‘Brigit’s Living Traditions,’ Talk by Séamas Ó Cathain

 

Séamas Ó Cathain was invited by Woman Spirit Ireland to speak about Brigit at their symposium, Brigit of Ireland - An Icon for Today, and to launch the updated and extended second edition of his 1995 book, Festival of Brigit - Celtic Goddess and Holy Woman.* The talk was held on 28th January 2023.

Click here to read more about it and buy from the publisher, and here for his talk. 

Image: Photo of front cover of book, showing four children bundled in winter clothes, holding Brigit’s crosses and standing near a shrine.

* the original edition of the book is available on archive.org.

Bealtaine Study Day with Woman Spirit Ireland

Bealtaine Study Day

Mercy International Centre, 64a Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2

Saturday 29th March 2014

10:30 - 5:00

(tea at 10:00)

WomanSpiritIreland

Exploring ancient Irish Mother Daughter Sites and Stories

Mirroring one another into creativity:

Celebrating the mother-daughter relationship.

 In the past, WomanSpiritIreland has celebrated Brighid, Goddess, Saint, and Wise Woman at her Springtime festival of Imbolc, February 1^st. Over the years, we have learned that Brighid of Imbolc is but one manifestation of the Old Wise Woman, The Cailleach, whose traditions are found all over the world, and have been especially honoured and preserved in Ireland and Scotland.

Brighid, therefore, also appears in various guises at the other three quarterly festivals: Bealtaine, (May 1^st); Lughnasadh, (August 1^st) and Samhain  (November 1^st).

At Bealtaine, May 1^st, Brigit appears as the Inion Buí (In yeen Bwee), or Daughter of the Hag or Cow. Throughout Ireland, we find sites dedicated to The Cow and the Calf. Sometimes these are called Inion Bui, and sometimes they are related to Bláthnait, (The Little Flower), who comes into bud at this season.

Our study day this year will also begin to explore, excavate and celebrate the mother-daughter relationship in its excruciating joy and ambivalence.    

For many years now the feminist movement has yearned to recuperate a symbolic system and ritual tradition that honours and brings to consciousness the dialectic between mother and daughter.   Against the cultural resonances of mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all - that attempt to set women in permanent opposition -- stories of the Cailleach and of Saint Brighid  (who freed her own mother from slavery) offer new images and potential. Drawing on such stories, personal reflections and BodySoul work, we will attempt to mirror one another - beyond destructive envy -- into creativity and liberation.

Who should come?

It will be of particular relevance to teachers, community and parish workers and those leading women's groups who wish to recuperate rituals, symbols and other resources to celebrate the mother daughter relationship at Bealtaine and to nourish their communities. 

What will they come away with?

Resources including songs, dances and stories from mythology and folklore, which will support them in developing and leading events in their own communities.

What to bring: 

Bring a packed lunch and a hand mirror.  Please also bring any Maytime traditions from your local area  - stories, songs, images and photographs of the Cailleach and her daughter, to share during the day.   Tea and coffee will be provided on arrival (10:00) and at lunch.

Resource Persons

Ann Concannon is a Sister of St. Louis who works in facilitation and leadership training.  She is interested in learning and sharing the Circle Dance tradition.

Mary Condren, Th.D is director of WomanspiritIreland and teaches at the Centre for Gender and Women's Studies, Trinity College Dublin:http://www.tcd.ie/cgws/staff/mcondren.php  

Fiona Rooney-Fitzpatrick, B.A. An archaeologist, for 13 years Fiona's work has been informed by Authentic Movement, Bodymind centring, Tai Chi and Ki-Aikido.  She has engaged in BodySoul professional training for many years.

Also contributing:    Fionnuala Bates, Brid Buckley, Joy Powell, Chris Neylon.

 Venue:  Mercy International Centre, 64a Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2

 Subscription:  70 euro for the day;   Early Bird, 50 Euro for bookings received before Tuesday 18th March.   Tea & coffee provided on arrival (10 o'clock) and at lunch.

 Pay by Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=RD2WERQL63EVJ

 or by cheque, to WomanSpiritIreland,

 60 Belgard  Green, Cookstown Rd., Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland       

 Contact:  Instfr@gmail.com : Please note: our website has been hacked and stolen,  and we are awaiting its rebuilding.

