Brigid, The Goddess of Many Things.

Snowdrops, or Galanthus. Which in Greek means gála "milk", ánthos "flower". Very appropriate for St. Brigid, with her traditional links with both livestock and the milk that they produce.

As 2020 gradually fades into the past (although I doubt it will ever be forgotten!), and we begin to look forward, towards a far more positive future; St. Brigid’s Day for many people is that first warm glow of hope.

Especially here in Ireland, where although she is not the Patron Saint of this fair Isle, she is still perhaps the most loved of all the Irish saints. Brigid is accessible to everyone, young and old, rich and poor and is still deeply honoured by Christians, and non Christians alike.

For many, she is the Christian Saint Brigid of Kildare c. 452-525. Who’s feast day is still celebrated on the 1st of February each year here in the Northern Hemisphere, and seen traditional as The First Day of Spring! At such time, her snowy white mantle may still be covering the land, but the hope is still there, that from this day forth, the days will begin to slowly lengthen. This festival has always been seen as an important day in the agricultural calendar. At this time, farmers began to work the land once again, often turning the first sod in Brigid’s honour. New seeds were sown, soon beginning to break through the iron hard ground; proving that life was once more was returning to the land. Fishermen would also return to the sea at this time, with the promise of calmer waters.

Traditional calendar customs such as this, were very important in the past. They helped mark the changing year, as well as both the beginning and the end of each season. We often take so much for granted today, but in the past, before the written word, Feast Days such as this were important, as they marked the passing of time, as well as highlighting when certain tasks were to be carried out on the land; and also within the home.

It is often noted that the Old Gaelic name for this festival was Oimelc (or now more commonly known as Imbloc or Imbolg ), and that this was in reference to Ewe’s Milk. This was a time when new livestock were born, especially the spring lambs. With their birth came fresh milk; highly prized after a hard winter. With milk also came the production of both butter and cheese. Domestic tasks the woman of the house would now be busily devoting time towards.

Following the shorter, darker days of winter, the gradual return of the light at this time would have been most welcome and eagerly anticipated. As they say here, “There is a fine stretch in the evening now!” In the days before artificial light however, all you might have was a candle, or a lamp to see by, once the nights drew in. People often sat beside the light of the hearth, telling tales, singing songs, or playing music together, to wile away the long, dark, cold nights of winter.

As a reflection of this, Brigid’s tales are often linked to everyday life. Where she is seen working with the livestock; tending sheep and cows, churning milk, making butter and even producing beer! She was also linked with harvesting the fields later in the year and the baking of fresh bread. Her life and her tales often revolved around the agricultural seasons of the year. Both the ancient Celtic Goddess Brigid as well as the later Christian Saint.

Saint Brigid herself built both a monastery and a church in Co. Kildare. The name Kildare in Irish translates as ‘Church of the Oak’, or Cill (Church), and Dara (Oak). It is also thought that this may have been a place originally sacred to the Druids. Or, perhaps the majestic Oak tree was all now that remained of a much older Druid Grove? Whatever the case, it was beneath a large, well established Oak tree that St. Brigid decided to build her first Church.

Oaks are amongst the oldest growing trees in Ireland, next to the Yew, and there is an old saying that goes, ‘it takes an Oak tree 300 years to sow, 300 years to grow, and 300 years to die’. So, it is not unknown for them to live for a thousand years, and while doing so, supporting an amazing number of native species, and just as many when the tree finally falls and begins to decoompose!

The wonderful Brian Boru Oak, seen here with my dear friend Stefan, when we both visited it a few years.

Near to where we live here in County Clare, we have the famous Brian Boru Oak, which is still growing strong in Raheen Woods, Tuamgraney, in East Clare. It was supposedly planted by King Brian Boru, a thousand years ago, as this famous Irish King was born very nearby. It is now a magnificent Oak, with a girth of 26 feet. Reportedly, one of the last surviving areas of the Forest of Suidain, of the Sliabh Aughty Mountains. The same beautiful range of mountains, that Callieach’s Cottage has stood upon for well over a hundred years, or more.

