Editing Imbolc (section)

==Historical customs==
The festival of Imbolc is mentioned in several [[Early Irish literature|early Irish manuscripts]], but they say very little about its original rites and customs.<ref name="stations" /> Imbolc was one of four main 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 four seasonal festivals, and says it is "when the ewes are milked at spring's beginning".<ref name="stations" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Wooing of Emer by Cú Chulainn |url=https://celt.ucc.ie/published/T301021.html |website=Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition}}</ref> 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 sparse vegetation, and farmers sought to resume milking as soon as possible due to their dwindling stores.<ref name="Patterson"/> 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.<ref name="Patterson" /> As a seasonal festival, the timing of Imbolc might originally have been more fluid and linked to the onset of lambing<ref name="koch287"/> and the blooming of [[blackthorn]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Aveni |first=Anthony F. |title=The Book of the Year: A Brief History of Our Seasonal Holidays |publisher=Oxford University Press, USA |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-19-517154-9 |page=38}}</ref>

From the 18th century to the mid-20th century, many St Brigid's Day traditions were recorded by [[folkloristics|folklorists]] and other writers. They tell us how it was celebrated then and shed light on how it may have been celebrated in the past.<ref name="McNeill-1" /><ref name="Danaher2">{{harvnb|Danaher|1972|pp=200–229}}</ref>

===Brigid's crosses===
[[File:House number, New Bridge Street, Downpatrick, February 2010 (02).JPG|thumb|Brigid's cross above a doorway in [[Downpatrick]].]]
In Ireland, [[Brigid's cross]]es (''pictured'') are traditionally made on St Brigid's Day. A Brigid's cross usually consists of rushes woven into a four-armed equilateral cross, although there were also three-armed crosses.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ó Duinn |first=Seán |title=The Rites of Brigid: Goddess and Saint |date=2005 |publisher=Columba Press |isbn=978-1-85607-483-4 |location=Dublin |page=121}}</ref><ref>[[Emyr Estyn Evans|Evans, Emyr Estyn]]. ''Irish Folk Ways'', 1957. p. 268</ref> They are traditionally hung over doors, windows, and stables to welcome Brigid and for protection against fire, lightning, illness, and evil spirits.<ref name="Danaher22-25" /> The crosses are generally left until the next St Brigid's Day.<ref name=stations/> In western [[Connacht]], people made a ''{{lang|ga|Crios Bríde}}'' ({{lang|ga|Bríd}}'s girdle); a great ring of rushes with a cross woven in the middle. Young boys would carry it around the village, inviting people to step through it and be blessed.<ref name=stations/>

===Welcoming Brigid===
[[File:St. Brigid Painting.jpg|thumb|Painting of Saint Brigid with a bowl of fire, a spindle, and a cow in [[St. Patrick's Chapel, Glastonbury]].]]
On St Brigid's Eve, Brigid was said to visit virtuous households and bless the inhabitants.<ref name="stations" /> As Brigid represented the light half of the year and the power that will bring people from the dark season of winter into spring, her presence was vital at this time of year.<ref name="McNeill">McNeill, F. Marian (1959) ''The Silver Bough'', Vol. 1,2,4. William MacLellan, Glasgow</ref><ref name="Carmina5">{{Cite web |title=Carmina Gadelica Vol. 1: II. Aimsire: Seasons: 70 (notes). Genealogy of Bride. Sloinntireachd Bhride |url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/cg1/cg1074.htm |access-date=15 January 2018 |website=Sacred-texts.com}}</ref>

Before going to bed, people would leave items of clothing or strips of cloth outside for Brigid to bless.<ref name="stations" /> The next morning, they would be brought inside and believed to have powers of healing and protection.<ref name="McNeill" /><ref name="Carmina5" />

