Monday, February 9, 2026

Rooted in Hope, Rising in Love- A Lenten Journey with Rev. Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP

You are invited to subscribe to Rooted in Hope, Rising in Love - A Lenten Journey with Bridget Mary Meehan on substack.

https://bridgetmarymeehan.substack.com/subscribe?params=%5Bobject%20Object%5D

Throughout this Lenten season, subscribers will receive weekly reflections and resources designed for personal prayer, small communities, and inclusive faith gatherings.

If this speaks to your heart, I invite you to subscribe and walk this Lenten path together.

May this season remind you of what is already true:

You are rooted in hope. You are rising in love. And love continues to grow in you for the life of the world.

With blessings for the journey,

Rev. Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan

#RootedinHopeRisinginLove

Ash Wednesday

Introduction

The Tree of Life: A Lenten Journey

Lent is often described as a season of sacrifice or repentance. Yet at its deepest level, Lent is a journey of growth — a returning to the Source of Life that sustains us. This journey can be understood through the image of the Tree of Life, a symbol found across spiritual traditions, reminding us that all life is interconnected, rooted in mystery, and continually unfolding toward new life.

A tree does not grow by striving. It grows by remaining rooted. Its strength comes from what is unseen — roots reaching deep into the earth, drawing nourishment in hidden ways. In the same way, Lent invites us to deepen our roots in hope so that love may rise more freely in our lives.

Conversion is not becoming worthy of God’s love, but awakening to the love already present within and among us. God of many names and beyond all names is not distant or dominating, but nurturing, relational, and life-giving — like soil that holds and sustains every living thing. Growth happens through connection, community, and trust in the slow work of transformation.

I feel that in my bones every day in my daily attempts to exercise. I find it a whole lot easier and much more fun when the workout includes others doing aerobics together in our pool.

The movement of this Lenten journey follows the rhythm of the Tree of Life:

• Rooted in Hope — remembering our belovedness and grounding ourselves in love.
• Growing in Compassion — opening our hearts to transformation and deeper seeing.
• Reaching Toward Light — embodying love through justice, mercy, and healing.
• Rising in Love — living resurrection as an ongoing way of life.

Each week offers reflection, prayer, daily thoughts, simple practices, blessings, and optional communal responses for shared prayer. These resources are meant to accompany individuals and communities seeking a spirituality that honors both contemplation and action, personal healing and collective transformation.

The Tree of Life reminds us that seasons of loss and renewal belong to the same living cycle. Roots grow in darkness before branches reach toward light. So too in our lives, hope often takes root quietly before love becomes visible.

May this journey help you remember what is most true:

You are rooted in hope.
You are rising in love.
And love continues to grow in you and through you for the life of the world.

ASH WEDNESDAY

Rooted in Belovedness

The Seed of Hope

Scripture — Cycle A

Joel 2:12–18
Psalm 51
2 Corinthians 5:20–6:2
Matthew 6:1–6, 16–18

“Return to me with your whole heart.” — Joel 2:12

Theme

The journey begins beneath the surface. Like a seed placed in the earth, we begin Lent by remembering that we belong to God. Ashes remind us that life begins in humility and belovedness.

Opening Reflection

We begin Lent by affirming who we are as the beloved of God.

Ashes remind us that we are made of earth — fragile, temporary, and profoundly sacred. In many spiritual traditions, dust is not a symbol of shame but of origin. We come from the soil of creation, breathed into life by Holy Wisdom. The ashes placed upon our foreheads do not say, “You are unworthy.” They say, “You are human, and you are loved.”

Too often Lent has been framed as a journey of fixing ourselves or proving our worthiness to God. But the Gospel tells a different story. Jesus begins his ministry not by striving, but by hearing the words spoken at his baptism: “You are my beloved.”

Lent begins there for us as well.

Returning to God is not a journey toward a distant judge. It is a returning home to Love itself. When we remember our belovedness, we can face our vulnerabilities without fear. We can release what no longer gives life. We can begin again.

