4th February 2009, 01:45 PM
Quote:quote:Originally posted by Curator Kid
What's "Imbolg"?
Yeah, I can sign in again! (Don't worry hosty, I'm pretty sure the proble was at my end after I did a bit of IT spring cleaning)
Imbolg (pronounced something closer to "imelk") is a rather mysterious Old Irish holiday first referred to in the Tain (Cattle Raid of Cooley) when the culture hero Cuchulainn is given until "imbolg, when the lambs are born" to get something done.
It falls during current Candlemas/St Bridgit's Day ie Feb 2. It was postulated for a while that the etymology had something to do with lactation and is often translated as "the lactation of the ewes" but I think that's pretty much out of favour at the moment in linguistic circles. Currently, I believe thinking leans a bit more towards ideas of purification in line with the word February itself.
Anyway, in neo-paganism Imbolg is very much a festival of light associated with Brigit as a goddess and keeper of an eternal flame (based on the eternal flame at Brigit's monastery in Kildare as well as the etymology of her name). I notice that elements from Scandinavia's St Lucia celebrations are creeping in at a steady rate too.
If you really, really wanted I could go assemble a proper bibliography rather than my waffle
TM