"Brigid and the Cailleach" by Caitlin Brehm and Dr. Karen Ward

Caitlin Brehm of Roots of Lore podcast has done a wonderful job of not simply interviewing Moon Mná's Karen Ward (celebrant of Women's Celtic Circles in Ireland). She weaves poetry, background info, and her own thoughts beautifully into Karen's words, painting with her subject these evocative pictures of the Cailleach and Brigid. 

Tangential to Brigit! Mael Brigde's Upcoming Hog Talk

I will be touching on Brigit and her pig connections, but by and large the subject is simply pigs in Celtic myth. I'd be delighted to hear of your favourite Celtic Pig tales and takes. (Images welcome, if you'll let me use them in the talk!)

Today's announcement by Land, Sea, Sky Travel:

Land Sea Sky Travel

7 hrs · 

So excited to have our first presentation submission in! We are happy to once again host Mael Brigde.

Mael Brigde will be presenting "High on the Hog: Why Pigs Are Worth Your Adoration."

Mael Brigde peers into piggies: where they are in a sampling of Irish (and Other Celtic) tales (with a glance at Brigit's traditions, of course), where the wild versus domestic pigs show up, and how they might be seen differently. She will talk a bit about her heart and spiritual connection to pigs, offer a poem, and invite you to meet a grand divine Muc or two. She promises not to read The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig*, though she'd love to (and absolutely encourages you to read it, yourself).

Mael Brigde is a devotee of the Irish goddess and saint, Brigit, and the founder of the Daughters of the Flame, which has tended Brigit’s flame since Imbolc 1993. She publishes a general interest Brigit blog, Brigit’s Sparkling Flame, and a Brigit poetry blog, Stone on the Belly. She teaches courses and webinars on Brigit, including Journey with Brigit, Goddess of Poetry, an intensive class that explores reading and writing poetry as a sacred act.

She has recently completed a book, Sun Among Stars: A Brigit of Ireland Devotional.

Mael Brigde lives in Vancouver, Canada.

* The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (1993). Nothing at all to do with Irish mythology.

LAST DAY to sign up! Orlagh Costello's Five-Week Brigit Class

Wow! There is so much amazing Brigit related stuff that I am actually holding back on some posts because I think I've been posting too much! Gone are the days when I had to comb the internet to find something related to her that was worth passing on to you folk.

This one is too good to pass by, and I only wish I hadn't been so absorbed in other things that I didn't think to post it sooner.

This is the LAST DAY to sign up for Orlagh Costello's five-week Brigit class: Brigid in Ireland
through Lora O'Brien's Irish Pagan School.

It will be good.

Artist Valerie Herron Blogs About Her Brigit Painting

Some months ago, artist Valerie Herron released onto the world a stunning image of Brigit and her mythos. (See my post "Brigit in Her Complexity and Beauty - Art by Valerie Herron" from 18 June 2019.)

Since that time she has had questions a-plenty on the different symbols, so at last she has produced a digital fiesta for those inquiring minds who want to know.

Aptly entitled Brigid, you may find the full post in her new blog ARS NYCTICORAX the art blog of Valerie Herron, by clicking on this link.



Image: "Scroll," from the work "Brigid"  © by Valerie Herron.

Kildare Cathedral Lit Up with Images of Brigit

What a stunning display of Brigidine art!

Find them on Facebook:

Into Kildare

23 hrs · 

Kildare Cathedral looking stunning this evening illuminated with images of Brigid of Kildare for
Herstory Ireland!

Pictures by @miss_susanboyle

#StBrigid

Images: Thank you to Melody Dickson on Facebook for sharing Into Kildare's post of @miss_susanboyle's photographs.

Online Brigid Class by Amy Panetta

Amy leading Sunday worship at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Estrie, Quebec, Canada26 January 2020

Online Brigid Class +  Can You Help?

While I give a number of in-person talks and work- -shops, many people feel disappointed that they  cannot make it due to their location and schedul- ing conflicts (or even the weather!).   So!  I have created an Online Brigid Class: The Music of Brigid,  Ireland's Patroness  It is 50 minutes and includes: A blessing - Farewell to the darkest part of  the year (Samhain) and Greeting to the new  season of early springtime (Imbolc). Background on Brigid, the pre-Christian  goddess, and Brigid the saint. Short film on Brigid's celebration in Ireland  and about the music that is featured. Info on some of the earth-based music  written in dedication to Brigid. Me teaching you how to sing one of the  most popular songs dedicated to Brigid,  Gabhaim Molta Bhride in Irish Gaelic.   This Online class can be accessed for  $15.  Are you interested?  If so, just email me at  apanettamusic@gmail.com, and I'll get  back to you with the details ASAP!   With your payment for this online class, I will  put the money to use directly on the work I do  for the Celtic Feminine Podcast.  Currently, the website for the  podcast does not have its own domain name  and I have not paid for a hosting service.   Right now, the site is free, but it has unsightly  ads on it.  So, the money from this online  class will go towards purchasing a domain  name and for the hosting service.   Thank you very much for your consideration!

