Brigit CDs

Paul Williment, on his site Brighid Goddess and Saint, has a list of CDs of interest to any Brigidine:

http://www.brighid.org.uk/cds.html

Brighid Cds Anahata A collection of wyrd folk, including Brigid of the Healers with lyrics based on the Carmina Gadelica, by Jenne Micale, from New York State, whose matron deity is Brigid. Padma Records published 2005. Braiding the Flame of Brigid* (see bottom of post for lyrics) A CD of 13 songs celebrating the spirit of Brigid of Kildare composed, performed and produced by Minette Quick in time for the Feile Bhride 2000. Available from Solas Bhride. Brigid, Celtic Goddess and Christian Saint A CD of 13 stories and songs recorded on Brigid's Eve at the Findhorn Foundation by Peter Vallance — storyteller and teacher of sacred dance — and Diana Elaina, singer and harpist. Available from Peter Vallance. Brighid's Kiss Gerry O'Connor and Eithne Ni Uallachain's CD of 11 Gaelic songs including the delightful, “Brighid's Kiss” inspired by the song Galshaim Molta Bride — I praise Brighid, Beloved of Ireland, Beloved of all Lands, We all praise her. Lughnasa Music LUGCD961 published 1996. Circle of the Seasons Lisa Thiel 's CD of ritual music for the wheel of the year includes a song for Imbolc entitled, Blessed Bridget. Sacred Dream published 2005. Flame of Ireland Canty's absolutely beautiful recording of medieval Irish plainchant for the feast of St. Brigit. From a fifteenth century noted breviary in the library of Trinity College Dublin.Gaudeamus CD GAU354 published 2005. Invocation of the Graces Lisa Thiel 's CD of 14 songs based on traditional material from the Carmina Gadelica. The cover art depicts Brighid as the Queen of Faery. It includes the beautiful, 'Song to Brighid'. This song has been choreographed as a gentle sacred circle dance to empower the sacred feminine, Blessed Woman by Lucy van Leeuwen. Sacred Dream published 2001. Lady Moon Kellianna's CD of 11 goddess inspired songs includes a track to Brighid with lyrics written by Heidi Couture for an Imbolc gatheringin 2002 — Blessed Brighid burning bright lead us from the darkest night… published 2003 and available from CD Babyor direct from Kellianna. Missa Celtica The English Chamber Orchestra and the Choir of New College, Oxford perform John Cameron's, Missa Celtica celebrating a golden age of Celtic art. The CD includes a setting of Bridget's Descent from Carmina Gadelica — I am under the shielding of good Brigit each day… Erato 3984-25494-2 published 1999. Return to the Goddess Jana Runnalls CD of 13 goddess songs thanking the earth for her beauty and the gift of life includes the track, Brighde Our Lady. published 1999 and available from wild women music. Songs of Bride CD of music honouring Bride by various artists including Jana Runnalls, Julie Felix, Silver on the Tree, Triskelian... Cover art by Dorrie Joy and sleeve art by Jill Smith. This CD has been produced to raise funds for the Friends of Bride's Mound and all the tracks have been donated free of charge by the artists. Songs of the Celtic Night Trio Nocturna's CD of Celtic inspired songs includes the evocative song, Bridghid's Fire — Where have they gone? The price of their fame. The old ways have gone and fools forget they name. Trio Nocturna was formed in 1992 by the harpist, Thomas Dodd. Published in 1996 and now hard to find. Singing the Wheel of BrigitAna VocalAna's first CD of 10 songs written by Sally Pullinger celebrating and invoking the ancient goddesses of Celtic Britain celebrated in the Wheel of Ana at the Glastonbury Goddess Temple. The CD includes a Song for Bridie — Bridie, maiden of the fire, Goddess of the source… published 2004 and available from VocalAna. Vox de Nube Nóirín Ní Riain and the monks of Glenstal Abbey sing choral music linking heaven and earth, including a setting of Brigid's Prayer — I'd like to give a lake of beer to God. Sounds True STAA318 published 1999. Welcome Brigid A collection of celtic, medieval and original songs to the Divine Feminine sung by Katy Taylor and Amy Fradon. The CD includes 3 songs to Brighid (Welcome Brigid, Lady Gregory's Poem to Brigid and a Brigidine version of Ave Maris Stella) along with others to Mary and Sophia. Published 2005. BRAIDING THE FLAME OF BRIGID With the fire in the head The fire in the forge With the fire in the cauldron burning Let us braid a new cord Lay down every sword God's love in our hearts a-burning chorus: Over and Under and Over and 'Round We are braiding the flame of Brigid Over and Under and Over and 'Round She is braiding our hearts, our Brigid Come drink at her well Seek healing's true wealth Take courage her flame is still burning Seek justice and peace Come share in the feast Her spirit is now preparing (chorus) Over and Under... She brings us new hope The strength of the oak God's love in our hearts is yearning Thanksgiving and grace For the whole human race Her love for the earth we're sharing (chorus) Over and Under... May the spark she ignites Blaze up and burn bright Showering blessings all over Creation May we welcome her fire Our hearts to inspire May her flame light a New Millenium - Minette Quick

