Goddess Brigid

Goddess Brigid

Bi Bride bhithe, bhana, leinn.

Brigit is the Celtic Saint and Goddess of Poetry, Healing and Smithcraft. She has been worshiped by the Celtic people as a Saint for over fifteen hundred years, and as a Goddess long before the Roman invasion of Britain and the birth of Christ. Her cult was so powerful that the Celtic Christian Church had to adopt her as a Saint, and the Roman Catholic Church followed suit, for her people would not abandon her. Along with St. Patrick, she is the patron Saint of Ireland. St. Brigit is often referred to as Muire na nGael 'Mary of the Gael'. Mara Freeman states, 'Brigit is the nearest thing we have to a Great Mother of the Celts.'

Lands of the Goddess
The name 'Britain' is a derivation of Brigit's name. Britain was named for an ancient Celtic tribe, the Brigantes, who worshipped Brigit and were the largest Celtic tribe to occupy the British Isles in pre-Roman times. The tribe originally came from the area that is now Bregenz in Austria near Lake Constance. The word 'brigand' comes from this tribe of fierce warriors.

Her worship probably spread from the Continent, leaving place names behind, such as Brittany in France. Brigit place names are found in Brechin, Scotland, the river Brent in England, the river Braint in Wales, Bridewell in Ireland. Even London has a Bridewell.

The symbol of Britain – the Goddess Brigantia or Britannia, (still found on their fifty-cent coin) is Brigid in her aspect as Goddess of Sovereignty or Guardian of the Land.

Names of the Goddess
There are many variations, pronunciations, and spellings of Her name, including:
Scotland: Bhrìghde, Brighid, Bride
Ireland: Brigid, Brigit, Brighid, Brìd, Brígh
Manx: Breeshey
Wales: Ffraid
England: Brigantia, Brittania
France: Brigandu

The name Brigit itself means either 'Fiery Arrow', 'Bright One', or 'High One' in the ancient Celtic language, referring to her solar aspect. In the old Celtic language, she was Briganti, which is connected to the old Indo European word, Bhrghnti. In Sanskrit, bhrati, or brihati means 'exalted one'.

Re: Goddess Brigid

Druid Goddess
Brigit is a 'pan Celtic' goddess, who was worshipped by both the Goidelic and Brythonic Celts in the British Isles and beyond. She is a solar deity, who once hung her mantle on a sunbeam. In Celtic mythology, Brigit is the daughter of the Morrighan and the Dagda, the Good God and Chief of the Tuatha de Danaan, the ancient fairy race of Ireland, and the sister of Ogma, who invented the Ogham alphabet. She was the wife of Bres, King of the Fomorians (who were at war with the Tuatha de Danaan). Brigit was said to have been the mediator of peace between the two ancient warring tribes. She was the mother of the Three Gods of Danu – Ruadan, Iuchar and Uar. These three Gods were said to have married the three princesses of Ireland – Eire, Fodhla and Banbha. In other sources, Brigid is the daughter of Boann, the Goddess of the River Boyne in Ireland. Boann (bo fhionn) means 'white cow', an association she shares with Brigid. Brigit is primarily the patron Goddess of poets, healers and smiths. She is also a patron of other womanly arts – midwifery, dyeing, weaving and brewing, and the guardian of children and farm animals – particularly cows. The island of Ireland itself is said to be the green mantle of Brigit. She is also said to be the patron of travellers, sailors, and fugitives. She is specifically a patroness to the Druids in her aspects of poetry (Bards), healing and prophecy (Ovates) and blacksmithing (Druids).

Re: Goddess Brigid

Goddess of Poetry
Brigit is patroness filidhact (poetry and bardic lore) and the filid – (bards), who were the oral transmitters of the Celtic culture. This includes storytellers, folklorists, mythologists, balladeers, singers, composers, poets, musicians, particularly harpers, historians and clan genealogists. She provided the 'fire in the head' of poetic inspiration. The Bards are the surviving class of the Druids, keeping the ancient traditions alive until the present day. Bards were the honoured guests from cottage to castle, patronized and supported by a network of clientele. The Blind Harper, Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738), was one of the most famous bards in Ireland, and made his living as an itinerant harper. He was a formidable composer, who is said to have learnt some of his music from the faeries themselves.

