In various parts of the world, March is Women’s History
Month. The Kilted Owl blog is woman-owned, so we are using this month as an
opportunity to shine a light on Celtic ladies, both real and mythological (or,
in some cases, both), who have made an impact on Celtic culture.
Brigid is a crucial part of Irish history, especially in
terms of Celtic spirituality and religion. From a goddess to a Druidess to a
saint, her life and faith still resound and are still celebrated around the
world today.
Brigid the Goddess
As a goddess, Brigid was the goddess of healing, cattle, crops,
and smiths. She is often referred to as “The Bride,” “The Exalted One,” and Dana.
She was “conceived” between 71-74 AD by the Druids and was the daughter of
Dagda and Morrigan. Brigid is worshipped throughout the Celtic world, though she
was meant to specifically appeal to the Irish.
Like her mother, Morrigan, Brigid is what is known as a tripartite
goddess, meaning she takes on the form of three separate women. The first woman
is associated with learning, protection, poetry. Her second being is associated
with healing and the final part is associated with metalwork.
While all Celtic deities have some level of warrior power, no
warrior qualities are emphasized in Brigid like some others. Contrary to
popular belief, Brigid is not primarily a Sun deity, though she is indirectly
associated with the sun and fire, especially through her association with metal
work and smiths.
Brigid also inherited characteristics from her deity parents.
These include magic, healing, knowledge, the ability to produce an abundance of
food, control of the weather and the environment, fertility, and foreseeing the
future.
Like other Celtic deities, Brigid is associated with a
number of different things. She is closely involved with cows. There is also a connection
between Brigid and the Sun, although this connection is not as strong as some scholars
believe. She is also associated with fire, especially in relation to her
connection to smiths and metalwork but also with the hearth. Brigid is credited
with the invention of Ogham alphabet, an ancient Irish script, and is closely
associated with poetry.
Brigid the Druidess
Brigid the Druidess is the link between her as goddess and her
as a saint. Like the goddess and the saint, she was associated with fertility
of crops, animals, and humans and had similar qualities of each. Brigid the
goddess was the patron goddess of Druids and Druidesses. In Celtic religion,
temples were dedicated to a specific deity. As such, Brigid is said to be the
chief Druidess of a temple for the goddess Brigid. Druidesses and Druids took the name of the pagan temple’s deity upon baptism, so Brigid the Druidess took the name
of the goddess. As we will see, Brigid the saint converted to Christianity, and
the temple that she ran which was dedicated to the goddess Brigid, was converted
to a church to the Christian God.
Brigid the Saint
The full title of Brigid as a saint is Saint Brigid of
Kildare. St. Brigid was born in the 5th Century and died in the 6th Century,
although the exact dates of her birth and death are unknown. She was born in
the vicinity of Kildare, although some scholars have said that she was born in
Scotland. St. Brigid is Ireland’s only female patron saint and is considered
the second most important Irish saint.
St. Brigid was the first Christian nun of Ireland and was
the “founder” of Kildare Abbey. As mentioned before, the monastery she “founded”
was converted from a temple dedicated to the goddess Brigid and Brigid is said
to have been the chief Druidess before she converted to Christianity. St.
Brigid’s Feast Day is celebrated on February 1 each year. She was accidentally conferred as a bishop.
St. Brigid had a lot of attributes and qualities that she
was known for, and many overlapped with the goddess. First and foremost, she was known for her generosity and goodness. She is also revered for her virginity,
wisdom, prosperity, protection, and healing. When people pray, they often invoke
her for her ability to protect the house, herds, crops, and family. She is also
known for her hospitality and midwifery. She is said to have woven the first
cloth in Ireland. Brigid is also known for her associations with nature, most
notably cattle and cows.
In order to be a saint, a person has to perform miracles or build
a monastery. In Brigid’s case, she did both. She turned bath water into beer
and turned water into ale. When she was working on expanding her monastery, she
used her cloak to acquire land for her monastery. There was a story where she
through a wood loom into a fire. Even though it was burnt, it was later
restored to its original condition One time, she threw a garment and it hung on
a sunbeam. There was another story of a phantom fire where she was in a building
that was on fire but survived. She is known for her multiplication of food and
her healings and cures. She even turned stone into salt.
Brigid is an incredible figure in Irish history and in
Celtic culture. Her story is inspiring and her life is still celebrated around
the world to this day.
-Book Review: "Clanlands Almanac": https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2024/12/clanlands-almanac-review.html
-Book Review: "Celtic Myths and Legends": https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2024/11/book-review-celtic-myths-and-legends.html