5th annual Cyberspace Poetry Slam for Brigid

Autumn Hiscock passed on through Facebook the invitation to publish Brigit poetry all over the web today.

(Go to the bottom of this post to see my offering.)

Autumn encourages us to "Help weave a web of poetry today in honour of Brigid by posting a poem (original or otherwise) on your blog, journal, Facebook page, Twitter, or somewhere else (who says you can’t write one out and pin it to a bulletin board at work, or tape it to your office door?). Leave links to it in the comments area of other post...ed poems; follow the other links you find online to read a vast woven web of poetry today."

Here is the original invitation from Oak:

5th annual Cyberspace Poetry Slam for Brigid
Feel free to copy the following to your blog/facebook/website and spread
the word. Let poetry bless the blogosphere once again!
WHAT: A Bloggers (Silent) Poetry Reading
WHEN: Anytime February 2, 2010
WHERE: Your blog
WHY: To celebrate the Feast of Brigid, aka Groundhog Day
HOW: Select a poem you like - by a favorite poet or one of your own - to
post February 2nd.
RSVP: If you plan to publish, feel free to leave a comment and link on
this post. Last year when the call went out there was more poetry in
cyberspace than I could keep track of. So, link to whoever you hear
about this from and a mighty web of poetry will be spun.
Please pass this invitation on…

Hail, Poetry! Let the web be woven!

Autumn's offering can be found at http://www.owldaughter.org/blog/?p=2761

And here is mine, from 20 February 1995:

St. Brigit of Kildare

she was a short woman with heavy hair
the colour of peat
plaited and pinned back recklessly
her skin bore a swarthy
neolithic caste
hips hands forehead
broad and strong as rock

she never read
nor spoke from a pulpit
and no
she didn't appoint bishops
hang her garment on a beam of sun
cause the milk to flow
from calfless teats

she never met saint patrick
didn't catch the slippery christ
as he was squeezed from his mother's pelvis
she never was a goddess
though she believed in many
her god was well accompanied

the land spoke to both of them
birds' pathways meant much
and a poem sung on an injured part could heal

yeats would not have known her
we would not have known her
she would have stared at us
from crooked brows
if she had seen how we'd picture her

she would have trod on
momentarily
a sort of prayer inherent
in her breath her step
her glance at the harebell
on the moist edge of the spring

Mael Brigde

Meditation Matters - St. Brigid's Day

Ellie Finlay presents a lovely Brigid's Cross on her blog "Meditation Matters". She says, "Making a Brigid's cross is a wonderfully meditative experience. You can learn how to do it right here."

Original post: Meditation Matters - St. John's Center: St. Brigid's Day

Meditation Matters - St. John's Center - Reflections and announcements by Sr. Ellie Finlay of St. John's Center for Spiritual Formation.

The Anam Cara Experience & A Brigit Breviary: An Interview

Bee Smith, author of the soon-to-be-released poetry collection A Brigit Breviary is interviewed online with her husband Tony Cuckson of The Anamcara Experience. The show is Tell Me Your Story, with interviewer Richard Dugan, and the interview can be found right here:

http://www.richarddugan.com/AUDIO/tmys/100130.mp3

Tony Cuckson is a storyteller and Anam cara, born one of twins in Milford, County Armagh not far from where Macha ran her legendary race at Navan Fort before giving birth herself to twins. In Ireland the mythic and one's own personal story never seem far from one to the other, with frequent overlaps and meaningful coincidences.

He weaves Irish mythology into his updated wonder tales and peoples them with those known as the Tuatha de Dannan. These are the people who were once the Shining Ones and who were driven underground by the invading Milesians. The Tuatha de Dannan are the people who then became the fairie folk known as the little people.

