Story Archaeologists Revisit Brigit

Sculpture by Annette McCormack

Last July I posted about Chris Thompson and Isolde Carmody and the Brigit-related entries on their excellent site, Story Archaeology . The site combines well-informed and good-natured podcasts, blog entries, and images. This link will take you to my original posting, and through that to their original postings. But they have recently revisited Brigit and her world, and I want to share those new links with you as well. I very much enjoyed the new podcast (as Facebook has no doubt noticed, since I posted links to it in every group I belong to). Here is a link to it, and to the blog postings.

Revisiting Mythical Women 05: The Search for Brigid

Brig and Rúadán

The Story of Rúadán from Cath Maige Tuired

Lassair and Her Well

Fochard Bríde

Brigid Links

They provide downloadable files of all their podcasts (mp3s), or you may subscribe to them through iTunes. (Hint: I have found with iTunes in this particular case that I need to download the podcasts one at a time. Can't just click on them all and walk away.)

The clip below (which looks like video but is actually audio stuck on a picture of Saint Brigit's Well at Faughart) is from the original podcast.



Hear also (of course!) the podcast on Brig's husband Bres in the Cath Maige Tuired, and read the associated blog postings.

Bres by Jim Fitzpatrick

New Brigit Blog: Her Eternal Flame

From Erin's new Brigit blog:

An Invitation

An invitation welcomes, and there are so many welcomings.

Brighid’s Eternal Flame invites us to sit within Her Light, and allow it to transform us.

We, in turn, can invite Her Eternal Flame into the sanctum of our heart centers, the depths of our souls, where that mystical transformation takes place.

The hospitality of welcoming is the promise of giving, and the humble joy in receiving bounty.

My invitation to my fellow Brighidine Flametenders, devotees, and other interested readers, is twofold:

I invite you to read along and explore with me my unfolding vision of contemplative Brighidine mysticism, in terms of spirituality and practice, and how this might inform our roles and paths as Brighidine Flametenders today.

I also invite you to envision and intuit yourselves the various ways in which such a path might express itself, the varieties of how She might speak to the human soul, that each soul might find those ways which resonate most meaningfully.  We might each have our own paths to and within Contemplative Brighidine Mysticism, and I think we can only benefit by sharing them with one another, and that in doing so, the flame burns brighter.

Please feel free to share your insights and thoughts and visions in the comments here.  Let us continue to tend Her flame together, as fellow Keepers of Her Eternal Flame.

Brìde Bless.

AuthorErin Lund JohnsonPosted onJULY 23, 2015

Remember Marcella

When looking for well researched and illustrated posts on Irish saints, particularly the three primary saints of Ireland, Columba, Patrick, and Brigid, you could do a lot worse than to turn to Marcella, who describes herself thus:

"I am an Irishwoman interested in the lives of our native saints. I am not a professional scholar in this field but attempt to keep up with the work of those who are. I am particularly interested in the many obscure Irish saints whose names fill the pages of our Martyrologies."

Once the force behind Under the Oak, Marcella now maintains Trias Thaumaturga and Omnium Sanctorum Hiberniae. To get a sense of her interest in Brigid, have a look at the posts about her in February 2012:

• Vignettes from the Lives of the Irish Saints: Sain...
• The Life of Brigit of Kildare in the Castilian Ley...
• A Commentary on the Life of Saint Brigid by Donatu...
• Prologue to The Life of Saint Brigid by Donatus of...
• Colgan's Lives of Saint Brigid
• The Oak of Kildare
• An Analysis of the Perpetual Fire at Kildare
• Gerald of Wales and the Perpetual Fire at Kildare
• Brigid the Fire Goddess?
• Saint Brigid and Imbolc
• Is Saint Brigid Really a Celtic Goddess?
• Devotion to Saint Brigid in Wales
• Saint Brigid and Glastonbury
• Another traditional hymn to Saint Brigid
• Duan Bhríde - Dearc Anuas
• Traditional Hymn to Saint Brigid
• The Hymn in Praise of Saint Brigid by Saint Ultan
• The Hymn in Praise of Saint Brigid of Brogan-Cloen...
• A Miracle of Saint Brigid at the Church of Kildare...
• The Tombs of Saints Brigid and Conleth at Kildare
• Earlier Relics of Saint Brigid
• A 17th-Century View of Saint Brigid: Brigida Thaum...
• A Fleeting Glimpse of the Historic Brigit
• The Church at Kildare - a lost reality?
• Patrons in Poetry: Brigid, the Daughter of Duffy
• Patrons in Poetry: Saint Brigid Passes
• Patrons in Poetry: Saint Brigid by Michael Walsh
• A Legend of Saint Brigid
• Saint Brigid the Saint of Agricultural Life
• The Feast of Saint Brigid in the Scottish Calendar...
• The Feast of Saint Brigid on the Irish and Contine...
• The Feast of Saint Brigid in the Martyrology of Ch...
• The Feast of Saint Brigid in the Martyrology of Do...
• The Feast of Saint Brigid in the Martyrology of Oe...
• The Office of Saint Brigid from the Roman Breviary...
• A Homily for Saint Brigid's Day
• A Meditation for Saint Brigid's Day
• Homily from the Leabhar Breac - Conclusion
• On the Life of Saint Brigid - a Homily from the L...
• Adest Dies Leticie - This is the Day of Rejoicing
• Lauds for the Feast of Saint Brigid

Brigit's Cloak & An Ancient Yew Forest

Jo at Celtic Memory Yarns wrote a year and a half ago about putting out a brat bhride for the first time, and also about her visit to an ancient yew forest in Killarney. (Also a lot of other things. For the full post, or to subscribe to her blog, go here.)
Monday, April 04, 2011


Of Brigit's Cloak, An Ancient Yew Forest, Bee Judgements and Bould Actors (excerpt)

I should have thought of it sooner, of course. Isn't it always the way, that you have studied something for years, and yet you never apply its practicalities to your own life? That back of mine wasn't getting any better, and I was still unable to sit at the computer - or anywhere else for that matter - for more than two minutes at a time without discomfort.

With time to think (a rare commodity), I remembered that the morrow was Feb 1, Brigit's Day, Candlemas, Imbolc, whatever you call it in your corner of the world. And that very day, a friendly woman who runs a great coffee house in Macroom town square, had said her family had always put out the 'Brat Bride' on the eve of her festival. I'd been checking for old customs and traditions as usual, for De Next Book, and noted this down carefully as evidence of the old ways still continuing in West Cork. Somewhere between twilight and dark, the rusty penny dropped in my own brain.

Why not put out the Brat Bride myself, and see would it help the back any? (It's pronounced 'brah breed-eh' by the way.) This is a length of ribbon or cloth placed on a friendly bush on Brigit's Eve where the dew or rain can fall on it, and Brigit herself can confer power upon it as she passes. Next day it is brought back into the house, dried, and kept carefully for the year ahead, to apply to anyone suffering from pain or injury. What better to use than the Advent Lace Shawl I'd knitted along on with Zemy during December? Just the right sort of thing to appeal to Brigit, I felt.


Outside the front door it went, to be carefully draped around the bay tree which stands there in a pot. Didn't dare to place it any further afield, as the wild winds would certainly blow it to Tir na n'Og and I'd never see it again. Brought it in duly on February 1, dried it, and laid it across my bed that night. Possibly it was going to happen anyway, especially with the physiotherapy I'd been getting, but my back started to improve right away.

Now it's in a place of honour on the spinning chair, ready for the next emergency. Old ways are good.


So much recovered did I feel that we headed down to Killarney in search of a very ancient yew forest, the only one remaining in Ireland, and one of just three in Europe overall. It has all kinds of official protective status now, but for me the important thing was that it had been there back in the mists of time, when trees were highly valued and believed to be the holders of considerable magical powers. Oh of course we know better these days. How could a tree be stronger or better for us than a computer chip, for heaven's sake? What benefit could a bush possibly bestow that modern technology cannot?

Here's just a glimpse of the edge of that ancient wood, which was old when the Tuatha de Danann walked this land. You'll get more when we go back in brighter spring weather to do a serious photoshoot. But let me share with you a very very venerable quotation which I discovered recently while researching De Next Book. The speaker is Fintan the seer, who claims to his hearers that he survived the Deluge and has lived in Ireland ever since, seeing kings come and go, landscapes change, while he lives ever on.

