Brigit of Kildare
- c. 439/452–c. 524/526
- feast-day: 1 February
- saints of Ireland
- Cell Dara
patron saint of Kildare, whose cult spread both within and outside of Ireland.
See also references for related subjects.
Freeman, Philip, Two lives of Saint Brigid, Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2024.
abstract:
St Brigid is the earliest and best-known of the female saints of Ireland. In the generation after St Patrick, she established a monastery for men and women at Kildare which became one of the most powerful and influential centres of the Church in early Ireland.The stories of Brigid’s life and deeds survive in several early sources, but the most important are two Latin Lives written a century or more after her death. The first was composed by a churchman named Cogitosus and tells of her many miracles of healing and helping the poor. The second source, known as the Vita Prima, continues the tradition with more tales of marvellous deeds and journeys throughout the island. Both Latin sources are a treasure house of information not just about the legends of Brigid but also about daily life, the role of women, and the spread of Christianity in Ireland.This book for the first time presents together an English translation of both the Life of Brigid by Cogitosus and the Vita Prima, along with the Latin text of both, carefully edited from the best medieval manuscripts. With an Introduction by Professor Freeman, this book makes these fascinating stories of St Brigid accessible to general readers, students and scholars.
Bray, Dorothy Ann, “The story of Plea”, North American Journal of Celtic Studies 2:1 (2018): 56–78.
abstract:
The story of the underwater monastery of Plea, told in a gloss to Broccán's hymn (Ní car Brigit), is an unusual tale in Brigit's tradition; however, it contains several well-known tropes from Irish immrama. The story has been associated with changing attitudes toward pilgrimage and the idea that the monastic rule of Kildare differed significantly from other Irish monasteries up to the twelfth century. This paper examines the elements of the story and traces its possible connections to other, earlier elements in Brigit's tradition, including her association with St. Brendan of Clonfert, as well as the motifs in the genre of the immram. The tale may reflect contemporary concerns over perceived unorthodox practices in Irish churches and monasteries as the twelfth-century reform of the Irish Church got under way.
Dawson, Elizabeth, “Brigit and Patrick in Vita prima sanctae Brigitae: veneration and jurisdiction”, Peritia 28 (2017): 35–50.
abstract:
The early medieval cults of the saints Patrick and Brigit are most often associated with their churches at Armagh and Kildare, and the rivalry for preeminence that existed between the two federations. This paper considers the depiction of the saints in the Vita Prima Sanctae Brigitae and explores how these portrayals represent the wider cults of both.
Kissane, Noel, Saint Brigid of Kildare: life, legend, and cult, Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2017.
abstract:
Despite being the female patron saint of Ireland and one of the most remarkable women in Irish history, St. Brigid has always been an elusive figure. Some scholars have argued that she never existed as a real person but was merely the Christian personification of the cult of a pagan goddess of the same name. This book reviews all the evidence-history, legend and folklore-and concludes that while she has many of the attributes of the goddess Brigit, she was certainly a real person. The book also reviews her cult and veneration in Ireland and overseas, from her lifetime down to the present day, as attested by place-names, holy wells, and folklore, and also by the large numbers of churches (Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland), schools, and GAA clubs dedicated to her.
Nic Dhonnchadha, Maedhbh M., “Constructing the early Irish cult of Brigit”, in: Albrecht Classen (ed.), Mental health, spirituality, and religion in the middle ages and early modern age, 15, Berlin, New York: De Gruyter, 2014. 155–174.
Johnson, Máire, “The Vita I S. Brigitae and De duodecim abusiuis saeculi”, Studia Celtica Fennica 9 (2012): 22–35.
abstract:
The Vita I S Brigitae and De Duodecim Abusivis Saeculi’ considers several similarities in the lessons offered by the anonymous vita of Ireland’s famed Saint Brigit of Kildare and the sermons of De Duodecim Abusivis, an Hiberno-Latin work of the seventh century generally fathered on Cyprian. Of particular importance here is the discourse that De Duodecim proffers concerning the dives sine eleemosyna, the Christianus contentiosus and the pauper superbus, which appears to be echoed in the interactions between Saint Brigit and her followers in the Vita I. These parallels provide clues to the evolution of the hagiographical dossier of Ireland’s chief female saint, and permit the proposal of a modest stemma for several of its constituents. In addition, it is hoped that the apparently-shared messages of vita and homily may also suggest potential avenues for additional future analyses.
Studia Celtica Fennica: <link>
Bray, Dorothy Ann, “The Vita Prima of St. Brigit: a preliminary analysis of its composition”, in: Joseph F. Eska (ed.), Narrative in Celtic tradition: essays in honor of Edgar M. Slotkin, 8, 9, New York: Colgate University Press, 2011. 1–15.