As a storyteller Tony takes this metaphor and turns it into stories for modern minds and hearts. Using storytelling, songs and poetry from Ireland and beyond you are invited to reclaim the beauty that you are. Tony invites this return to beauty and power through writing and in live performance using storytelling, song and poetry.

This storyteller met his anam cara in 1980 when he returned from a spiritual pilgrimage to India. He was staying with a friend in London and saw that the local library had a Poetry Circle on every Thursday evening.

When he walked through the door of the Dalston Junction Public Library on a rainy November evening he clapped his eyes on a young blonde haired woman seated at the conference table of local poets. The thought sprang into his head, "That woman is going to be my wife." The next thought was, "What an odd thing to think!"

Surprising thoughts not withstanding, nearly three decades later, poetry continues to be a strong soul link in their relationship. Sometimes soul friends also become soul mates.

Bee Smith writes many of the articles on Practices and includes some of her own Soul Friends in the Radiant Soul Friend section of the website.

Bee has had her poetry, fiction and non-fiction published in magazines, pamphlets and small presses in England, Ireland and the USA. Her special interest is haiku as a spiritual practice. A Brigit Breviary will be available soon from Wattle and Daub Books.

Blessings of Brigit on this Imbolc!

Blessings of Brigit upon you and yours

upon us and ours.

May our world heal and our eyes open.

Pamela Davis

Attributed to Jane Brideson

Sharon McLeod

"Bridget, Breo-Saighit, Brigit, Brighid, Brighde, Bhride, Bride, Brid"

"Bridget, Breo-Saighit, Brigit, Brighid, Brighde, Bhride, Bride, Brid"

Donald L. Engstrom-Reese has a tribute page to Brigit that features a number of photos of Brigit associations -- The Pride of Poets

,The Clan of the Caduceus, The Guild of Smithies, The Mugwort Clan, The Boar Clan...

As well are some very familiar descriptions of her attributes: "Bridget is often seen dressed sensibly in clothing appropriate to the job She is currently engaged in. Though their is often a bit of decoration on any outfit She chooses to wear. Brid’s beekeeping out fit is stunning. For instance, Her white bee veil is embroidered with hundreds of golden bees. Our Bhride also always keeps a small collection of gowns at hand for those special nights out to the opera or theater. Brid delights in the reds, pinks, yellow, oranges, ivories and blues of spring. But, She also has plenty of dark outfits one may need for a number of those special occasions. Brid delights in honey colored jewels; amber, topaz, diamonds, sapphires, etc. She adores all metals, particularly all well crafted objects of steel. Bridget often wears plain kaki work clothes as She drives through the countryside in Her vintage 1980 Land Rover pickup truck."

Image of Brighde by Anne-Marie Perks: "This watercolour represents my interpretation of Bríghde. This is her as seer, swirling the waters in the bowl that tells her stories around it. I used oil crayons and watercolour in this painting."

Brigid of Kildare gaining popularity: reprinted from Clerical Whispers

The blog "Clerical Whispers" (Irish RC Clergy Giving The Uncomfortable Truth From Within) posted this article about Brigid and her followers. (I am trying to track down the name of the artist who did the piece on the left.)

FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2009 Brigid of Kildare gaining popularity

Kildare and Leighlin Diocese is to celebrate the feast of St Brigid, (principal patron of the diocese) in a special way as it falls on a Sunday this year. Celebrants can use special prayers for the Feast of St. Brigid along with a communion reflection and the Readings for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. It is suggested that a St Brigid’s cross be displayed during the communion reflection which refers to how St Brigid weaved a cross from rushes as she visited a dying chieftain.

The cross has become a symbol of peace and protection, and a blessing for the home and hearth.

It was exchanged as a sign of reconciliation during clan feuds in Brigid’s time.

It continues to be weaved to this day.St Brigid’s festival in Kildare, Féile Bríde, is also going from strength to strength. This is the 17th year of the festival and up to 600 are expected at the well alone, and hundreds more to poetry readings, musical evenings, workshops, conferences and Mass and other prayer services that take place around the town. Among the visitors will be 20 Swedish ladies who represent 1000 of their number in Scandinavia who model themselves on the life of St Brigid of Kildare. These are Lutheran women who read books by Fr John Ryan and Sr Rita Minehan and got in touch with the Brigidine sisters who run Solas Bhríde in Kildare. 600 of them have come to the festival over the years. They meet twice a month, read something of St Brigid, share, pray and have charitable events. “St Brigid was a woman for today with her concern for the earth plus the arrival of spring on her feast day. There are tremendous celebrations around Ireland, in Clare, Kildare, Roscommon and there is a whole following of St Brigid right across the world.

