Interview with Druid Fiction Writer M. A. Phillips

 

I was just listening to a conversation between two lovely humans. I wanted to share this interview with you because the writer is a devotee of Brigit, as is the main character in her story.

M.A. Phillips is a modern (A.D.F.) druid from the United States. River Magic is her first novel and is also the first in her series, The Rituals of Rock Bay. Megan Black is proprietor of Round the Cauldron, which began as a podcast and has evolved from there. Megan, too, is a devotee of Brigit. So you can imagine my pleasure in listening to the two of them talk.

You can hear their conversation in a variety of places. This link will take you to the trunk from which those links branch off.

Happy listening. Happy reading.

Gathering with My Sisters

 

Today, Bealtaine, was the second online gathering of Daughters of the Flame. Not the whole bunch of us, just six this time. Roughly the same number as the first time we met, at Imbolc. I’ve been tending Brigit’s flame with the Daughters for going on three decades, and yet we'd never had a face-to-face gathering until this year. It was something I always wished for — I even had a dream twenty or so years ago that several of us had met together in Vancouver, and it was amazing — but the Daughters are in fact spread very far afield. In the first year or so there were four or five of us living in Vancouver, but it didn’t take long before I was the only one here.

Then as now, some were in other parts of Canada, some were in Australia, the USA, and Europe — Ireland, England, Wales and Switzerland — and one was as far off as Indonesia . So I’ve always had the comfort of knowing that I was not tending Brigit’s flame alone, and on a very few occasions I got to meet one of the Daughters of the Flame live and in person when I journeyed to their home turf. Once, the very lovely Terri travelled here.

So, after many years of being connected, first by letters and newsletters, then by emails, then listserves, and finally by the dreaded Facebook, it was amazing to gather with a handful of my sisters and just get to know each other a little, get grounded in our bodies, clear our minds of any need to get up and do something else, and just be together. On both occasions, we shared poetry and songs and prayers. We laughed a lot, and got very serious, speaking from the heart about that so important connection with Brigit and the changes she’s wrought in our lives.

Today, in the hours after we said goodbye, just as after our previous gathering, I am left with a feeling of deep and joyful gratitude. I am so happy to have other people in my life to whom Brigit is important, and through her we have such a strong bond.

I am profoundly lucky.

Brigit, Daughters of the Flame, and the many Brigit loving people I know now — thank you. So very, very much.

Image: Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Oops -- Irish Radio Canada Interview of Mael Brigde

 

I've just noticed that I never did post about my interview on Irish Radio Canada after the fact. It was an enjoyable chat I had with Austin Comerton, who was "stuck" in Ireland because of pandemic travel restrictions, while I was "stuck" at my friends' house with slipped disc mobility restrictions. The wonders of the internet allowed us to speak face to face, although of course the interview is just audio. Downloadable, at that.

Enjoy!

Email Subscriptions Ending

 

I am sorry to say that Blogger will no longer be supporting email subscriptions as of July 2021. I do announce new posts on Facebook as they come along, so if you are on that platform, you could follow me there. If you have another idea of how I can continue to offer email alerts, do let me know.

Meanwhile, thank you for your support. It's been good to know that someone out there may actually be reading this blog.

Brigit's blessings.

Mael Brigde

Image: by Sigmund on Unsplash

Féile Bríde 2021 Saint Brigid Musical Celebration (Video)

 

As the webpage says, "Féile Bríde - Brigid's Festival is a week-long series of events commencing on the eve of St. Brigid's Day, the first day of February." The festival is hosted by the Brigidine Sisters at Solas Bhride.

This concert in Kildare was a part of that festival this year. There is some lovely music in here:

Saint Brigid Musical Celebration

Image: Earth Day poster, Solas Bhride.

Mael Brigde Book Video

Surprise greeted me on my Facebook feed today.

Rachel Patterson (The Kitchen Witch) made a little book trailer for me. And here she be:

Mael Brigde Book Video

As I keep repeating, the sound track is a bit thin, but the film itself has great punch.

Thanks, Rachel!

DEADLINE LOOMING - Sanctuary of Brigid - Brigid Anthology

  

I apologise for forgetting to publish this sooner -- I only just learned of it myself last week. But there are a couple of days left to submit to Sanctuary of Brigid's anthology.

It's focus is on the writing of the diaspora, on how Brigit is received and expressed by those who are removed from her birthplace. "In compiling these individual works, we hope to give voice to those traveling ancestors by showcasing a rich and beautiful heritage manifested through embodiments of devotion by their descendants, as well as others touched by Brigid."

