For Brigid's Day...and For Irishwomen Everywhere

Today, the 1st of February, is a holiday in Ireland. Today is the feast day of Ireland's patron saint.

If you're thinking I must be mistaken, because everyone knows Patrick is Ireland's patron saint, and his dedicated day isn't until March, well you're half right. Ireland has 3 patron saints, one for every petal on a shamrock. Patrick is one and the most famous outside Ireland, Columcille (aka Columba) is another, and the third and only woman of the trio is Brigid. St. Brigid of Kildare.

While Patrick is the Irish saint who gets the most attention around the world, in Ireland Brigid is just as well known and just as revered. Her day doesn't get all the fanfare as Patrick's--no massive parades and fireworks displays for Brigid. Instead Brigid's Day is typically marked by smaller local festivities and the practice of rituals that have a decidedly non-Christian flavor, such as the making of Brideogs, small dolls made of rushes that are meant to represent Brigid, and Brigid's crosses, which are sunwheel-shaped crosses also made of rushes or straw and that are hung up in Irish homes to ward off evil and protect the home from fire.

The practice and association of pagan-like rituals with St. Brigid's Day are no coincidence. February 1st in Ireland is also known as Imbolc, a festival day among several that once made up the Celtic calendar in pre-Christian Ireland. Imbolc is the festival that marks the beginning of spring and is especially regarded as a celebration of fertility. Brigid meanwhile, while also being one of Ireland's most important saints, is the name of an important Celtic goddess. Many scholars have questioned whether the two female figures are actually one and the same, with the worship of the pre-Christian goddess being redirected to reverence for the Christian saint after the coming of Christianity to Ireland, and the stories associated with the Celtic goddess becoming conflated with miracles attributed to the saintly woman. Indeed in Ireland, many of the old ways and traditions reveal a blending of Celtic practices with Christian belief.

This kind of confusion between a long-ago saint and an even longer-ago goddess is no doubt too complicated for most folks. It's no wonder the celebration of Brigid's Day hasn't gotten much play outside Ireland. But maybe it's time the world paid Brigid more attention. Ireland has loads of saints, loads of celebrations, and loads of extraordinary stories from its long history. Why should Patrick and March 17th get all the notice?

In any case, this post is dedicated to Irishwomen everywhere, most of all my wonderful Irish friends: Lisa, Amanda, Mary, Wendy and all the rest. Beannachtaí na féile Bríde oraibh uilig!