Imbolc
Imbolc / St Brigid's Day | |
---|---|
Modern Pagans | |
Type | Cultural, Christian (Roman Catholic, Anglican), Pagan (Celtic neopaganism, Wicca) |
Significance | beginning of spring, feast day of Saint Brigid |
Celebrations | feasting, making Brigid's crosses and Brídeógs, visiting holy wells, divination, spring cleaning |
Date | 1 February (or 1 August for some Neopagans in the S. Hemisphere) |
Related to | Gŵyl Fair y Canhwyllau, Candlemas, Groundhog Day |
Imbolc or Imbolg (Irish pronunciation:
Imbolc is mentioned in
Although many of its traditions died out in the 20th century, it is still observed by some Christians as a religious holiday and by some non-Christians as a cultural one, and its customs have been revived in some places. Since the later 20th century,
Origins and etymology
Historians such as
The etymology of Imbolc or Imbolg is unclear. A common explanation is that it comes from the Old Irish i mbolc (Modern Irish: i mbolg), meaning 'in the belly', and refers to the pregnancy of ewes at this time of year.[11] Joseph Vendryes linked it to the Old Irish verb folcaim, 'to wash/cleanse oneself'. He suggested that it referred to a ritual cleansing, similar to the ancient Roman festival Februa or Lupercalia, which took place at the same time of year.[12][13] Eric P. Hamp derives it from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning both 'milk' and 'cleansing'.[14] Professor Alan Ward derives it from the Proto-Celtic *embibolgon, 'budding'.[15] The early 10th century Cormac's Glossary has an entry for Oímelc, calling it the beginning of spring and deriving it from oí-melg ('ewe milk'), explaining it as "the time that sheep's milk comes".[16] However, linguists believe this is the writer's respelling of the word to give it an understandable etymology.[17]
The
Hutton writes that Imbolc must have been "important enough for its date to be dedicated subsequently to
Historical customs
The festival of Imbolc is mentioned in several
Prominent folklorist Seán Ó Súilleabháin wrote: "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, the starting point of preparations for the spring sowing. Every manifestation of the cult of the saint (or of the deity she replaced) is bound up in some way with food production".[26]
From the 18th century to the mid-20th century, many St Brigid's Day traditions were recorded by
Brigid's crosses
In Ireland, Brigid's crosses (pictured) are traditionally made on St Brigid's Day. A Brigid's cross usually consists of rushes woven into a four-armed equilateral cross, although there were also three-armed crosses.[29][30] They are traditionally hung over doors, windows, and stables to welcome Brigid and for protection against fire, lightning, illness, and evil spirits.[31] The crosses are generally left until the next St Brigid's Day.[6] In western Connacht, people made a Crios Bríde (Bríd's girdle); a great ring of rushes with a cross woven in the middle. Young boys would carry it around the village, inviting people to step through it and be blessed.[6]
Welcoming Brigid
On St Brigid's Eve, Brigid was said to visit virtuous households and bless the inhabitants.[6] As Brigid represented the light half of the year and the power that will bring people from the dark season of winter into spring, her presence was vital at this time of year.[32][33]
Before going to bed, people would leave items of clothing or strips of cloth outside for Brigid to bless.[6] The next morning, they would be brought inside and believed to have powers of healing and protection.[32][33]
Brigid would be symbolically invited into the house and a bed would often be made for her. In Ulster, a family member representing Brigid would circle the home three times carrying rushes. They would knock the door three times, asking to be let in. On the third attempt, they are welcomed in, a meal is had, and the rushes are then made into crosses or a bed for Brigid.[34] In 18th-century Mann, the custom was to stand at the door with a bundle of rushes and say "Brede, Brede, come to my house tonight. Open the door for Brede and let Brede come in". Similarly, in County Donegal, the family member who was sent to fetch the rushes knelt on the front step and repeated three times, "Go on your knees, open your eyes, and let in St Brigid". Those inside the house answered three times, "She's welcome".