Something that fills me with joy is the spirit of abundance and generosity with which the editors are approaching the monetary side of the anthology. 100% of any profits made from the book will go to three registered (U.S.) charities, one which supports women, one immigration, and one First Nations. 

They explain it all much better than I can. Please, send them your heart's work, and don't be held back by lack of fame or great experience in writing and art. They want to see what you have to say.

Sanctuary of Brigid - Brigid Anthology

Submission Deadline: April 9th, 2021 (This is a hard deadline!)

Images: from Sanctuary of Brigid website.

Brigit: Calming Troubled Waters

 

My second-ever guest blog! Thank you to

Rachel Patterson

, Kitchen Witch extraordinaire, for letting me take up a little space on her blog. The post is called Brigit: Calming Troubled Waters, and it looks at how working with Brigit and one of her poems helped me deal with work anxiety one day.

Image: "Wild cow" by Lightmatter.

Video: "St Brigid: Patroness and Prophetess"

 

It’s up! The video of my conversation with Sister Mary Teresa Cullen and and Anne Cassidy Carew Of the United Irish Cultural Centre of San Francisco. I don’t think she mentions it here, but it was Sister Mary T who lit Brigit's flame in Kildare in 1993.

UNITED IRISH CULTURAL CENTER

St. Brigid: Patroness & Prophetess. Live chat celebrating St. Brigid's Day 2021.

Image: Anne Cassidy Carew 

Me and My Mouth — A Time for Reflection on Its Use

 

Introduction

I have had two occasions recently to reflect on things I have said — or not said — and how I’ve said them — that may be of use to other followers of Brigit as well. So I am setting them down here for your perusal.

Part The First

I seem to have gotten a couple of peoples' knickers in a twist the other day, quite inadvertently, although I knew it could happen.

It was a matter of not guarding my words. I read someone’s innocent post in a Facebook group, wherein she referred to Brigit as a goddess of spring. Now, I have had my editing cap on in matters Brigidine for several years now, partly for working on my book, partly for teaching, partly just for my own understanding, and it’s become second nature to me. So when I read this post I immediately thought, but she isn’t a goddess of the spring. Saint Brigit has connections to the spring, but the goddess doesn’t. So I commented to that effect. I don’t think I put in a whole lot more explanation than that.

A couple of guys came back at me with different explanations of how I was wrong (heaven knows how the original poster took my helpful contribution) and I replied to each of them, trying to explain a little better what I meant, but not engaging too much otherwise. I don’t like squabbles and I also don’t think everyone has to see things the way I do. But I know these anonymous dialogues can get a little rowdy, so I try to keep them short.

I realise that I had left out things that might have helped people hear what I was saying a little better. That doesn’t mean anyone would agree with me, of course. But it might’ve put us on a more stable footing to begin with.  If I had said the written materials from the middle ages that refer to Brigit the goddess don’t mention the spring in any way, whereas the mediaeval writings about Saint Brigit and the folk traditions surrounding her have much to do with the spring, that might have helped.

Now we still could’ve gotten into trouble. Because of certain Victorian writers, we have all gotten the impression that the saint is modelled on the goddess, so we don’t think we need any proof of these sorts of details. If it’s connected to the Saint, it’s connected to the goddess. Equally, we often think that, as one of these gentlemen said, all of the Irish saints are built from pagan precedents, so we can directly extrapolate Pagan rites and stories from Christian — again, without need of evidence. This thinking is not our fault. Nor is it a bad thing. It’s just that I, and many like me, like to know what is old material and what is modern material so that we can make our own decisions about what we believe and how we understand the goddess, the saint, and the culture that gave rise to them. 

Pre-ordering Available for A Brigit of Ireland Devotional - Sun Among Stars by Mael Brigde

I made this wacky 9 second video to celebrate fact that pre-ordering is available for my book. Exciting!

Pre-order here.

St. Brigid Festival Vancouver Day 3: Legends & Mythology of Brigid (Video)

 

As I've mentioned in previous posts, Vancouver was host to a wonderful week long Brigit festival for the second time this year. Because it was online it was possible to have speakers from far afield, and one rewarding session was held on Day 3: Legends & Mythology of Brigid. 

The speakers were storyteller and songster Philomena Jordan, Anthony Murphy of Mythical Ireland, and Dolores Whelan, co-founder of Brigid’s Way Celtic Pilgrimage, author and speaker. Their host was Cynthia Wallentine. The session is now available on YouTube. Check the out the Festival page for other sessions. They aren’t all up yet, but hopefully in time they will be. 

