Brigid of the Green Mantle: A Ritual Song for Imbolc

We just finished up our winter season of WNC Pagan Choir! As always, at the end of our seasons, we have a public Finale to share the songs we’ve been singing all season. Check out the video above from this season’s Finale: a performance of "Bridget of the Green Mantle." This song, by composer Rasullah Clarke (with one additional part & choreography by me) celebrates some of the many qualities of the divine woman/ goddess Bridget/Brigid, of Irish tradition. 

Our words are:

Bridget of the green mantle / Bridget of the blue 

Bridget of the white merle / And the fiery arrow

 Additional part: Bridget of sweet fortitude / Bridget of the red-eared bò

 In our rendition of this song, the singers in the circle make gestures to imitate the wings of the white merle (an albino blackbird- representing peace), and place their hands over their chests to show the moment of receiving Bridget's fiery arrow of revelation. The singers in the outer circle use gestures to draw up energy from the Otherworld and offer that energy to the singers of the center- sending the gift of the fiery arrow towards them. Though we performed this song at our Finale, we used it throughout our season as a form of ritual and meditation- a way to affirm a commitment to enact Brigid's beautiful qualities in our communities in the coming season.  

This spring season, we'll be celebrating the Irish holiday of Bealtaine- a festival focused on transitions, bonfires, protective magic, and the collection of potent herbs and sacred waters. 

 Our choir isn't just a place to revel in song- it's about embodying old traditions that connect us to the animate world around us. The majority of our ancestors were animists, and this choir is an invitation to be called back to that way of being with the world.

Find out more about WNC Pagan Choir and our upcoming seasons here.