Bray, Dorothy Ann, “Ireland's other Apostle: Cogitosus' St Brigit”, Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies 59 (Summer, 2010): 55–70.
Ritari, Katja, “The image of Brigit as a saint: reading the Latin lives”, Peritia 21 (2010): 191–207.
McGuire, James [ed.], and James Quinn [ed.], Dictionary of Irish biography, online ed., Online: Royal Irish Academy, Cambridge University Press, 2009–present. URL: <https://www.dib.ie>.
Maney, Laurance, “The date and provenance of Vita prima sanctae Brigitae”, Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium 23 — 2003 (2009): 200–218.
Zimmer, Stefan, “Weiblich? Heilig? Göttlich? Zur Diktion der Hl. Brigid”, in: Stefan Zimmer (ed.), Kelten am Rhein: Akten des dreizehnten Internationalen Keltologiekongresses, 23. bis 27. Juli 2007 in Bonn, 2 vols, vol. 2: Philologie: Sprachen und Literaturen, Mainz: Philipp von Zabern, 2009. 319–327.
Charles-Edwards, T. M., “Early Irish saints’ cults and their constituencies”, Ériu 54 (2004): 79–102.
abstract:
This article explores the differences between early Irish saints' cults, concentrating mainly but not exclusively on those associated with the Fothairt. It begins with a simple and local cult, that of Damnat of Tedavnet, and a complex and widespread cult, that of Brigit. It is argued that Brigit's cult had at least four constituencies: the Fothairt, Kildare, Leinster, and the weak throughout Ireland and even in Britain. Brigit's cult among the Fothairt is then contrasted with that of another Fothairt saint, Fintan of Clonenagh; and Fintan's cult, in turn, is contrasted with that of Rígnach. The Uí Ercáin, a branch of the Fothairt, illustrate how the political status of a cult's constituency may determine its character. Finally, the shift from an alliance between cults to competition is studied in the example of Cainnech and Columba.
Charles-Edwards, T. M., “Brigit (439/452–524/526)”, Oxford dictionary of national biography, Online: Oxford University Press, 2004–. URL: <http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/3427>.
McKenna, Catherine, “Between two worlds: Saint Brigit and pre-Christian religion in the Vita Prima”, in: Joseph Falaky Nagy (ed.), Identifying the 'Celtic', 2, Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2002. 66–74.
Berschin, Walter, “Radegundis and Brigit”, in: John Carey, Máire Herbert, and Pádraig Ó Riain (eds), Studies in Irish hagiography: saints and scholars, Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2001. 72–76.
Johnston, Elva, “Powerful women or patriarchal weapons? Two medieval Irish saints”, Peritia 15 (2001): 302–310.
abstract:
The history of medieval Irish women is elusive, despite a rich variety of textual sources. These are often normative rather than descriptive and are a predominantly male clerical product. This paper will examine the dossiers of two female saints, both from Co Cork. It will ask whether we can identify female aspirations and female voices in the literary celebration of their careers. Are they models of female empowerment or do their representations ultimately support male power structures.
Mc Carthy, Daniel P., “The chronology of S. Brigit of Kildare”, Peritia 14 (2000): 255–281.
abstract:
This is a critical chronological and textual analysis of all annalistic entries on the life of St Brigit of Kildare. It emerges that AT and CS have best preserved the chronology originally given Brigit in the Iona chronicle which placed her death at ad 524, aged 86 years. AU and AI transmit a later tradition, subsequently interpolated into the Iona chronicle, that she died aged 70. It is argued that the author of the original Iona chronicle entries was St Columba, a competent computist and near-contemporary of Brigit. Hence his chronology is trustworthy. To check this, a chronological evaluation of the earliest surviving Vitae S. Brigitae reveals that the chronology of all the individuals found jointly in the Vita I and the annals is consistent, implying that both sources have transmitted a chronology which is essentially correct, a result which supports the historical priority of Vita I over Vita II. Finally, examination of the context of Cogitosus’s date for Brigit’s death shows that he aligned it to correspond with existing non-christian celebrations already held in Kildare.
Young, Simon, “Donatus, bishop of Fiesole 829–76, and the cult of St Brigit in Italy”, Cambrian Medieval Celtic Studies 35 (Summer, 1998): 13–26.
