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Thread: Today is Imbolc, which celebrates the first day of Spring in Ireland. It is an ancient Celtic feast & is marked in Ireland as St Bridget’s Day, it’s Christian re-incarnation. In schools children make St Bridget’s crosses to celebrate it. (pictured: Hill of Tara) 
Harry Clarke’s studio depicted her unique cross in their stained glass windows. Here’s the ‘Saint’ & her cross. Historians now believe she is an integration of an early medieval Kildare Abbess & a Celtic goddess. Because of this she holds a popular place in Irish tradition
Intriguingly ancient traditions regarding prophecy are associated with the feast in Ireland. Irish Hedgehogs may have been the inspiration of ‘Groundhog Day’. It’s anciently said if one comes out of its burrow, on the day & doesn’t scuttle back in, then good weather is augured!
Another prophetic tradition related to the spring tide closest to the feast. This is called Rabharta na Féile Bríde. It’s when coastal dwellers could go out furthest to gather seaweed & shellfish. Incoming Tide by Paul Henry (1912)
Much activity took place on St Bridget’s Eve. A cake was made & the neighbours called. There are a number of traditions to do with wheat & red ribbons; Items associated with fertility of the land & of nature. Here’s St Bridget by Patrick Tuohy (1894-1930)
The goddess Brigid was a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann. She was prob a triple deity (poetry, healing & metal smithing) & was associated with fertility, growth & birth. Her feast day & St Bridget’s are the same, thus a Christian appropriation of the deity. (Bridget by Evie Hone)
There has been discussion of how the goddess Brigid fitted into mythology & her attributes resemble those of a fellow goddess, Danu. However there is evidence of the same Celtic god being called different names in different places. St Bridget’s Shrine & Well, Faughart (pics)
The feast of Imbolc is derived from the Irish words ‘in the belly’. Experts believe it is related to fertility, cleansing & milk. It had great importance in pre-history & a number of sites are aligned with sunrise on the feast, such as the Hill of Tara in County Meath (pic)
The Mound of the Hostages (pic), at Tara, is circa 5000 years old so we know that Imbolc was important to the Neolithic Irish. The sun illuminates the chamber there on the feast. In early Celtic times the feast became associated with Brigid, the goddess. Artefacts from the Mound
Later when Christianised, in the 5th century, it was transitioned to St Bridget. She was from near Dundalk & founded the monastery at Kildare. Her death coincided with Imbolc. Bridget means ‘shining one’. Here’s her fire temple at Kildare & St Bridget’s Cathedral there.
Even though this appropriation almost eradicated the goddess, facets of the ancient belief survived. Indeed the sacred fire at Kildare was reported by Gerald of Wales. You can read his account of 12th C Ireland here:
Another ancient association found in Ireland is a link between a Sacred Well & a Celtic Saint. St Bridget’s Well is at Kildare & also includes a Sacred Tree (known as a Rag Tree). There is another well (pic above) devoted to her at Faughart, Louth, where she was born.
The Faughart Well is fascinating for the survival of a series of stones, used as the stations of the cross, each with their own name & possibly Pre-Christian in origin. The site is a tourist & pilgrimage spot. Even English neopagans can be encountered!
You can learn more about Irish Sacred Wells & Trees here:
There are a number of different crosses associated with the Saint. In the main picture is the standard one, which you can find hanging over doors & in kitchens in many Irish farmhouses. However different regions had different forms, historically.
Traditionally the previous year’s cross was taken down & burnt & a new one made & hung up on St Bridget’s Eve. This is a memory of Brigid, the fire goddess & the concept of cleansing with fire. St Bridget by Evie Hone (c1940s)
Mention of St Bridget can be found in ancient manuscripts. Here’s the Irish Saint (with a capital B) at the bottom of the page in Liber Hymnorum (c11th C) which is in Trinity College Dublin (‘Bridget ever good woman’). It is a 9th C AD prayer.
Brigit ever good woman
A sparkling golden flame
May she lead us to the eternal realm
The shining bright sun
Save us Brigit
From hordes of demons
May she win for us
Battles of every hardship
Destroy within us
The sins of our flesh
The branch with flowers
The mother of Jesus
A sparkling golden flame
May she lead us to the eternal realm
The shining bright sun
Save us Brigit
From hordes of demons
May she win for us
Battles of every hardship
Destroy within us
The sins of our flesh
The branch with flowers
The mother of Jesus
Note the Christian prayer still carries links to the PreChristian goddess with mention of her fire & of the sun. In ancient tales St Bridget’s association with fertility also included her carrying out abortions, too. Harry Clarke’s St Bridget in Ballinarobe (1924)
The Saint inspired many artists. St Bridget feeding the Poor (1950) by Imogen Stuart (b 1927). Stuart is a German-Irish artist who has integrated German Expressionist art with Celtic design. She is an important sculptor active in Ireland & a member of Aosdána.
The feast is one of the ancient traditions that survived since the time before Christianity came to Ireland. Another is Samhain:
The Irish Government is now supporting the feast to bring it worldwide, like Samhain (Halloween): irishtimes.com/life-and-style…
And finally, here’s a tweet from Uachtarán na hÉireann, the President of Ireland:
