A look through Trinity's digital collections: an artistic history of St. Brigid

Celebration of St. Brigid’s Feast Day in the Middle Ages – Antiphon 1

 

Trinity College Dublin, for St. Brigit’s Day 2026, reviewed some of the images and texts from its archives. Included are the Liber Hymnorum, the Clarke Stained Glass Studios Collection, the Offices of St. Brigid, and 20th Century art from Cuala Press. For the full article, go here.

"From medieval times through to the 1930s and 40s, creative representations of St. Brigid showcased in the digital collections of the library of Trinity College Dublin offer us a picture of how the historical celebration of Brigid as a pagan goddess and as a Christian saint have informed how we see her today.”

Clarke Stained Glass Studios Collection

The Hymn to Saint Brigid of Brogan-Cloen (Broccan's Hymn)

I like to reread the Lives of Saint Brigit from time to time, and other ancient writings such as prayers dedicated to her. Even more, I like to be read to. So I have recorded a couple and listen to them from time to time, and am always delighted by bits I had forgotten.

To further that end, today I recorded Broccan's Hymn, and in my zeal decided to add a visual aspect (still images of the manuscript and an icon of Saint Brigit) so that I could upload it as a video. I still don't know how to simply upload a sound file to the blog, or I'd do that.

Here is the "video", for those who are interested. Apologies for any fumbling of the Latin and Irish. Most of it is English and I manage that fairly well.

For a writeup on the hymn and the translation that I have used (by Whitley Stokes) please visit the excellent blog Trias Thaumaturga, which is dedicated to the three patron saints of Ireland.

Broccan's Hymn is mostly a poetic summing up of many of the tales from the earliest Life of Saint Brigit, by Cogitosus. If it doesn't make complete sense to you it will if you read that Life.

Well, I'll be darned. I can't find a free download of it online. I do have a pdf, so if you want a copy leave your email address in the comments (I won't publish it) and I'll email it to you.

"We put trust in my Brige — may she be a protection to our host !

May her patronage work with me ! may we all deserve escape !"