Brigid, or the Exalted One, was the Irish goddess of spring, fertility, and life. Beloved by poets, she was the master of both healing and smithing. Her holiday, Imbolc, was held on February 1st and marked the midpoint of winter. Many of Ireland’s wells and waterways were devoted to her.
As a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann, Brigid was the wife of High King Bres and mother of Ruadán. She shares many similarities with the Catholic St. Brigid of Kildare, the patron saint of Ireland. Brigid has been Anglicized from the Old Irish Brid in multiple ways: Brigit, Brig, or Bride (from which the word bride is derived). Stemming from the Proto-Celtic word Briganti, meaning “the High One” or “the Exalted One,” Brigid is the origin of the popular name Bridget. The name likely refers to the goddess’s connection to sunlight and fire, but may also be related to dawn goddesses across the Indo-European world. Brigid is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root for “to rise” or “high”, as is the English word bright. Brigid was also known as the Goddess of the Wells, due to her connection to wells and waterways.
Brigid was a goddess full of contradiction. She was a goddess of healing, fertility, and motherhood, but also of passion and fire. Further complicating matters, Brigid was a goddess of serenity and water as well. Evidence of her worship has been found throughout Ireland, reflecting her importance as a powerful, yet personal deity. When she was not protecting mothers and newborn children, Brigid inspired many of the writers and poets for which Ireland is internationally renowned. Continue reading from Mythopedia
