The festival of Imbolc is mentioned in several
early Irish manuscripts, but they say very little about its original rites and customs. This linking of Imbolc with the arrival of lambs and sheep's milk probably reflected farming customs that ensured lambs were born before calves. In late winter/early spring, sheep could survive better than cows on the sparse vegetation, and farmers sought to resume milking as soon as possible due to their dwindling stores. The
Hibernica Minora includes an
Old Irish poem about the four seasonal festivals. Translated by
Kuno Meyer (1894), it says, "Tasting of each food according to order, this is what is proper at Imbolc: washing the hands, the feet, the head". This suggests ritual cleansing.
Brigid's crosses . In Ireland,
Brigid's crosses (
pictured) are traditionally made on St Brigid's Day. A Brigid's cross usually consists of rushes woven into a four-armed equilateral cross, although there were also three-armed crosses. They are traditionally hung over doors, windows, and stables to welcome Brigid and for protection against fire, lightning, illness, and evil spirits. Before going to bed, people would leave items of clothing or strips of cloth outside for Brigid to bless. In 18th-century
Mann, the custom was to stand at the door with a bundle of rushes and say "Brede, Brede, come to my house tonight. Open the door for Brede and let Brede come in". Similarly, in
County Donegal, the family member who was sent to fetch the rushes knelt on the front step and repeated three times, "Go on your knees, open your eyes, and let in St Brigid". Those inside the house answered three times, "She's welcome". The rushes were then strewn on the floor as a carpet or bed for Brigid. In the 19th century, some old Manx women would make a bed for Brigid in the barn with food, ale, and a candle on a table. Women in some parts of the Hebrides would also dance while holding a large cloth and calling out "''''" (", come over and make your bed"). If there was no mark, they believed bad fortune would come unless they
buried a cockerel at the meeting of three streams as an offering and burned incense on their fire that night. In parts of Ireland, rather than carrying a , a girl took on the role of Brigid. Escorted by other girls, she went house-to-house wearing 'Brigid's crown' and carrying 'Brigid's shield' and 'Brigid's cross', all made from rushes. The procession in some places included 'strawboys', who wore conical straw hats, masks and played folk music; much like the
wrenboys.
Weather lore The festival is traditionally associated with
weather lore. In Ireland, folklorist
Kevin Danaher records lore of
hedgehogs: A Scottish Gaelic proverb about the day is: Imbolc was believed to be when the
Cailleach—the divine
hag of Gaelic tradition—gathers her firewood for the rest of the winter. Legend has it that if she wishes to make the winter last a good while longer, she will make sure the weather on Imbolc is bright and sunny so that she can gather plenty of firewood. Therefore, people would be relieved if Imbolc is a day of foul weather, as it means the Cailleach is asleep and winter is almost over. At Imbolc on the Isle of Man, where she is known as '''', the Cailleach is said to take the form of a gigantic bird carrying sticks in her beak. Scottish writer
Donald Alexander Mackenzie also recorded in the 19th century that offerings were made "to earth and sea". The offering could be milk poured into the ground or porridge poured into the water as a
libation. In
County Kilkenny, graves were decorated with box and laurel flowers (or any other flowers that could be found at that time). A Branch of Virginity was decorated with white ribbons and placed on the grave of a recently deceased maiden. ==Present day customs==