Brigid Goddess, Druidess and Saint Brian Wright

Brigid
Goddess, Druidess and Saint

Brian Wright

Four stars

I started this book as part of a daily devotion to the Goddess Brighid, and as part of celebrating Imbolc. I found this book to be a very good resource for information and well worth the read if you have interest in the Goddess and/or saint Brighid. I will warn you however that reading this book can be downright painful, it is written in a very dry, scholarly technical, style, reminiscence of college textbooks. This is probably due to the fact that it is written by an archaeologist, folklore historian and lecturer. This book may not be what the reader expects, it is not a book of prayers or rituals dedicated to the Goddess or Saint Brighid, it is not a New Age, or Wicca book on the subject, it is not written by a dedicant of her, it is instead a very serious, scholarly exploration of Brighid. The first chapter focuses on Brigantia and her possible connection to Brighid and how Brighid, was “conceived,'. The second chapter focuses on druidism and how Brighid went from Goddess to saint and explores the possible hows and whys. The rest of the book focuses on her temples, their locations, their layout, what may have been done there, her other names, her attributes, her relics, her feast day, her connections with nature, her folk traditions, how she was seen and celebrated in other countries, etc. The book has a lot of information crammed into it, most subjects are covered in great depth, while a few other left you wanting for more. I think this book ended abruptly and without a real conclusion and I feel the subject of how Brighid is seen and celebrated in modern society should have been covered more in depth.

This book contains as many photos and drawings, historical quotes, prayers, references etc. but surprisingly what it does not contain is any footnotes, works cited, or biblogr1aphy, instead it includes a five page “Further Reading” sections that would be impossible to navigate or really use if one wanted to find or verify his sources!

I do recommend this book to anyone interested on Brighid it is a great resources, just read it slowly and in digestible bites. Take notes, visualize open your minds to the insight this book offers, you may find that your learn something new and useful that you can add to your spiritual practice.


This book is available in paperback, Kindle and Nook.