Brigid is the Goddess of Earth, Sea and Sky. The Sacred Flame of Brigid continues to burn brightly at Kildare, Ireland. For thousands of years it burned in honor of the Goddess Brigid, tended by nineteen Priestesses dedicated to Her. Each Priestess tended the flame for a day, and on the twentieth day, the flame was tended by the Goddess Brigid herself.

With the coming of christianity, the church suppressed the worship of the Goddess Brigid, but in fine Irish fashion, the people simply worshiped Her as St. Brigid and Her Sacred Flames continued to burn in Her honor. Today, nineteen Nuns tend Brigid's sacred flame and on the twentieth day, Brigid Herself still watches over Her sacred fire.
Lady, Goddess, mother, friend
End your

The Celtic horse goddess whose authority extended even beyond death, accompanying the soul on its final journey. She was worshipped throughout entire Gaul, and as far as the Danube and Rome. Her cult was eventually adopted by the Roman army and they spread her worship wherever they went. She was the only Celtic Goddess to be honored by the Romans with a temple in their capital city. Among the Gaulish Celts themselves, she was worshipped as goddess of horses, asses, mules, oxen, and, to an extent, springs and rivers.

Epona is depicted sitting side saddle or lying on a horse, or standing with multiple horses around her. Her symbol is the Cornucopia ("horn of plenty") which suggests that she could (originally) have been a fertility goddess. She is also identified with the Celtic goddess Edain.
Epona, from Celtic Gaul, was especially worshipped as a protectress of horses, a bringer of fecundity to mares, and a giver of well being to fools. She was the only Celtic goddess to be adopted by the Romans. A lunar goddess, Epona is often depicted with a cornucopia, a symbol of abundance and plenty. Like the symbol of the horse, she is a bringer of fertility, a source of inspiration, and a figure of death-a psychopomp on the soul's final journey. As late as the twelfth century, Irish kings underwent a ceremony of symbolic birth from Epona in the form of a white more as part of claiming their kingship. In ancient days, a king was ritually wedded to the goddess as part of becoming king. Comfortable in both the realm of life and that of death, Epona is a strong symbol of independence, nurturing, intuitive understanding, instinct and vitality.
Epona
THE FRMINIST COMPANIONTO MYTHOLOGY. edited by Larrington, Carolyn. Hammersmith, London. Pandora Press. 1992, 125 -127

Epona is well known to Celtic scholars through her possible connections with the figure of Rhiannon in Pedeir Keinc Y Mabinogi. Her name is associated with the Celtic word for horse. As a goddess, images of her appear in many Celtic contexts, but there are patterns of variation and localization which caution against a too-ready tendency to think of her in pan-Celtic terms.

Epona is always accompanied by a horse, either riding (most common in northern Gaul, Germany and Burgundy) or in the midst of several horses (mostly in the Rhineland). There was a shrine dedicated to her in Burgundy (Magne and Thevenot, 1953), a region particularly rich in images of the goddess. Here, she is accompanied by a foal eating from an outstretched patera or sleeping under the feet of the goddess's mare. Her role was complex and may in part be contingent on where and when she was worshipped rather than on some overall conception of her function.

Her status as horse-goddess venerated by the Roman cavalry helped spread her cult (Linduff and Oaks in Henig, 1986, pp. 817-37), and is an example of Celtic influence on Roman civilization. Epona was the only Gaulish goddess to be officially honoured in Rome and had her own festival. Some dedications indicate that her devotees were members of cavalry units. Although male gods are associated with horses, and the cavalry was certainly a male domain, the goddess Epona presided over the health and fertility of the animal. She rides side-saddle in a ladylike manner and, to the extent that one can interpret the images in this way, her demeanour is benign. In other words, there is nothing in the imagery which would imply a war- goddess. She holds objects of fertility rather than weapons - a dish from which the foal often feeds, fruit or a cornucopia. Burgundy, the tribal homelands of the Aedui, where the goddess riding side-saddle with a foal is most common, was a centre for horse breeding. The Treveri, centred on Luxembourg, also seem to have favoured the goddess as we can assume from the number of images here. Her importance was certainly linked to that of the horse itself in Celtic society. It has been suggested that her cult, because of her association with horses, was popular among the Gaulish elite, and this in itself would help explain her popularity (Linduff and Oaks in Henig, 1986, pp. 817-37).