President Michael D. Higgins St. Brigid's Day Letter

President of Ireland / Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D. Higgins

· 17 hrs · 

 

Tomorrow, 1 February, is St Brigid’s Feast Day, Lá Féile Bríde.

The day marks the start the pagan festival of spring, and celebrates Brigid, one of Ireland’s patron saints and also a fertility goddess in Celtic mythology.

Read the Message from President Michael D. Higgins:

Washington DC: Saint Brigid and the Medieval Sacred Music of Ireland

I received an exciting email last night from Allison Mondel of the musical ensemble, Eya. She wrote of a "re-envisioning [of] the music in a 'contemporary matins' program, with music, poems, prayers, and stories (spoken in English) and a volunteer women’s ensemble, Brigid’s Circle, formed especially for this performance." The music, taken from two manuscripts at Trinity College Dublin, was first recorded in more traditional form by the Scottish vocal group Canty a number of years ago. (For more on the out-of-print CD and the music itself, see my 2008 blog post. For a taste of Eya's music, go here.) All of the events of the program are free of charge, and no reservations are necessary.

How I envy those of you living near enough to attend! Fingers crossed that this one day comes out on CD.

Eya is thrilled to partner with Georgetown University in presenting Saint Brigid and the Medieval Sacred Music of Ireland. This music festival will feature:

•    Chant workshop led by Eya's music director, Allison Mondel
•    Women's ensemble, Brigid's Circle, featured in performance with Eya
•    Concert performance of new program, Brigid, presented by Eya with Brigid's Circle

This festival project is co-sponsored by several departments at Georgetown University, including Campus Ministries, Global Irish Studies, the Department of Theology, and the Department of Performing Arts. Eya is also thrilled to partner with The Amra Project, an international collaborative project centered at Trinity College Dublin and founded by Dr. Ann Buckley. As a performing ensemble associated with the project, we aim to bring this rare body of music to a wider audience in the United States.

​The Amra Project was founded in order to illuminate the medieval music and sources of Gregorian chant devoted to Irish saints, found in Irish sources and beyond. This presentation is a launching point for future collaborations with Eya, Trinity College Dublin, and Georgetown University, further exploring the connection of sacred medieval music and Ireland.

​WITH GUEST ARTIST
Cynthia Cathcart
​clàrsach (wire-strung harp)

SCHEDULE
​Saturday, February 1, 2020                          Led by Allison Mondel:

4-5:30pm  ​McNeir Auditorium (New North Building) MAP

Irish Chant Workshop  RSVP WORKSHOP

​​7-9pm  Dahlgren Chapel MAP

​Concert Performance: Brigid Eya with Brigid's Circle

All events take place at Georgetown University and are free of charge. No tickets or reservations required.

---

PHOTO: Saint Brigid's Cathedral, Kildare, Ireland (Allison Mondel)

Brigit Classes with Mael Brigde

It is nearly Imbolc, and it is a time each year when I have been busy doing Brigit work for a couple of months. Readying the newsletter for the Daughters of the Flame 🔥 is a big part of that, and working with my flame sister, Nichole, to find out who is keeping her shift for another year and who is not. Assigning shifts to new members. And making contact with all manner of individuals on their journey with Brigit.

Some of the most rewarding of those contacts are with the folk who take my Brigit classes. There are many opportunities to reflect and build on our concept of and relationship to her in the classes, and I am moved by the depth of the reflections each student offers.

As the evenings draw nearer to Imbolc, many of us wish to deepen our connection with her. If you would benefit from some quiet contemplation of Brigit over the next days or weeks, my three Brigit courses may provide a safe place for you to do so.

The first two, Discovering Brigit and Stepping Into Brigit, focus on our ways of seeing and understanding her and exploring our connection with her. The third, an intensive and much longer course, immersed us in the reading and writing of poetry, under the mantle of Brigit, with an exploration of the poet in Ireland.