Ashes mark not an ending, but a beginning — the courage to live honestly, tenderly, and awake to grace.

Prayer

Holy One,

You breathe life into dust and call it sacred.
When we forget who we are, remind us that we belong to you.
When shame closes our hearts, open us again to love.
May this Lenten journey begin not in fear, but in trust —
trust that nothing in us is beyond your transforming compassion.
Amen.

Reflection Questions

• Where have I forgotten my belovedness?
• What am I invited to release this Lent?

Simple Ritual or Practice

Touch ashes or earth and say quietly:
“I belong to love.”

Daily Reflections (Days 1–4)

Day 1 — Beginning Again
Every spiritual journey begins with honesty. God meets us where we are, not where we think we should be.

Day 2 — Sacred Vulnerability
Our wounds are not barriers to grace; they are often the place where compassion grows.

Day 3 — Letting Go of Shame
Love transforms more deeply than fear ever can.

Day 4 — Returning Home
God is not waiting to judge us, but to welcome us.

Weekly Blessing — Blessing of Beginning

May you begin gently.
May you trust that love has already begun its work in you.
May this season open space for healing, courage, and hope.

Thursday, February 5, 2026

Scholars Karen King and Shirley Paulson Discuss Mary Magdalene, and Justin Coutts: "In Search of a New Eden" with guests Own Rachel & Julie Holtz

Karen King Discusses Mary Magdalene as a Leader

in Early Christianity with Shirley Paulson PhD. Early Christian Texts

Icon of Mary Magdalene

,
https://youtu.be/sS_O2gBM-Zo?si=y1AEWDk8sCPrdM4d

Karen King: Notes from Conversation by Bridget Mary

"I have seen the Lord." Gospel of Mary- Mary Magdalene is similar to text in Gospel of John.

Leading disciple of Jesus, witness to crucifixion, first to encounter Risen Christ in Gospel of John. In antiquity, connection between MM and other unnamed women, two Mary's, and unnamed women, huge tradition of MM as "apostle to the apostles. "

Peter does not understand that salvation is not about gender, it is about the inner person, It is about the one understands the teachings of Jesus - the Human One" humanity that brings salvation. The issue here is whether the rise of the soul is the true path of salvation.

Mary is the faithful disciple, Peter does not get it, he thinks that women are inferior and Jesus would not have revealed special revelation to Mary Magdalene. Meaning of being Human. Also in Paul 2 Cor 4:16 - Physical decays, spiritual renewed day by day. Mary Gospel - Human is one's essential life- being - image of God. Human light is image in which humanity is created- divine image.

Rising of soul as how to understand the spiritual life. How soul is naming its true identity as a child of God, true nature is spiritual, renounces power of false judgment, anger and violence. Turn to the good.... inner spiritual journey overcome powers within and without.

In Gospel of Mary, speak truth to power - Never tallks about God as Father,

Understand the Divine as the good. This is why Jesus said "there is no such thing as sin. :

Evil and sin happens when one turns away from the good, which is God.

Disciples should understand Jesus' teachings and go forth and share good news of truth.

Levi tells disciples after anger exchange with Mary, that they should get over their anger, let get over bickering, and go out and share the good news of the Good.

Hold both women as leaders and as real people in the world today.

Both leadership and vulnerability are in gospel.

Story of Mary Magdalene as a woman leader in the Gospel of Mary is important.

Impact of Gospel the importance of journey we are on - spiritual journey-

Also need to keep the sinner woman in gospel who loved much.

"forgives woman because she has loved much!" She is the one who has found God

Among early Christ followers - debate in communities

What is significance of Jesus teachings, his death, continued experiences of the presence olf his Spirit.

One is Atonement.

Gospel of John, Jesus taught who God is, knew the Father, cross is part of the return to the Father. Same theme of rise of soul to God in Gospel of Mary- spiritual path - mystical tradition through the ages.