The word file – poet, is related to the word, faic – to see. Poets are inspired by the Other World, and have the gift of fàisneachd (prophecy).
In the county of Limerick, Brigit visited the household of a chieftain, and asked that his foster father and his sons play the harps that were hanging on the wall. She was told that the chief's bard was away, and the children did not know how to play. Thereupon, she blessed their hands, and they played the harp with such skill that they became famous harpers, and the bards of kings for generations.

Re: Goddess Brigid

Goddess of Augury
Goddess of Augury in Druid tradition, poetry (filidecht) was associated with augury (fiosachd or fàisneachd). So Brigit was also the patron of prophets and seers (fiosaiche). She was said to have foreseen the future of Christ when she was his nurse:

Augury
The augury Brigit made for her Foster son (Jesus)
She made a pipe within her palms:
'I see the Foster son by the well's side,
Teaching the people assuredly
I set the augury towards the well,
And truly that was righteous work,
The King of kings teaching the people,
Yonder I see Christ, assuredly.

The form of divination Brigit used is called 'frìth Bhrighde (augury of Brigid)', where she curled her hand into a 'seeing tube'. Looking through this 'hand-made tube', she could find lost people or animals, report on the well-being of distant people, etc. In Scots Gaelic, frìth means 'an incantation to find whether people at a great distance or at sea be in life'. Frìthir is another word for seer or diviner in Gaelic. Water and Fire are both associated with divination. Celtic Seers divine by both looking deeply into water (fàisnich uisge) or into the flames (fàisnich teine).

Re: Goddess Brigid

Triple Goddess
Brigit is sometimes referred to as a 'Triple Goddess', having two sisters, also named Brigit. More commonly, she is considered a triple aspect deity because she is the patroness of three primary skills in the Celtic world – poetry, healing and smithcrafting. In this image, one image carries a pair of blacksmith tongs and a sword, another image is handling two healing snakes, and a third image carries a wand with a crescent moon and a tablet.

Re: Goddess Brigid

Elements
Brigit rules the elements of Water (Uisge in Gaelic, Dwr in Welsh) and Fire (Teine in Gaelic; Tân in Welsh).

As Water deity, Brigit is the patroness of healers, with many healing springs and wells dedicated to Her throughout the British Isles. Water is also associated with psychic ability, music, and poetry.

Natural bodies of water were also sacred to her, particularly where three streams joined together. As a Fire deity, she is the patroness of blacksmiths and poets (a poet's 'fire in the head'). The hearth is sacred to her in every home. Another name for her feast day is Candlemas, in which all the candles for the coming year are made and blessed.

Brighid is the Triple Goddess of Fire – the fire of poetic inspiration and divination, the fire of health and fertility, and the fire of metal working and crafts.

Water and Fire were important elements to the early Celtic civilization long before they reached the British Isles. The elements were especially venerated at the end of a long harsh winter – fire was welcomed as the returning warmth of the sun, and water was celebrated as the ice and snow melted

Re: Goddess Brigid

Patroness of Blacksmiths
She is the patroness of blacksmiths, the King of Crafts on which all other crafts depend. She is not a blacksmith herself, that niche is occupied by the Celtic deities, Goibnu and Govannon, but she inspires the creativity and artistry of the blacksmith craft just as she inspires the creativity of poets. Her eldest son, Ruadan, was a blacksmith. When Ruadan was killed, Brigit keened (caoine) in grief for him, thus initiating the Celtic custom of keening for the dead.

Blacksmiths were considered magicians and wizards themselves. And it was the excellence of Celtic metalwork that differentiated them from all other early cultures and brought them to prominence.

Re: Goddess Brigid

Goddess of Protection
In her aspect as Brigantia, she carries a spear, an orb of victory, and wears a war crown. The word 'Brigand' derives from this warlike version of Brigit.
In the British national anthem, 'Hail Brittania, Brittania rules the waves. Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.' Her warlike, protective characteristics are emphasized.

