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.

Cross Stitch Pattern: Brigit's Cross

If you are moved to do some Brigit-style stitchery, you can get a pattern for a B's cross for $3.99 USD from "everythingstitches" on Etsy: Saint Briget's Cross Cross Stitch Pattern.

SAINT BRIGETS CROSS GODDESS BRIGIT CROSS CROSS STITCH CHART

$3.99 USD

1 in stock

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SAINT BRIGETS CROSS GODDESS BRIGIT CROSS CROSS STITCH CHART

Beautiful design in cross stitch for your pleasure.
Stitch count 150X148 will make a finished design approx. 10 3/4" inches, if stitched on 14 count fabric or material, or approx. 8 1/3" inches if stitched on 18 count fabric or material.


I also have this as a smaller design if you wanted to make ornaments. Please ask if interested and I will put it up for you.

Make a lovely holiday decoration, pillow, quilt square.

Naturally smaller count fabric makes a smaller piece.
This would make not only a great stitched piece, but a lovely piece of Mosaic art.
Would be lovely on Aida cloth or any even weave.

PLEASE NOTE: Actual charts and chart image are clearer then it is coming out here, And the chart is fairly large for my poor eyes and to help us all read them with out trouble :) Also, larger designs may come on multiple pages for easier viewing. And may have a more of colours then expected.

Piece comes as a PDF with in 24 hours of cleared payment.
Comes with colour chart and symbols, and the image shown here, on pattern sheet plus colour sheet for DMC colours, However if you prefer J & P Coats I can change the codes sheet for you, please email before hand though, thanks.

Thank you for looking.
These images are antique and found, scanned, cleaned and arranged by me.
WATERMARK IS WILL NOT COME WITH CHART DOWNLOAD

Purchase of this item entitles you to use the images for crafts and artwork, You are not entitled to reproduce the images in original form for redistribution or resale to others. Thank you for looking, I look forward to doing business with

Added on Oct 10, 2009

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Fé Bhrat Bhride -- Poems about Saint Brigid in Irish Mantle of Brigid

For those interested in Irish language texts, here is a collection of Brigid poems in Irish, from Veritas.

Fé Bhrat Bhride -- Poems about Saint Brigid in Irish Mantle of Brigid

Author:	Ni Mhorain, Brid
Publisher:	AIS
ISBN:	9781903896068
Price:	€10.00

Description

ABOUT THE BOOK

Faightear plé sa chnuasach nua ar Dhia, an dúlra, nádúr na filíochta, an choimhlint idir an sean agus an nua, an ceangal idir an dúchas agus an domhan mór maille le cur síos ar ghrá an fhile dá ceantar dúchais, Corca Dhuibhne. I gCorcaigh a rugadh Bríd Ní Mhóráin, ach is i gCiarraí a tógadh í. Is é seo an triú cnuasach s'aici. Foilsíodh Ceiliúradh Cré i 1992 agus Fé Bhrat Bhríde i 2002.

This collection explores nature, God, the conflict between the new and the old, the connection between heritage and the world, the nature of poetry and the poet's love for her home in Corca Dhuibhne. Bríd was born in Cork but grew up in Kerry. This is her third poetry collection. Ceiliúradh Cré was published in 1992 and Fé Bhrat Bhríde was published in 2002

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brí Ní Mhóráin was born in Newmarket, Co Cork. Her poetry collections are Ceiliúradh Cré (Baile Átha Cliath, Coiscéim, 1992); Fé Bhrat Bhride (An Daingean, An Sagart, 2002); and Siolta an Iomais (Gallimh, Clo Iar-Chonnachta Teo, 2006). A prosework, Thiar Sa Mhainistir Atá An Ghaolainn Bhreá (Cill Dara, An Sagart, 1997), is a recommended text book on the Irish course at UCC. She has been awarded Oireachtas prizes in 1988 and 1999 for her poetry, and in 1992 for her prose. More recently she has been awarded a research scholarship by Bord na Gaeilge (2000), and a bursary in Literature from the The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Éalaíon (2000). She lives in Kerry.

Two Brigit CDs

Such a delight to listen to truly beautiful music that is inspired in part by Brigit. Check out the cut previews of these two CDs.

Katy Taylor created Welcome Brigid with Amy Fradon and Lynn Margileth. You can hear one or two more previews on CDbaby,including a poem to Brigid. Everything fits together beautifully, vocals and instruments, words and intent.

 

Barbara Gallagher's St. Brigid of Kildare Suite is pure piano and it is gorgeous. You can listen to pretty much the whole thing on her website. You can buy it at CDbaby.

Brigid's Wells

Here are photos and snippets from different sites about the many wells of Saint Brigid. Please go to the original sites for more info and photos. Seethe bottom of this post for a list of Brigid's wells, from Conrad Bladey's site, and an essay on Irish holy wells by Mary Ellen Sweeney. For her list of Irish holy wells, please follow the link (below) to her article in BellaOnline: the Voice of Women.

