BRIGID OF IRELAND
BRIDGET CHARM FOR SMOORING THE FIRE (Version I)
I rake this fire like everyone else Brigit below it with Mary on top Twelve angels of the angels of the ages Protecting my house till dawn
BRIDGET CHARM FOR SMOORING THE FIRE (Version II)
May Brigid give blessing to the house that is here;
Bridgid, the fair and tender,
Her hue like the cotton-grass,
Rich-dressed maiden of ringlets of gold.
BRIDGET HOUSE BLESSING
Brigid of the Mantle, encompass us,
Lady of the Lambs, protect us,
Keeper of the Hearth, kindle us,
Beneath your mantle gather us,
And restore us to memory.
I am Brigit, the ancient goddess of this Island, breo-saigit, the fiery arrow.
I am the goddess of fire.
My breath breaks the icy grasp of winter and brings forth new life.
My cattle graze in these fields and my milk nourishes generations.
My fire is the fire of imagination and the fire of poetry.
Oh yes, I am the goddess of poetry, and where I go, before me is the golden bough and the tinkling bell.
Yeats and his like all forged their stanzas and burnished their lines in my fire.
And these wild women
I am the mother of them all. They are all my daughters.
It is my fire that burns within their breast.
It is my fire that warms their hearth and gives them courage.
This fire that cannot be extinguished is the fire of longing for their destiny.
I am Brigit, aid-woman of Mary and godmother of Christ himself.
When there was no room or food, I took great pity on the helpless mother, providing sustenance and helping forth the blessed child.
Love of family and love of neighbor are my legacy.
And I am Brigid, abbess of Kildare.
There is a fire that burns within me, a fire of love - love for the risen Christ.
I devote myself to the perfection of this love.
I kept the fire at Kildare, symbol of the ancient, renewed by the love of Christ.
Though it was desecrated. it could not be extinguished.
The fire still burns, the light still glows within the soul of Irish women.
These women are my sisters in Christ.
Let the ancient prayers of the hearth be raised in the morning.
God, kindle thou in our hearts a flame of love to neighbor, to foe, to friend, to kindred all.
And so to the evening, keep the embers alive and protect this house and its people Until the dawn of day.
GABHAIM MOLTA BRÍGHDE (WE PRAISE BRIGID)
Gabhaim molta Bríghde,
Iníon í le hÉireann
Iníon le gach tír í,
molaimís go léir í!
Lóchrann geal na Laighneach,
soils’ ar feadh na tíre,
Ceann ar óigheacht Éireann,
ceann na mban ar míne.
Tig an geimhreadh dian dubh,
gearra lena géire,
Ach ar lá le Brighde,
gar duinn Earrach Éireann.
Molaimís go léir í!
ENGLISH TRANSLATION (WE PRAISE BRIDGET)
I sing loudly the praises of Brigid
She it is who is daughter,
not just of Ireland,
but of all the countries of the world.
A shining lantern of Leinster,
a flame throughout the land,
Leader of the women of Ireland,
one of the finest women ever.
The hard, dark winter comes,
short and sharp
But once Bridget’s Day appears,
Ireland’s spring is not far behind.
SAINT BRIGID’S PRAYER
(10th century Poem attributed to Bridget herself)
I’d like to give a lake of beer to God.
I’d love the heavenly
Host to be tippling there
For all eternity.
I’d love the men of Heaven to live with me,
To dance and sing.
If they wanted, I’d put at their disposal
Vats of suffering.
White cups of love I’d give them
With a heart and a half;
Sweet pitchers of mercy I’d offer
To every man.
I’d make Heaven a cheerful spot
Because the happy heart is true.
I’d make the men contented for their own sake.
I’d like Jesus to love me too.
I’d like the people of heaven to gather
From all the parishes around.
I’d give a special welcome to the women,
The three Marys of great renown.
I’d sit with the men, the women and God
There by the lake of beer.
We’d be drinking good health forever
And every drop would be a prayer.
1735 POEM FOR BRIGID'S PROTECTION
St. Brigid’s cross hung over door
Which did the house from fire secure
As Gillo thought, O powerful charm
To keep a house from taking harm;
And tho’ the dogs and servants slept,
By Brigid’s care the house was kept.
SAINT BRIDE'S CHARM
The charm put by Bride the beneficient
On her goats, on her sheep, on her kine
On her horses, on her chargers, on her herds
Early and late going home, and from home.
To keep them from rocks and ridges
From the heels and the horns of one another
From the birds of the Red Rock
And from Luath of the Feinne.
From the blue peregrine hawk of Creag Duillion
From the brindled eagle of Ben-Ard
From the swift hawk of Tordun
From the surly raven of Bard's Creag.
From the fox of the wiles
From the wolf of the Mam
From the foul-smelling fumart
And from the restless great-hipped bear.
From every hoofed of four feet
And from every hatched of two wings.
BLESSING OF BRIGIT
Each day and each night
That I say the Descent of Brigit
I shall not be slain
I shall not be sworded
I shall not be put in cell
I shall not be hewn
I shall not be riven
I shall not be anguished
I shall not be wounded
I shall not be ravaged
I shall not be blinded
I shall not be made naked
I shall not be left bare
Nor will Dagda
Leave me forgotten.
Nor fire shall burn me
Nor sun shall burn me
Nor moon shall blanch me
Nor water shall drown me
Nor flood shall drown me
Nor brine shall drown me
Nor seed of faerie shall lift me
Nor seed of airy host shall lift me
Nor earthly beig destroy me
I am under the shielding
Of good Brigit each day
I am under the shielding
Of good Brigit each night.
I am under the keeping
of the Child of Dagda
Each early and late,
Every dark, every light.
Brigit is my comrade-woman
Brigit is my maker of song
Brigit is my helping-woman
My choicest of women, my guide.
