social Studies Library (ASSL)
Dear current patrons, past patrons, and future patrons of Arts and Social Sciences Library (ASSL) at Cardiff University. On Friday 17th of May, library staff of the ASSL were informed by University Li...
you.38degrees.org.uk
Last week I attended the @cilipmdg.bsky.social World Café on subject analysis. darksideofthecatalogue.wordpress.com/2026/04/27/w...
World Café on Subject Analysis
Personification of Governance overseeing our discussions On 21st April 2026 at Cardiff University, the second World Café event on subject analysis took place. The event was organised by the CILIP M…
darksideofthecatalogue.wordpress.com
In the UK and interested in the use of LCSH as a viable controlled vocabulary for subject headings in library catalogues? There are 2 World Cafe events being organised by @cilipmdg.bsky.social I'm hosting the Cardiff one 21/4/26 www.cilip.org.uk/events/Event...
CILIP: the library and information association
cilip.org.uk
In between visits, and travelling, and enjoying sunny weather this weekend, I did some writing and then blogged about it. #fairydoors #LancashireWrestling stonefolklore.wordpress.com/2026/04/06/k...
Knock on wood: from fairy doors to Lancashire wrestling
I found some time this Easter bank holiday weekend to write a short piece on fairy doors that I hope will be published later this year. With a brief look at their apparent history and divisive natu…
stonefolklore.wordpress.com
Life keeps getting in the way, but I'm going to try to post more stone/folklore stuff! #folklore #holedstones #ancientmonuments #standingstones stonefolklore.wordpress.com/2026/03/15/c...
Crouse Bridal Stone
I’m a little bit obsessed with holed stones (I’ve written several short articles on this topic), and of course can’t resist visiting a new one. On a chilly Valentine’s Day t…
stonefolklore.wordpress.com
Thinking about the rabbits of Rochdale... stonefolklore.wordpress.com/2025/11/09/t... #BaumRabbit #RochdaleFolklore #Folklore
The rabbits of Rochdale
Not the Baum Rabbit but a rather scary Medieval rabbit who would fit the part I recently spotted a call out from the folklorist Dr Simon Young asking if anyone from Rochdale had memories or stories…
stonefolklore.wordpress.com
Fancy delving into some earth mystery based magazines from the last 40 years? Take a look at these suggestions: stonefolklore.wordpress.com/2025/11/02/p... #EarthMysteries #Zines #NeoAntiquarian
Published Pages: Earth Mysteries, Zines, & More (Part 2)
In a previous post I looked at some current ‘earth mysteries’ magazines, one brand new and two that had been going strong for decades. In this post I will take a look at some of the reg…
stonefolklore.wordpress.com
Spent last night remembering loved ones now gone, but also about what Halloween has turned into: stonefolklore.wordpress.com/2025/11/01/c... #Halloween #FolkTraditions #PumpkinCarving
Commercialisation of Halloween & evolving folk traditions
It is getting more and more like Christmas (the commercial side of it), decorations up for weeks, plastic tat lining the supermarket shelves since the kids went back to school after the summer. Yet…
stonefolklore.wordpress.com
Tell Amazon: Stop the trinket trade with the painted woolly bat! action.eko.org/a/painted-wo...
Save the painted woolly bats
UPDATE: eBay has banned the sale of painted woolly bats on its platform! Now let's keep up the pressure to make sure Amazon follows suit.------Painted woolly bats are selfless little forest guardians,
action.eko.org
Bryn Ellyllion - a golden cape and a ghostly spectre #folklore #ghosts #burialmound stonefolklore.wordpress.com/2025/10/22/t...
The ‘Freetening of Bryn Ellyllion’
In a previous post when I talked about Pentre Ifan and the Twlwyth Teg I mentioned Bryn-yr-Ellyllon near Mold where a gold cape was discovered in 1833. Today I found myself falling further down the…
stonefolklore.wordpress.com
We start with a deep dive into the history of CLIC and its roots as a group to encourage libraries across Cardiff to collaborate together, delivered by former chair Karen Pierce @darklecat.bsky.social
We're excited for our joint event with ATLIS in November! We've a stellar line-up of speakers sharing their expertise on collaboration and community engagement. 🔗 Info & booking: bit.ly/4nN02d8 @cilipcymru.bsky.social @cardiffunilib.bsky.social Have you registered yet? Here's what to expect...
Bryn Ellyllion - a golden cape and a ghostly spectre #folklore #ghosts #burialmound stonefolklore.wordpress.com/2025/10/22/t...
