Saint Brigid of Ireland Plaque

Product Description

This is our wonderful Saint Brigid of Ireland Plaque. Also known as St. Brigit of Kildare (Irish: Naomh Bríd; c. 451–525), she is one of Ireland’s patron saints along with St. Patrick and St. Columba. Her name is variously spelled as Brigid, Bridget, Bridgit, Brid, Brigit, and Bride. She is also sometimes known as Mary of the Gael. She was an abbess and founder of several monasteries, including that of Kildare in Ireland. Her feast day is February 1st. This plaque is a lovely gift for a baptism, confirmation, birthday, and first communion.

A Solid Bronze Large Wall Plaque

This large bronze plaque measures 7.9 by 6.3 inches. This plaque is designed to hang with ease on any wall in the office, study, or home. This plaque was designed and cast in Germany by a world-renowned gold-smith. This plaque is a wonderful gift for that special “Brigid” or “Bridget” in your life!

Saint Brigid of Kildare (“Church of the Oak”)

Saint Brigid of Ireland (in German: St. Brigitta aus Irland) is depicted here with a blazing fire (top left) since fire was regarded sacred to the Celts and druids. According to tradition, nuns at her monastery in Kildare kept a sacred eternal flame burning there. Cill Dara (Kildare), the “church of the oak” (Quercus petraea) is associated with a tree sacred to the druids (bottom left of plaque).

Saint Brigid’s Prayer (10th century poem attributed to Saint Brigid)

I should like a great lake of beer to give to God.
I should like the angels of Heaven to be tippling there for all eternity.
I should like the men of Heaven to live with me, to dance and sing.
If they wanted I’d put at their disposal vats of suffering
White cups of love I’d give them with a heart and a half.
Sweet pitchers of mercy I’d offer to every man.
I’d make heaven a cheerful spot,
Because the happy heart is true.
I’d make men happy for their own sakes.
I should like Jesus to be there too.
I’d like the people of heaven to gather from all the parishes around.
I’d give a special welcome to the women,
the three Marys of great renown.
I’d sit with the men, the women of God,
There by the great lake of beer
We’d be drinking good health forever,
And every drop would be a prayer.

Daughter of Dubtach, pagan Scottish king of Leinster, and Brocca, a Christian Pictish slave who had been baptized by St. Patrick. Just before Brigid’s birth, her mother was sold to a Druid landowner. Brigid remained with her mother till she was old enough to serve her legal owner Dubtach, her father.

She grew up marked by her high spirits and tender heart, and as a child, she heard St. Patrick preach, which she never forgot. She could not bear to see anyone hungry or cold, and to help them, often gave away things that were Dubtach’s. When Dubtach protested, she replied that “Christ dwelt in every creature”. Dubtach tried to sell her to the King of Leinster, and while they bargained, she gave a treasured sword of her father’s to a leper. Dubtach was about to strike her when Brigid explained she had given the sword to God through the leper, because of its great value. The King, a Christian, forbade Dubtach to strike her, saying “Her merit before God is greater than ours”. Dubtach solved this domestic problem by giving Brigid her freedom.

Brigid’s aged mother was in charge of her master’s dairy. Brigid took charge ,and often gave away the produce. But the dairy prospered under her (hence her patronage of milk maids, dairy workers, cattle, etc.), and the Druid freed Brigid’s mother.

Brigid returned to her father, who arranged a marriage for her with a young bard. Bride refused, and to keep her virginity, went to Bishop Mel, a pupil of St. Patrick’s, and took her first vows. Legend says that she prayed that her beauty be taken from her so no one would seek her hand in marriage; her prayer was granted, and she regained her beauty only after making her vows. Another tale says that when St. Patrick heard her final vows, he mistakenly used the form for ordaining priests. When told of it he replied, “So be it, my son, she is destined for great things.”

Her first convent started with seven nuns. At the invitation of bishops, she started convents all over Ireland. She was a great traveller, especially considering the conditions of the time, which led to her patronage of travellers, sailors, etc. Brigid invented the double monastery, the monastery of Kildare on the Liffey being for both monks and nuns. Combeth, noted for his skill in metalwork, became its first bishop; this connection and the installation of a bell that lasted over 1000 years apparently led to her patronage of blacksmiths and those in related fields.

St. Brigid also was a generous, beer-loving woman. She worked in a leper colony which found itself without beer, “For when the lepers she nursed implored her for beer, and there was none to be had, she changed the water, which was used for the bath, into an excellent beer, by the sheer strength of her blessing and dealt it out to the thirsty in plenty.” Brigid is said to have changed her dirty bathwater into beer so that visiting clerics would have something to drink. Obviously this trait would endear her to many a beer lover. She also is reputed to have supplied beer out of one barrel to eighteen churches, which sufficed from Maundy Thursday to the end of paschal time. A poem attributed to Brigid in the Brussel’s library concludes with the lines “I should like a great lake of beer, for the King of the Kings. I should like the family of Heaven to be drinking it through time eternal.”

Born: 450 at Faughart, County Louth, Ireland

Died: 1 February 525 at Kildare, Ireland of natural causes; buried in Downpatrick, Ireland with St. Patrick and St. Columba; head removed to Jesuit church in Lisbon, Portugal

Name Meaning: Fiery arrow (= brigid)

Also known as: Bride; Bride of the Isles; Bridget of Ireland; Bridget; Brigid of Kildare Brigit; Ffraid; Mary of the Gael

The “Lake of Beer” Poem of Saint Brigid

I would like the angels of Heaven to be among us. I would like an abundance of peace. I would like full vessels of charity. I would like rich treasures of mercy. I would like cheerfulness to preside over all. I would like Jesus to be present. I would like the three Marys of illustrious renown to be with us. I would like the friends of Heaven to be gathered around us from all parts. I would like myself to be a rent payer to the Lord; that I should suffer distress, that he would bestow a good blessing upon me. I would like a great lake of beer for the King of Kings. I would like to be watching Heaven’s family drinking it through all eternity.

Excerpts from Jones, Terry H. “St. Brigid” Patron Saints Index

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