Women not worthy of life attributed to Peter in Gospel of Thomas, Jesus, response "I will make her male" In Gospel of Mary, it is make us fully human.

Mary Magdalene as Contemplative Teacher

with Kayleen Asbo as Presenter. Hosted by Justin Coutts. In Search of a New Eden with guests Own Rachel & Julie Holtz

https://youtu.be/KWU8yrk6j34?si=wapI5KtgfJRPyzZ9

Monday, February 2, 2026

St. Brigit of Kildare — An Icon of Gospel Love by Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP

Today we remember St. Brigid of Kildare, a woman whose life continues to inspire contemporary disciples of Jesus to become living reflections of divine compassion, generous hospitality, mutual partnership, and deep love for creation.

Brigit lived the spirit of Jesus with remarkable courage and tenderness. Like Jesus of Nazareth, she welcomed women as full disciples, embraced the poor and the outcast, challenged unjust authority, and made hospitality a sacred act. The stories passed down about Brigit tell us of her radical generosity—food multiplied for the hungry, land shared with the poor, animals protected, and strangers welcomed as Christ himself. These are not quaint legends; they are Gospel truths embodied in a woman’s life.

Brigit’s inclusivity echoes the ministry of Jesus who dined with tax collectors and sinners, who crossed boundaries of gender, class, and purity, and who revealed a God whose love knows no limits. In Brigit’s world—and in ours—belonging is not earned. It is given. Her life proclaims that everyone belongs at the Banquet Table of Love, no matter who you are or where you come from. Here, we are loved totally, tenderly, and passionately in the heart of God.

In this way, Brigit stands in holy continuity with the first disciples—Mary Magdalene, Peter, and the many unnamed women and men who followed Jesus through the ages. Together, they remind us that discipleship has never been about uniformity, hierarchy, or exclusion. It has always been about relationship, courage, and love poured out for the life of the world.

According to early hagiographical sources, St. Brigid of Kildare was consecrated by Bishop Mel, who—according to tradition—mistakenly read the episcopal ordination prayers over her. Rather than retracting the rite, Bishop Mel is said to have affirmed that Brigit received episcopal authority from God. Together with Conleth, Brigit exercised mutual partnership as spiritual leaders of the double monastic community at Kildare.¹

Brigit also calls us into right relationship with creation. Her reverence for the land, for animals, for the rhythms of nature reflects a deeply incarnational faith—one that recognizes the sacred in all that God has made. In a time of ecological crisis, her witness urges us to live gently on the earth, to protect what is vulnerable, and to see creation itself as a partner in praising God.

We have come full circle in our own time. In contemporary inclusive communities, we are reclaiming Jesus’ original vision of discipleship—one rooted in baptismal equality, shared leadership, and mutual blessing. Like Brigit, we are called to trust our God-given gifts and to use them boldly for healing, justice, and reconciliation.

May St. Brigit of Kildare encourage us to open wide our doors, our tables, and our hearts. May her life remind us that Gospel hospitality is not optional—it is the very shape of love. And may we, like her, become radiant reflections of God’s compassion in a world longing to know that it truly belongs.

¹ This account appears in early medieval Irish hagiography, particularly in the Vita Sanctae Brigitae attributed to Cogitosus (7th century), which emphasizes Brigit’s spiritual authority and leadership at Kildare. While historians debate the literal historicity of Brigit’s episcopal consecration, many scholars agree that the story reflects the extraordinary authority Brigit held in the early Irish Church, where abbesses—especially at Kildare—often exercised leadership that surpassed that of bishops. See Cogitosus, Life of St. Brigid; Lisa M. Bitel, Land of Women: Tales of Sex and Gender from Early Ireland (Cornell University Press, 1996); and Joan Chittister, The Liturgical Year (Thomas Nelson, 2009). Feminist theologians interpret this tradition as evidence of early Christian models of shared, non-hierarchical leadership and women’s sacramental authority in the Celtic Church.

