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Post by Tegernacus on Nov 14, 2008 20:03:26 GMT -1
Nice to see you discovering etymologies mid-post Megli! There is an old site associated with Ffraid on the edge of my village. A local legend says that the current church should have been built there and dedicated to her, but legend has it that lightning struck several times when they were buliding it and a voice came down from the clouds telling them to build it to Michael instead at the 'mouth of the glen'. So that's where the present church is : 'Llanfihangel Genau'r Glyn'. The original site is in a lane know today as Lo^n Glanfre^d (can't get my to bach on!) and the farm standing on the site where the church was to be built, and thought to be the site of an older church dedicated to Ffraid, is called Fferm Glanfre^d. It is an old building and also the place where the mother of Edward Lhuyd was born. Her name was Bridget! That's a common legend. Same one at my local church: it was going to be built on the site of a bronze/iron age mound, but every night the stones would be moved. Then the priest heard a voice from god saying to move it "below the trees" and thats where it is now. I think these are echos of early Christians wanting to build their Llans on pagan ground, and the pagans having none of it, so the local chief telling them to build it somewhere that isn't going to upset the locals. (btw, www.draig.co.uk/products/tobach/default.aspx will help with accents and such. Install, then alt-gr+a = â etc. Also does é à etc. Windows only though.)
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Post by Heron on Nov 14, 2008 20:25:55 GMT -1
That's a common legend. Same one at my local church: it was going to be built on the site of a bronze/iron age mound, but every night the stones would be moved. Then the priest heard a voice from god saying to move it "below the trees" and thats where it is now. I think these are echos of early Christians wanting to build their Llans on pagan ground, and the pagans having none of it, so the local chief telling them to build it somewhere that isn't going to upset the locals. Which would suggest a site to the pre-christian Brighid, something I'd like to believe and something that would accord with my feeling for the surrounding area and river valley. But any evidence for the early Brighid site is sparse .... Yes I've got to bach on my pc at work , very useful. Unfortunately(?!) I have a Mac at home.
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Post by Tegernacus on Nov 14, 2008 20:34:34 GMT -1
on the Mac you can use:
opt+i then a = â opt+e then a = á opt+` then a = à (` is the key next to 1)
As for Fraid / FFraid, maybe that's a later transcription error, maybe it was being dictated or wrongly mutated or something. It certainly spread through Wales, so I think is was an early change.
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Post by Heron on Nov 14, 2008 21:19:05 GMT -1
on the Mac you can use: opt+i then a = â opt+e then a = á opt+` then a = à (` is the key next to 1) GlanfrêdIe wir! Diolch
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Post by bel on Jan 26, 2009 10:20:36 GMT -1
hello, I am so glad I joined CF, I just love all the scholarly talk. It says in the sticky that we can talk about our experiences with deity so I thought Id share this.
Brighid has been with me for 2 yrs, she is the guardian of my love relationship, which began exactly 2 yrs ago today. I work with her on issues of fertility and healing, and write my poetry to honour her. Recently things changed, I started to address her as Brigantia, and is now a much stronger force in my life. Less flowery, if thats not an insult. I actually feel stronger and healed. I spoke to Potia about this and she suggested that using her most ancient name has probably made the connection stronger.
Any Brigantia connection to water ? Ive been drawn to the River Wye lately, I know its probably the wrong area, but I cant work out why. Only found something about Goddess called Vaga , origins some sites say Roman,some Viking.
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Post by arth_frown on Jan 26, 2009 10:35:28 GMT -1
Recently things changed, I started to address her as Brigantia, and is now a much stronger force in my life. Less flowery, if thats not an insult. . Why would that be a insult? You've had a long relationship with her which is about strengthening bounds. You become old friends. ;D
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Post by Lee on Jan 26, 2009 11:40:36 GMT -1
Bel,
those sorts of thoughts and ideas and -i mportantly - experiences are what the very ethos of brython is all about.
thanks for posting
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Post by maglowyllt on Jan 26, 2009 17:40:34 GMT -1
Vaga. "Sabra, goddess of the Severn, being a prudent, well-conducted maiden, rose with the first streak of morning dawn, and, descending the eastern side of the hill, made choice of the most fertile valleys, whilst as yet her sisters slept. Vaga, goddess of the Wye, rose next, and, making all haste to perform her task, took a shorter course, by which means she joined her sister ere she reached the sea. The goddess Rhea, old Plinlimmon’s pet, woke not till roused by her father’s chiding; but by bounding down the side of the mountain, and selecting the shortest course of all, she managed to reach her destination first. Thus the Cymric proverb, "There is no impossibility to the maiden who hath a fortune to lose or a husband to win.""
- Don't know how accurate this is.
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Post by megli on Jan 27, 2009 8:14:15 GMT -1
'accurate' in what sense?
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Post by maglowyllt on Jan 27, 2009 9:35:31 GMT -1
I don't know whee it comes from - or why Rhea is spoken of alongside celtic river deities.
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Post by megli on Jan 27, 2009 11:35:41 GMT -1
The Rheidol?
It sounds early 19th century to me: nb the moralistic, faintly chauvantistic tone and the use of the word 'cymric'. Probably Iolo or his circle.
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Post by Tegernacus on Jan 27, 2009 11:52:55 GMT -1
I think "Cymric" should make a comeback. More accurate than "Welsh" anyhow. Or even "Cambrian".. I like that word, it rolls off the tongue.
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Post by bel on Jan 27, 2009 13:23:36 GMT -1
Bel, those sorts of thoughts and ideas and -i mportantly - experiences are what the very ethos of brython is all about. thanks for posting Thank you for this. Im never sure where I fit in, I can only go on my experiences with the Gods,which then lead me to research more. Re Vaga, (sorry for going off topic), Ive seen that story but am unsure of its authenticity. There are lots of places in Ross-on-Wye with Vaga in their name.
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Post by nellie on Apr 19, 2011 9:57:16 GMT -1
I'm like a dog with a bone, so here goes. Re: Briganti and Imbolc (though I much prefer Lee's suggested renaming ) I'm sure plenty of you will remember the difficulties I was having around this time and understanding Briganti's importance at this time of year. Since then I've actually started to form a bit of a relationship with Briganti, but I'm still trying to understand Her festival and what Her mythology might once have been. In modern times I've always gotten the feeling that She is seen as a sort of spring maiden. I don't know Her very well yet, but She doesn't really feel that way to me, not yet at least; and I can't help but feel Her mythology was something more complex than a straight forward spring maiden. As pointed out last February ( ) the proper time to honour Briganti is Imbolc. But are there any thoughts on precisely why February is Her time? The rituals we do have left over all indicate that on February She emerges to undertake some sort of tour of Her peoples homes to grant blessings (or not!) Is Her role at this point in the year as much about protection as the new spring growth and fertility? Does this tell us anything? Are there more clues in the Scottish folklore Potia? I'm being obtuse, I know! I just can't shake that feeling that there's something more to understand.
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Post by potia on Apr 19, 2011 11:20:23 GMT -1
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Post by nellie on Apr 20, 2011 6:15:29 GMT -1
Ta Potia. I have read Gellifach's site before, but it was well worth a second look
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