Celebrating St. Brigid, Ireland's Celtic Goddess

St. Brigid’s day (Gaelic: Lá Fhéile Bríde), celebrated on February 1st has just passed.

One of the three patron saints of Ireland, she never meant much to me growing up, beyond the school activity of weaving a Brigid’s Cross or reeds and straw. However, this year for the first time, the day has been allocated as a new annual public holiday in Ireland, and so on listening to a recent Blindboy podcast, ‘Saint Brigid Solvent Abuse and Irish Mythology’ (episode 182), I have been inspired me to dig a little deeper into my own cultural past.

Greek mythology has long been a research interest of my practice, although frankly, the maze interwoven, intricate stories and bizarre characters is just as bewildering as when I began. However, I have discovered a revelation in the mythological reinterpretations by Natalie Haines. Her reimagined versions subtly reallocate the power back to the female characters. Thus, I find myself asking the questions, ‘when did the power imbalance change?’ and ‘has it served a purpose for anyone?’.

With this is mind, I see it as positive progress that St. Brigit is now officially marked in Ireland, thanks to Herstory’s continued pressure and the drive to illuminate the joyous celebration of all Mná (women), our Celtic Goddess, Marton Saint and Imbolc, as well as the ancient festival of Spring.

Unlike St. Patrick, St. Brigid was actually born in Ireland.

SELF PORTRAIT AS A RELIC (2019), Mixed Media, 45 x 35 cm. Exhibited at Enshrine, Bath, UK.