(Left, "Carmina Gadelica: Hymns and Incantations from the Gaelic," collected by Alexander Carmichael and presented by John Macinnes. Published by Lindisfarne Books.)

Prayers to Brighid in the Carmina Gadelica

By Francine Nicholson

The Carmina Gadelica is a nineteenth-century collection of folklore recorded by Alexander Carmichael during his visits to the Highlands of Scotland. A large portion of the collection is devoted to the customs associated with Bride, as she was known in the Highlands, and her feast-day. Below are a few of the prayers or ortha from the collection. First is the quern (churn) blessing which calls for the favor of a grand feast; it’s as much a work song as a prayer. Butter was strongly associated with Imbolc. At that time of year, butter may have been made from sheep’s milk rather than cow’s.

Beannachadh Brathain (The Quern Blessing)
Sloinntireachd Bhride (Genealogy of Bride)
Bride Ban-Chobhair (Bride the Aid-Woman)
Smaladh An Teine (Smooring the Fire)

BEANNACHADH BRATHAIN [92]

Bi feoil againn,
'S bu choir 'uinn sin
Bu choir 'uinn sin.

Leth-cheann circe,
'S da ghreim coma,
'S bu leoir 'uinn sin
Bu leoir 'uinn sin.

Bi bin againn,
Bi beoir againn,
Bi fion againn,
Bi roic againn.
Meilc is marrum,
Mil is bainne,
Sile fallain,
Meall dheth sin,
Meall dheth sin.

Bi cruit againn,
Bi clar againn,
Bi dus againn,
Bi das againn;
Bi saltair ghrinn,
Nan teuda binn,
'S bi fairchil, righ'nn
Nan dan againn,
Nan dan againn.

Bi Bride bhithe, bhana, leinn,
Bi Moire mhine mhathar, leinn.
Bi Micheal mil
Nan lanna liobh,
'S bi Righ nan righ,
'S bi Iosa Criosd
'S bith Spiorad sith
Nan grasa leinn,
Nan grasa leinn.

THE QUERN BLESSING

We shall have flesh,
We should have that
We should have that.

The cheek of hen,
Two bits of barley,
That were enough
That were enough.

We shall have mead,
We shall have spruce,
We shall have wine,
We shall have feast.
We shall have sweetness and milk produce,
Honey and milk,
Wholesome ambrosia,
Abundance of that,
Abundance of that.

We shall have harp, (small ?)
We shall have harp, (pedal ?)
We shall have lute,
We shall have horn.
We shall have sweet psaltery
Of the melodious strings
And the regal lyre,
Of the songs we shall have,
Of the songs we shall have.

The calm fair Bride will be with us,
The gentle Mary mother will be with us.
Michael the chief
Of glancing glaves,
And the King of kings
And Jesus Christ,
And the Spirit of peace
And of grace will be with us,
Of grace will be with us.

The so-called Genealogy of Bride begins by reciting the reputed ancestors of the saint but then calls on their help as protectors.

SLOINNTIREACHD BHRIDE [70]

Lasair dhealrach oir, muime chorr Chriosda.
Bride nighinn Dughaill duinn,
Mhic Aoidh, mhic Airt, mhic Cuinn,
Mhic Crearair, mhic Cis, mhic Carmaig, mhic Carruinn.

Gach la agus gach oidhche
Ni mi sloinntireachd air Bride,
Cha mharbhar mi, cha spuillear mi,
Cha charcar mi, cha chiurar mi,
Cha mhu dh' fhagas Criosd an dearmad mi.

Cha 1oisg teine, grian, no gealach mi,
Cha bhath luin, li, no sala mi,
Cha reub saighid sithich, no sibhich mi,
Is mi fo chomaraig mo Naomh Muire
Is i mo chaomh mhuime Bride.

GENEALOGY OF BRIDE

Radiant flame of gold, noble foster-mother of Christ.
Bride the daughter of Dugall the brown,
Son of Aodh, son of Art, son of Conn,
Son of Crearar, son of Cis, son of Carmac, son of Carruin.

