A feminine influence in our list of public holidays

I was amused recently to hear a man contend that Saint Brigid was actually a Protestant. Given that Protestantism was only born in 1517, I could tell he was wide of the mark but his contention is interesting nonetheless because there are many theories about Saint Brigid and her origins. So, who was this woman and what is her position in the order of thing?

Stories merge

I have a soft spot for Brigid as it’s my own mother’s name. In its simplest form, the story of Saint Brigid is a merger of two traditions. There was the ancient feminine deity and there was the early Christian saint. As what mostly happened, when Celtic legends and Christian personalities met, the two stories became one in an effort to appeal and convert.

The first Brigid or Brigit; meaning 'exalted one', is a goddess of pre-Christian Ireland. She appears in Irish mythology as a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the daughter of the Dagda and wife of Bres, with whom she had a son, Ruadán.

She is associated with wisdom, poetry, healing, protection, smithing and domesticated animals. Cormac's Glossary, written in the 9th century by Christian monks, says that Brigid was "the goddess whom poets adored" and that she had two sisters: Brigid the healer and Brigid the smith. This suggests she was a triple deity.

The second Brigid, Saint Brigid, shares many of the goddess's attributes. Even her feast day, February 1, was originally a Celtic festival called Imbolc. It may, therefore, be construed that the saint we know today is very closely linked with the ancient goddess, and that the gifts of one are the gifts of the other.

Brigid of Kildare 

Saint Brigid or Brigid of Kildare; (c. 451 – 525), is widely recognised as the patroness saint of Ireland. According to accounts, she was an abbess who founded the important abbey of Kildare. There are few historical facts about her, and those that exist are mainly anecdotes and miracle tales, some of which are rooted in pagan folklore. They say this Brigid was the daughter of a chieftain, and was raised in a druid's household before becoming a consecrated virgin. She too is associated with many gifts, including poetry, learning, healing, protection, blacksmithing, livestock and dairy production.

As with many noted feasts and festivals in the Irish calendar, the eve of the festival is just as important as the day itself. The traditions of the feast, while not much seen these days, have been well recorded. Irish Folklore and Traditions has information on some of the customs and rituals associated with Brigid's Day.  

A sod or two was often turned in a tillage field. Wind direction on the eve of the festival was carefully noted as the prevailing wind during the coming year. The day of the festival itself should show signs of improving weather but if it was too good it was an omen of bad weather to come. 

In some areas, especially in parishes dedicated to the saint, only work that was strictly necessary was carried out and in some areas of Kerry and west Cork any kind of work that involved the turning of wheels was avoided. In other regions, both ploughing and smithwork fell under this ban.

The Brídeóg may not have been such a big thing in the Ox Mountain region, but in many places the tradition was, and indeed is, very strong. Information from the National Museum of Ireland takes up the story:

Also, on the eve of the festival (January 31), called Brídeóg Night in some areas, the children of the district went out from door to door. They would disguise themselves in old clothes or in their own clothes turned inside out. They would mask their face with pieces of cloth or curtains, sometimes using straw or rush hats to keep the veils on. 

The Brídeóg, called Miss Biddy in this instance, was a doll made from old rags or a butter churn dressed up. The person recounting this tale mentions that in this case a turnip was carved and painted with soot. 

They would play music at each house to receive money or sweets. A rhyme of some description was said as the door was answered. This again varied to some degree by district but was fundamentally the same.

Brigid’s Cross 

Solvar, an Irish Celtic jewellery company, gives a concise account of the creation of the first Saint Brigid’s Cross. It is a bit like Saint Patrick using the shamrock to explain the Trinity, where a common plant, in this case, the humble rush, is used to help bring the message home.

The story of the first St Brigid's Cross comes from a story about an old pagan lord on his deathbed whose servants summoned Brigid to his side to calm him. She held vigil there, comforting him, and in an effort to make him understand the new faith, she picked some rushes from the floor and wove an intricate cross. So moved by her care and her words, he asked to be baptised before he died.

In certain parts of Ireland, there are different variations of the cross; the shape and constituent material varying from one county to another. While such crosses can be made from virtually anything, depending on the creativity of the person making them and the materials available, again the National Museum of Ireland has interesting information.

The most recognisable cross is the four-armed cross, popularised since 1961 by its use as an emblem for Irish television. Regional styles and variations of St Brigid’s crosses existed throughout Ireland and often many styles were made in each home. Traditional designs were diamond, interlaced, or wheel-shaped, and could have two, three, or four arms. The simplest ones consisted of two strips of wood or straw plaits tied together to form a cross.

Straw, rushes, and reeds were most common, but grass, hay, wood, goose quills, wire and fabric were also used to form crosses. Whatever the chosen material, it was sprinkled with holy water beforehand and a prayer to welcome the saint into the home was often recited. Crosses were hung up in homes and animal sheds to invoke St Brigid’s blessing.

Note that the cross, any cross, and the design chosen are secondary to the blessings the cross bestows. The intention is the vital ingredient. Crosses are blessed, by Brigid herself, simply by leaving them outdoors on the night of January 31. Similarly, the Brat-Bhríde, Brigid’s cloth, is left out to be imbued with Brigid’s healing powers. The cloth is then used for healing and protection throughout the year.

Feminine power 

My own thoughts on Brigid are that we now have a feminine influence in our list of public holidays. This can only be a good thing. Indeed, if we had more of a feminine influence in our world today, we might have less conflict and less war. The horror of powerful armies killing women and children has never been more evident. What mother figure would oversee such destruction? 

As we celebrate this new public holiday, maybe that is our lesson: respect the power of the feminine. Whether you see Brigid as a Celtic deity or a Christian saint, who better to welcome spring to the Ox Mountains, at a time when wildflowers peep and new lambs leap.