St. Brigid Festival Vancouver Day 3: Legends & Mythology of Brigid

"The Evening of the Nineteenth Day" - Guest Posting on A Bad Witch's Blog

 

I've just done my first guest blog post. It's interesting to explore another person's blog in this way.

The post is a reflection on landing on the nineteenth of February after a particularly unusual Imbolc season: The Evening of the Nineteenth Day.

Thank you to Lucya Starza for inviting me to A Bad Witch's Blog - A Blog about Paganism, Witchcraft and the Day-to-Day Experiences of a London Witch.

Image: Photo by Luis Morera on Unsplash; Post design by Mael Brigde.

Brigit's Basket Food Drive & Community Care in the Name of Our Deities

 Thanks to Paulie Rainbow for doing this work, and for sending me the details so I can share them with you:

We are raising $500 for Food Bank of the Rockies in our annual Brigit's Basket Food Drive! Every $1 provides 4 meals for our neighbors. This year the need is so much greater and we are so happy to be a part of the solution to hunger for so many. Please donate, and share this link forward to help us help each other. Spiritways Metaphysical is again helping us out by collecting canned and dried foods at the shop, and, during their festival weekend Feb 13 & 14, they will donate 5% of their profits to our drive!

Note: They have reached their goal of $500, but donations are still open and more would definitely help.

I love it when our community pulls together in honour of our deities and works to better the lives of those around us, whether they be human or nonhuman. Many of us do this work every day, invisibly, and for that I have great gratitude. Now and then I also see collective efforts like this bearing the name of a deity. Why is this so important to me?

I think it is partly because it acknowledges to the world that our faiths are not simply about ourselves; it shows how deeply we as Neo-Pagans care about each other. But it is also because of the reinforcement and purification of intent that working in the name of my deity gives to my efforts.

When I act as a devotee of Brigit I am mindful of what in her I want to represent and manifest not only in my actions, but in the way that I execute them, the way I treat myself and the others around me, in my thoughts and emotions, as well as in my deeds. I know how this narrowing of focus has assisted me in growing past some of my less helpful habits of mind.

That's me. However we approach it, I can't help thinking that remembering our deities in our community work has got to have a positive effect.

Image: Care of Brigit's Basket Food Drive.

Pandemic Saint

 

I am blown away by this updating of Deirdriu's Saint Bridgit painting. She is the perfect symbol, the perfect saint, for our COVID-19 time.

If you would like to see the painting without the mask, click here.

Image: "My new St. Bridgit!" by Deirdriu Ní Cheocháin (Deirdre Keohane)

A Winner! of A Brigit of Ireland Devotional - Sun Among Stars by Mael Brigde

 Congratulations to Kahlann Gealach for winning an advance copy of A Brigit of Ireland Devotional - Sun Among Stars.

Happy Imbolc - Blessings of Brigit

 May all be well.

Image: by Mael Brigde, using a photo by Egor Vikhrev through Unsplash.

A Radio Show and Live Chat with Mael Brigde & Other, Even Cooler People

 

What a busy season Imbolc is! 

I worked feverishly on the Daughters of the Flame newsletter until I was able to send it out last week. This week I have been getting organised for the book draw on Oiche Fhéile Bhríde - tomorrow - preparing for two very unexpected interviews, creating blog posts for Stone on the Belly - I wanted to put out more Brigit poetry than usual during the time of her celebration - getting ready for tomorrow's first ever gathering  (virtual, of course) of Daughters of the Flame, and so on and on.

Austin Comerton of Irish Radio Canada interviewed me yesterday for a segment of tomorrow's program, which will feature Maura De Freitas of the St Brigid's Day Festival Vancouver, Bríd Dunne of the Ireland - Canada Chamber of Commerce Vancouver which is hosting a portion of the event, myself, and Kathleen Fee speaking about Festival Bloomsday Montréal. (James Joyce's birthday is 2 February.)

For more information, read his full announcement here.

This episode of Irish Radio Canada will stream at 8am & 1pm (Eastern Time) on TuneIn, Simple Radio (Ask Alexa/Google) https://www.irishradio.ca & via the Irish Radio Canada App. http://onelink.to/fs6xhc

I will also be speaking about Saint Brigit with Brigidine Sr. Mary Teresa and Anne Cassidy Carew of the United Irish Cultural Centre of San Francisco next Wednesday evening. The event is hosted by Dowling Library at the UICC.