If you want to learn more about the classes, you may find them here. If you would like to learn more about me, go here. If you do take Discovering Brigit, remember that there is a coupon at the end for a substantial discount on the following class, Stepping Into Brigit.

May your Imbolc be a blessing, and may your gradually manifesting spring be a season of growth and insight.

Sweet blessings,

Mael Brigde

Brigid's Cross Tutorial

The people at Creative Ardagh say this about the Brigit's cross tutorial they've posted on YouTube:

We are located in St. Brigid's parish in Ardagh. Each year locals and others walk down to her holy well near the village. Connections to the saint locally go even further back. As a daughter of the Dagda, the pre-Christian Brigid is a sister of Midir. St. Brigid's Day/Imbolc is celebrated the start of Spring each year in Ireland, 1st February. Rose Moran reads her poem Brigid Passes as we give step-by-step instructions to make your own cross. Thanks to Rose and to Martin Smyth and Dermot Farrell for sharing their cross making skills.

Retreat for Women Celebrates Imbolc in Scotland

Exciting news, though a bit short notice. Working for Recovery, based in Scotland, is leading an Imbolc retreat for women on the Isle of Lewis, including time at Tobar Bhrìghde (Brigit's Well) and the Callanish stones. 

I hadn't heard of these folk before but the little I've read just now I find very interesting. Aside from retreats for people in recovery, (which is defined as recovery from mental illness or mental distress) they train professionals and have a ten week online course. Formerly they had a house where people could take mental health breaks, but that has now closed.

About the retreat:

A Retreat for Women: Celebrate the Celtic Return of Spring (Imbolc) - 30 Jan - 2 Feb 2020, Isle of Lewis, Scotland

Working to Recovery & Midwife of the Soul present: ARetreat with Women: Celebrate the Celtic Return of Spring (Imbolc)


The retreat will start with dinner on Thursday 30th January and finish after lunch on Sunday 2nd February (in time for the afternoon ferry or flights home).  The retreat will be immersed in the land of the Isle of Women - Lewis & Harris. 
FACILITATORS: Karen Taylor and Jane Eastwood (guest appeareance by Jill Smith)

ABOUT THE RETREAT
Imbolc, on the 1^st February, is the time to celebrate the return of Spring in the Celtic calendar when the Callieach returns to sleep and Brighid reawakens.  Together we will explore this relationship between the old and the new, rebirth and letting go, cleansing and growing.

The night before Imbolc we will go to the Callanish Standing Stones to celebrate “the sleeping beauty” and the ending of winter.

On Imbolc, together we will go to “St Brides Well” at first light, where we will clean the well and offer her gifts and celebrate her coming.

In my home we will explore what do we need to cleanse within ourselves, what we need to let go of, in order to grow into the women we wish to be.  We will use Celtic stories to guide us and explore our own stories.  Bringing us ready for a fresh new start.






Images: "The Emergence of Spring - Brighde's Well" by Jill Smith.
               "Callanish Standing Stones" by Marta Gutowska. CC 2.5.
              "Tobar Bhrìghde on Lewis" by Peter Boyle. On the Mobile Megalithic Portal.

Make Imbolc a National Holiday!

"Brigid of Eire" has a campaign going on My Uplift to make Imbolc a bank holiday in Ireland. If you want to know more about the campaign, or if you are a resident of Ireland and want to put your name on the petition, follow the link below.

To: Minister for Business, Enterprise, Innovation, Heather Humphries TD

Make Brigid's Day a national holiday

New Monument in Offaly

From Offaly Heritage's Facebook page:

Offaly Heritage

30 August at 07:59 · 

Stonecarver Ciaran Byrne is working away on the new stone piece which will be erected where the old damaged trig station was on Croghan Hill summit. The same dimensions as the trig station, each side will reflect an aspect of the area's heritage, following community discussions this summer - St Patrick's well, St Bridget and her veil, the volcano and Croghan Man.

To see him at work:



Ciaran Byrne Stone Carver from newpark movies on Vimeo.

Thank You, Elan! (Brigit Icon)

A couple of months ago a note of great wonder appeared in my inbox.

Elan said she would stitch me one of Donna Amaral's Brigit icons! And so she has. She was wonderful to work with, getting me to think about colour and how I see Brigit, when I wouldn't have considered departing from Donna's original. The result, and the lovely way Elan presented it, is beautiful and moving to receive. Thank you so very much, Elan.

Brigit T-Shirts from Eel and Otter

If you are a T-shirt buff, Eel and Otter has just created some Brigit tees:

Drop the Hammer

Forged by Fire

Purified by Flame