THEO 228 Lecture Notes - Lecture 23: Brigid Of Kildare, Celtic Christianity, Cogitosus
20 Mar 2020
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The irish life of bridget: we encountered saint brigid at the beginning of this unit, through a tenth-century poetic envisioning of an ale-feast held by her in honour of god. I would like to draw your attention now backward in time to a much earlier hymn about. Brigid (or brigit, or bride in scotland) from the seventh century. It"s called ultan"s hymn, and while thoroughly christian, it nonetheless retains elements of her pre-christian roots, witnessing once again to a remarkably accommodative spirit of continuity with the past. Woman ever excellent: ultan"s hymn is the earliest extant hymn written in the irish language, interweaving of christian characterisation with pre-christian attributes, brigid from celtic goddess known as brigantia or brig. Daughter of the great good father god, the dagda: venerated as a mother goddess of fertility and craft. The historical brigid: saint brigid"s biographical information is thin and contradictory.
