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To understand Brigid, the Christian saint, one needs to look briefly at the ancient
beliefs that prevailed in Ireland prior to the coming of Christianity.
Male and female deities, one of which was Brigid, were revered and worshipped in ancient
Ireland. A great cult surrounded her. She is associated in Irish folklore and literature
with the gifts of poetry, healing and smithcraft, and is also identified with nurture,
fertility and fire. With the coming of Christianity to Ireland, the power of the older
beliefs and practices, including, for example, the use of sacred wells, the Celtic
celebration of Imbolc and the use of fire.
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