Homily by Rev. Annie Watson, Holy Family Catholic Church

The picture is Rev. Annie Watson, Associate Pastor, Holy Family Catholic Church and Pastor Jen from Salem Lutheran Church in Austin, Texas. Holy Family and Salem share the building.

“The Beatitudes as a TED Talk”

Matthew 5:1-12a

February 1, 2026

Are you familiar with TED Talks? You can download an app or listen to them on YouTube. I’ve listened to many TED Talks over the years. In its simplest form, TED Talks are short, powerful presentations where a speaker shares one big idea—something meant to inform, inspire, or challenge the audience’s thinking. They are designed to make you walk away seeing the world a little differently.

So, imagine the Beatitudes not as ancient blessings spoken on a hillside, but as a modern TED Talk, consisting of a curious audience and a speaker who knows they’re about to flip the room’s assumptions upside down. Here goes . . .

The title of my TED Talk today is “Eight Surprising Clues to a Meaningful Life. I want to share eight ideas—eight startling truths that have shaped people’s lives for centuries.

They come from a teacher who looked at a crowd of ordinary people and said, “You are more blessed than you think.” He said this not because life was easy. Not because they were powerful.But because they were open. Let’s explore what he meant.

1. “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”

I call this “the power of admitting we don’t’ have it all together.” We live in a culture obsessed with confidence. But what if the real breakthrough comes when we admit our limits? When we say, “I don’t know,” we create space to learn. When we say, “I need help,” we create space for connection. Humility isn’t a deficit. It’s a doorway.

2. “Blessed are those who mourn.”

This means that grief is not a failure. We treat sadness like a malfunction. But grief is proof that we’ve loved deeply. This blessing isn’t about celebrating pain. It’s about recognizing that healing begins when we stop pretending we’re fine. Comfort finds us when we stop running from our own hearts.

3. “Blessed are the meek.”

This refers to strength without aggression. Meekness isn’t weakness. It’s strength under control. It’s the quiet person who doesn’t need to dominate the room. It’s the leader who listens before speaking. In a world full of noise, gentleness is disruptive.

4. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.”

This is about the courage to want a better world. Some people are satisfied with “good enough.” Others feel a deep ache for justice, fairness, and integrity. That ache is a blessing. It means you haven’t gone numb. The world changes because of people who refuse to stop caring.

5. “Blessed are the merciful.”

Doesn’t this suggest compassion is a superpower? Mercy is the choice to see a person instead of a mistake. It’s the courage to forgive when revenge would be easier. Mercy doesn’t erase accountability. It simply refuses to dehumanize. And every act of mercy makes the world a little less cold.

6. “Blessed are the clean of heart.”

This refers to living without a hidden agenda. We have nothing to hide. Imagine interacting with people who don’t manipulate, posture, or perform. Imagine being that person. Purity of heart isn’t about perfection. It’s about alignment—your actions matching your values. When your inner and outer life match, clarity follows.

7. “Blessed are the peacemakers.”

Peace is something you build. Peace isn’t passive. It’s not the absence of conflict. It’s the presence of courage. Peacemakers step into tension with empathy, not hostility. They build bridges where others build walls. They don’t avoid hard conversations—they redeem them.

8. “Blessed are the persecuted for doing good.”

Jesus wants us to stand firm even when it costs us. If we stand for something meaningful, someone will push back. That’s not a sign we’re failing. It’s a sign we’re living with conviction. This blessing honors those who choose integrity over approval.

These eight ideas form an upsidedown vision of what it means to live well. You are blessed not when life is perfect, but when your heart is open, your compassion is active, your courage is alive, and your integrity is costly. The world doesn’t need more impressive people. It needs more blessed ones.