 (Scroll down for images)

(Tao Cross of Kilnaboy, Co Clare)

(Hag's Chair, Cairn T, Loughcrew, Co Meath)

(Pictish Mirror Stone)

Brighid Festival: February in Ontario!

The *Brighid Festival* will be held for the sixth year in Brescia University College, a women's college at the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. Running from 15 to 17 Feb, the theme this year is Wisdom, Wildness and Wonder.

The weekend festival is based on the Irish model developed by Woman Spirit Ireland in the early 1990s, and comprises music, dancing, drumming, singing, ritual, and presentations on Brighid and the wider Irish/European connections. Registration is open.

Rates from $265-$295.
Options to attend: Full Weekend or Saturday Only

http://www.brescia. uwo.ca/thecircle /events/brighid_ festival. html

The Circle is also planning a major Brighid Conference in May 2015. What a wonderful opportunity for diverse Brigidines to gather together to learn, celebrate, and befriend one another!

Who, you may ask, is putting this festival on, year after year?

The Circle Women's Centre for Spirituality, Activism and the Earth

The Circle Women's Centre is a program and resource centre for for women in the London community and beyond, and for students, staff and faculty of Brescia University College, Western and King's and Huron University Colleges. 

We offer:

• The opportunity for women to explore their spiritality on their own terms.
• The opportunity to be a part of a spiritual community that is outside of any particular faith or denomination.
• The opportunity for women to be enlightened and enlivened through experiential ritual, education and learning.

We do this through:

• Open Circles - monthly rituals open to all women.
• Public lectures through The Sophia Series at Brescia
• Workshops
• A resource library
• Labyrinth
• Brighid Festival
• Ritual of Re-Membering, commemorating the Montreal Massacre and all women who have suffered due to gender violence.
• MORE Than a Book Sale fundraiser- featuring gently-used books and over 20 local artisans and organisations selling their art, craft and wares.
• Networking with our online community and other women's organizations within London and beyond.

The following post is reprinted from Woman Spirit Ireland, the site belonging to The Institute of Feminism and Religion. I reprint it here because it is rare to find instructions on how to actually gather the rushes you use to make Brigit's Cross. See below for the skinny!

(The Institute for Feminism and Religion aims to explore a prophetic approach to feminism and religion, inclusive of many traditions and emerging consciousness in Ireland. We do this by providing opportunities for women to reclaim religion by engaging theoretically and experientially with the issues or feminist theology, ethics, spirituality and ritual.)

Making Brigit’s Crosses 

Merovee Guerin

Tiny Crosses

The traditional cross is made from either field or lake rushes. Made from field rushes, it loses its freshness as it dries. The lake rushes are more sturdy, and the cross a bit bigger. I also found a way to make a cross which looks from the front exactly like the traditional cross but has the advantage to keep its shape when finished. It comes from the Maori tradition. 

Field Rushes

For the Brigit celebrations the rushes are pulled (not cut). One does not need a lot of rushes never more than 40).  So I think it is worth pulling them with awareness.

Place your hand very low on the stem of the rush and pull steadily.  When the rush does not break it has a beautiful white/cream/yellow part which contrasts nicely with the deep green.  I often use this for effect in a cross.

Field rushes are the rushes one can see in any field.  But in February it is difficult to find beautiful rushes as they are often burnt by the gales.

Sometimes one might be lucky and find rushes tucked in the hedge at the edge of a field, or in a low part away from the wind.

In general I go to the forest.  It needs to be low lands forestry.  There are often big ditches in the forestry and there, are the lush rushes which will be pliable.

Wear wellies and gloves.

Enjoy!

Harvesting Lake
Rushes

Lake rushes must be harvested in June or July.  Do not leave too late as they lose their pliability and get spotted.Find a lake with shallow water.  The rushes grow in 2 feet the water.  Cut the rush as low as possible.

I usually bring a rope which floats on the water and keep the cut rushes together. Dry rushes in a well aired area. Turn them from time to time.  Keep away from direct sun.

Store in a dry place.

Before using the rushes I usually lay them in water for a few minutes and wrap them in  plastic to allow the water to soften the outside fibres and make the rush more pliable.

Go with someone.  Someone stays on the shore.

Wear some kind of foot protection.

Have fun.

Traditional Brigit's Cross

Maori Cross