1995 DBA Publications paperback edition. Some reading wear else good condition.

From the cover: 'The author outlines the events and activities associated with Brigit’s festival in modern times. The focus is gradually widened to include not only folkloristic but also literary, archaeological and etymological evidence, and a rich complex of symbolism surrounding many aspects of the feast is uncovered and its significance examined.

The search for relevant parallels carries the reader through ancient Germanic tradition and the realms of classical tradition to the oldest levels of culture in Europe as a whole. The role of Nordic and other goddesses of fate with strong fertility associations is discussed. Challenging new perspectives on the culture of the Celtic peoples are opened up by the discovery that aspects of the traditional celebration of the coming of spring in Ireland and Scotland may be linked with the bear cult.

The sources deployed include a wide range of Scandinavian materials and also the manuscript collections of the Department of Irish Folklore at University College Dublin.'