Equine associations are not the end of Epona's story. Many images depict her as carrying food, a cornucopia or some object of plenty consistent with her role as benefactress/guardian of horses and probably extending beyond that. Several images have been found in conjunction with therapeutic springs and in one striking instance, she appears as a water-nymph reclining on her mare. The Mediomatrici, centred on Metz, near modern Strasbourg, certainly venerated the horse-goddess, and here she may have functioned as a guardian of the dead. One image shows her on her horse seemingly leading an individual on a journey to the afterlife.

A dedication from Burgundy (Ross, 1967) links her specifically with the mother- goddesses. These may be local adaptations, but with so little evidence and with such ambiguous imagery it is impossible to be too didactic. Epona could have been a horse goddess in origin whose function later became extended to include protection of humans, healing water and guardianship of the dead. On the other hand, the cultural importance of the horse, the prestige of the Roman cavalry and their social importance could have resulted in the equine associations becoming dominant from a wider spectrum of functions. About any myths associated with her, we know nothing, and it is noteworthy that even with such a comparatively well-attested figure as Epona, firm conclusions are impossible.

Epona occurs but rarely in Britain and the best preserved image of her depicts her between two little horses who feed from a dish of food, an image popular in what is now Germany. It is possible that her appearance in Britain is linked to the presence of Roman legionary troops, but she is without doubt a Celtic deity, and we can assume, on the basis of archaeological evidence, that various Celtic tribes venerated a basically benign female deity, associated with horses and possessing, at least in some areas, mother-goddess characteristics directed to humanity. The question then arises, what later material could carry some of these associations? The most obvious is the figure of Rhiannon, the mother of Pryderi who appears in the First and Third Branches of Pedeir Keine Y Mabinogi.

Y Pedeir Keinc comprise the first four tales in a collection of Welsh medieval narratives know collectively as the Mabinogion (Jones and Jones, 1989). These narratives appear quite late in terms of the time-scale we have been considering , after the British Celts had been exposed to Roman, Christian and Anglo-Norman influence and had become Welsh into the bargain. Nevertheless, no one seriously questions the essentially native qualities of the tales or that they reflect to some extent older cultural codes and practices.

Conway, D. J. MAGICK OF the GODS & GODDESSES. St. Paul, Minnesota, Llewellyn Publications, 1997, 223

EPONA-Britain, Gaul. "Divine Horse"; "The Great Mare"; Goddess of horses; Mother Goddess. Fertility, maternity, protectress of horses, horse-breeding, prosperity, dogs, healing springs, crops.
Epona
The Goddess of horses, mules, and cavalrymen. She was worshipped throughout entire Gaul, and as far as the Danube and Rome. Her cult was eventually adopted by the Roman army and they spread her worship wherever they went. Epona is depicted sitting side saddle or lying on a horse, or standing with multiple horses around her. Her symbol is the Cornucopia ("horn of plenty") which suggests that she could (originally) have been a fertility goddess. She is also identified with the Celtic goddess Edain
The name Epona derives from the Celtic word for horse. She was a Celtic horse-goddess whose iconography was linked with equine symbolism. Many images and dedications were set up throughout the Celtic world during the Roman period. She was particularly venerated in Gaul and in the Rhineland, but she appears also in Britain, Yugoslavia, North Africa, and in Rome. Here he had a festival on December 18th, so she was officially accepted also in the capital of the Empire. The special interest of Epona's cult lay in her images. In fact she is always represented with her equine companion(s). Epona's iconography can be divided into two main groups: most important are the depictions of the goddess riding side-saddle on a mare. In the other main representation she is depicted between two horses.
Much of Epona's imagery shows the symbolism of fertility and the earth's abundance. In many images she is portrayed with baskets of fruits or corn. In addition, there seems to have been a definite association between Epona and the Mother-goddesses.

