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Scottish deities series

Part Two: Brighde

‘Là Fhèill Brìghde boidheach, Cunntar spreidh air mointeach. Cuirear fitheach chon na nide, ’S cuirear rithis rocais.’

‘On the Feast Day of beautiful Bride, The flocks are counted on the moor. The raven goes to prepare the nest, And again goes the rook.’ Carmina Gadelica p.173

Hello everyone! I have recently been doing a lot of research on Brighde, or Brigid, as I hope to start working with her in the near future. So I thought I would share some of the things that I’ve learned. This isn’t really in any particular theme or order, apologies, it’s fairly random! (I also haven’t talked about even most of the things that I could talk about so perhaps I will make a part 2 sometime)

Brigid or Brighde is a Celtic goddess, of Irish origin. She is spoken of in many early historic texts within Ireland as a member of the Tuatha dé Danann. She was known as a goddess of fire, the forge, poetry, healing, farming and livestock. In Scotland, Brighde is the mirror deity to an Cailleach, controlling the summer months and the arrival of spring. She is closely associated with Imbolc, it’s Gaelic name being La Fheill Brighde. With the advent of Christianity, Brighde got her name sake in St Brigid of Kildare, who is associated with healing and water.

There are many variations on the name, Brigid being the most common, Brighde is the name most commonly used in Scotland. And there are ither variations including Brigit, Bride, Bhride and Brede, Brig and Bric.

Brighde in Scotland

In Scotland, Brighde is most commonly seen as a weather deity, controlling the arrival of spring and having domain over the summer months. In this way, she is a mirror to An Cailleach, who controls the winter months. There are various stories as to how the two interacted, and what caused the change in seasons. One story tells that An Cailleach had a son called Angus, who fell in love with Brighde. The Caileach kidnapped Brighde, locking her away underground and causing the freezing winter. When Angus rescues Brighde on Imbolc, spring and life return to the land. Another story tells that when An Cailleach grows very old, she drinks from a loch which provides youth and she transforms into Brighde. Others see Brighde simply as the mirror Goddess to an Caileach, being youthful, warm and gentle, where an Caileach is hag-like, freezing and wild. 

Brigids mantle, or a brat Brighde

A piece of folklore associated with Brighde, is that a small piece of cloth would be left out on the eve of Imbolc in order to be blessed by Brighde. This would imbue the cloth with healing and protective properties throughout the year, and it is said that if the same cloth is used, it will grow stronger with each year that it is left out. Traditionally, this cloth would be of white cotton of silk - and was used to protect women in childbirth and new born babies from the Fair Folk.

Brighde’s crosses, or Brigid’s crosses

The Christian story for the origins of Brighde’s crosses is that St Brigid was trying to show a follower a cross and had only reeds to make one with. Although the origins of the crosses could be much older than this, as the shape has parallels with pre Christian symbolism. A new Brigid’s cross would be made at each Imbolc and kept, so that people amass a collection of crosses. They are said to be protective talismans, in addition to bringing fertility and luck.

Brigid of the flame:

In the medieval era at Kildare, in Ireland, nuns tended a perpetual flame for St Brigid until the 16th century. This practise was recently restarted. This is widely believed to be a continuation of a pre-Christian practice of women tending a flame in honour of the Celtic deity.

The following are taken from research as well as my own personal gnoses

Symbols associated with Brighde:

Cows Pigs Sheep and lambs Milk and dairy products The oystercatcher (being called Gillebride in Scots Gaelic) Dandelion (in Scots Gaelic beàrnan Brighde) Snowdrops Crocuses White, violet, pastel yellow and green Water Snakes (in Scotland) Eggs Reeds Wheat and bread Beer

Brighde’s domains:

Spring and summer Healing wells Fire Smithing and craft Poetry Farming and livestock Whistling Grief The home and hearth Childbirth Medicine Brewing

Sources: Daimler, M. 2016. Brigid: meeting the Celtic goddess of poetry, forge and healing well. Brigid: goddess and saint. Carmina Gadelica. image: A la Recherche du Temps Perdu by Charles-Amable Lenoir. 

See also: my post on Imbolc, my post on An Cailleach

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