[35] The rushes were then strewn on the floor as a carpet or bed for Brigid. In the 19th century, some old Manx women would make a bed for Brigid in the barn with food, ale, and a candle on a table.[6] The custom of making Brigid's bed was prevalent in the Hebrides of Scotland, where it was recorded as far back as the 17th century. A bed of hay or a basket-like cradle would be made for Brigid. Someone would then call out three times: "a Bhríd, a Bhríd, thig a stigh as gabh do leabaidh" ("Bríd Bríd, come in; thy bed is ready").[6] A corn dolly called the dealbh Bríde (icon of Brigid) would be laid in the bed and a white wand, usually made of birch, would be laid beside it.[6] It represented the wand that Brigid was said to use to make the vegetation start growing again.[36] Women in some parts of the Hebrides would also dance while holding a large cloth and calling out "Bridean, Bridean, thig an nall 's dean do leabaidh" ("Bríd, Bríd, come over and make your bed").[6]
In the Outer Hebrides, ashes from the fire would be raked smooth, and, in the morning, people would look for some mark on the ashes as a sign that Brigid had visited.[6][37] If there was no mark, they believed bad fortune would come unless they buried a cockerel at the meeting of three streams as an offering and burned incense on their fire that night.[6]
Brigid's procession
In Ireland and Scotland, a representation of Brigid would be paraded around the community by girls and young women. Usually, it was a doll known as a Brídeóg ('little Brigid'), called a 'Breedhoge' or 'Biddy' in English. It would be made from rushes or reeds and clad in bits of cloth, flowers, or shells.[6][37] In the Hebrides of Scotland, a bright shell or crystal called the reul-iuil Bríde (guiding star of Brigid) was set on its chest. The girls would carry it in procession while singing a hymn to Brigid. All wore white with their hair unbound as a symbol of purity and youth. They visited every house in the area, where they received either food or more decoration for the Brídeóg. Afterward, they feasted in a house with the Brídeóg set in a place of honour, and put it to bed with lullabies. When the meal was done, the local young men humbly asked for admission, made obeisance to the Brídeóg, and joined the girls in dancing and merrymaking.[6] In many places, only unwed girls could carry the Brídeóg, but in some both boys and girls carried it.[38]
In parts of Ireland, rather than carrying a Brídeóg, a girl took on the role of Brigid. Escorted by other girls, she went house-to-house wearing 'Brigid's crown' and carrying 'Brigid's shield' and 'Brigid's cross', all made from rushes.[31] The procession in some places included 'strawboys', who wore conical straw hats, masks and played folk music; much like the wrenboys.[31] Up until the mid-20th century, children in Ireland still went house-to-house asking for pennies for "poor Biddy", or money for the poor. In County Kerry, men in white robes sang from house to house.[39]
Weather lore
The festival is traditionally associated with weather lore, and the old tradition of watching to see if serpents or badgers came from their winter dens may be a forerunner of the North American Groundhog Day. A Scottish Gaelic proverb about the day is:
Thig an nathair as an toll |
The serpent will come from the hole |
Imbolc was believed to be when the Cailleach—the divine hag of Gaelic tradition—gathers her firewood for the rest of the winter. Legend has it that if she wishes to make the winter last a good while longer, she will make sure the weather on Imbolc is bright and sunny so that she can gather plenty of firewood. Therefore, people would be relieved if Imbolc is a day of foul weather, as it means the Cailleach is asleep and winter is almost over.[41] At Imbolc on the Isle of Man, where she is known as Caillagh ny Groamagh, the Cailleach is said to take the form of a gigantic bird carrying sticks in her beak.[41]
Other customs
Families would have a special meal or supper on St Brigid's Eve to mark the last night of winter.