The live chat is Wednesday, 3 February 2021. Join us on Zoom for this free talk, from 7 - 8 P.M. P.S.T.

I am feeling tired but joyous about these opportunities to be with people who are as excited about Brigit as I am.

"St. Brigid - Harry Clarke's stained-glass window at St. Mary's Church, Ballinrobe, County Mayo"

I was searching for more information about Henry Patrick (Harry) Clarke's St. Brigit imagery in the stained glass windows he designed for various churches. In the process I discovered the above-named article about one particular window, in Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo.

Below are excerpts from Averil Staunton's article on the Historical Ballinrobe website:

Here at St. Mary’s Church, in Ballinrobe, County Mayo one of Harry Clarkes’s final works prior to his death was the large three-light window located at the organ gallery, representing three of the patron saints of Ireland; St Brigid is represented in one of the panels; the others being St. Patrick and St. Colmcille.

Description of St. Brigid’s representation

This very large panel shows St. Brigid as a nun in an elaborately trimmed and tasselled veil elegantly falling in pleats over her shoulders; she wears a coif headpiece, which includes a decorated cap and a turquoise wimple or guimpe with a long tassel to the front.

Her habit coloured brown is worn over a longer undergarment with an embroidered trim at its full-length hem. These garments were often loose and pleated from the neckline and can have two sets of sleeves, the larger of which can be worn folded up for work or folded down for ceremonial occasions, but in this case, it appears to be her cloak that is covering her white sleeves with a ruffled trim.

St. Brigid’s scapular is a deep turquoise colour with an overlaid intricate Celtic pattern in black. Her stole is turquoise with a long fringe. Over these garments is a purple cloak, heavily decorated on the inside hemline.

We get a tiny glimpse of Clarke’s awareness of Ireland’s heritage with the elaborate silken pointed-toe, embellished elegant tapering, green pointed slippers, which may be inspired by the Shrine of St. Brigid at the National Museum of Ireland...

Emblem

St. Brigid’s overhead emblem is five green oak leaves and acorns represent a ‘Cill’ meaning cell or church. In Irish ‘An Daire’ means is a type of oak tree, so Kildare means “Church of the Oak” where she founded her church...

Staunton ends with three recommended resources, including her own book on the artist's work:

Further reading:

 Fahey, Denis, “An Irishman’s Diary,” Irish Times, January, 27 January 2015 p 17

 O’Hanlon,John, Lives of the Irish Saints, Duffy & Sons, London, Vol  ll & lll

 Staunton, Averil, Harry Clarke’s Liquid Light, BAHS, Ballinrobe, 2014, p 39

 

Images: From Saint Mary's Church, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo. Uncredited.

Online Brigit Festivals in Ireland

No one, I trust, would call COVID-19 a blessing. It has been a curse, and the brunt of it borne by those who could least afford to bear it. Like any event, however, it has brought small blessings in its wake. One of these has been the blossoming of live online connections, social, spiritual, artistic, health-related – it has been astonishing. For those with access to computers and the internet, doors have opened which could not have before. I only hope that some of these remain open when we "return to normal." Particularly for those who have not been well enough to attend outside events, or those who live in rural communities far from urban offerings, the opening up of online access has been life enhancing, to say the least.

                  

This year, for the first time, those of us normally unable to get to Ireland can go to Lá Fhéile Bhríde in Kildare, or to the Brigid of Faughart Festival in the Faughart and Dundalk area – or to portions of both, if we have the energy and the time, and in some cases, a bit of coin, as well. 

 

The Brigid of Faughart Festival has joined with An Táin Arts Centre in Dundalk to host ‘Cruinniú Lá Fhéile Bhríde – Gathering Under Brigid’s Mantle.’ It will take place from 8 P.M. on 1 February 2021.

Lá Fhéile Bhríde is as usual put on by Solas Bhríde and Afri (Action from Ireland). It will take place in individual sessions from 12 A.M. 31 January to 6 February 2021.

The entire ‘Cruinniú Lá Fhéile Bhríde’ is €10. Kildare's Lá Fhéile Bhríde events are each separate. Some are free, some cost €11.53.

P.S.: Don't forget we also have the first annual St Brigid's Day Festival of Vancouver, Canada from Jan 31 - Feb 7, 2021. Online as well, of course.

Image: The weavers of Brigit's crosses are from the Solas Bhríde website.

News article: "Louth's Brigid of Faughart Festival is going online" by Michelle O'Keeffe, 25 Jan 2021.