Lives Of The Saints St Brigid Of Ireland

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It is hotly disputed whether or not St Brigid of Kildare (never spelt Bridget) ever existed. Nevertheless only Patrick is a more famous Irish Saint. Before she was supposedly born, in c.451 AD there was already a pagan deity in Ireland called Brigid, and many stories associated with the saint are derived from legend linked to the Celtic Goddess. The Goddess Brigid is the deity of the dawn, and the start of spring. She also served as a muse for poets, and blacksmiths. She was worshipped in Scotland and other Celtic regions too. She was widely promoted by the druids. Both Goddess and saint are associated with high hills, deep wells, and they were both celebrated on February 1st the pagan Imbolc, the beginning of spring. If St Brigid’s biographies, (the first written c.650 by St Brocen Cloen), are to be believed, she was born into slavery after her mother, Brocca, a Christian, was sold as a slave by her husband after she became pregnant, and Brigid was raised as a slave to a druid priest. It may well be the priest who chose her name in honour of the Goddess he would have been promoting. Brigid could not eat Druid foods which made her vomit, a statement of divine contempt for their pagan traditions. A white cow often appeared as if from nowhere to sustain her with its milk. Brigid grew and became very compassionate to the poor, often stealing butter from her mum’s larder to give to the needy, though God miraculously restocked the larder to cover up the theft. Aged ten, Brigid was sold back to her father as a domestic slave. Her father, Dubthach, took her to the King Of Leinster, hoping to sell her to the ruler, but Brigid took the King’s sword and gave it to a local beggar so he could sell it for food. The King, far from angry, recognized Brigid as holy and granted her freedom. By choice she joined a nunnery, and soon established her first of several monasteries in Kildare, on land previously dedicated to the Goddess she was named after. Kildare’s monastery and adjoining nunnery became such a centre of pilgrimage by the faithful that the town was declared a cathedral city. She went on to meet and work with her idol, St Patrick. When Brigid lay dying in 525, a loyal friend, Darluchdach wanted to take her own life to die beside her, but Brigid told her that she should live on, and that she would one day die on the anniversary of Brigid’s death. She died on the very following 1st February (c.526). The last rights were given to Brigid by Ninnidth, who was so proud to have touched her with his right hand that he had it encased in metal so he could never clean her away. Brigid was apparently an expert brewer, so much so that he frequently turned water into beer in an imitation of Jesus turning water into wine. She supplied several inns with beer though she only had one barrel. Brigid was in Leinster when she was given some apples and other fruit. She gave them to lepers at a nearby colony. When the farmer expressed anger at Brigid giving away his gift to lepers, Brigid cursed his apple tree so they never produced fruit again. Fascinating colourful legends, a bridge between myth and history, and all the more fascinating for the link to pubs and beer. It is ironic that St Patrick’s Day is now such an important drinking celebration, when it really ought to be St Brigid’s Day. Arthur Chappell