Brigid’s legacy: From folklore to feminism and fire

1 Feb 2025

As Ireland celebrates St Brigid’s Day, we reflect on the layers of history, folklore, and cultural significance surrounding this powerful figure.

As Ireland celebrates St Brigid’s Day, we reflect on the layers of history, folklore, and cultural significance surrounding this powerful figure. Brigid, in her many forms, has been revered for centuries—first as a goddess in pre-Christian Ireland, then as a saint whose legacy endures in traditions still practiced today. Her influence extends across themes of renewal, protection, creativity, and community, making her an enduring symbol of Irish heritage.

A Figure of Many Interpretations

“Brigid is a figure who has been interpreted and reinterpreted time and again, with each new perspective offering fascinating insights into the communities who venerate her, their place in the world, and their relationship with femininity.” — Emmet Taylor (Certificate in Mythology)

Brigid’s story is one of adaptation. The goddess Brigid, associated with poetry, smithing, fertility, and healing, was later syncretised with the Christian St Brigid of Kildare. This evolution reflects shifting cultural landscapes, where spiritual beliefs and societal values intertwined over time.

Rituals of Protection and Renewal

“Traditionally, on the eve of St Brigid’s feast day, people weave St Brigid’s crosses from rushes to keep evil, fire, and hunger from the homes in which they were proudly displayed. This ritual reflects the deep respect for Brigid as a guardian. St Brigid’s Day holds profound cultural and spiritual significance, honouring Irish heritage, women’s contributions, and the enduring connection to nature and seasonal cycles. It is a time to celebrate renewal, creativity, and community, as well as to acknowledge the transition from the darkness of winter to the light of spring.” — Angela Byrne (Diploma in Heritage & Folklore Studies)

Brigid’s crosses, along with customs such as blessed water from wells dedicated to Brigid and the lighting of fires, show the continuity of traditions that blend Christian and pre-Christian beliefs. These rituals underscore Brigid’s role as a protector, guiding communities through seasonal transitions.

A Connection to the Land and its People

“The main significance of the Feast of St Brigid would seem to be that it was a Christianisation of one of the focal points of the agricultural year in Ireland… Every manifestation of the cult of the saint (or of the deity she replaced) is closely bound up in some way with food production.” — Seán Ó Súilleabháin, Archivist to the Irish Folklore Commission

St Brigid's day is often interlinked with the return of light during Imbolc, the Celtic festival marking the start of spring, tying St Brigid to the rhythms of the land. Marking the midpoint between winter and spring, it was historically a time of hope, preparing for the new agricultural season. In this way, Brigid has long been associated with fertility, sustenance, and the well-being of both people and livestock.

Brigid in Irish Folklore

Ciarán Ó Gealbháin (Lecturer on the Diploma in Heritage and Folklore Studies) notes that Lá ’le Bríde (Brigid’s Day) is rich with customs and symbolism. "Many of the goddess’s attributes were absorbed into the legend of the saint, making her the patroness of poets, blacksmiths, farm animals, infants, and midwives—figures central to household and community welfare. One traditional charm, collected in West Kerry, highlights her role in home protection:

“Coiglimis an tine seo faoi mar a choigil Críost cách,
Muire i dhá gceann an tí agus Bríd ina lár,
an dáréag aspal is airde ins na flaithis
Ag gardáil an tí seo agus a bhfuil ann go lá”
(Let us preserve this fire, as Christ preserved us,
Mary at the two ends of the house, and Bridget at its centre,
the twelve apostles, most elevated in heaven
guarding this house and its inhabitants until daybreak.)"

--Collected from Cáit ‘An Bab’ Feiritéar, Dún Chaoin, West Kerry

Explore the Richness of Irish Heritage

Brigid’s legacy is a testament to the ways in which folklore and history intertwine, shaping our cultural identity. If you’re fascinated by Irish traditions, mythology, and folklore, consider exploring these themes in depth through the Diploma in Heritage & Folklore Studies at ACE, UCC. This part-time programme offers an opportunity to delve into Ireland’s rich cultural past and its enduring influence on contemporary society.