‘One day I passed through a wood of West Munster in the west. I took away with me a red yew berry and I planted it in the garden of my court and it grew up…’ Now you can't get more west Munster than Killarney, and I think that Fintan is surely speaking here of this selfsame ancient yew wood of Reenadinna, now within Killarney National Park. It gives you a strange feeling to stand silently amid those trees and moss-covered rocks, and think how long this forest has been here. Of course the individual trees grow and die (though yew has a very long life, sometimes a thousand years), but new ones spring up from their roots or their fruit, and the forest continues in an unbroken tradition.

Versatile Blogger Nomination

Oops. I just knocked over a vial of water from Brigit's well in Kildare, grabbing it instead of the mouse. Worry not--it's capped.

This is an interesting thing. Yesterday I received a note from Runningwave, one of the Daughters of the Flame.

Dearest Mael,

Since I admire your blog and want to support your spread of Brigit's flame of inspiration around the world, I have you nominated for The Versatile Blogger Award.

You are one of the writers whose creativity inspires me and has encouraged me to see the world in new ways. Being a part of the Daughters of the Flame for a long time now has given me a community of women who want the Peace and Awen of Brigit to be known and adored.

My own blog post and all the nominations are posted here: http://runningwave.blogspot.com/2012/08/with-admiration-to-my-fellow-artists.html

I've posted a link to your blog on my own, but you are truly not under any obligation to post back. I just wanted to honor all of the creativity you share on this space.

Very sincerely,
~runningwave~

Thanks to you, runningwave, for your appreciation of Brigit's Sparkling Flame. It occurs to me, too, that the sloshed over holy water was a tiny runningwave all its own. A nod to you, as it were.

Sweet blessings of Brigit on you, this day and every day, this night and every night.

Brigit CDs

Paul Williment, on his site Brighid Goddess and Saint, has a list of CDs of interest to any Brigidine. We have a few other CDs mentioned on this site that aren't listed below. Click on CDs in the label list to the left and below, or enter it in the Search box to the left and above, to see what else we have here. (As above, so below?) Or, heck! I can post the link here: http://brigitssparklingflame.blogspot.com/search/label/CDs

Paul's Brighid CD list:

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.

CJ Chow's Brigid's Flame

C. J. Chow of Toronto, Canada has devoted a website to Brigid and to healing. Brigid's Flame offers information, links, and consultations, as well as a link to C.J.'s blog: Pneumatised! AN EVER-CHANGING LIFE INSPIRED BY THE PNEUMA.

ABOUT ME

I am a Chinese Canadian living in Toronto, Canada, who follows a unique, eclectic spirituality. First and foremost, I am pagan. I have found that being pagan has given me freedom to explore many different spiritualities (or maybe that's just my personality... hm...) At the very least, the path that I follow has led me to explore different mythologies, from classic Greco-Roman to Mesoamerican (Mayan, Incan, Aztec). I've always held it to be important to learn and explore different spiritual paths. My studies, though generally on pagan/Wiccan paths, include Native traditions, Buddhism, Taoism, Celtic mythology and spirituality, Mesoamerican mythology and basically any other mythologies out there.

I have a great interest in healing and wellness. I believe that healing takes place on the spiritual level first and that much suffering and pain can be avoided by taking good care of oneself. Taking care of oneself includes spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. I hold a black belt in taekwondo and I highly recommend martial arts to people because it works on all these levels. During the summer of 2002, I suffered a knee injury, putting my martial arts on hold. I underwent knee surgery and rehabilitation. It was going through this that sparked my interest in healing and subsequently, I sought not just reiki treatment, but to be attuned to reiki. I was attuned to reiki level one by Nancy Peel nearly a year ago. Healing however is not just an individual need, healing is also needed on a larger scale. The world itself needs to be healed - there is just too much suffering. This is the basic idea behind this website and my work...

POEMS FOR BRIGID

Below are two pieces from the Carmina Gadelica about Brigid. The original from the Carmina is shown followed immediately by a modern translation and interpretation. Sources are listed after each section.

SLOINNTIREACHD BHRIDE¹

Sloinneadh na Ban-naomh Bride, Lasair dhealrach oir, muime chorr Chriosda. Bride nighinn Dughaill duinn, Mhic Aoidh, mhic Airt, mhic Cuinn, Mhic Crearair, mhic Cis, mhic Carmaig, mhic Carruinn.

Gach la agus gach oidhche Ni mi sloinntireachd air Bride, Cha mharbhar mi, cha spuillear mi, Cha charcar mi, cha chiurar mi, Cha mhu dh' fhagas Criosd an dearmad mi.

