“Blessing of Brigit” from Carmina Gadelica Volume III

 

BLESSING OF BRIGIT

Brigit daughter of Dugall the Brown, etc. 

 

  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 Christ 

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 off airy host shall lift me, 

Nor seed of airy host shall lift me. 

Nor earthly being 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 Nurse of Mary,       [of the Virgin

Each early and late,

  Every day, every light.

Brigit is my comrade-woman,

  Brigit is my maker of song,

Brigit is my helping-woman.

  My choicest of women, my woman of guidance,

Each choicest, each dearest, each. . . , each guidance.

Image: Screenshot of PDF, downloaded from Internet Archive: link below.

Credit: from “Supplication of the Saints,” “Blessing of Brigit” from Carmina Gadelica Volume III, #264, pp. 160 - 164. Showing only the English translations contained on pp. 161 and 163.

"Brigit Speaks with the Sword” by Mael Brigde

 

Brigit Speaks with the Sword

 

Brigit steps on the field of heroes

red blossoms

black mud churned

lays a hand on every broken stem

 

knife cuts natal cord

scythe fells corn

sword harvests men

 

the smith prays to Brigit

grinds his blade sleek

hardens it as the warrior

shields his heart

but the goddess

is not numb to her tools

 

Brigit keens

addresses spell-rich sword

 

from earth we raised you

with fire made you

grieving and grateful

praise you

now help me sword

dig furrows for our dead

Image: The Burial of Atala, print, Jean-Baptiste-Raphael-Urbain Massard, after Anne Louis Girodet-Trioson (MET, 46.140.13), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Credit: “Brigit Speaks with the Sword” first published in A Brigit of Ireland Devotional - Sun Among Stars by Mael Brigde, Moon Books (2021).

Tenth Anniversary of Stone on the Belly

I am surprised and happy to see that I have been publishing Brigitine poetry on this blog for ten years now. It started as a place to offer my own poems and prayers to her, as a companion blog to Brigit’s Sparkling Flame, which is not poetry-centered. I was writing so many heartfelt Brigit poems and had nowhere to share them, so I decided to create an outlet for a few drops of that upsurging. As time went on I found -- and then went searching for -- other voices; now I have to remind myself now and then to post something of my own!

By way of circling back a full turn, then, here is a link to the first post, a humble offering, from 9 September 2015.

I am so joyful and grateful for this walk with you. Thank you for sharing your writing, your hearts, and for reading the words of so many lovers of Brigit. Here's to many more poems, and who knows how many more years.

Ten years of sharing Brigit. May she continue to bless us all.

Images: Original belly and stone photo for Stone on the Belly, by Mael Brigde.

Hand, clipart.

“To Brigid” by Mary Eileen Grace

  

To Brigid

 

 

Holy Brigid, Bride, you lead me home today,

Queen of Love, showing me my own true heart.

 

Fire ever lit, flowing milk that does not cease

to fill the hungry poor and give captives sure release.

 

Your compassion calls me out to do my part—

gather, listen, share, forgive and pray.

 

These seem so little, merely straw and coal

to stave off winter’s howling winds

 

and certain death. Yet still I know

myself called to take the plunge below

 

and enter your well of Wisdom, facing sins

of generations past to find your blessing:

 

Woman, be made whole.

 

 

 

 

Credits: This poem is a revision of one that appeared in Seasoning the Soul: Meditations for the Celtic Year (Pilgrim Spirit Communications), (2012, 2018), a collection of writings by members of “Brigid’s Circle.”  Mary Eileen Grace is a pen name of Eileen Loeher Knoff of Redmond, Washington.

Image: Ladybug in garden by Mael Brigde.