The Goddess was associated both with water/healing and with death. In Gaul she was depicted in the guise of a water nymph. Frequently, she was also represented with a dog which could reflect either healing or death. The symbolism of afterlife may be represented by her on her mare with the image of a man behind the goddess. This has been interpreted as a human soul carried to the Otherworld. Also she can be portrayed carrying a large key -- this may show the ability of Epona to unlock the gates of heaven and the happy Otherworld. She was even depicted with a mappa reflecting her presiding over the beginning of man's journey through life.

Certainly she is a patroness of horses, which were very important for the Celts in terms of transport, war, power, prestige, and religion, but also she reflected the deep mysteries of life, death, and rebirth. She is even known as Rhiannon and Rosette.

In my beloved's arms I lie
Watching embers sparkle and die
Fade they must, but in them I spy
A glimpse of what is yet to be.
We've only just begun to say
That shortly there shall come a day
When playing house is no more play
And he and I shall become we.

Yet in that Christmas fire I find
A vision seeping through my mind
A boy like him with eyes like mine
Calling us father and mother.
He has his father's rich dark hair
And my unnerving, impish stare
This love is now my only care
For me there could be no other.

And looking in his fair young face
Smiling lines to come I can trace
Each silver hair falls into place
And he grows all the more handsome
And now that child slips away
The dream is gone; we're back to play
Yet in my heart the vision stays
Of those lovely days yet to come.

They say the Irish built this land
With song and sweat, hammer in hand
And I've the proof; a story grand
Of the best of the families; Quinn.
They say he killed an English lord
For the price of
AAABCCCB

Ever laughing green-eyed sea
Doubted never her wild home
Never needing memory
In the deeps content to roam

Cruel, kind she was, ever free
Not meant to be held in hand
Ever playing until sea
Caught sight of the far-off land

Black-eyed, noble, fair of face
And crowned with a starry helm
She longed, desperate, for a place
Beside land within his realm

Enamored of land, the sea
endeavored to tell the shore
For his love she would forsake
Her deep realm forever more

Deeper almost than her love
The truth spoke from her green eyes
Returning love, from above
The land begged for her to rise

Joyous, she rose with a laugh
To share in her lover's charms
But rising, she soon collapsed
Leaving nothing in land's arms.

In sorrow, green-eyed sea wailed
While land sat, his head in hand
New love had already failed
Before fate had let it stand

Wise and full of memory
The land lay beside his love
Together now they would be
He forsook his realm above

Yet as the lovers linger
ever parched for more
Their bodies, joined, created
The realm of the sandy shore

And still, the sea and land are one
And speak in whispers ever more
Seen when the sea caresses
The skin of the sandy shore.

Well done, girls!

We had a small turnout for this week's class, but I was very impressed with the results. Here is Skene's piece:

Hazel

Nine nuts fell
Into Brigid's holy well.
Bubbles rise from salmon's pool
Old fool made wise will tell.

Wow. I have to admit I wasn't able to discern all of the meaning behind this one. Very well woven words, Skene. As you can see, she's used the Rainnacheacht Ghairid form, which can be rather tricky, poetically speaking. She chose the letter Coll, which is associated with the Hazel plant and is formed by four vertical lines.

Bridgid, the goddess of healing, fertility, and smiths, is an excellent patron for the Hazel tree, whose leaves have healing properties. Now on to our next submission:

Ceirt Clogyrnach
by Hjördis Sigurdsson

Abellio, lord of desire
White bliss beneath skin of red fire
Five tall trees will raise
Dear Ogma’s own praise
To the ways you inspire

Well done Hjördis! As you can see, she chose the letter "ceirt" which is associated with the apple tree. Abellio, the Gaulish deity of apple trees, proved the inspiration for her poem, which shows an almost disturbing affection for apples. You might want to find yourself a lad, girl. I especially like your third line; you call the five vertical lines of the ceirt glyph trees, which relates back to the very plant that ceirt is associated with.