Cha loisg teine, grian, no gealach mi, Cha bhath luin, li, no sala mi, Cha reub saighid sithich, no sibhich mi, Is mi fo chomaraig mo Naomh Muire Is i mo chaomh mhuime Bride.

http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaidhlig/corpus/Carmina/G70.html

GENEALOGY OF BRIGIT

The genealogy of the holy maiden Brigit, Radiant arrow of flame, noble foster-mother of gods, Brigit the daughter of the Dagda, Dagda the Good God, the son of Ethlinn, Ethlinn the daughter of Balor, Balor the king of the Fomoire.

Every day and every night That I say the genealogy of Brigit, I shall not be killed, I shall not be injured, I shall not be enchanted, I shall not be cursed, Neither shall my power leave me.

No earth, no sod, no turf shall cover me, No fire, no sun, no moon shall burn me, No water, no lake, no sea shall drown me, No air, no wind, no vapour shall sicken me, No glamour out of Faery shall o'ertake me, And I under the protection of the holy maiden, My gentle foster-mother, my beloved Brigit.

http://www.shadowsrealm.com/paganshadows/carmina/index2.html#70

BRIDE BAN-CHOBHAIR²

Thainig thugam cobhair Moire gheal is Bride; Mar a rug Anna Moire, Mar a rug Moire Criosda, Mar a rug Eile Eoin Baistidh Gun mhar-bhith dha dhi, Cuidich thusa mise 'm asaid, Cuidich mi a Bhride!

Mar a gheineadh Criosd am Moire Comhliont air gach laimh, Cobhair thusa mise, mhoime, An gein a thoir bho 'n chnaimh; 'S mar a chomhn thu Oigh an t-solais, Gun or, gun odh, gun ni, Comhn orm-sa, 's mor m' othrais, Comhn orm a Bhride!

http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaidhlig/corpus/Carmina/G71.html

BRIGIT THE AID-WOMAN

There came to me assistance, Danu fair and Brigit; As Danu bore the Dagda, As Dagda's wife bore Brigit, As Brigit bore Ruadan Without flaw in him, Aid thou me in mine unbearing, Aid me, O Brigit!

As Lugh was conceived of Ethlinn Full perfect on every hand, Assist thou me, foster-mother, The conception to bring from the bone; And as thou didst aid the Mother of the Gods, Without gold, without corn, without kine, Aid thou me, great is my sickness, Aid me, O Brigit!

http://www.shadowsrealm.com/paganshadows/carmina/index2.html#71

The following is a modern poem about the goddess Brigid. However, I have noticed the title of the poem uses the modern name "Bridget" instead of Brigid which leaves me to speculate the poem is also dedicated to someone named Bridget Bright.

BRIDGET BRIGHT by Hedgewytch

She is known as Brigid Bright, Goddess who shines against the night. At Cille Dara, at the setting sun, Her sacred flame is kept by one. Nineteen times the earth turns round, As sacred springs come forth the ground. Twenty times the sun has burned, And now the Goddess has returned. Alone she tends her thrice-bright flame, Born of her heart that bears her name. The Dagda knows Brigid as Daughter, Triple Blessed by fire and water. Poets call her name to inspire. And healers oft gain from her fire. Wayland too would know her well As hammer and anvil ring like a bell. A sorrowful cry did she give meaning, When first she brought to Eire keening. Oh Sacred Fire against darkest night, Burn for Brigid, for Brigid Bright! Fire in the head...to quicken us. Fire in the cauldron...to heal us. Fire in the forge of the heart...to temper us.

"Bridget Bright" was found on the following sites: http://www.witchvox.com/vn/vn_detail/dt_po.html?a=usfl&id=902 http://www.earthspiritpagans.org/

The following was not written for the goddess Brigid (at least as far as I know), but the lyrics in this song are so beautiful and remind me of Brigid that I wanted to include the chorus here. The song is"Shine" by Hungry Lucy. The lyrics are by Christa Belle and can be found at www.hungrylucy.com.

Shine this light down on me forever My open eyes are so alive Break through these walls that leave me useless All of my fears have gone away

FOOTNOTES

1. Piece 70 from the Carmina Gadelica. 2. Piece 71 from the Carmina Gadelica.

cchow at brigidsflame dot com

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