Howlett, David, “Vita I sanctae Brigitae”, Chronicon 1 (1997): 5: 1–31. URL: <http://xml.ucc.ie/chronicon/howfra.htm>.
abstract:
Evidence is presented here for the orthographic, grammatical, and syntactical correctness and the computistic and architectonic competence of composition of Vita I sanctae Brigitae, its priority to and influence on the Vita II by Cogitosus of Kildare, and its authorship by Aileranus Sapiens, lector of Clonard, who died in 665.
Ó Catháin, Séamas, “Bee for Brigit”, in: Séamus Mac Mathúna, and Ailbhe Ó Corráin (eds), Miscellanea Celtica in memoriam Heinrich Wagner, 2, Uppsala: Uppsala Universitet, 1997. 197–212.
Bray, Dorothy Ann, “Saint Brigit and the fire from heaven”, Études Celtiques 29 (1992): 105–113.
abstract:
[FR] Sainte Brigit et le feu venu du ciel.
Les miracles impliquant le feu ou des phénomènes de lumière surnaturelle semblent associer les saints irlandais aux croyances et aux rituels païens, aux mythes solaires, aux cultes du feu. D’un autre côté, on peut trouver des précédents bibliques permettant de replacer les saints dans la tradition chrétienne. En effet, aussi bien dans la tradition chrétienne que dans le paganisme irlandais, un feu ou une lumière surnaturels symbolise non seulement la présence de la divinité sur terre, mais aussi l’illumination de l’esprit. La similitude de la sainte avec la déesse Brigit permet de rapporter ses miracles de feu et de lumière à l’ancien culte de la déesse, patronne de la poésie, de la médecine et de la métallurgie (une technique rendue possible par le feu), et au noyau fondamental de la culture irlandaise elle-même.
[EN] Miracles with fire or supernatural light phenomena have, in the past, associated the saints of Ireland with pagan beliefs and rituals, solar myths and fire cults. On the other hand, biblical precedents can be found to restore the saints to Christian tradition. Miraculous fire and light in both Irish pagan and Christian traditions symbolise not only the presence of the deity on earth but also the illumination of the mind and spirit. The similarity which appears between the saint and the goddess Brigit may connect her fiey miracles to the ancient cult of the goddess, patron of poetry, medicine and metalwork (a craft made possible by fire) and to the heart and foundation of Irish culture itself.
Les miracles impliquant le feu ou des phénomènes de lumière surnaturelle semblent associer les saints irlandais aux croyances et aux rituels païens, aux mythes solaires, aux cultes du feu. D’un autre côté, on peut trouver des précédents bibliques permettant de replacer les saints dans la tradition chrétienne. En effet, aussi bien dans la tradition chrétienne que dans le paganisme irlandais, un feu ou une lumière surnaturels symbolise non seulement la présence de la divinité sur terre, mais aussi l’illumination de l’esprit. La similitude de la sainte avec la déesse Brigit permet de rapporter ses miracles de feu et de lumière à l’ancien culte de la déesse, patronne de la poésie, de la médecine et de la métallurgie (une technique rendue possible par le feu), et au noyau fondamental de la culture irlandaise elle-même.
[EN] Miracles with fire or supernatural light phenomena have, in the past, associated the saints of Ireland with pagan beliefs and rituals, solar myths and fire cults. On the other hand, biblical precedents can be found to restore the saints to Christian tradition. Miraculous fire and light in both Irish pagan and Christian traditions symbolise not only the presence of the deity on earth but also the illumination of the mind and spirit. The similarity which appears between the saint and the goddess Brigit may connect her fiey miracles to the ancient cult of the goddess, patron of poetry, medicine and metalwork (a craft made possible by fire) and to the heart and foundation of Irish culture itself.
Persée – Études Celtiques, vol. 29, 1992: <link>
Ó Briain, Felim, and Frederic Mac Donncha [ed.], “Brigitana”, Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 36 (1978): 112–137.
Kissane, Noel, “Uita metrica sanctae Brigidae: a critical edition with introduction, commentary and indexes”, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 77 C (1977): 57–192.
Kenney, James F., “Chapter IV: The monastic churches, their founders and traditions: I. The primitive foundations”, in: James F. Kenney, The sources for the early history of Ireland: an introduction and guide. Volume 1: ecclesiastical, Revised ed., 11, New York: Octagon, 1966. 288–371.
356 “IV. Cell-Dara (Kildare) and St. Brigit”
Schmid, Toni, “Le culte en Suède de Sainte Brigide l’Irlandaise”, Analecta Bollandiana 61 (1943): 108–115.
OʼBrien, M. A., “The Old Irish Life of St. Brigit: Part II. Introduction and notes”, Irish Historical Studies 1:4 (September, 1939): 343–353.
