Last year I posted quite an expansive series on the LIfe Of Brighid here on Substack, but it’s now sitting in the supporting paid subscribers section, and I will keep it there until my book including this is available, but that may be 2 or 3 years away.
There is a lot more than for paid subscribers that this Brighid series, various other series, plus my unique ‘Ogham Prompts’ course that not only explains Ogham but encourages our clairvoyant abilities.
I rely on this subscriber financial support to cover my expenses with my video, audio and other editing services subscriptions plus wear and tear costs to keep Nature Folklore afloat. My annual subscription is less than the cost of one or twp books. I know printed books are much nicer, and I am working on that too. Thank you for your help.
Due to trying to complete my complete cycle of ‘Ogham Prompts’ I have not updated these Brighid stories much this year but will get back to them more next year. Even so, there’s a lot of content to get through before St. Brighid’s Day :-)
Here are my Brighid episode links …
Here I look into the beautiful symbolism of the ‘eternal flame’, ‘hearth of Brighid’, and ‘background to the Brighid name’. Then I move into talking about Brighid’s mother, Brocessa, and why modern storytelling calls her a ‘slave;.
St. Brighid’s Father And Culture Of That Time
Onto Brighid’s father, Dubhthach, pronounced ‘doo-ack or duff-ack’, who is not presented as a nice lad in the current told stories, but I try to give him some credible background here despite him being part of a strong patriarchal culture.
Brighid, Young Mischief to Teenage Pilgrim
This is a fun edition, and probably entirely fictitious storytelling, yet seems to fit right in with how we could imagine Brighid being as a child from the adult stories we are told of her.
Brighid And Sisters Before Kildare
A grand story, very much of pilgrimage and gaining more freedom and sovereignty to serve better. Many people, especially women, can relate to any ways this story is told
My own favourite Brighid story and a favourite of many people. Its an international story of incredible symbolism that I feel it is essential for us to live by. In the Brighid story this established Brighid and her sisters into what becomes Cille Dara, Kildare.
And the reason Cille Dara, Kildare, is named is due to the stunning Brighid and the Oaks stories. One being the Oak struck by lightning firi8ng up the ‘Hearth Of Brighid’. I serve a much lesser known 7th century based story of Brighid that I feel may explain the Oaks better, but not with the amount of visual fantasy of the common stories.
I think we all love Brighid’s Crosses, having Brighid’s Crosses and making them. This is also part of the ‘Healing’ crafts of Brighid we may refer to. There is also Smithcraft and Poetry, and Brighid’s relationship to cattle and milk that enters into an abundance of lovely folklore.,
What Was Her Name Before Brighid
Surprisingly, I do not think this is considered much. I think most of us recognise Brighid earned her name from her mission and was not actually born with it. This looks into some clues of the name Brighid may have been born with and why.
Concluding this series with a reference back to what we may call Goddess Brighid, or Bhride, the dating of Brighid’s Day and other incredible symbolism of this time that may pass us by untold, yet I feel extremely important for holding together our Brighid vision and how this may preciously guide us.
Here are some ‘Brighid 1500’ links to events from near Brigid’s Day to Imbolc …
Brigit’s Garden, Co. Galway, has a series of events
Féile na mBan, Bundoran, Co. Donegal
Brigid Fest Nenagh, Co. Tipperary
St. Brigid’s Day Retreat, Blacklion, Co. Cavan
St. Brigid’s Festival, Kilkenny
Brigid’s Awakening Festival, Rathcroghan Visitor’s Centre, Co. Roscommon
During the evening of Thursday 1st February, I will be at the launch of Edwina Guckian’s new book, with it’s cycle of customs and traditions of Co. Leitrim, as she knows them, through the seasons. The event is less than a mile from me.
Band, dancing, book launch, snacks
Lough Rynn Hotel, nr Mohill, Co. Leitrim, 7:30pm, all welcome
Maybe some of us could have a meet up here at Lisdadanan before … and perhaps share colcannon and apple cake 🙂 ?