As a saint, there were many prayers of protection invoking Brigit, which have been collected by Alexander Carmichael.

Prayer of Protection
Thou Brigit of the kine,
Thou Brigit of the mantles,
Shield me from the ban
of the fairies of the knolls,
The faeiries of the knolls.

Re: Goddess Brigid

Christian Saint
Brigit occurs in Christian tradition as Saint Brigit of Kildare, Ireland. In some legends, she was a Druidess before she was converted to Christianity. The Saint was born near Kildare, on February 1st in 453 AD, to a Druid father, Dubthach, and a bondmaid, Broicsech. Saint Patrick was still alive when she was born. Her father had a vision that his wife would 'bring forth a daughter conspicuous, radiant, who will shine like a sun among the stars of heaven'. In the vision, the father was told to name his child after the Goddess Brigit. When the radiant child was born, she was immediately bathed in milk. She would tolerate no impure food, and was nourished on the milk of a 'white skinned, red eared cow alone'. The attributes of white skin or fur with red ears on an animal (usually a cow, hound, or deer) is indicative of an 'otherworldly' or faerie animal in Celtic mythology.

In some legends, it was a Druid who foresaw her radiant birth and future status, and she was later fostered and raised by the Druid. Brigit was famous for her generosity, giving away all she owned to the poor, including some of her father's possessions. This displeased her father, Dubthach, so much, he took her to Leinster to sell at the court of the king. He left her with his sword in the chariot to make arrangements, and while he was gone, Brigit gave away his sword to a poor leper. When her angry father reported this to the king, the King of Leinster said, 'It is not meet for us to deal with this maiden, for her merit before God is higher than ours.' So saying, her father was prevented from selling her into bondage.

Brigit grew into a beautiful young woman, described as 'blond and slender' but had no interest in a secular life. When her family tried to force her to marry, she plucked out her own eye to make herself less attractive. When her family relented, she replaced her eye, miraculously healed.

She was to be Ireland's first nun. She took the veil from the Scottish Bishop, Mél, who broke Christian tradition and ordained her as a female bishop, saying 'No power have I in this matter. That dignity has been given by God unto Brigid, beyond every other woman.' (Perhaps this harks back to pagan traditions, when there were female Druids).
Brigit's miracles include restoring the dead to life (as a baby, she breathed life into the stillborn son of the Queen of Conaille), causing a mystic blaze around herself, healing the mentally ill, sick, and blind, making the dumb speak, turning water to ale. Her shadow had healing powers. A man brought his consumptive mother to Brigit, and placed the woman in Brigit's shadow, where she was immediately healed. Brigit gave her famous healing girdle to a beggar, who was able to make her living from it as a healer thereafter.

She also had the power to curse, and once cursed an apple tree to baroness when its owner refused to give apples to the poor. When refused the hospitality of ale at a feast, she cursed the proprietor's stock, and the stock of ale disappeared.

Brigit was a seer and a visionary, and once told Saint Patrick her vision of the Ploughs of Ireland, which prophesied the spread of the Gospel.
She was known throughout the land for her charity and could use up her stock of food and drink and it would replenish itself immediately. A starving hound once came to her door, and she gave him the stock of bacon. When her foster father asked what became of the bacon, she said, 'Count them', and all the strips of bacon were in the larder again.

The Life of Brigid in the Book of Lismore describes her, 'She is the prophetess of Christ, she is the Queen of the South, she is the Mary of the Gael.'

Although she does not appear in the Bible, she is an integral part of Celtic Christianity. Legend claims her to be the midwife to Mary and the foster mother of Christ. From the prayers gathered by Alexander Carmichael in the Scottish Highlands, Sloinnntireachd Bhride, The Genealogy of Bride: Is mi fo chomaraig mo Naomh Muire, is I mo chaomh mhuime Bride. (And I under the protection of my Holy Mary, and my gentle foster-mother is my beloved Bride.)

The legend states that angels came to escort Brigit to the manger where, as a midwife, she delivered the Christ child. This is an interesting legend considering she was born 500 years later. (This is another example of where the distinguishing line between the Saint and the Goddess is elusive.)

