Who was this woman Brigid, who occupied and continues to occupy such
an important place in the hearts and devotions of the people of Ireland? Brigid's origins
are wrapped in a shroud of mystery, and the more one tries to unravel the mystery,
the more the mystery deepens. Historically, very little is known about this popular saint.
Folklore, story, myth, legend, poetry, hagiography and topography abound in relation to
Brigid. These sources have a symbolic significance that can lead one to very deep truths.
The Irish psyche is a storehouse of such treasures.
The writers of the early Lives of the
Saints (hagiography) focused more on the wonders and miracles wrought by the particular
saint than on historical facts. The Vita Brigitae - Life of Brigid written by Cogitosus,
who may have been a Brigidine monk in Kildare in the latter half of the7th century, is
the earliest surviving written record of the tradition. In the life, the main emphasis
is on Brigid's faith, her healing powers, her skill with animals, her hospitality, her
generosity and, especially, her concern for the poor, the oppressed or the embarrassed.
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