CASTLEMAGNER HOLY WELL St. Brigid's Well is located across the river from the ruins of Castle- magner castle. It is a druidic well adopted into Christian ritual. It was originally the well of Brede (the druidic goddess of agriculture) and later, in the Christian era, became the well of St. Brigid of Kildare. When the parish of Castlemagner became a Protestant parish in 1591, Roman Catholic mass was celebrated there on Sundays, and it hence became known as a Sunday's well. This practice was stopped in 1658 when Captain Roger Bretridge became landlord of this area as a result of the Cromwellian confiscations. However, the practice resumed per- iodically after Catholic Emancipation in 1829. Between 1658 and 1704, rounds of the well was one of the few Catholic rituals allowed in the par- ish. The well was refurbished and covered over in 1771 by Mr. Eoin Egan of Subulter, a cripple who was miraculously cured at the well. It is a beehive shaped covering with an opening to the well at the eastern side. On the left of the opening is the best preserved effigy in the world of Shíla-Ní-Gig, a druidic symbol of the supreme goddess of fertility. This was brought by Mr. Egan from the ruins of an 8th century church in Subulter. On the right of the opening is an effigy of the Archangel Michael. This was the centre keystone on the arch of the main entrance to Magner's castle and dates from approximately 1200... Beehive with Sile na Gig.............. Site of St Brigid's Well From 800 until 1461, the Shíla-Ní-Gig at Castlemagner Holy Well was attached to the inside of the wall of Subulter church, which explains its well-preserved state. The Holy Well in Castlemagner was the scene for a series of lectures, 18th October 1998, on the place of the Holy Well in Irish Mythology and in early Christianity. Until the dedication of the new church and parish of Castlemagner to Saint Mary in 1867, the parish and the Holy Well were anciently dedicated to St Brigid in the Catholic and Church of Ireland persuasions... ******************************************************************** Kilcornan Parish © Descent to St Brigid's Well **************************************************************** Clondalkin, Co. South Dublin: ST BRIGID’S WELL St Brigid’s Well in Clondalkin is shown at this location on Rocque’s map of 1760 and on later maps of the area. The well is likely to be considerably older as it is believed to have been established by the Irish Christian nun and abbess Brigid in the 5th century AD in order to baptise pagans. St Brigid’s well is locally venerated in Clondalkin throughout the year but particularly on her feast day on February 1st. The well water is believed to have curative properties particularly for sore eyes and the drying rags and other votive objects are tied to the Holy Tree of ash. The original tree of whitethorn is no longer present. During the 1990’s, road widening works for Fonthill Road resulted in the reduction of the area of the well along the east and south sides but the well itself was maintained in its original location. However, the works for the road altered the underlying water source or spring. The well is now covered and a channel replicating the original stream outlet is present in the north. Tradition indicates the presence of an associated Children’s Burial Ground at the well but its exact location is now unknown. It may possibly be located in the raised grassed area to south of well in the vicinity of the upstanding white metal cross but it is locally believed to be located in the open green area to north-west of the well. RPA recently carried out a geophysical survey of the well and the surrounding areas but the results of the survey were inconclusive and indicated that the grounds were very disturbed from modern works. The results from the survey can be reviewed on the RPA website (www.rpa.ie). RPA understands the importance of the well as a historical site but also as an important aspect of community life in Clondalkin. We are currently finalising the design of Metro West along the Fonthill Road and presented for public consultation, two design options for the proposed scheme at this location. One option maintains the well in its original location and the other proposes the relocation of the well to the green area to the north-west. There are advantages and disadvantages for the community associated with each option and these are also detailed on the RPA website www.rpa.ie. Submission and comments on the options will be welcomed by the RPA up to 21st July and it is anticipated that a decision on the options at this location could be made by the end of July. Maria FitzGerald, RPA Archaeologist ******************************************************** St. Brigid's Well, Mullingar ******************************************************* St. Brigid Well, Liscannor, Co. Clare Dave Walsh has a wonderful slide show of photos of Brigid's Well at Liscannor. DO go and have a look. He says: Wall and crosses at St. Brigid's Well, Liscannor, Co. Clare On the Liscannor - Doolin road, near the Cliffs of Moher, this ostens- ibly holy well is full of wonderful, decaying votive offerings. St. Brigid never actually existed in Christian times - in mythology she was the "exalted one" - daughter of the Dagda and therefore one of the Tua- tha De Danann.....The "cave" at St. Brigit's Well is full of strange ob- jects. Decaying statues, rotting dolls, faded masscards, abandoned prosthetic limbs, rosary beads, toys, polaroid photographs.... Other photographers images of Liscannor: ********************************** Brigid’s Well, Tully, County Kildare, Ireland ******************************************************* Killare, Co. Westmeath John Smyth has a lovely series of photos of this well. He says: > Westmeath > St Brigid's Well, Killare St. Brigid's Well, at Killare, Co. Westmeath. It's near the legendary Hill of Uisneach, and the easiest way to visit the well is to park at the nearby Uisneach Inn and walk back to it. ***************************************************** Faughart Upper Church graveyard, Dundalk: St. Brigid's Well In some traditions, Faughart is St. Brigid's birthplace: "St Brigid was born in a quiet village named "Faughart" set upon a hill over looking Dundalk Bay. She was born about the year 454 A.D." Muire na nGael First Woman of Ireland From the site of Scoil Phádraig Naofa: "a small, Irish, rural school located near the east coast on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. Our nearest towns are Dundalk and Newry." ******************************** Brigid's Wells in Ireland: St Bride’s Well Kilbride parish, Co. Mayo St. Brigid’s Well Ardagh, Co. Longford St. Brigid’s Well Buttevant, Co. Cork St. Brigid’s Well Castlemanger, Co. Cork St. Bridid’s Well Chiffony, Co. Sligo St. Brigid’s Well Dunteer, Co. Louth St. Bridid’s Well Faughart, Co. Louth St. Brigid’s Well Inismagrath parish, Co. Leitrim St. Brigid’s Well Killinagh parish, Co. Cavin St. Brigid’s Well Kilranelagh parish, Co. Carlow St. Brigid’s Well Liscannor, Co. Clare St. Brigid’s Well Marlerstown ,Co Louth St. Brigid’s Well Mullingar, Co. Westmeath St. Brigid’s Well Outeragh parish,Co. Leitrim St. Brigid’s Well Tully, Co. Kildare -Source: The Holy Wells of Ireland. Patrick Logan, Colin Smythe, Gerrards Cross,1980 ******************************** Irish Culture Site Mary Ellen Sweeney BellaOnline's Irish Culture Editor Holy Wells in Ireland Once, when Mr. Sweeney and I were driving around a hairpin turn in Sligo, between Boyle and Donegal, the hair on my head stood up and I got goose bumps on my arms. I joked that we must have passed a fairy place. (That would be me, making light of the unknown.) As we moved farther into the turn, there was a little sign, crudely hand-lettered, point- ing back to where we had passed. It read, “Holy Well.” He looked at me and I looked at him, and he believed me. I knew of such wells, of course, but they’re like leprechauns, you don’t really believe in them until you see one. Somehow it’s a little embarrass- ing to admit such beliefs in modern times. It was all right for Granny maybe, who had a prayer, a rhyme, and a charm for every occasion, but for a 21st- century grown-up? Not so much. Just a lot of old superstitious nonsense! But come here to me. Holy Wells have been around since long before the arrival of Saint Patrick and the message of Christianity. They have lost none of their power through the many changings of the guard in Ireland. The druids used the waters to promote health and well-being. The ancient Celts understood that these places were powerful and attributed this power to the Otherworld, the spiritual source of everything. It is this power that has people visiting Holy Wells to this day. There are Holy Wells all over Ireland. Each of them has a story. One is good for conception and another will surely cure the blind. I don’t know how much stock can be placed in all these claims, but there are many who swear to the truth of cures, conceptions, and insights after visits to Holy Wells. Some of the wells are said to contain salmon from tales of the great sal- mon of wisdom that come through to us from the times of the ancient eroes. The Salmon of Wisdom is an essential part of a well's magical properties. The practice of "paying rounds" (circling the well three times still practiced at holy wells. In the Saint Monachan well in Kerry there is said to be a salmon and an eel, and whoever sees them will benefit from having done the rounds, whether they seek health, wealth, or special intention. Pilgrimages to Holy Wells often take place on the special days: St. Brigid’s Day on the first of February, also the date of the old Celtic feast of Imbolc. This saint was once the Celtic goddess, Brighde, (Pronounced, breedge, like brie cheese with a “d” and “g” sound at the end.); Beltane, May 1; Lughnasa, August 1; and All Souls' Day, also known as Samhain, November 1, when it was believed that the veil between the living and the dead was at its most transparent. All of these are special days in the Celtic calendar and it was/is believed that the doors to the Otherworld are open at these times. Churches were often built near or above the Holy Wells. The early Celtic church used the waters for baptism. The Roman church did away with this practice and decreed that a font inside the church be used. A number of old churches contain a crypt or grotto that opens into a subterranean spring. This place---close to earth and water---is a hidden holy center of the sacred enclosure. St. Brigid has many Holy Wells named for her. This is a list of just a few of them: St Bride’s Well, Kilbride parish, Co. Mayo, St. Brigid’s Well, Ardagh, Co. Longford; St. Brigid’s Well, Castlemanger, Co. Cork; St. Brigid’s, Well Chiffony, Co. Sligo; St. Brigid’s Well, Dunteer, Co. Louth; St. Brigid's Well, Inismagrath Parish, Co. Leitrim. Some day ask me about "Oh Blessed Saint Ann." Holy wells exist in most counties of Ireland. Cork, Kerry, Clare, Kil- dare, Sligo, Meath, and Roscommon have many. Should you wish to visit, here are some locations... (list can be found at end of original article.)