Sunday, February 1, 2026

Celebrating St. Brigid’s Feast Day today

With my brother Patrick

With my sister- in-law Valerie

Jim Marsh ARCWP and Joan Chesterfield ARCWP

Dotty Shugrue ARCWP and Mary Theresa Streck ARCWP

Joan Pesce ARCWP

Kathryn Shea ARCWP

Jim Marsh ARCWP

Mary Theresa Streck ARCWP

Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP with Sofia

Joan Chesterfield ARCWP

Dotty Shugrue ARCWP

Fast Facts about St. Brigid- CIE Tours:

What you didn't know about Ireland's second-most favorite saint

St. Patrick isn’t the only saint that gets a day of global celebration. Ireland’s second-most beloved saint, Brigid, has her special day on February 1. Brigid is associated with many miracles related to healing, and it's fitting that the day to commemorate her is also the traditional first day of spring in Ireland. Celebrations have been going on in Ireland for centuries, and in recent years have spread to the Irish diaspora.

Brigid: a generous soul - and a brewer of ale

How much do you know about this inspiring saint? Here are a few of our favorite facts about St. Brigid:

1. St. Brigid shares a name – and maybe more - with a Celtic goddess

St Brigid was born in 451 in Dundalk in Ireland and died in 525. Born to a Christian slave who had been baptized by St. Patrick and a father who was both pagan and a wealthy chieftain in Leinster, she shares a name with the Celtic pagan Goddess of fire. She was a slave from birth, and was returned to her father as a child to be his servant. There is some controversy over whether she existed at all, with some speculating that she was invented to Christianize the old Celtic goddess, while others suggesting she was simply named after her.

2. Brigid’s compassion is legendary

Known for her generous nature, Brigid was freed from a life of bondage after her father, named Dubhthach, tired of her giving away his possessions to the needy. Dubhthach had brought Brigid to the King of Leinster, intending to sell her. While her father spoke to the king, Brigid gave away Dubhthach’s jeweled sword to a leper, enraging her father but prompting the Christian king to recognize her holiness. The king declared that her father should leave her alone, “for her merit before God is greater than ours”, freeing Brigid to follow her faith.

3. She established a monastery in Kildare

Brigid would go on to become a nun, and a disciple of St. Patrick. She founded several monasteries, including a vital center of religion and learning in Kildare, as well as a school of art that taught metalwork and illumination. The ornate beauty of an illuminated manuscript done by the scholars of Kildare prompted a medieval scholar to say “all this is the work of angelic, not human, skill”; sadly, the book has been lost for centuries. But today, the cathedral of Kildare stands on the site of one her early churches.

4. Her feast day marks the traditional beginning of spring in Ireland

February 1 was originally celebrated as a pagan festival called Imbolc, marking the midpoint between the winter equinox and spring solstice, and the arrival of longer, warmer days. February 1 is when the daffodils start to bloom, the evenings start to lengthen, and the gloom of winter goes on its way. Brigid would be symbolically welcomed in Irish homes on the day, with a symbolic offering of food and drink. It is also traditional to make St. Brigid’s crosses out of rushes (a straw-like plant); people believed in olden days that these crosses would protect their thatched homes from fire.

5. Brigid is the patron saint of poets…

But that’s not all – she’s also the patron saint of midwives, newborns, Irish nuns, fugitives, blacksmiths, dairymaids, boatmen, chicken farmers, cattle, scholars, sailors, and no doubt many more. She is also, along with Patrick and Columcille, one of the three patron saints of Ireland.

6. Brigid has a special place in the hearts of brewers

Like many women of her time, Brigid was a brewer of ale, and several of her miracles are associated with beer. In those days, beer was regarded as a sanitary, more nutritious alternative to water. Once asked for help by a party of thirsty lepers, Brigid spotted some bathwater being prepared; after she blessed the water it was transformed into beer. Similarly, she once transformed dirty bathwater into clean beer for visiting priests.

Her fondness for beer is commemorated in this delightful poem from the 10th century, in the voice of Brigid:

I'd like to give a lake of beer to God.
I'd love the heavenly
Host to be tippling there
For all eternity.

