OOENISH DEDICATIONS. 471 



The dedications are : — 



The parish church of Virginstow (Devon) 



,, ,, Bridestowe ,, 



„ „ Bridgerule „ 



A chapel at Wendron, licensed 1437 (Cornwall) 

 A chapel and holy well at Lezant. ,, 



She had also dedications to her in S. W. Wales where there 

 was a lengthy settlement of Irish Gaels. S. Bride's Bay takes 

 its name from her. 



Feast at Virginstowe, Feb. 20. 



Day in Roman Calendar, Feb. 1. 



The rule of S. Bridget was that in highest regard in Ireland, 

 and probably in Wales, Cornwall and Brittany, as well, — till the 

 Latin Church came in like a flood, and obliterated aU Celtic 

 peculiarities. 



S. Bridget never was out of Ireland, although Grlastonbury 

 claimed that she had been there. Clastonbury had been largely 

 occupied by Irish monks. It is called in Cormac's Glossary 

 in the 9th century " Glasimpere of the Gadhaels " as also by 

 a writer of a note in the Lebar Brecc,* and there was doubtless 

 a religious community there for women, affiliated to Kildare, and 

 living under S. Bridget's rule. For the same reason her cult 

 extended through South Wales, largely occupied by Irish, as 

 also through a portion of North Devon similarly colonised, and 

 it likewise spread into Brittany for the same reason. In Finis- 

 terre she has many churches and chapels, at Esquilien, Quengat, 

 Irvillac, Motreff, Loperhet, Perquet, Ploudalmezan, Lampaul, 

 Ploudaniel, S. Thegonnec, Spezet, and is represented in the 

 chapel of the Seven Saints. 



In the Morbihan she has churches and chapels at Guenin, 

 Locoal Naizan, Noyala, Poemeur, Plumergat, Pluvigner, S. 

 Brieuc de Mauron, and Sainte Brigitte. 



One reason for the extraordinary popularity which S. 

 Bridget enjoyed was the fact that she replaced a Goidelic female 

 deity, an earth-mother, and goddess of fecundity. She is therefore 



* "Three Old Irish Glossaries," Lond. 1862, p. xlviii. "Bipartite Life of 

 S. Patrick," Rolls ed. 1H87, p. 505. 



