DASG Blog

Là Fhèill Brìghde

Today is Saint Bridget’s day and the Gaels used to mark this particular day in many ways. The day would be marked on the first day of February but a feast would be made on the thirty first day of January where guests would be had at the home. There is a debate among people that Saint Bridget’s day is the same day as Candlemas but in the folklore this is not the case. It is likely that Candlemas would be had instead of Saint Bridget’s day.

Since long ago, before the Gaels had Christianity, the Pagans celebrated “Oímelc”, or “Imbolc” in “english”. At the beginning of the day he milk would return to the cows, who were “dry”, during the duration of winter and Bridget would bring with her milk and fertility to the land and the people. It isn’t surprising that milk is part of the marking of the day. According to old practises that I read milk would be “brought” to the land and to the sea as a sacrifice to the gods of old, before she was changed to Saint Bridget from Bridgid at the conversion of the pagans.

In the book “Wonder Tales of Myth and Legend”, by Donald Alexander MacKenzie, milk or porridge would be brought to the land or to the sea in order to get a fine yield of fish and seaweed back from them. This is true in Gigha at Dùn Trinnse, on the west side of the island, where porridge would be left in a slab for the high tide to take the porridge with you. As the Reverend R.S.G. Anderson, in “Antiquities of Gigha” wrote;

“... an older generation could remember tales of offerings of milk being poured into some of the cups to propitiate the sea-god. Many of the younger generation can tell of the early days when as children they gathered at tha sailing of the fishing boats, and threw trifles – pins, rags, white stones, etc. – into the sea for luck to the fishermen, evidently a relic of the ancient ritual.” (p. 41)
But it was in “Carmena Gadelica”, by Alexander Carmicheal, that the majority of information about Saint Bridget was written. There is an abundance of old practises of the Gaels written about Saint Bridget’s day, “Banas Brìghde/Molta Brìghde” & “Beannachadh Brìghde” praises the saint. Here is two excerpts from them:

(1) “Brighde ciabh Moire,
Brighde Moime Chrìosd,-
Gach latha agus gach oidhche
Nì mi Sloinnteachd na Brìghid,
[Brigit, own tress of Mary,
Brigit, Nurse of Christ,-
Each day and each night
That I say the Descent of Brigit,]
...
Tha mi for chomraig
Mo Naomh Moire;
’S i mo chaomh chomainn
Brighde.”
[I am under ther keeping
Of my Saint Mary;
My companion beloved
Is Brigit.]
 
(2) “Is i Brighid mo bhan-chomainn,
Is i Brighid mo bhan-chiùil,
Is i Brighid mo bhan-chobhair,
Mo bhan-rogha, mo bhan-iùil
Gach rogha, gach togha, gach omha, gach iùl.”
[Brigit is my comrade-woman,
Brigit is my maker of song,
Brigit is my helping-woman,
My choicest of woman, my woman of guidance,
Each choicest, each dearest, each..., each guidance.]

According to old customs of the Gaels a collection of girls, “bannal”, would make a small doll in the appearance of Bridget, brìdeag, with corn and rags. A small shell or a clear stone would be placed on Bridget’s heart with the name “Reul-iùil-Brìghde”, this is connected with Bridget’s story that she was a foster-mother to Mary at Christ’s birth. There is more information on this story here. A “Bonnach Brìghde” would be made as well at this time for marking the first day of spring. “Bridget’s Cross” would be made from rushes, or hay in some areas. A friend of mine made one for me last year and you will see the cross he made in the picture above.

I want to write a little more about Saint Bridget’s day and perhaps I shall do that in another blog another day. If you want further information about practises and traditions connected to Bridget have a look at this blog, made by Emily McEwan-Fajita, here. She has collected and written a lot of information. Do you know any of the words or practises above? Do you have any others? Let us know on facebook, twitter and our website!