In Ireland, a spring cleaning was customary around St Brigid's Day.[42]
People traditionally visit holy wells and pray for health while walking 'sunwise' around the well. They might then leave offerings, typically coins or strips of cloth/ribbon (see clootie well). Historically, water from the well was used to bless the home, family members, livestock, and fields.[42][43]
Scottish writer Donald Alexander Mackenzie also recorded in the 19th century that offerings were made "to earth and sea". The offering could be milk poured into the ground or porridge poured into the water as a libation.[44]
In County Kilkenny, graves were decorated with box and laurel flowers (or any other flowers that could be found at that time). A Branch of Virginity was decorated with white ribbons and placed on the grave of a recently deceased maiden.[45]
Today
Saint Brigid's Day/Imbolc public holiday | |
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Observed by | Ireland |
Date | First Monday in February |
2023 date | February 6 |
2024 date | February 5 |
2025 date | February 3 |
2026 date | February 2 |
Frequency | Annual |
First time | 2023 |
Today, St Brigid's Day and Imbolc are observed by Christians and non-Christians. Some people still make Brigid's crosses and Brídeogs or visit holy wells dedicated to St Brigid on 1 February.[46] Brigid's Day parades have been revived in the town of Killorglin, County Kerry, which holds a yearly "Biddy's Day Festival". Men and women wearing elaborate straw hats and masks visit public houses carrying a Brídeóg to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck for the coming year. There are folk music sessions, historical talks, film screenings, drama productions, and cross-weaving workshops. The main event is a torchlight parade of 'Biddy groups' through the town.[47][48] Since 2009 a yearly "Brigid of Faughart Festival" is held in County Louth. This celebrates Brigid as both saint and goddess and includes the long-standing pilgrimage to Faughart as well as music, poetry, and lectures.[49] The "Imbolc International Music Festival" of folk music is held in Derry at this time of year.[50] In England, the village of Marsden, West Yorkshire holds a biennial "Imbolc Fire Festival" which includes a lantern procession, fire performers, music, fireworks, and a symbolic battle between giant characters representing the Green Man and Jack Frost.[51]
More recently, Irish embassies have hosted yearly events on St Brigid's Day to celebrate famous women of the Irish diaspora and showcase the work of Irish female emigrants in the arts.[52] In 2022, Dublin hosted its first "Brigit Festival", celebrating "the contributions of Irish women" past and present through exhibitions, tours, lectures, films, and a concert.[53]
In 2016, the
Neopaganism
Imbolc or Imbolc-based festivals are observed by some
Some Neopagans celebrate the festival at the astronomical midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox -- in the Northern Hemisphere, this is usually on 3 or 4 February -- while others rely on the full moon nearest this point.[61] Some Neopagans designate Imbolc based on other natural phenomena, such as the emergence of primroses, dandelions, or similar local flora.[62]
Celtic Reconstructionist
Wicca and Neo-Druidry
See also
- Candlemas
- Faoilleach
- Irish calendar
- Lichun
- Quarter days
- Vasant Panchami
- Wheel of the Year (Cross-Quarter days)
References
- ^ a b Danaher 1972, p. 38
- ^ a b c McNeill, F. Marian (1959, 1961) The Silver Bough, Vol. 1–4. William MacLellan, Glasgow; Vol. 2, pp. 11–42
- ^ Cunliffe, Barry (1997). The Ancient Celts. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Page 188-190.
- ISBN 978-0-8070-6723-9.
- ^ a b c "Government agrees Covid Recognition Payment and New Public Holiday". Government of Ireland. Department of the Taoiseach. 19 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-820570-8.
- ^ "Imbolc". Newgrange UNESCO World Heritage website. Retrieved 1 June 2011.
- ^ Moriarty, Sean Keir. "Orthostat: The Mound of the Hostages": p. 34
- ^ Brennan, Martin. The Stones of Time: Calendars, Sundials, and Stone Chambers of Ancient Ireland. Inner Traditions, 1994. pp. 110–11
- ^ Prendergast, Frank (2021). Gunzburg, Darrelyn (ed.). The Archaeology of Height: Cultural Meaning in the Relativity of Irish Megalithic Tomb Siting. London, New York, Oxford, New Delhi, Sydne: Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 13–42.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-14-021211-2.
- ^ a b c Patterson, Nerys. Cattle Lords and Clansmen: The Social Structure of Early Ireland. University of Notre Dame Press, 1994. p.129
- ^ Wright, Brian. Brigid: Goddess, Druidess and Saint. The History Press, 2011. p. 83
- ^ a b Hamp, Eric (1979–1980). "Imbolc, Óimelc". Studia Celtica (14/15): 106–113.
- ^ Ward, Alan (2011). The Myths of the Gods: Structures in Irish Mythology. p. 15. Archived from the original on 30 January 2017 – via CreateSpace.
- ^ Meyer, Kuno, Sanas Cormaic: an Old-Irish Glossary compiled by Cormac úa Cuilennáin, King-Bishop of Cashel in the ninth century (1912).
- ^ Kelly, Fergus. Early Irish Farming: A Study Based Mainly on the Law-texts of the 7th and 8th centuries AD. School of Celtic Studies, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1997. p.460
- ^ Ó Cathasaigh, Tomás (1993). "Mythology in Táin Bó Cúailnge", in Studien zur Táin Bó Cúailnge, p.123
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- ^ a b c Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí. Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopedia of the Irish folk tradition. Prentice-Hall Press, 1991. pp.60–61
- ^ Farmer, David. The Oxford Dictionary of Saints (Fifth Edition, Revised). Oxford University Press, 2011. p.66
- ISBN 978-0-19-280120-3.