Brigid would be symbolically invited into the house and a bed would often be made for her. In Ulster, a family member representing Brigid would circle the home three times carrying [[Juncus|rushes]]. They would knock the door three times, asking to be let in. On the third attempt, they are welcomed in, a meal is had, and the rushes are then made into crosses or a bed for Brigid.<ref>{{harvnb|Danaher|1972|pp=20–21, 97–98}}</ref> In 18th-century [[Isle of Man|Mann]], the custom was to stand at the door with a bundle of rushes and say "Brede, Brede, come to my house tonight. Open the door for Brede and let Brede come in". Similarly, in [[County Donegal]], the family member who was sent to fetch the rushes knelt on the front step and repeated three times, "Go on your knees, open your eyes, and let in St Brigid". Those inside the house answered three times, "She's welcome".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ray (2) {{!}} The Schools' Collection |url=https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4493669/4409429 |access-date=13 February 2022 |website=dúchas.ie |language=en}}</ref> The rushes were then strewn on the floor as a carpet or bed for Brigid. In the 19th century, some old Manx women would make a bed for Brigid in the barn with food, ale, and a candle on a table.<ref name="stations" /> The custom of making Brigid's bed was prevalent in the [[Hebrides]] of Scotland, where it was recorded as far back as the 17th century. A bed of hay or a basket-like cradle would be made for Brigid. Someone would then call out three times: "''{{lang|gd|a Bhríd, a Bhríd, thig a stigh as gabh do leabaidh}}''" ("{{lang|gd|Bríd Bríd}}, come in; thy bed is ready").<ref name=stations/> A corn dolly called the ''dealbh Bríde'' (icon of Brigid) would be laid in the bed and a white wand, usually made of birch, would be laid beside it.<ref name=stations/> It represented the wand that Brigid was said to use to make the vegetation start growing again.<ref>Carmichael, ''Carmina Gadelica'', p. 582</ref> Women in some parts of the Hebrides would also dance while holding a large cloth and calling out "''{{lang|gd|Bridean, Bridean, thig an nall 's dean do leabaidh}}''" ("{{lang|gd|Bríd, Bríd}}, come over and make your bed").<ref name=stations/>

In the Outer Hebrides, ashes from the fire would be raked smooth, and, in the morning, people would look for some mark on the ashes as a sign that Brigid had visited.<ref name="stations" /><ref name="monaghan256">Monaghan, Patricia. ''The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore''. Infobase Publishing, 2004. p. 256.</ref> If there was no mark, they believed bad fortune would come unless they [[Animal sacrifice|buried a cockerel]] at the meeting of three streams as an offering and burned incense on their fire that night.<ref name=stations/>

===Brigid's procession===
In Ireland and Scotland, a representation of Brigid would be paraded around the community by girls and young women. Usually, it was a doll known as a ''{{lang|ga|Brídeóg}}'' ('little Brigid'), called a 'Breedhoge' or 'Biddy' in English. It would be made from [[Juncus|rushes]] or [[reed (plant)|reeds]] and clad in bits of cloth, flowers, or shells.<ref name="stations" /><ref name="monaghan256" /> In the Hebrides of Scotland, a bright shell or crystal called the ''{{lang|gd|reul-iuil Bríde}}'' (guiding star of Brigid) was set on its chest. The girls would carry it in procession while singing a hymn to Brigid. All wore white with their hair unbound as a symbol of purity and youth. They visited every house in the area, where they received either food or more decoration for the {{lang|gd|Brídeóg}}. Afterward, they feasted in a house with the {{lang|gd|Brídeóg}} set in a place of honour, and put it to bed with lullabies. When the meal was done, the local young men humbly asked for admission, made obeisance to the {{lang|gd|Brídeóg}}, and joined the girls in dancing and merrymaking.<ref name="stations" /> In many places, only unwed girls could carry the {{lang|gd|Brídeóg}}, but in some both boys and girls carried it.<ref>Monaghan, p. 58.</ref>