I'd love the men of Heaven to live with me,
To dance and sing.
If they wanted, I'd put at their disposal
Vats of suffering.

White cups of love I'd give them
With a heart and a half;
Sweet pitchers of mercy I'd offer
To every man.

I'd make Heaven a cheerful spot
Because the happy heart is true.
I'd make the men contented for their own sake.
I'd like Jesus to love me too.

I'd like the people of heaven to gather
From all the parishes around.
I'd give a special welcome to the women,
The three Marys of great renown.

I'd sit with the men, the women and God
There by the lake of beer.
We'd be drinking good health forever
And every drop would be a prayer.

Museum.ie

St Brigid’s Day - a weaving tradition of Celtic rituals, Christian faith and enduring folk customs

Clodagh Doyle, Keeper of the Irish Folklife Collection, outlines some the history of St Brigid's Day and associated customs and traditions.

With its origins in the Celtic fertility festival of Imbolc(giving birth), St Brigid’s Day on February 1 signals the beginning of spring and an end to the darkness of winter, ushering in a new season of hope and growth on the land and the birth of animals on the farm and in the wild.

Our rural ancestors celebrated the day with a festive meal and a host of customs, all aimed at securing St Brigid’s protection and promise of new life and abundance for the year ahead.

The ancient goddess Brigid was associated with the main deities of pre-Christian Gaelic Ireland, the mythical Tuatha Dé Danann. As a fertility goddess she had links to other spring deities across Europe associated with rebirth of nature.

The Christian church adopted the ancient Celtic feast days that were linked to nature and amalgamated them into the Christian calendar. St Brigid’s Day was one of the ‘quarter days’ that marked a transition from one season to the next.

There followed Bealtaine at the start of summer (May 1); Lúnasa, which heralded the harvest season (August 1); and Samhain(November 1) was the beginning of the dark season. These quarter days and many Irish calendar festivals were linked to dates near to solar cycles of solstices and equinoxes.

Brigid the holy woman was a member of the Fogharta sect and has strong connections to the Leinster counties of Kildare and Louth, with hills, wells, shrines and churches in Faughart, north Louth (where she was born) and throughout Kildare where she founded her church. The possible foundations of a fire temple which held an everlasting flame is located in the lands of Kildare Cathedral (a flame continues to burn in the Solas Bhríde centre nearby).

Brigid the saint, along with the other patron saints of Ireland, Patrick and Columba, was never officially made a saint by any Pope (in 1999, however, Pope John Paul II declared another Brigid, St Bridget of Sweden, founder of the religious order of Bridgettines, a patron saint of Europe).

St Brigid in Ireland is associated with nurturing, caregiving and protection from illness - attributes inherited from her ancient namesake.

The interlacing and merging of the characteristics of the goddess and the pagan symbolism of fire and water into those of the saint is similar to the weaving of the natural materials to form the St Brigid crosses.

Irish feast days were most often (or mostly) celebrated on the eve of the day itself as this was considered a very liminal time when the otherworld was very close and appeals for protection and blessing were most effective.

The festive meal in honour of the saint was a supper of potatoes and freshly churned butter; colcannon was made by adding chopped cabbage to the mashed potatoes.

Family members would take turns at pounding the potatoes. This was thought to bring luck and is prevalent in folk traditions, like taking a dash of a churn when making butter.

The feast meal was in thanksgiving for the previous year’s crops, tempered with hope and protection sought for the vegetable crops still to be sown. Afterwards the family made their St Brigid’s crosses.

The St Brigid’s Cross, pinned up above the front door or in the kitchen, is still a familiar feature in many Irish homes. The most recognisable cross is the four-armed St Brigid’s cross (popularised since 1961 by its use as an emblem for the national broadcaster RTÉ). This style was much favoured in the north of Ireland, yet the most popular throughout all of Ireland were variations of diamond-shaped crosses.