- ^ Wright, Brian. Brigid: Goddess, Druidess and Saint. The History Press, 2011. pp.26–27
- ^ a b Koch, John T. Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. 2006. p. 287.
- ^ "The Wooing of Emer by Cú Chulainn". Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition.
- ^ a b Danaher 1972, p. 13
- ISBN 978-0-19-517154-9.
- ^ Danaher 1972, pp. 200–229
- ISBN 978-1-85607-483-4.
- ^ Evans, Emyr Estyn. Irish Folk Ways, 1957. p. 268
- ^ a b c Danaher 1972, pp. 22–25
- ^ a b McNeill, F. Marian (1959) The Silver Bough, Vol. 1,2,4. William MacLellan, Glasgow
- ^ a b "Carmina Gadelica Vol. 1: II. Aimsire: Seasons: 70 (notes). Genealogy of Bride. Sloinntireachd Bhride". Sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
- ^ Danaher 1972, pp. 20–21, 97–98
- ^ "Ray (2) | The Schools' Collection". dúchas.ie. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
- ^ Carmichael, Carmina Gadelica, p. 582
- ^ a b Monaghan, Patricia. The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore. Infobase Publishing, 2004. p. 256.
- ^ Monaghan, p. 58.
- ^ Monaghan, p. 44.
- ^ Carmichael, Alexander (1900) Carmina Gadelica: Hymns and Incantations, Ortha Nan Gaidheal, Volume I, p. 169 The Sacred Texts Archive
- ^ a b Briggs, Katharine (1976) An Encyclopedia of Fairies. New York, Pantheon Books., pp. 57–60
- ^ a b c Danaher 1972, p. 15
- ^ Monaghan, p. 41.
- ^ Mackenzie, Donald. Wonder Tales from Scottish Myth and Legend (1917). p. 19.
- ^ "Scoil na mBráthar, Calainn | The Schools' Collection". dúchas.ie. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
- ^ Monaghan, p. 60.
- ^ "Biddy spirit alive and well in Kerry". The Kerryman. 27 January 2018.
- ^ "Three years on, Biddy's Day Festival still going from strength to strength". The Kerryman. 2 February 2019.
- ^ "Events planned for Brigid of Faughart Festival". Irish Independent. 24 January 2022.
- ^ "Music returns to Derry air with the Imbolc International Music Festival". The Irish News. 7 January 2022.
- ^ "Everything you need to know about Marsden's Imbolc Fire Festival". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 23 January 2018.
- ^ "St Brigid's Day: Irish women to be celebrated around the world". The Irish Times. 31 January 2019.
- ^ "Dublin to host St Brigid's Day events, celebrating the original Brigit". The Irish Times. 30 January 2022.
- ^ "Green Party proposes making St Brigid's Day a public holiday".
- ISBN 978-0-8070-3237-4. p. 3
- ISBN 978-0-02-864417-2. p. 51
- ISBN 978-90-04-16373-7.
- ISBN 978-0-522-84782-6.
- ISBN 978-1-86872-653-0.
- ISBN 978-0-909223-03-8.
- ^ "archaeoastronomy.com explains the reason we have seasons". Archaeoastronomy.com. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
- ISBN 978-0-8065-2710-9. pp. 184–5
- ^ a b McColman, Carl (2003) p. 12
- ^ a b Bonewits (2006) pp. 130–7
- ^ Gallagher, Ann-Marie (2005). The Wicca Bible: The Definitive Guide to Magic and the Craft. London: Godsfield Press. p. 63.
- ISBN 978-0-914728-67-2.
Bibliography
- ISBN 978-1-85635-093-8.
Further reading
- ISBN 978-0-940262-50-8.
- Chadwick, Nora (1970). The Celts. London: Penguin. ISBN 978-0-14-021211-2.
- McNeill, F. Marian (1959). The Silver Bough, Vol. 1–4. Glasgow: William MacLellan.
- Ó Catháin, Séamas (1995). Festival of Brigit.
External links
- The dictionary definition of Imbolc at Wiktionary