Brigit Well Meditation

Recorded 19 May 2025. A well meditation from my class, Discovering Brigit. You can simply listen, or you can prepare ahead: Make sure you come to this ritual free of makeup, body oils, and the grit of urban living. You will need: • a candle • matches • a pitcher of clear water • a bowl to receive it • a small towel to dry your skin • a large towel or earth (or a tub!) beneath you if you want to go wild with the waters (Image of bespectacled older white woman with hair tied back, dressed in a colourful dress, with sacred objects in the background.)

“A Litany for St. Brigid,” Uncredited

 

Brigid of the hearth and the hare

Brigid of the spark and the flame

Brigid of the cloak and the veil

Brigid of the herb and the stars

Brigid of the byre and the kine

Brigid of the ill and the old

Brigid of the young and the wild

Brigid of the poor and the voiceless

Brigid of the oak and the staff

Brigid of the long nights watching

Brigid of the sun’s slow dawning

Brigid of the moon’s spring rising

Brigid of the first bloom’s flowering

Brigid of the well’s gentle healing

Brigid of the Earth’s old wisdom

Brigid of the Nun’s deep chanting

Brigid of the High King of Heaven

Brigid of the rush woven cross

Brigid of the shaven head

Brigid of the lost sword

Brigid of the royal house

Brigid Abbess of the duel house of prayer

Brigid Eldress of the sanctuary’s light

Brigid Wise Woman of the healing touch

Brigid saint of Ireland

Pray for us

Image: Photo by Vincent van Zalinge on Unsplash.

Source: “Brother Richard’s blog: mindful mystical musings.” Uncredited, possibly by Brother Richard.

Daily Brigit Ritual

 

It’s occurred to me that I should put some of my videos onto YouTube as they are disappearing from here. I’ve put up the daily ritual from A Brigit of Ireland Devotional - Sun Among Stars, and will get some more up.

If you, like I, go squirrelly watching YouTube because of all the ads, try watching through a DuckDuckGo browser. You won’t see a single one. It doesn’t work for all. Some YouTube can’t be watched outside of its site. But it works most of the time.

Image: An unlit tealight, a rainbow candle taper lying across a small antler, a handbell, and a vial of holy water from Brigit’s well. In the background, part of a Brigit icon embroidery.

“Brigit, Poet of the Powerful Voice” - Live Event with Mael Brigde

 

I am excited to be leading a workshop at Vancouver Pagan Awareness Day. In “Brigit, Poet of the Powerful Voice” we will learn about the power of the voice under Brigit‘s guidance and find expression for our own.

Join me there! I think it will be amazing to do this work together.

Bring a notebook or your phone so you can write something if you are inspired.

Time of workshop TBA.

Vancouver Pagan Awareness Day

Saturday, August 23rd, 2025

10 am to 5 pm

Trout Lake (John Hendry Park)

2105 E 19 Ave

Vancouver, BC, Canada

Come to the Southeast corner of the park – near the concession stand. Come celebrate our 27th year!

"The Anvil” by Essy Thorn

 

The Anvil

The descending pein and the anvil 

I’ve been between. Yet, the hammer’s

Not anything I can’t handle. 

I’ve dents and dings by the handful. 

Bends and creases and man, have

I been in pieces and shambles. 

When it seems that I’m damned, though

That’s when to Bríd I incant all

My gratitude

for the crucible of usable lessons.

Passing through I was crude. But my true and mutable essence

Has been extracted. 

Had to have the slag removed. But what’s left has been

Gathered, tooled, and connected, then crafted, cooled, and perfected. 

Yeah, I do get to stressing but my perspective is now

When I get dejected and down 

It won’t incessantly hound

Me even if I wanna be a grieving pessimist, how

Can I, when I look around and see too many blessings to count?

Precious encounters when pressure is pounding me into shape. 

Treated for strength. 

It’s no problem. The heat I can take. 

It deepens my faith. Cause even when I’m  beaten, Her flames

Temper and mend me so as long as I’m with Brighid I won’t break.

Audio: To hear Essy Thorn perform this prayer, go here.

Image: "person hammering metal using hammer" by Maranda Vandergriff on Unsplash.