There is growing awareness of Brighid, who is otherwise known as Brigid, Bríd, Bride, Bridy, Brigit, St. Brigit, not to be confused with a Bridie, which is a Scottish meat pasty! Brigid is of course most associated in Ireland with her Saint's Day, called (as Gaeige) Lá Fhéile Bríde. To Pagans it is more importantly linked to the ancient festival of Imbolc or Oímelc or even Imbolg. This festival falls at approximately the same time as the Christian Saint's day (1 February), but it is a moveable feast, depending on who you talk to.
Some prefer to celebrate on the eve (night before) of Brigid's Day, some when the first snowdrops emerge from the ground, others when the very first lamb is born. Others again choose to celebrate based on the sidereal calender, choosing the exact mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. There are a huge number of folk traditions, particularly in Ireland and Scotland, linked to this goddess/saint - various styles of crosses, an Brídeóg (a doll), ritual washing and cleansing, visiting her wells, ritual welcoming, blessing the house and animals, leaving out of Brigid's cloak (an Brat Bhríde) or clooties (strips of cloth) on Brigid's Eve, a special meal on Brigid's Eve, and many more.
To go into all of the traditions that survived into the Chrisitian period would take ages, and has been the subject of many books and articles about Brigid. Today we see the increasing commercialisation of this festival, with paid-for events, priestess training (some at great expense) and various other forms of commodification and monetization of a festival that was traditionally about the hearth and home. While it is a good thing that people have many options available, it's also good to remember the roots of this ancient festival and that it is primarily a seasonal event, tied to nature and the land, about sustaining community and it is not just another notch on the commercial human calendar.
