Brighid, ancient Goddess of Fire and Water, is said to rise out of the ocean like the Sun, in the morning.

She is a Goddess of many facets and faces. Usually connected to Ireland because of her ancient shrine at Kildare. She was also worshipped in Britania, Gaul and Scotland.

She is most known as the Patroness of those connected with Her Three Fires. Smiths, artists, healers, midwives, poets and musicians are all dear to Her.

Over the ages, Her influence has spread and more and more of those things that are life-giving and life-redeeming, have become Hers.

Named the 'Bright Arrow', she was called apon by the ancient Celts for victory in battle. The 'Bridge Builder', She has been called upon to make peace between contending peoples.

Through the Fire of the Hearth and Cauldron, She oversees all things concerned with a safe and prosperous home. She is Patroness of beermakers and cowherds, dairymaids, healers and the growers of healing herbs. Numerous healing wells are named after or dedicated to Her.

From her Forge Fires come the means, energy and inspiration to create, to manifest the fruits of our skills. From these fires also come internal strength and the will to create good in this world

Smiths were sacred to the Celts. They brought together earth, fire, air and water, to create the array of metal tools, so necessary for their lives, and the smith's connection with Brighid was natural.

Brighid's third fire, the fire of Inspiration, the fire in the head, was very sacred and important to the Celts. They valued the power of words, poetry and music. The creations fed the soul and gave meaning to life, as they still do.

By most accounts She is the daughter of the Dagda, The Good God, The All Father. She, daughter of the Tuatha de Danann race, was married to Bres of the Fomorian race. Her son, Ruadan, was killed in the battle between these two races, for Eirenn. It is said that her cries of lamentation for Her fallen son became the custom of keening for the dead.

The time of year special to Her is Imbolic, or the lambing time, when ewes give birth and come into milk. At this time, in February, Winter has given up it's hold on the Earth. But Brighid's flowers have begun to appear ... the early blooming Snowdrops.

She is the promoise of Spring, of the young maiden awaiting her Bridesgroom, the Sun, and is greeted by the song of newborn lambs.

From very ancient times, Cill-Dara (Kildare) was sacred to Brighid. It was there that She established Her Eternal Flame. She had 19 women, priestesses dedicated to Her, who each took turns tending Her Flame, that it never go out. On the 20th day, Brighid Herself tended it.

To speak of Saint Brighid is to speak of the love the Celts had for their Goddess, and the success of the survival of Her worship, even through changed and redirected. When Christianity entered Ireland, it didn't take long to see that the people would not give Brighid up. She could not be deposed.

While it is questioned, most accept that there was a woman who became St. Brighid. Around her was woven a tapestry of stories that indelibly linked her with the mythology of the Goddess, and with Pagan beliefs. In many ways they have become one.

For one thing, St. Brighid was the daughter of a Celtic noble and a slave woman. Her mother lived in the house of a Druid, where Brighid grew up and was trained. She was born under circumstances that any Celt would have appreciated ... in a doorway, neither inside nor out; and at sunrise between day and night; and on the first day of Spring. Connected to the cauldron of the hearth, she gave away massive amounts of the Druid's food to the hungry, but always had the same amount of food left to feed the household at the day's end. Fantastic stories have grown around Brighid being Mary's midwife, healer and protector. In one story, Mary and her child are escaping enemies, while fleeing to Egypt. Brighid comes to protect her, not as a meek Saint but a powerful Goddess, placing Herself between the family and the enemy soldiers. In true Celtic fashion, Brighid becomes Yeshua's foster mother, and in Celtic custom therefore, close to him than Mary.

History tells us that the Saint built her church at Kildare, on the site of Brighid's sacred place. She relit the Eternal Flame, which she had 19 nuns attend, herself attending it on the 20th day. The Abbesses of Kildare were very powerful, even responsible for selecting the Archbishops of Ireland. Eventually, the power of women was broken and Brighid's Flame put out n the 1600's.

In 1993 Brighid's Flame was relt in Kildare, by Sister May Minehan and another Brighidine nun. She said,"We are a group inspired by the value of Brighid, to promote Peace, Justice and Reconciliation. We network with people in the North of our country and care especially for our Planet ... Mother Earth."

Inspired by Brighid, both Goddess and Saint, people all over the world have begun lighting Flames in her honor, in her worship and to spread Her life affirming influence. It is the one place where Pagans and Christians have found mutual respect.

In one place at least Brighid has spoken for Herself, "...and I was putting another word to it, for Her, fair foster-mother of Christ, when She looked at me and said;

"I am older than Brighid of the Mantle. I put songs and music on the wind, before ever the bells of the chapels were rung in the west or heard in the east ... And I have been a breath in your heart. And the dayhas its feet to it, that will see Me coming into heart of men and women, like a flame upon dry grass, like a flame of wind in a great wood." (source unknown)

Brighid is; "She who breathes in the reed, on the wind, in the hearts of women, and in the minds of poets." (source unknown)