There is a story of how she used her Sight to discover Jesus when he was lost as a child in the Temple in Jerusalem and another legend of when she drew the attention of Herod's soldiers to herself by wearing a crown of lit candles, so that Mary and Joseph could escape with their baby son to Egypt.

A stone head of Brigit was discovered in a Neolithic tomb Drumeague, County Cavan, and brought into a local church. The head was canonized as Saint Bride of Knockbridge.
Alexander Carmichael spent years in the Highlands of Scotland around the turn of the last century, gathering folklore, customs, practices, and prayers from the oral tradition of the country folk who lived in those remote areas. Much of their worship was devoted to Saint Brigit, and many prayers and invocations such as the above, were dedicated to Her. Carmichael published over six volumes on this subject, the Carmina Gadelica, Hymns and Incantations, in Gaelic with English translations.

Re: Goddess Brigid

Traditional Scottish Gaelic Supplication of Saint Brigit

Brighid nighean Dùghaill Duinn
'Ic Aoidh 'ic Cuinn 'ic
Criara 'ic Caibre 'ic Cais 'ic
Carmaic 'ic Cartaich 'ic Cuinn

Brighde nam brat,
Brighde na brig,
Brighde nan cleachd,
Brighde na frìth.

Brighde nan gealachos,
Brighde na bìth,
Brighde nan gealaphos,
Brighde na nì.

Brighde bean chomainn,
Brighde na brig,
Brighde bean chobhair,
Brighde bean mhìn.

Brighde ciabh Moire,
Brighde Moime Chrìosd, -
Gach latha agus gach oidhche
Nì mi Sloinntearachd na Brighd,

Cha mharbhar mi
Cha ghuinear mi,
Cha charachar mi,
Cha ghonar mi,
Cha spaltar mi,
Cha spùillear mi,
Cha saltrar mi,
Cha rùisgear mi,
Cha reubar mi,
Cha mhó dh'fhàgas
Crìosd an dearmad mi.

Cha loisg grian mi,
Cha loisg teine mi,
Cha loisg ial mi,
Cha loisg gile mi.

Cha bhàth uisge mi,
Cha bhàth sàla mi,
Cha bhàth lighe mi,
Cha bhàth burn mi.

Cha laigh bruaill-brì orm,
Cha laigh suan-dubh orm,
Cha laigh druaill-drì orm,
Cha laigh luaths-luis orm.

Tha mi for chomraig
Mo Naomh Moire;
'S I mo chaombh chomainn
Brighde. Brigit daughter of Dugall the Brown
Son of Aodh son of Art son of Conn b
Son of Criara son of Cairbre son of Cas
Son of Cormac son of Cartach son of Conn

Brigit of the mantles,
Brigit of the peat-heap,
Brigit of the twining hair,
Brigit of the augury.

Brigit of the white feet,
Brigit of the calmness,
Brigit of the white palms,
Brigit of the kine.

Brigit, woman-comrade,
Brigit of the peat-heap,
Brigit, woman-helper,
Brigit, woman mild.

Brigit, own tress of Mary,
Brigit, Nurse of Christ,
Each day and each night
That I say the Descent of Brigit,

I shall not be slain,
I shall not be wounded
I shall not be put in cell,
I shall not be gashed,
I shall not be torn in sunder,
I shall not be despoiled
I shall not be down-trodden
I shall not be made naked,
I shall not be rent
Nor will Christ
Leave me forgotten

Nor sun shall burn me,
Nor fire shall burn me,
Nor beam shall burn me,
Nor moon shall burn me.

Nor river shall drown me,
Nor brine shall drown me,
Nor flood shall drown me,
Nor water shall drown me.

Nightmare shall not lie on me,
Black sleep shall not lie on me
Spell sleep shall not lie on me,
" Luaths-luis" shall not lie on me.

I am under the keeping
Of my Saint Mary,
My companion, beloved
Brigit.
a. Carmina Gadelica, Volume III, by Alexander Carmichael
b. 0 Conn is also the progenitor of Clan Donald, one of the clan sept names is MacBride