Since pre-Christian times, a sacred fire was always tended in Kildare. It has been suggested that Priestesses would gather upon the hill in Kildare to tend their ritual fire. Calling upon the Goddess Brigid for her protection of both their harvest and their herds, asking her that both would be fruitful.

These priestess, or ‘Daughters of the Fire’ were also known as Inghean au dagha.

In an old Irish text, Giraldus Cambrensis, it describes Brigid and her women each took turns in tending & guarding the perpetual fire. This fire was also surrounded by a hedge, that no man must enter! They were ritual ‘Fire Keepers’ who may have sung a song similar to this one; as the tended the sacred flames.

"Bride, excellent woman,
sudden flame,
may the fiery, bright sun
take us to the lasting kingdom."

This well established Pagan custom was then continued by Saint Brigid, after she founded her Church and monastery here. Not for the previous reasons however, but to now represent the new light of Christianity, that had been brought to these shores in the 5th century. Saint Brigid was said to have 19 Nuns. Each day one Nun would tend the fire to keep it bright and alight. By the 20th day, St. Brigid watched over the sacred fire herself.

Sadly, this wonderful tradition was not to survive, due to the suppression of the monasteries in the 6th century. It has since been rekindled so to speak, in 1993 by the Brigidine Sisters in Solas Bhride. Their eternal flame is still burning bright and is now guarded in Solas Bhride by The Sisters of St. Brigid.

As they themselves describe it:

“The flame burns as a beacon of hope, justice and peace for Ireland and our world.”

As for the much earlier, pre-Christian Brigid, she was not one goddess but actually three, all sharing the very same name.

Brigid, the goddess of fire, thresholds and transformation.

Possibly originally linked to the sun, which at this time was seen to grow stronger by the day. This maybe why many of her equal armed crosses resemble symbolic sun wheels?

A few examples of traditional Solar Wheel Crosses.

The three-armed cross, is most commonly found in Co. Donegal, and was traditionally placed in the barn to protect livestock. This image is from my very dear friend William in New Brunswick, Canada

Brigid was also called ‘The Flame of Ireland’, or ‘Fiery Arrow’. Born as the Sun was rising, at which point, a tower of flame, was seen that stretched from the top of her head to the sky high above. There is another tale of how the hut she was happily sleeping within, was suddenly seen to be afalme. As people rushed in to rescue the baby, they saw that she was blissfully sleeping within her cradle, totally surrounded by flames that did not harm her.

The magical Rowan Tree was also linked to Brigid and the sun. Its bright red berries were seen as possessing potent protective powers, due to the natural ☆ shape that can be found on each one. These fiery red berries were often tied to the tails young animals to protect them from harm.

The perpetual fire that was lit annually in her honour during Celtic times, as well as the eternal flame kept alight by Saint Brigid’s 19 Nuns, all show her strong relationship with fire. That very same fire which was later rekindling as an eternal flame of hope, justice and peace by the The Sisters of St. Brigid at Solas Bhride.

The household hearth was also sacred to Brigid. Its fire should always be kept alight, and the woman of the house would cover it in ashes each night (or smoor the fire), to ensure it could be swiftly rekindled from these same ashes every morning; so that it never truly went out. She would also ask for the goddesses protection upon all that she cared for; as seen here in this very old prayer:

“I will smoor the hearth
As Brighid the Fostermother would smoor
The Fostermother's holy name
Be on the hearth, be on the herd
Be on the household all”.

*From The Carmina Gadelica:Volume Three.

Thresholds, or liminal spaces have always been seen as a place of power and magic. Brigid was said to have been born at sunrise, at the exact moment her mother was stepping across the threshold of her dwelling place, holding a jug of milk. This suggests Brigid was literally born upon the threshold itself, perhaps as a way to show that she had a foot in both worlds? Many of Brigid’s traditions actually occur on the threshold of the home, often performed on this very spot; showing just how important this space must have been seen. Neither inside nor outside, it was a space set apart, sacred and linked to the other world.

