29 December 2025
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Entertainment
The new 224 page paperback is priced at €16.99. ISBN: 978 1 917453 67 7. It will be published by Ireland’s oldest independent publisher Mercier Press on 20th Jan 2026
The new bank holiday around Saint Brigid’s Day (the day being 1st February, but the Bank Holiday being the 1st Monday of February) is a unique opportunity to celebrate Ireland’s heritage, including is roots in the Celtic festival Imbolc, celebrating growth, renewal and light. The mythological Brigit (triple goddess of healing, fire, and poetry) was followed by the Christian saint of her name. Born in 450 AD, she carried on those associations as the patron saint of poets and midwives. As such, this bank holiday carries a dual opportunity to recognise the role of women through our arts and cultural heritage.
The book’s author Pauline Breen is a Priestess of Brigid, author, clinical hypnotherapist, and educator. Born in Ireland, she is devoted to reawakening the Divine Feminine within collective consciousness, striving to restore balance between feminine and masculine energies in today’s world. Her deep connection to her homeland inspires her work with Brigid, once revered as the Great Mother Goddess of the Emerald Isle. Through extensive research, writing, and public speaking, Breen illuminates the multifaceted and often overlooked aspects of Brigid’s legacy.
In the book Brigit emerges as Ireland’s hidden fairy queen in this revelatory exploration. Ancient manuscripts reveal her true identity — not just goddess or saint, but Lady of the Otherworld, dwelling beneath sacred hills. The author unveils supernatural connections linking smithcraft, healing wells, and the mystical sídhe across Ireland’s enchanted landscape.
Beyond her familiar roles in Celtic mythology and Christian tradition, Brigit emerges as a liminal force, a bridge between the seen and unseen, the mortal and the magical. Through meticulous research into ancient myths, folklore, and the sacred landscapes of Ireland, Breen illuminates Brigit’s forgotten identity as a being of the Otherworld.
This book explores:
Bridgit’s lineage among the Tuatha Dé Danann, Ireland’s mythical race of divine beings, and her deep kinship with the fae folk.
Her supernatural gifts as the original keener, psychopomp, and mistress of manifestation, weaving life, death, and creation into her eternal tapestry.
The profound ties between Brigit, death, and the Otherworld reveal her as a guide through life’s most profound transitions.
Sacred sites across Ireland where her fae presence lingers, waiting to be felt by those who seek her.
Practical wisdom for modern seekers to connect with Brigit’s fae essence in their spiritual practices.