Brigit at Glastonbury, According to the Rev. Lionel Smithett Lewis, M. A.

 A dear friend of mine, once the owner of a secondhand bookstore where many a joyful hour was spent, is getting rid of her library as she prepares to move into assisted living. She gave me first crack, and I found this little gem of the Glastonbury Saint Brigit mythos.

The full title is Glastonbury “The Mother of Saints” – Her Saints A.D. 37–1539. It was published at Christmas, 1925, of which 1000 copies were printed. This is from the second edition, Christmas, 1927, of which 2000 copies were printed. The author, Rev. Lionel Smithett Lewis, M. A., was the vicar of Glastonbury.

Below you will find photographic images of the cover and pages pertinent to Saint Brigit, here called Saint Bride. Now, do remember to take every detail of this with a large cellar of salt. Click on the images to see a larger size.

“Là Fhèill Brìghde”, by Annie Loughlin

Check out Annie Loughlin's article “Là Fhèill Brìghde” on her site Tairis: A Gaelic Polytheist Website.

Annie is a careful researcher and clear writer, who, bless her heart, graces her site with footnotes. She is also writing from a Scottish perspective, though of course she covers the Irish material as well.

I'll tantalize you with her opening:

Throughout the Gaelic world Brìde is one of the most popular saints, and is commonly known as the foster-mother of Christ and midwife of Mary. An apocryphal tale tells of how Brìde was in Bethlehem at the time of Christ’s birth. She answered a knock on the door and found Mary and Joseph looking for a place to stay, but was forced to turn them away. Before they left, however, she gave them water and some of her own bannock, seeing that they had had a long journey. Once they had left, Brìde turned round to find the bannock miraculously whole and the stoup of water full again. Knowing something out of the ordinary was happening, Brìde went looking for the couple and, seeing a strange star in the sky, followed it and found them in the stable, where Mary was about to give birth. Full of compassion, Brìde went to Mary’s aid and helped deliver her child.1

It is because of the events in this tale that Brìde is given the day before Candlemas as her own festival. Candlemas celebrates the ritual purification of Mary after giving birth, since Mary was said to be so grateful to her for her help. In parts of Ireland, it is said that Brìde helped distract the crowd present when Mary brought Jesus to the temple by parading ahead of Mary wearing a headdress of lighted candles, and it was because of this that Mary decreed that Bride should have a festival dedicated to her on the day before Mary’s own.2

There is often some confusion over the dating of Là Fhèill Brìghde, which is often given the same date as the Christian festival of Candlemas, on February 2. However, bearing in mind the tradition of Brìde being Mary’s midwife, Là Fhèill Brìghde actually falls on February 1 (or February 13, Old Style) the day before Candlemas. Candlemas and Là Fhèill Brìghde are therefore not the same festivals.

Now! Off with you to her website to read the full text.

Oh, Dear. Sacred Beer.

Everybody loves the prayer attributed to Saint Brigit about serving ale to Jesus and his crew. I love it. But maybe this new product is going a tad too far. (AND it is an odd "translation". Although, who knows, maybe they had a different original than the one I'm familiar with. To be fair.) But I bet I will be in the minority on this one. Even sober I can't help cracking a bit of a smile at it.

That is:

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 sit with the men,

The women of God

There by the lake of beer.

We’d be drinking

Good health forever

And every drop

Would be a prayer.

And now the "real" translation. (Of course, I have not read the Old Irish, myself, so what do I know?)

Aengus Cèile Dè

“I should like a great lake of ale

For the king of kings;

I should like the family of heaven

To be drinking it through time eternal.”

                             (8^th century)

Translation found in Beith, M., (1995) Healing Threads: Traditional Medicines of the Highlands and Islands. Thanks to Morgan Daimler, Pagan Portals: Brighid for this.

***

If you would like to purchase, or simply gawp at, this plaque, go to The Catholic Company site:

Saint Brigid "Lake of Beer" Tin Sign

Product Description

•     Creative tin sign themed for Ireland's faith and drink of choice 
•     Original gift idea
•     Easy to feature in a den or office 
•     Features poem by St. Brigid, Patroness of Ireland 
•     Exclusive to The Catholic Company

•    Item #: 9850126
•    Price: $16.95

Details

How about an aluminum sign that instantly enhances the character of a room? This one rouses authentic faith and good spirits.

Saint Brigid's timeless words are captured on a Guinness-inspired pint, and set against a map that traces the geography of Ireland's roving hills.

The size makes it easy to feature in home or office, and has layers of rich meaning and substance every bit as cool as St. Brigid herself.

Dimensions & Specifications

•     8" (W) x 12" (L)
•     2 side holes for easy hanging 
•     Material: Aluminum