Brigid and Samhain

Brigid and Samhain don’t really go together, do they? She has no real direct links to Samhain, Imbolc being her gig. But all the same there are some things that link her to Samhain, in a loose, non-specific way. (I’ve written more about Samhain and cycles in general here)

Brigid and keening

Brigid was the one who taught us keening (see Caith Maigh Tuired 2), the proper way to mourn our dead. And Samhain is the time for remembering those who have passed on. There are traditions in Ireland kept to this day on this time of year. Laying out the extra place at the table on Halloween night (Oíche Samhna) for any passing departed family member or friend who wants to pop in.

The whole month of November is devoted to the dead in the Catholic tradition. (also called Samhain in Irish, or Mí na Samhna as we learnt it in school). All Saints’ Day being November 1st and All Souls’ Day being November 2nd. There are increased numbers of prayers for the departed throughout the month. It’s a long standing tradition in this country of visiting a graveyard to pray for those buried there, during the month of November.

Remembering the dead is a big deal at this time of year in this country. And as for those who pass away at this time of year… Well it’s not lucky to pass away at all, but it’s generally accepted with all the extra prayers going on, it’s not a bad time of year to go. The prayers can give you a head start on the way out of purgatory, y’see.

Brigid and the dead

It’s important too, to remember the graves of those who have gone before us. Many parishes hold their Cemetery Sundays in the summer, a reason to give the grave a spruce up for the occasion. November is a time when families will bring fresh flowers or ornaments to the graves as well, in remembrance. It’s not precisely that the Irish practice ancestor worship, you understand. It’s more the respect to the dead is strong in this country and particularly in November. And with Brigid’s relationship to the dead and the dead’s relationship to Samhain…

Stories, usually ghost stories…

It’s a time too for remembering those who have gone before us. Invariably at this time of year, someone always tells the story of my Nana as a ghost. It was coming close to the last day in November. and Nana hadn’t made it to a graveyard because of one thing and another. So late one afternoon, she hopped on her bike and cycled over. It being November and Ireland, she was well wrapped up in her good coat, which happened to be very pale in colour.

And it being November and twilight at best, dark at worst, she didn’t want to go too far into the graveyard for fear of who or what she might meet. So she hopped in over the style and knelt down just inside the wall to say some prayers. As she was finishing up, she saw two neighbours coming towards her and thought, brilliant, we can cycle home together. So she lept up onto the style and called out to them. They, seeing only a pale, wavering figure appear out of nowhere at the edge of a graveyard, took great fright. They took to their heels (well pedals!) with force. Nana, not wanting to be left behind, hopped on the bike to come after them. causing them to pedal with even more intent.

It was only when she arrived home, crossly wondering what in blazes was wrong with the women, that she realised the sight she must have presented.

This story always promotes a great laugh in our family. While Nana was formidable, she was also four foot nothing, with blonde hair… So you can imagine the image the two women saw on the wall of the graveyard, on a dark night…

Across the country, people tell lots of stories at this time of year. . Have a look at An Scealaí Beag’s Patreon offering for this month for some of the darker tales of this time of year. But I’ll get back to Brigid now.

The last festival before Imbolc

For me, Samhain marks the last quarter of the year before Imbolc. I see it as November for the dead, honouring them, remembering them, praying for them, hoping they’re well and happy. And, Brigid wants us honouring and grieving our dead at Samhain. Didn’t she give us keening after all? Nollag is for celebrating in the face of the winter’s darkness, taking joy in the living, in the young, in the future, in the hope. (Nollag is the word for Christmas in Irish, again applying to the whole month of December. Also used for Yule)

By Christmas Day, the days are, technically, getting longer again, once the winter solstice is over. It’s celebrating almost in defiance of the darkness. Holding the strong belief that the light and growth will return. January for me is cleaning up and getting into the final preparations for Imbolc. It’s clearing out the old, making room for the new to take root and grow. it’s investigating the dark corners of both home and soul, to see what lies stagnant that needs cleaning or removing or dusting or replacing. It’s a time for making things stretch as well, until the first green shoots start to show and depending on the joy from Christmas to last us through this last darkness before the Spring comes again.

These days of course, the darkness of a December night has less effect on us and the difference in days length between December and January is difficult to notice. And yet, we embrace the light in the darkness – look at how many of our Christmas (and indeed other religious traditions) traditions revolve around light – decorations, candles, even brightly coloured wrapping paper. But the notion of a spring clean is a good one, and still prevalent among many people.

But Samhain, Orlagh?

Back to Samhain then. And Brigid. This is the time when the harvest is over, first, second and last. Noone will take a berry or nut from the plant after this night, since the Devil or the Other Crowd (depending your persuasion) will have taken the goodness from them on Oíche Samhna. What we have now, is what we have to see out the winter.

These rhythms don’t worry us as much now, with modern farming and supply chains. But it’s good to remember a time when the apples from the first harvest were safely packed away and brought out on this night as a treat. When the nuts we buy in bushels from the shop now were a real vital filling food to keep things going, calorie wise, for the winter. When the berries were the last sweet treat for a while and when the first green shoots in spring were a craved-for experience.

Why worry about Brigid at Samhain at all?

Brigid cares about us – why wouldn’t she, and we her people. even at Samhain. She wants us to do well – as communities, as individuals. She wants us to survive the coming winter while accepting that not all will. And she wants us to have the appropriate way of grieving for those who do leave us. Many people who follow Brigid are not Catholic, have never been Catholic, have no wish to be Catholic. Equally, many people who follow Brigid are not Irish, have never been Irish, have no wish to be Irish. And those people come from different traditions and habits. But I speak here as an Irish pagan Catholic, deeply rooted in those traditions and habits. I view Brigid through that lens, through the lore, through the traditions of my forebears.

November is for the dead. Remembering them. Praying for them. Making sure we’re right with them, making sure we’ve not left them out. It’s not to keep them with us, for surely they have their own journeys to be about, but to know there’s a place for them here if they wish it.

Admittedly, everyone has some ancestor they don’t want visiting, and you deal with them as you would any unwanted visitor.

But the loved ones, the ones who are welcome, wherever they are, it does us no harm to remember them and wish them well. And Brigid knows and understands grief. She knows and understands loss. She knows the immediate sharp pain and the longer, dull ache of realising someone isn’t there any more. November gives us the chance to grieve. Brigid might not be the main deity associated with Samhain. But Brigid and Samhain surely have a connection.