ORIGIN: Celtic [Continental European and Irish]
TYPE: Fertility Goddess
TEXTS: Lebor Gabala Erenn, Cath Maige Tuired, Cormac's Glossary, Books of Invasions, Cycles of Kings, various inscriptions
KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP: Prehistoric times until Christianization (circa 1100 CE) and after.
SYNONYMS: Brigid; Bride; Banfile (Poetess)
ART REFERENCES: Stone carvings
PARENTS: Dagda
SIBLINGS: Cermait, Aengus, Aed, Bodb Derg, Brigid the Healer, Brigid the Smith
INFORMATION: A major Celtic pastoral deity, described as a "wise woman, the daughter of the Dagda," Brigit became "Christianized" as St. Brigit of Kildare, who lived from 450-523 CE and founded the first female Christian community in Ireland. She as originally celebrated on February 1 in the festival of Imbolc, whic coincided with the beginning of lactation in ewes and was regarded in Scotland as the date on which Brigit deposed the blue-faced hag of winter (see Calleach Bheur). The Christian calendar adopted the same date for the Feast of St. Brigit. There is no record that a Christian saint ever actually existed, but in Irish mythology she became the midwife to the Virgin Mary. The name can be traced into many Irish and European place names. It is also akin to Brhati which means "exalted one" in Sanskrit.