Imbolc

Imbolc or Imbolg (), also called Saint Brigid's Day ( ga, Lá Fhéile Bríde; gd, Là Fhèill Brìghde; gv, Laa'l Breeshey), is a Gaelic traditional festival. It marks the beginning of spring, and for Christians it is the feast day of Saint Brigid, Ireland's patroness saint. It is held on 1 February, which is about halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.Danaher, Kevin (1972) ''The Year in Ireland: Irish Calendar Customs'' Dublin, Mercier. p. 38McNeill, F. Marian (1959, 1961) ''The Silver Bough'', Vol. 1–4. William MacLellan, Glasgow; Vol. 2, pp. 11–42 Historically, its traditions were widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. It is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals, along with: Bealtaine, Lughnasadh and Samhain.

Imbolc is mentioned in early Irish literature, and there is evidence suggesting it was also an important date in ancient times. It is believed that Imbolc was originally a pagan festival associated with the goddess Brigid, and that it was Christianized as the feast day of Saint Brigid, who could be a Christianization of the goddess. The festivities on the feast of Saint Brigid did not begin to be recorded in detail until the early modern era. In recent centuries it was marked by the making of Brigid's crosses and a doll-like figure of Brigid (a ) would be paraded from house-to-house by girls, sometimes accompanied by ' strawboys'. Brigid was said to visit one's home on the eve of the festival. To receive her blessings, people would make a bed for Brigid and leave her food and drink, and items of clothing would be left outside for her to bless. Brigid was also evoked to protect homes and livestock. Special feasts were had, holy wells were visited, and it was a time for divination.

Although many of its customs died out in the 20th century, it is still observed by Christians as a religious holiday and by some non-Christians as a cultural one, and its customs have been revived in some places. Since the latter 20th century, Celtic neopagans and Wiccans have observed Imbolc as a religious holiday. From 2023, "Imbolc/St Brigid's Day" will be an annual public holiday in the Republic of Ireland.

Origins and etymology

Scholars such as historian Ronald Hutton argue that the festival must have pre-Christian origins. Some scholars argue that the date of Imbolc was significant in Ireland since the Neolithic period. A few passage tombs in Ireland are aligned with the sunrise around the times of Imbolc and Samhain. This includes the Mound of the Hostages on the Hill of Tara, and Cairn L at Slieve na Calliagh. Frank Prendergast argues that this alignment is so rare that it is rather a product of chance.

The etymology of Imbolc/Imbolg is unclear. The most common explanation is that it comes from the Old Irish (Modern Irish: ), meaning 'in the belly', and refers to the pregnancy of ewes at this time of year. Joseph Vendryes linked it to the Old Irish verb , 'to wash/cleanse oneself'. He suggested that it referred to a ritual cleansing, similar to the ancient Roman festival ''Februa'' or ''Lupercalia'', which took place at the same time of year.Patterson, Nerys. ''Cattle Lords and Clansmen: The Social Structure of Early Ireland''. University of Notre Dame Press, 1994. p.129 Eric P. Hamp derives it from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning both 'milk' and 'cleansing'. Professor Alan Ward derives it from the Proto-Celtic , 'budding'. The early 10th century Cormac's Glossary has an entry for , calling it the beginning of spring and deriving it from ''oí-melg'' ('ewe milk'), explaining it as "the time that sheep's milk comes". However, linguists believe this is the writer's respelling of the word to give it an understandable etymology.

The '' Táin Bó Cúailnge'' ('Cattle Raid of Cooley') indicates that Imbolc (spelt ''imolg'') is three months after the 1 November festival of Samhain. Imbolc is mentioned in another Old Irish poem about the ''Táin'' in the '' Metrical Dindshenchas'': "'", which Edward Gwynn translates "after Candlemas, rough was their herding". Candlemas is the Christian holy day which falls on 2 February and is known in Irish as , 'feast day of Mary of the Candles'.

Hutton writes that Imbolc must have been "important enough for its date to be dedicated subsequently to Brigid … the Mother Saint of Ireland". Cogitosus, writing in the late 7th century, first mentions a feast day of Saint Brigid being observed in Kildare on 1 February.Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí. ''Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopedia of the Irish folk tradition''. Prentice-Hall Press, 1991. pp.60–61 Brigid is said to have lived in the 6th century and founded the important monastery of Kildare. She became the focus of a major cult. However, there are few historical facts about her, and her early hagiographies "are mainly anecdotes and miracle stories, some of which are deeply rooted in Irish pagan folklore". It is suggested that Saint Brigid is based on Brigid, a Gaelic goddess. Like the saint, the goddess is associated with wisdom, poetry, healing, protection, blacksmithing and domesticated animals, according to '' Cormac's Glossary'' and '' Lebor Gabála Érenn''. It is suggested that the festival, which celebrates the onset of spring, is linked with Brigid in her role as a fertility goddess. According to Hutton, it could be that the goddess Brigid was already linked to Imbolc and this was continued by making it the saint's feast day. Or it could be that Imbolc's association with milk drew the saint to it, because of a legend that she had been the wet-nurse of Christ.

Historic customs

The original pre-Christian festival of Imbolc is mentioned in several early Irish manuscripts, but they say very little about its original rites and customs. Imbolc was treated as one of four seasonal festivals in Gaelic Ireland along with Beltane (1 May), Lughnasadh (1 August) and Samhain (1 November). The tale '' Tochmarc Emire'', which survives in a 10th-century version, names ''Imbolc'' as one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals, and says it is "when the ewes are milked at spring's beginning". This linking of Imbolc with the arrival of lambs and sheep's milk probably reflected farming customs that ensured lambs were born before calves. In late winter/early spring, sheep could survive better than cows on the meager vegetation, and farmers sought to resume milking as soon as possible due to their dwindling stores. The ''Hibernica Minora'' includes an Old Irish poem about the four seasonal festivals, translated by Kuno Meyer (1894). It says "Tasting of each food according to order, this is what is proper at Imbolc: washing the hands, the feet, the head". This suggests ritual cleansing. Prominent folklorist Seán Ó Súilleabháin wrote: "The main significance of the Feast of St. Brigid would seem to be that it was a Christianisation of one of the focal points of the agricultural year in Ireland, the starting point of preparations for the spring sowing. Every manifestation of the cult of the saint (or of the deity she replaced) is bound up in some way with food production".Danaher (1972), ''The Year in Ireland'', p.13

From the 18th century to the mid 20th century, many accounts of St Brigid were recorded by