It was then that I heard a small voice.
“Mama? Why are you crying?”
I opened my eyes and saw Caitlin sitting up in her bed rubbing her eyes as if she had just woken up from a long slumber. She looked tired, but her cheeks were rosy red and her eyes—those beautiful eyes—were bright and shining.
“Mama, I’m hungry.”
Her mother gasped and cried out. Her father fell off his stool and the rest of the family jumped up. In an instant they were all gathered around her on the bed shouting and laughing and weeping. Father Ailbe rushed to Caitlin’s side and took her hand. Her pulse was strong and her skin was warm once again. The confused little girl just sat there wondering why everyone was hugging her and making such a fuss. At last one of her sisters brought her a bowl of broth that she quickly devoured.
Then, tears running down her face, Caitlin’s mother lifted her eyes to heaven with a look of joy I will never again see on this earth and prayed.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you, dear God. Thank you for saving my little girl. It’s a miracle! A miracle!”
And of course, it was.
Afterword
Just a short train ride west of Dublin among the rich grasslands of eastern Ireland lies the modern town of Kildare. At its center on a small hill is the restored Norman cathedral of Saint Brigid, built on the foundation of a much older church dating back to the fifth century. Visitors can still imagine the busy life of the nuns who once lived there. Brigid’s bones rested next to the altar of the church until Viking raids several centuries after her death destroyed the holy place and scattered her remains—though some claim the bones were removed before the attack. Her skull was said to have been rescued and eventually moved to a church near Lisbon in Portugal, where even today local people honor her.
Whatever the fate of the mortal remains of Brigid, the legacy of this remarkable woman remains. Reliable facts about her life are few, but what we can glean from medieval stories is a picture of a woman of extraordinary ability and dedication. In a world of men, Brigid stood as a great leader in her own right. How much her legend was influenced by the Irish goddess of the same name is open for debate, though pre-Christian elements are certainly present in the stories about her.
As much as possible, I have used ancient Irish sources and surviving Christian material of the period to create an authentic picture of life in the early sixth century. Pilgrims can still visit the places where Deirdre travelled, such as the beautiful valley of Glendalough, and just south of Kildare, the holy well of Brigid, one of the most peaceful places I know.
If you would like to learn more about the world of Saint Brigid and the next book in the Sister Deirdre series, please visit my website at philipfreemanbooks.com.
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to the many friends, students, and colleagues who helped me tell this story. John Paine and his careful editorial eye were invaluable in putting the book together. Joëlle Delbourgo as always has been the best of literary agents. My gratitude as well to Maia Larson and the wonderful people at Pegasus Books. In Dublin, the librarians and curators of the National Library and National Museum of Ireland were indispensible.
About the Author
Philip Freeman teaches ancient history and languages along with early Irish Christianity and Celtic studies at Luther College in the beautiful hills of Decorah, Iowa. He earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University and is the author of fifteen books, including Saint Patrick of Ireland, The Philosopher and the Druids, and The World of Saint Patrick.
SAINT BRIGID’S BONES
Pegasus Books LLC
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Copyright © 2014 Philip Freeman
First Pegasus Books edition October 2014
Interior design by Maria Fernandez
Ireland map courtesy of the author.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher, except by reviewers who may quote brief excerpts in connection with a review in a newspaper, magazine, or electronic publication; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other, without written permission from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.
ISBN: 978-1-605-98632-6
ISBN: 978-1-605-98718-7 (e-book)
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