Event Recap: Imbolc Informational 2024
Transition, by Courtney Davis
February is almost here, which means we need to talk about Imbolc! This Pagan holiday retains a rich history and a richer modern practice. Attendees peppered the event with personal anecdotes and experiences, and throughout the afternoon, we discovered together that Pagan history is never truly lost.
Imbolc, a name which experts in Celtic linguistics suggest may mean “in the belly,” is celebrated between February 1st and February 3rd; although, as other linguists like Joseph Vendryes suggest, the holiday may once have been married to Roman Lupercalia, allowing practitioners to celebrate the holiday anywhere between February 1st and February 15th.
Celebrated in Ireland since the Neolithic era (as the Mound of the Hostages and other passage tombs can tell us), Imbolc’s name describes the end of winter, when food in Northern Europe and the Northern UK was scarce. With extraordinarily little left to grow, the people relied heavily on livestock to survive.
Luckily, livestock never lets us down: at the top of February comes the ewing season, when mother sheep begin to birth. With this birthing came sheep’s milk, a lifesaving food which the people used to make cheese, butter, and other calorically dense recipes that quite literally meant the difference between life and death.
Thus, this holiday remains a celebration of upcoming spring, birth, and the return of the light. However, adorable sheep aren’t the only respected figures of this holiday. I can’t mention Imbolc without mentioning the Lady of Holy Wells; the Goddess of Smithing; Divine Inspiration to the Filid: Brigid.
Goddess of light, inspiration, art and poetry, smithing, homemaking, fertility, and protection, Brigid stands as an excellent example of why I don’t argue with hearth goddesses: they’re as tough as they are clever. She’s the lady who stands beside people who hold knitting needles as certainly as they hold brass mallets, and I bet she would happily bury me. I love that.
Brigid, The Triple Goddess, by Courtney Davis
Although several attempts at Christian reconstruction (you can thank the British Empire) also created a fictitious saint by the same name, Brigid retains her sacred seat at the head of this table. Like many goddesses, she’s often conflated with other holy ladies of similar ilk; such as Minerva, Maman Brigitte, and Brigantes, the Arthurian sorceress who offered Merlin his magical visions. However, thanks to deep Irish history, Brigid’s qualities and purveyances remain as clear as the sunrise she brings.
Speaking of history and the modern era, did you know that in 2023, the Irish governing body declared Imbolc (or St. Brigid’s Day) a federally celebrated holiday? “The first Irish public holiday named after a woman” is the last of the four major sabbats considered a federal Irish holiday, and they take it very seriously. In recent years, Irish embassies have been hosting annual events around Imbolc to celebrate art by diasporic Irish women. Parades featuring Brídeógs and wrenboys have risen into raucous popularity in many parts of Ireland, Scotland, and England. And then there are the festivals.
The Imbolc International Music Festival
Check out the main page here.
For a great example of the cultural significance Imbolc holds on its people, check out this page for Dublin City.
No matter where I looked, I found Brigid’s festivals: monasteries holding annual celebrations to come into touch with nature; music festivals featuring female leads; speakers and entertainment from all parts of the globe; and of course, arts festivals everywhere, everywhere, everywhere.
However, the deeper I swam, the more of Brigid I found.
A diamond-set St. Brigid’s Cross from My Irish Jeweler
Well-known and well-represented: the Brigid’s Cross is a beloved symbol of Irish heritage.
Jewelers, metalworkers, mountmakers, artists, musicians;
Brigid’s name and likeness were everywhere I looked.
Jen Simons, a metalworker with Brigid Mountmaking, sets a statue.
Imbolc isn’t going anywhere. I love that too.
It was a relief to research a holiday with so much modern practice, but not everyone is so lucky. So, while we performed our usual discussions about symbolism, magical recipes, and other obvious magical practices, we also took a few minutes to talk about the broom closet.
As someone who grew up in that dusty little space, I want to be sure that all young witches know there are resources no matter where we look. In our hobbies, in our front yards, in admiring the sunrise, in creating art, in the clothes we wear; I promise Brigid can see it all. More importantly, so can you.
As usual, live attendees received their free booklet (my Black Angelica Salt and the Dandelion Fritters were the crowd favorites) and access to the presentation and bibliography.
I’m also sending out early download access to 45 minutes of Imbolc-inspired soundscape ambiences.
The rest of you will have to wait for Spotify!
I’m sure Brigid would be pleased to know that I walked away inspired, and I hope the rest of the attendees did too. Imbolc serves as a reminder that no matter how others may try to erase our heritage, Pagan history is long and winding, and we remember it well.
If you missed this informational, have no fear! On March 16th we’re talking Ostara, one of the most visibly appropriated Pagan holidays on the wheel.
If you can’t wait to join the fun, check out Alice Reads on Twitch on February 10th. Or, come around on February 24th for Snow Moon Guided Tarot, one of our most popular get-togethers.
Check out the OCC Events page for more information. And, of course, make sure you’re signed up for the monthly newsletter to stay up-to-date.