Regional styles and variations of St Brigid’s crosses existed and often numerous styles were made in each home. Traditional designs were diamond, interlaced or wheel-shaped and could have two, three or four arms.

The simplest crosses consisted of two strips of wood or straw plaits tied together to form a cross. Straw, rushes and reeds were the most common materials used but grass, hay, wood, goose quills, wire and fabric were also employed, and even sheaves of ripe corn and potatoes. The material was sprinkled with holy water before been made into a cross, while a prayer to welcome the saint into the home was often recited.

St Brigid’s Crosses were also hung in animal sheds. Leftover materials were sprinkled on the crops or incorporated into ropes or bedding for animals to invoke the saint’s blessing as she passed through the country on the eve of her feast day.

The previous year’s cross was often left in its place and the new one placed beside it or the old dried out one broken into fragments and scattered over the land or animals. Newlyweds or those with a new home were often gifted a St Brigid’s Cross for protection and to wish the couple well in starting a family.

On the eve of St Brigid’s day, a cake of bread or a piece of cloth or ribbon (Brat Bríde or Ribín Bríde) was left outside on the windowsill or near the door. It was believed it would be touched by St Brigid on her travels and have the power to ward off illness and pain in both humans and animals. The material was safely kept and used for healing, or incorporated into clothing to offer protection to the wearer.

As for St Brigid’s brat (mantle or cloak); legend has it that in Co Kildare the local king agreed to give Brigid the amount of land that her cloak covered. Once laid, her cloak expanded over much of the county and the king had to forgo much of his land! (A relic of St Brigid’s cloak is kept in St Saviour’s Cathedral in Bruges, Belgium).

Spring, the season of hope, brought better weather and longer days. With it came new life on the farm and new growth on the land. St Brigid offered protection towards fertility for the household, farm, and land, and safeguarded people from illness and disease.

Communities venerated the saint and there were processions where her effigy was paraded represented as a doll. ‘Biddy Boys’ (or girls) went from house-to-house with ‘Biddy’, often a straw doll in a veil (like a bride) and cloak, collecting money and food for a St Brigid’s party, while reciting a rhyme similar to this one:

Here is Brigid dressed in white.
Give her something for the night.
She is deaf, she is dumb,
For God’s sake, give her some.[i]

The Biddy Boys were especially popular in Co Kerry where the dressed straw Brídeogs(brides) were almost life-size and were carried through the streets in elaborate parades.

In parts of Connacht, the Biddy Boys would carry a large plaited straw belt (Crios Bríde) often with incorporated straw crosses. The inhabitants of each home passed through the circle of the belt while reciting a prayer to St Brigid in the hope of gaining the saint’s protection from illness during the coming year.

The belt was raised over the heads of the women and dropped down for them to step out of it. The male occupants had to go through sideways from left to right – arm, leg, head, then the other leg and arm.

This idea of passing through a portal is replicated at many of the holy wells dedicated to St Brigid. One can be found at Brideswell, Co Roscommon. The well was reconstructed in 1625 by the Earl of Antrim, Randal Mac Donnell (he had come with his wife and she partook of the spring waters and later became pregnant with their first child). The stone enclosure around the well allowed for pilgrims to make a stepped journey, as through a portal, to the depths of the well.

Holy wells are found all over Ireland. They are often located by a tree where votive offerings, usually of ribbons and rags are left by pilgrims, in the hope that their prayers will be remembered. It was traditional to visit these holy wells the evening before or on St Brigid’s feast day.

Blessed water from the wells was believed to be a cure for infertility, and for eye cures, based on the legend of St Brigid removing her eye so as not to be married to a suitor.

Beannachtaí na Féile Bríde oraibh go léir!

This article by Clodagh Doyle, Keeper of the Irish Folklife Collection, National Museum of Ireland, was first published in the Irish Arts Review, Volume 39 (4), Winter Edition December 2022 - February 2023, page 128

References:

[i] Danaher, Kevin, The Year in Ireland, Cork, 1972, p30

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