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\u00a9 2011 Aislinn Adams<\/p>\n
St. Brigid of Ireland, <\/strong>Naomh Br\u00edd<\/strong><\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n February 1st is the first day of spring and St Brigid’s Day in Ireland. St Brigid, or Naomh Br\u00edd <\/em>in the Irish language (Gaelic), is a powerful historical figure who founded a famous monastery in Kildare, thirty miles west of Dublin. Br\u00edd<\/em>, regarded by many as a god,\u00a0is one of Ireland’s three patron saints along with St. Patrick and St. Colmcille.<\/p>\n Imbolg and the god Br\u00edd.<\/strong><\/p>\n St Brigid’s day falls on the pre-Christian Irish festival of\u00a0Imbolg<\/em> (or\u00a0Imbolc<\/em>) – no coincidence I’m sure. Imbolg<\/em> is one of the four ‘cross-quarter days’ (days that fall approximately half way between the solstice and equinox) \u00a0and often referred to in Irish mythology. \u00a0The others are Bealtaine, Lughnasadh<\/em> and Samhain<\/em>.\u00a0In Ireland there is an almost seamless connection between the pre-Christian sacred places and festivals and the later Christian sites and holy days.\u00a0\u00a0This is why many believe the god Br\u00edd was Christianized as St Brigid when the Irish people peacefully adopted Christianity in the 5th century C.E.<\/p>\n People across the world will soon be celebrating St. Patrick, Ireland’s best known saint. Patrick was a contemporary of Br\u00edd, they knew each other and there are accounts of their traveling together\u00a0throughout Ireland. Interestingly both were intimately acquainted with slavery also: Patrick was forced into slavery as a boy and Br\u00edd’s mother was a slave- though her father, a chieftain, raised her as a free person. Patrick, however, unlike Br\u00edd, was not born and reared in Ireland. One wonders how much he learned from and relied on her wisdom, knowledge and influence in his work? \u00a0Today we need to recall and recognize Br\u00edd’s unique contribution to Irish Spirituality and to humanity.<\/p>\n