St. Brigid's Day - Folklore and Traditions
In Irish folk tradition, the calendar is principally split into ‘Quarter Days’, so called as they divide the year into each of its four seasons of summer (May Day / Bealtaine), autumn (Lammas / Lúnasa), winter (Halloween / Samhain) and, of course, spring (St. Brigid’s Day / Imbolc), which falls on the 1st of February. Jonny Dillon, folklorist, tells us of her cultural significance. St. Brigid’s Day is dedicated to the saint nicknamed Muire na nGael or the ‘Mary of the Irish’, a designation given to her on account of the adoration and high regard in which she has long been held by the people of this island. The special position attributed to her is reflected even in the name Brigid, which means ‘high’, ‘lofty’, ‘elevated’, or ‘exalted’ one. To come to a full understanding and appreciation of her feast however, we must examine the Pre-Christian roots, not just of the celebration, but of the figure of Brigid herself. Prior to any veneration of the earl...