The ‘Freetening of Bryn Ellyllion’
In a previous post when I talked about Pentre Ifan and the Twlwyth Teg I mentioned Bryn-yr-Ellyllon near Mold where a gold cape was discovered in 1833. Today I found myself falling further down the…
stonefolklore.wordpress.com
Part 1 of a post looking at some great magazines focussing on #EarthMysteries - includes @northernearth.bsky.social & @stoneclub.bsky.social #Neo-Antiquarian #StoneEnthusiast stonefolklore.wordpress.com/2025/10/15/p...
Published Pages: Earth Mysteries, Zines, & More (Part 1)
This week my copy of Ancient Times (from Stone Club) popped through my letter box and reminded me of this post I had been meaning to write. Back in the day, and for myself that would probably be th…
stonefolklore.wordpress.com
Been grappling with WordPress this afternoon, and after some tech support from my hubby I've just about got a new blog under control. So if you are interested in folklore or ancient monuments, my musings on those topics can now be found at: stonefolklore.wordpress.com
Stone Foklore
Some musings on the folklore of ancient sites
stonefolklore.wordpress.com
Lovely lighthouse image from the Pete's Dragon sticker book that belongs to my brother.
Do check out the latest issue of the Dark Half Journal - lots of interesting stuff in there (and I have a book review in it) www.dragonoak.org/copy-of-the-...
The Dark Half Journal - Issue 03 | DragonOak
dragonoak.org
Northern Gravy Anthology I've not been at home much recently and so haven't had chance to celebrate the joy of receiving this book - The Northern Gravy Anthology for Young Readers - edited by Jonny Syer. Why joy? Because I have a short story included in it! For the last few years Northern Gravy…
Northern Gravy Anthology
I've not been at home much recently and so haven't had chance to celebrate the joy of receiving this book - The Northern Gravy Anthology for Young Readers - edited by Jonny Syer. Why joy? Because I have a short story included in it! For the last few years Northern Gravy have been publishing an online periodical every quarter, featuring poetry and stories for children and adults - and paying the writers.
darksideofthecatalogue.wordpress.com
It was a pleasure to have Prof Karen Snow, Carissa Chew @carissachew.bsky.social, Dr Karen Pierce @darklecat.bsky.social, & Helen Griffiths @helgriff.bsky.social presenting on Cataloguing Ethics as part of a our AGM Event yesterday. Thank you to all the speakers and attendees (online & in-person).
📢MDG Practical Cataloguing Webinar Series starts Wednesday 24th September! 🐈📚📖 The #webinars will showcase #library #metadata experts & practitioners discussing & exploring everyday #cataloguing challenges to provide a platform for developing your metadata skills. www.cilip.org.uk/events/Event...
Summer Solstice 2025 – Cairnholy 21st June 2025 - I greeted the morning sun at Cairnholy (or Cairn Holy) in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland. My husband and I had driven up from south Wales to Wigtown the previous day so it was touch and go whether we'd get up in time, but after 4 hours sleep we…
Summer Solstice 2025 – Cairnholy
21st June 2025 - I greeted the morning sun at Cairnholy (or Cairn Holy) in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland. My husband and I had driven up from south Wales to Wigtown the previous day so it was touch and go whether we'd get up in time, but after 4 hours sleep we dragged ourselves from our bed and drove over to the site arriving about 3.30am.
darksideofthecatalogue.wordpress.com
Summer solstice sunrise at Cairn Holy this morning.
Had time to look at folklore today which led to some musings about fairies and where they can be found: darksideofthecatalogue.wordpress.com/2025/06/07/p... #folklore #fairies #cromlech #PentreIfan
Pentre Ifan and the Twlwyth Teg
Image from Richard Fenton’s (1811) A historical tour through Pembrokeshire. On a miserable rainy Saturday in June I’ve been looking at Welsh fairies, particularly those associated with …
darksideofthecatalogue.wordpress.com
2025 April 20th : Visited the Singing Ringing Tree (not the one from the scary folk tale, the one near Burnley!).
Today I had some spare time and instead of staying in the house and doing all the important jobs that need doing I went for a three hour walk around Greenbooth and Naden Valley reservoirs.
Check out the latest Catalogue & Index, full of articles on metadata and EDI. I'm slightly biased (being the co-editor) but I think it's a really informative and interesting issue.
CILIP Metadata & Discovery Group@cilipmdg.bsky.social · last yr.The new issue of our #OA journal 'Catalogue and Index' is now live! journals.cilip.org.uk/catalogue-an... Vol. 210 (March 2025) centres around the themes of equality, diversity and inclusion in #metadata work. #classification #taxonomies #SubjectHeadings #InclusiveCataloguing #CritCat #EDI #DEI
