An Irish Imbolc Ritual

Brat Bhríde, Brigid's Cloak. Imbas Dispatch #44

Art by Laura Ramie

A Chairde, Friends,

As we move with nature - as nature - from Samhain into the belly of Imbolc, this threshold crossing is ritualised in Ireland on Oíche Fhéile Bhríde, ‘Brigid’s Eve’ (31st of January) by offering up your Brat Bhríde, your ‘Brigid’s Cloak’ to be blessed by the woman herself, Goddess and Saint Brigid.

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Thresholds

Brigid among her many gifts, is a deity of thresholds. As a goddess, she was the first woman to keen in Ireland over the death of her young son, Rúadán. At this threshold between life and death, it is said that she ‘invented a whistle for signalling at night’. This is the sound of the banshee, a guiding signal to the soul of Rúadán from his mother to help him travel from this world, westwards into the night of the eternal Otherworld.

As a saint, Brigid was the daughter of a Gaelic chieftain, Dubhthach, and a bondwoman, Broicsech from Portugal. She was born neither free nor a slave. Her father was Pagan and her mother was Christian, and as we know, Brigid is both a goddess and a saint. Brigid was born at dawn in the borderlands of night and day. Broicsech gave birth to her daughter in the doorway, with one foot in the house, the other outside. Brigid entered this world on a threshold. Many liminal places on the land, particularly holy wells, are associated with Brigid. We have over 3,000 healing wells on this island.

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Brigid’s Cloak

The Brat Bhríde is a little piece of cloth or ribbon that you leave on your windowsill, beside your door, or in your garden for Brigid, goddess and saint, to bless as she travels by with her otherworldly white cow with red ears. This motif of the ‘cow of plenty’ is a symbol of the abundance of the Otherworld.

This ritual helps guide us from the dark night of Samhain into the healing waters of Imbolc, from the alchemical nigredo or blackening where we must give over to decay, to the albedo or whitening, cleansing and tending the new, emergent seedling that grows from the nutrients of death. Traditionally, the Brat Bhríde is believed to ward off illness for ourselves, our beloveds, and our more-than-human kin for the year ahead by creating a healing strip to use when needed. It is said to be an especially effective remedy for headaches, toothaches, fever, to comfort women during menstruation, for fertility and childbirth, but it can be used for any healing from Brigid.

You can ask for both a personal blessing and a collective healing - for Minnesota, Iran, Palestine, places that our troubled hearts grieve, pray and create for. Visualising Brigid wrapping her mantle around the courageous, the hopeful and the lost.

“O Silver Branches that no Sorrow has Shaken,” said Brigit, “hear one thing more! The Earth wails all night because it has dreamed of beauty.”

Iseult Gonne by Maud Gonne

“Then come with me,” said Brigit, “I am going to put my mantle round the Earth because it has dreamed of beauty.”

Ella Young, Celtic Wonder Tales, 1910

The Ritual

Video: Tobar Bhríde, Brigid’s Well in Co. Kildare with Brigid’s cloaks on the rag tree.

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What you will need:

1. A candle.

2. A piece of cloth or ribbon.

3. Make space on Oíche Fhéile Bhríde, ‘Brigid’s Eve’ on 31st January or in the days that follow.

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Steps:

1. Light a candle to represent Brigid’s perpetual flame, her flame of imbas, wisdom that she illuminates, she who is known as the ‘fiery arrow’.

2. Hold your piece of cloth in your hands, close your eyes, breathe, and with your breath blow your healing petition into your Brat Bhríde.

3. Place the cloth on your windowsill, outside your front door, or on a tree or plant (thanking these more-than-human kin).

4. Invoke your request with your energy by speaking it out loud.

5. The following morning, pick up your cloth. Spend sacred time in silence meditating with it.

6. You can then place your Brat Bhríde on your altar or keep it in a special place to use as required throughout the year. Some folks like to carry it with them, or have it in their car, whatever feels true for you.

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Slí na Sinsear

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While you’re here, my gorgeous anam chara, Aoife Lowden is hosting Slí na Sinsear, ‘Way of the Ancestors’ (growing from Slí na nDaoine Feasa in 2025) beginning in Imbolc. I, along with a cohort of wonderful teachers, will be facilitating on this course if you feel called to join us. You can avail of 10% off when you use the code: JEN10 💚

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For members of The Celtic Creatives, I have a new otherworldly guided audio journey to embody your own brat, or mystical mantle, which I’ll be sharing for our creative ritual next week.

Wishing you every bright blessing as Brigid arrives on your threshold.

Croí isteach,

Jen x