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26 April 2017

“To You Brigit We Cling” by Mael Brigde




To You Brigit We Cling

the king of the boars and the king of the cattle
to you Brigit   to you Brigit
the king of the rams is proclaiming his battle
to you Brigit   to you Brigit
with shoutings and groanings
and terrible moanings
the demons are wailing tonight
to you Brigit   to you Brigit
we cling in our terrible plight

a goddess—three sisters
the proudest turn to you
to you Brigit   to you Brigit
the sky cracks the sea overflows
the earth splits open wide
to you Brigit we cling
we cling in our terrible plight



This poem quickly became a song. You may hear it in its a capella glory on SoundCloud. 
copyright Casey June Wolf (2017).

04 April 2017

Brigit Bé Bithmaith



English

Brigid, ever-good woman,
flame-golden, sparkling,
may she bear us to the eternal kingdom,
(she) the sun, Fiery, radiant!

May Brigid free us
past crowds of demons!
May she win for us
battles over every disease!

May she extirpate in us
the vices of our flesh,
she, the branch with blossoms,
the mother of Jesus!

The true-virgin, dear
with vast pre-eminence,
may we be free, at all times,
along with my Saint of Leinster-folk!

One of the two pillars of the Kingdom,
along with Patrick the pre-eminent;
the vestment beyond even splendid
vestments;
the royal Queen!

May they lie, after old age,
our bodies, in sackcloth,
but with her grace may she bedew us,
may she free us, Brigid!


Irish

Brigit bé bithmaith
breo orda oiblech.
donfe do 'n bithlaith
ingrian tind taidlech.

Ronsoera Brigit
sech drungu demna
roroena reunn
catha cach thedma.

Do rodha innunn
ar colla císu
in chroeb co mblathaib
in mathair Ísu.

Ind firóg inmain
co norddain adbail,
biam soer cech inbaid
la'm noeb do Laignib.

Leth cholba flatha
la Patraic prímda
in tlacht vas ligdaib
in rigan rígda.

Robbet iar sinit
ar cuirp hic cilicc;
Dia rath ronbroena
ronsoera Brigit.







Image: Kenneth AllenHawthorne blossoms, Omagh. Pictured along Hospital Road. 28 June 2009. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.
Text: Trinity College Dublin MS 1441, the “Irish Liber Hymnorum” Ireland,11th c. (see http://www.vanhamel.nl/codecs/Brigit_bé_bithmaith for more information.)
Translation: Ruth Lebrnam