In parts of Ireland, rather than carrying a {{lang|gd|Brídeóg}}, a girl took on the role of Brigid. Escorted by other girls, she went house-to-house wearing 'Brigid's crown' and carrying 'Brigid's shield' and 'Brigid's cross', all made from rushes.<ref name="Danaher22-25">{{harvnb|Danaher|1972|pp=22–25}}</ref> The procession in some places included 'strawboys', who wore conical straw hats, masks and played folk music; much like the [[Wren Day|wrenboys]].<ref name="Danaher22-25" /> Up until the mid-20th century, children in Ireland still went house-to-house asking for pennies for "poor Biddy", or money for the poor. In [[County Kerry]], men in white robes sang from house to house.<ref>Monaghan, p. 44.</ref>

===Weather lore===
[[File:Snowdrop.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Snowdrops in the snow]]
The festival is traditionally associated with [[weather lore]], and the old tradition of watching to see if serpents or badgers came from their winter dens may be a forerunner of the North American [[Groundhog Day]]. A Scottish Gaelic proverb about the day is:
{{Verse translation|{{lang|gd|Thig an nathair as an toll
Là donn Brìde,
Ged robh trì troighean dhen t-sneachd
Air leac an làir.}}
|The serpent will come from the hole
On the brown Day of Bríde,
Though there should be three feet of snow
On the flat surface of the ground.<ref name="Carmina1">Carmichael, Alexander (1900) ''Carmina Gadelica: Hymns and Incantations, Ortha Nan Gaidheal, Volume I'', p.&nbsp;169 [http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/cg1/cg1074.htm The Sacred Texts Archive]</ref>}}

Imbolc was believed to be when the [[Cailleach]]—the divine [[hag]] of Gaelic tradition—gathers her firewood for the rest of the winter. Legend has it that if she wishes to make the winter last a good while longer, she will make sure the weather on Imbolc is bright and sunny so that she can gather plenty of firewood. Therefore, people would be relieved if Imbolc is a day of foul weather, as it means the Cailleach is asleep and winter is almost over.<ref name="Briggs2">Briggs, Katharine (1976) ''An Encyclopedia of Fairies''. New York, Pantheon Books., pp.&nbsp;57–60</ref> At Imbolc on the Isle of Man, where she is known as ''{{lang|gv|Caillagh ny Groamagh}}'', the Cailleach is said to take the form of a gigantic bird carrying sticks in her beak.<ref name="Briggs2" />

===Other customs===
Families would have a special meal or supper on St Brigid's Eve to mark the last night of winter.<ref name="stations" /> This typically included food such as [[colcannon]], [[sowans]], [[dumpling]]s, [[barmbrack]] or [[Bannock (British food)|bannocks]].<ref name="danaher15" /> Often, some of the food and drink would be set aside for Brigid.<ref name="stations" />

In Ireland, a [[spring cleaning]] was customary around St Brigid's Day.<ref name="danaher15"/>

People traditionally visit [[holy well]]s and pray for health while walking '[[sunwise]]' around the well. They might then leave offerings, typically coins or strips of cloth/ribbon (see [[clootie well]]). Historically, water from the well was used to bless the home, family members, livestock, and fields.<ref name="danaher15">{{harvnb|Danaher|1972|p=15}}</ref><ref>Monaghan, p. 41.</ref>

Scottish writer [[Donald Alexander Mackenzie]] also recorded in the 19th century that offerings were made "to earth and sea". The offering could be milk poured into the ground or porridge poured into the water as a [[libation]].<ref>Mackenzie, Donald. ''Wonder Tales from Scottish Myth and Legend'' (1917). p. 19.</ref>

In [[County Kilkenny]], graves were decorated with box and laurel flowers (or any other flowers that could be found at that time). A Branch of Virginity was decorated with white ribbons and placed on the grave of a recently deceased maiden.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Scoil na mBráthar, Calainn {{!}} The Schools' Collection |url=https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4758529/4752101 |access-date=13 February 2022 |website=dúchas.ie |language=en}}</ref>