[Originally from “Carmina Gadelica,” 1900, collected and edited by Alexander Carmichael.
Adaptations made to account for Christian bias of the author’s time and for subsequent research.
Original at https://archive.org/stream/carminagadelicah03carm#page/n215/mode/2up
Adaptation at http://www.brigidsflame.com/brigidpoems.html ]

The genealogy of the holy maiden Brigit,
Radiant arrow of flame, noble foster-mother of Gods.
Brigit the daughter of the Dagda,
Dagda the Good God, the son of Ethlinn,
Ethlinn the daughter of Balor,
Balor the king of the Fomoire.

Every day and every night
That I say the genealogy of Brigit,
I shall not be killed, I shall not be injured,
I shall not be enchanted, I shall not be cursed,
Neither shall my power leave me.

No earth, no sod, no turf shall cover me,
No fire, no sun, no moon shall burn me,
No water, no lake, no sea shall drown me,
No air, no wind, no vapour shall sicken me,
No glamour out of Faery shall o’ertake me,
And I under the protection of the holy maiden,
My gentle foster-mother, my beloved Brigit.

* * *

Brigid (or Brighid, Bridget, Brid, Bride, Brigantia, etc) is a multi-faceted entity and Her essence can be found in the Goddess figures for most European cultures. She is typically considered a Triple Goddess, and fulfills that role as Maiden – patron of poetry and the arts; Mother – protector of the home and childbirth; and Crone – healer and wise-woman. She is also the patron Saint/Goddess of the Forge, often said to be a smith, sometimes said to be the wife of the Smith. (I would argue this would mean She is a four-fold Goddess: Maiden – Warrior – Mother – Crone, but that is my personal perception.)

All of those categories involve the use of tools: the pen and ink of writing (and it’s modern equivalents), and the tools for “homecrafts” and healing; the forging/fabrication of agricultural tools to feed the home and the livestock, and the healing crafts of herbalism and medicine.

ALL of human advancement can be tied to the use of tools – and it is on Brigid’s feast day that we seek Her blessings for those items which serve us in our service to Her, to our Community, and to ourselves. We do well to seek Her favor as we tend to our needs, as we tend to our dreams, as we tend to our spirits.

* * *

~POEM OF BRIGID~
< http://circleofthesacredmuse.com/celebrations/imbolc/ >

Brigid they name me
And three gifts of fire I bring:
First, the flame of inspiration,
Frenzy of poet and anguish of artist,
And passion of lover for union with the beloved;
Second, the fierce fire of the smith-craft,
Through whose testing all must pass;
And third, the most precious of all,
Which eases the second’s pain,
The undying warmth of healing,
The last and greatest gift
Of the ever-returning sun.

* * *

Let us remember, as well, that our minds themselves are tools – that we cannot manifest that which we cannot envision. So at this time of cleansing and purifying our physical instruments, let us also cleanse the cobwebs from our minds, cleanse the mud from our bodies, and cleanse the anger from our souls.

* * *

~SAINT BRIGID’S BLESSING~
< http://brigidine.org.au/reflections/hymns-prayers-poems/st-brigids-blessing/ >

May Brigid bless the house wherein you dwell
Bless every fireside every wall and door
Bless every heart that beats beneath its roof
Bless every hand that toils to bring it joy
Bless every foot that walks its portals through
May Brigid bless the house that shelters you.