As for transformation: fire already mentioned transforms many things, be it a cold house into a warm and welcoming home, darkness into light, be that a flickering candle flame, or the cosy glow of an lamp. It transforms raw metal ore into plough shares to cut through the soil; as well as the iron horseshoes worn by the animals that often pulled that very same plough.

Brigid was also known as the goddess of Smiths.

A straw horseshoe I made as a special commission, with a small iron goats shoe suspended within, as an added protection charm.

Fire transforms raw ingredients into warming and delicious food. Brigid was also associated with transforming milk into fresh butter and cheese. As well as her arrival gradually transforming winter into spring. As the lifeless & frozen landscape of winter is gradually transformed into productive and fertile fields once more. It must literally have appeared as if the goddess of Spring had returned to bless the land, spreading her mantle of life giving warmth and fertility, as she grew stronger everyday, along with the strengthening light of the Sun.

Brigid the Patron of the Arts, Protector of Crops.

Another aspect of Brigid was her ability to produce beautiful poetry; she was also known as the goddess of inspiration. Maybe these both are a reflection of an earlier Druidic training perhaps? Even the much later St. Brigid was thought to be the daughter of the Druid Dubthach. Who was said to have taken her from Ireland to The Isle of Iona, for training, also known as ‘The Druids Isle’.

As for being a protector of crops, there are very old tales of a goddess figure, being carried in a wooden cart, around the fields, prior to the sowing of the seeds in spring. As if she was blessings the soil they were about to be sown within, thus granting her fertile blessing to each new crop. Or, maybe she was seen as a ‘Spirit of Place’, that needed to be appeased before the virgin soil was impregnated?

Brigid of Magic, Seership and Prophecy.

Brigid was also seems as a goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann; and daughter of the chief of their gods, The Dagda, or The Good God. Even Brigid’s name means “Exalted one.”

The simple Brigid’s Cross, still made on the eve of Brigid’s Day, the 31st of January was also a powerful protection symbol. It was traditionally created to keep away ‘Fire, Fever and Famine’, and was hung over the main entrance of the home. Literally above the threshold, to keep away these three major threats to every family. Usually created by the head of the household, and taken down each year and burnt, as a way of dispelling the negativity it had attracted during that past year. Then a new cross created its place.

Smaller crosses created by each of the children then old enough, would have been placed above their beds, to keep away night terrors.

Often, the woman of the house would create her own cross, which was tucked into the inside of the thatch each year and not destroyed. Each year another one would be added, in roughly the same place. Then eventually, once a new woman took over the home, be it her daughter, or daughter-in-law, she would also continue this tradition, but place hers in a slightly different place within the roof. This could continue for many generations, leaving many crosses woven within the roof space. A traditionally thatcher once told me that when asked to replace an old thatch, he could date the age of the original roof by counting the crosses, as well as tell how many generations had existed beneath it before it needed to be renewed!

A four-armed cross, still attached to the original roof space.

There are many folkloric traditions that take place at this time, that are linked to seership and prophecy. Most are concerned with predict the weather in the forth coming spring, judged by the weather seen on her actual feast day.

Such as the direction the wind blew on that particular day, which was said to be the main direction it would come from, for the rest of that year. Or, if the weather was exceptionally sunny and bright on her feast day, that was strangely enough a bad omen, seen as foretelling bad weather to come, such as a ‘Blackthorn Winter’.

Even animals behaviour observed on this day could also foretell the weather to be expected during the coming spring. A hedgehog seen on Brigid’s Day was a good sign, unless it then returned to its nest; which forewarned bad weather to come! However, if you heard a lark sing on St. Brigid’s Day, that was a very positive omen of fine weather to come.

So, whatever the weather, or the omens on this first day of Spring, I hope that Brigid will bless you with good health. May there always be light and warmth in your life, and may all the thresholds that you cross, always bring you protection and positive transmutation.

Be ever blessed and happy first day of Spring!

Melanie XX )0(