Song, Chant, Poetry, Stories and Satire for the Pagan Community

This entry made: 11/04/1997

Title: A Hymn to Bridget
Lyrics by: Isaac Bonewits and Sheanin Bell
Tune: Roving Galway Boy/Spancil Hill (Irish Traditional)
Date: 1983, 119996
Source: http://www.qed.net/Bonewits/IB_Songs.HTML
Recorded on: "Be Pagan Once Again" - available here
Subject: Goddess

Key of C

A Bhrid, ár gcroí, an-gheal Bheanríon; lo de thoil é beannachta sinn.
Is sinn bhur leanaí, is tu ár mamaí; bí ag isteacht dúinn mar sin.
Is tu an coire, anois inár doire*; a Bhean-Feasa tinfím orainn.
A thine ghrá, a thine bheatha; lo de thoil é ag teacht Bhrid dúinn!

O Bridget, our heart, o brightest Queen; cast your blessings unto us.
We are your children, you are our mother; so hearken unto us.
You are the cauldron, now in our grove*; Wise Woman inspire us.
O fire of love, o fire of life; please Bridget, come to us!

(solo) Repeat first verse.
(two or more voices) Repeat first and second verses simultaneously.


[This was one of the first bilingual songs I wrote, and shows my 
childlike Irish vocabulary ("mamaí," for example, is closer to "mommy" 
than to "mother"). However, for a Goddess of Mothers (as well as
fire/sun/inspiration, etc.), the phrasing seems appropriate.

* alternate Irish wording for ritual use: "fane" = circle, "seomra" = room 
-- neither of which rhymes with "coire" (which is an Irish pun on the 
words for "sheep" and "cauldron," both of which are appropriate for
Bride), but then classical Old Irish songs didn't rhyme either!]

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