Every day and every night
That I say the genealogy of Bride,
I shall not be killed, I shall not be harried,
I shall not be put in cell, I shall not be wounded,
Neither shall Christ leave me in forgetfulness.

No fire, no sun, no moon shall burn me,
No lake, no water, nor sea shall drown me,
No arrow of fairy nor dart of fay shall wound me,
And I under the protection of my Holy Mary,
And my gentle foster-mother is my beloved Bride.

Stories of St. Brigid say that she aided Mary, the mother of Jesus, during child-birth. Following this example, Highland and Irish women called on Bride to help them during that time when the effort to bring life might end in death.

BRIDE BAN-CHOBHAIR [71]

Moire gheal is Bride;
Mar a rug Anna Moire,
Mar a rug Moire Criosda,
Mar a rug Eile Eoin Baistidh
Gun mhar-bhith dha dhi,
Cuidich thusa mise 'm asaid,
Cuidich mi a Bhride!

Mar a gheineadh Criosd am Moire
Comhliont air gach laimh,
Cobhair thusa mise, mhoime,
An gein a thoir bho 'n chnaimh;
'S mar a chomhn thu Oigh an t-solais,
Gun or, gun odh, gun ni,
Comhn orm-sa, 's mor m' othrais,
Comhn orm a Bhride!

BRIDE THE AID-WOMAN

Mary fair and Bride;
As Anna bore Mary,
As Mary bore Christ,
As Eile bore John the Baptist
Without flaw in him,
Aid thou me in mine unbearing,
Aid me, O Bride!

As Christ was conceived of Mary
Full perfect on every hand,
Assist thou me, foster-mother,
The conception to bring from the bone;
And as thou didst aid the Virgin of joy,
Without gold, without corn, without kine,
Aid thou me, great is my sickness,
Aid me, O Bride!

Smooring the fire, that is, banking the coals before going to bed, was a ceremony performed each night (as portrayed in the film, Secret of Roan Inish). At Bride’s feast, this action took on added meaning: the next morning, the ashes were examined for traces of Bride’s visit during the night.

SMALADH AN TEINE [85]

Mar a chaireadh Muire,
Caim Bhride's Mhuire,
Car an tula's car an lair,
'S car an ardraich uile.

Co iad air liana muigh ?
Micheal grian-gheal mo luin.
Co iad air meadhon lair ?
Eoin, Peadail, agus Pail.
Co iad ri bial mo stoc ?
Moire ghrian-gheal's a Mac.

Bial Dia dh' orduich,
Aingheal Dia bhoinich,
Aingheal geal an car an tealla,
Gon tig la geal gu beola.
Aingheal geal an car an tealla,
Gon rig la geal gu beola,

SMOORING THE FIRE

As Mary would build it.
The encompassment of Bride and of Mary,
Guarding the hearth, guarding the floor,
Guarding the household all.

Who are they on the lawn without ?
Michael the sun-radiant of my trust.
Who are they on elm middle of the floor
John and Peter and Paul.
Who are they by the front of my bed ?
Sun-bright Mary and her Son.

The mouth of God ordained,
The angel of God proclaimed,
An angel white in charge of the hearth
Till white day shall come to the embers.
An angel white in charge of the hearth
Till white day shall come to the embers.

The following ortha is suitable as is for use by believers of all faiths.

SMALADH AN TEINE [84]

A chumhnadh,
A chomhnadh,
A chomraig
An tula,
An taighe,
An teaghlaich,
An oidhche,
An nochd,
O! an oidhche,
An nochd,
Agus gach oidhche,
Gach aon oidhche.
Amen.

SMOORING THE FIRE

To save,
To shield,
To surround
The hearth,
The house,
The household,
This eve,
This night,
Oh! this eve,
This night,
And every night,
Each single night.
Amen.

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