Welcome to Class!

This course is free and open all. You do not have to do every single lesson, but it would be to your advantage, as you'll learn the most. For those who complete every assignment, a golden award will be awarded to display in your homes. For those who complete most, a silver, and for those who just want to show up once in a while, a bronze. Everybody deserves something for trying.

Read the syllabus for what we'll be studying each week. You don't need to spend a load of time on the class. Half an hour a week will do, but the more time you spend the better you will get. Strong interest is more important than expertise here.

I strongly encourage you to join the Bardic College, a group dedicated to the pursuits of the ancient Celtic arts of language. However, membership is not required to take this course.

Tell your friends about the class! We're going to learn a lot and have fun doing it, and latecomers are welcome.

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How the Course will Be Run

A new lesson will be posted here every Monday, with my lesson and links to reading assignments. By Friday morning, I need your written assignment posted on my personal message board, which I will review after lunch. Don't think of this course as one you get graded in. We just help each other get better. All assignments will be posted here for everyone to read, and I strongly encourage students to offer constructive compliments and advice. If I hear of anyone slamming someone else's work, I will be most disappointed. This environment should be a safe haven for all.

Lesson 1 (Aug. 25) - The Celtic Alphabet. History of Celtic language, Ogham alphabet, History of written Celtic languages.
Assignment (Due Aug. 29) - Write a poem using the any poetic form, trying to only use words that contain Celtic letters.

Lesson 2 (Sept. 1) - Celtic Syntax
Reading assignment covering the unique way Celts thread their words together, along with sayings and expressions. Assignment (Due Sept. 5) - Rewrite a given paragraph with new syntax.

Lesson 3 (Sept. 8) - Alliteration and Rhyming
Consonant and vocalic rhyming and when to use which
Assignment (Due Sept. 12) - Two Limericks; one consonant and one vocalic.

Lesson 4 (Sept. 15) - Celtic Ethos and Pathos
Moods; melancholy, humor, irony, and how they apply.
Assignment (Due Sept. 19) Short tale of less than 500 words, using one of three possible Ethos topics.

Lesson 5 (Sept. 22) - Vernacular
Regional slang and techniques of wordplay.
Assignment (Due Sept. 26) Rewrite a popular fairy tale entirely in Celtic slang, making it cleverly unintelligible to those who don't know the sayings.

Lesson 6 (Sept. 29) - Cultural Permeation
Weaving in sociocultural references in a non-obvious way
Assignment (Due Oct. 3) - Pub tale, using slang and cultural refrences.

Lesson 7 (Oct. 6) - Religion and Superstition
PreChristian and Christian Mythologies.
Assignment (Due Oct. 10) - Write your own folk tale.

Lesson 8 (Oct. 13) - Poetic forms part 1
Differences between Irish and Welsh poetic forms.
Assignment (Due Oct. 17) - Two short poems, one in an Irish form and the other in a Welsh form.

Lesson 9 (Oct. 20) - Poetic forms part 2
Scottish, Cornish and Manx poetics
Assignment (Due Oct. 24) - Two short poems

Lesson 10 (Oct. 27) - Epic Literature
Reading: Cattle Raid of Cooley, Cu Chulainn or the like
Assignment (Due Oct. 31) - Discussion of archetypes or recurring poetics in reading

Lesson 11 (Nov. 3) - Music
Reading: Various songs, Celtic musical meters.
Assignment (Due Nov. 7) - Write song lyrics based on a jig, hornpipe, reel or slip jig meter.

Lesson 12 (Nov. 10) - Final project
Reading: Whatever you need
Assignment (Due Nov. 14) - Tale of less than 800 words, or a song, or a poem of at least four stanzas using everything you've learned. Share and have fun!