St Brigid’s legends are like parables - like giving away her father’s sword - get rid of war and weapons and feed the hungry – that is a real message for today,” Sr Mary Minehan, Solas Bhríde, told ciNews.

“As I am looking out the window I see some snowdrops in full bloom in the garden and the snowdrops are called the footsteps of St Brigid.” Brigid of Kildare is a patroness of those who have a care for the earth, for justice and equality, for peace and she is a model for a contemplative life, she said. Feile Bhríde includes a Peace and Justice conference in collaboration with Afri - Action from Ireland - at Derby House Hotel, Kildare Town.“Seeds of Change: Seeds of Hope” conference speakers include Denis Halliday former UN Assistant Secretary General and Frida Berrigan niece of anti-war campaigner Fr. Dan Berrigan. For further information or to book, see www.afri.ie. Other events will include Brigid’s Banquet, poetry readings and concerts and the Annual Celtic Lecture “The Flame of Justice – Brigid and the practice of Social Ethics” with Prof. Johnston McMaster from the Irish School of Ecumenics.

For further details: www.solasbhride.ie.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Disclaimer

No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.

The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

(Source: CIN)POSTED AT 1/30/2009 12:14:00 AM

Sotto Voce

CW EMAIL: clericalwhispers@gmail.com

Upcoming Brigit Events in Ireland

Thanks to the Institute for Feminism and Religion for this info:

Dublin

January 29^th to 31^st Non-residential

Sophia Wisdom Centre, Cork Street.

Brigit: Birthing a New Spring for Our Time

Mary Condren and Marian Dunlea

www.mariandunlea. ie

Kildare

Brigidine Sisters

www.solasbhride. ie

January 31^st to February 7^th

Kildare

Afri Féile Bríde

Saturday February 6^th

http://www.afri. ie/feile- bride-2010/

Dundalk,

Feb. 27^th to Feb. 1^st

www.bratbhride. com

Dolores Whelan

Galway

Brigit’s Garden

Brigit’s Dream Workshop, Feb. 20^th and 21^st

Sara Jane Kingston

www.brigitsgarden. ie

Rowan Plantagenet's Brigit Painting

I got a lovely note from Rowan today after she discovered this blog. She says:

I was delighted to find your blog and see that so many others are devoted to Bríd. Maybe you will like the drawing I did the day before yesterday:

It is available here: http://www.redbubble.com/people/maureenmarlowe/art/4510394-1-brigid-of-ireland-naomh-br-d I already wish you a lovely Imbolc and have a nice weekend. Rowan

Rowan is a resident of Overath, near Cologne in Germany. She says of herself:

I ... just love drawing, painting and photography. Most of all I like to show ordinary things in a different way – bringing out the beauty of every day life. In drawing my interest lies in angels, demons, history, saints and gods. I love history, especially the middle ages, spirituality, the UK and Ireland…and I’d love to live there.

To see more of her work go to:

http://www.redbubble.com/people/maureenmarlowe

Thanks, Rowan!

Brat Bhríde Festival, Dundalk & Faughart

There is great news in the Brigit festival scene. The Brat Bhríde Festival of Dundalk and Faughart, Co. Louth, Ireland, is chockfull of brilliant folk and traditions, artistry, and delight. If you are in Ireland around Imbolc this year, this is one definitely worth checking out.

Brat Bhríde welcomes you to this festival which celebrates Brigid of Faughart and the Celtic festival of Imbolc in myth, landscape, folklore, spiritual customs, music poetry and dance. The emphasis of this festival is to revisit and reclaim the richness of the traditions associated with Brigid of Faughart, in ways which are relevant to our lives in the 21st century.

The lectures and workshops will offer opportunities
• for expanding and deepening our knowledge of Brigid
• for tasting the Wisdom that she was and still is
• For integrating Feminine Consciousness more surely to contemporary culture.

The music and the time honoured rituals associated with Brigid and Imbolc will nourish our hearts and souls, and give us confidence in these uncertain times.

Brat Bhríde (Maura Lennon, Mairéad Heaney, Dolores Whelan, MariAnne Gosling, Maura Matthews, Catherine Pepper and Noreen Townsend ) is a voluntary group who have come together to organise this event.