Brigit, as both Saint and Goddess, was closely associated with many animals, birds and plants – oak trees, snowdrops, dandelions, foxes and cows, to name but a few.
A lesser-known association is with the oystercatcher, one of our most easily identified wading birds and common along the shores of Connemara. Oystercatchers trot along the tidelines, showing off their striking black-and-white plumage and poking their bright red bills into the sand to find food.
A Scottish legend tells us that, one day, St. Brigit was running away from men who wanted to harm her. She ran to the beach but there was no means of escape, so she lay on the sand and expected to be attacked. Some oystercatchers realised her plight and dragged seaweed all over her, covering her completely. The disguise worked, Brigit emerged unharmed and the birds became her friends.
It is said that Brigit took an oystercatcher in her pocket when sailing from Ireland to Scotland. At her bidding, it would fly ahead of the boat, showing them the way, until they landed safely on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. In Scots Gaelic, the oystercatcher is known as gille-brìde, the servant of Brigit.
These beautiful connections with nature are frequent in the stories of Brigit – and can help us remember the importance of our own relationship with the natural world.
A longer version of this piece by Jenny Beale can be found in ‘Sunday Miscellany, A Selection 2023-2025’, edited by Sarah Binchy and on sale in the Gift Shop.