Cindy Thomson's Blog

This was fun to turn my novel’s cover into a coloring page. (You should be able to right click the images to download and then print.)

So I decided to try it again.

And finally, my favorite. Let me know if you like these and I’ll try it with some more covers.

Here is a blessing from Irish Culture and Customs:

A Blessing for Holy Week

From Palm Sunday to Holy Saturday,
may God in His infinite mercy
grant you and yours a journey
of renewal and hope;
a time of prayer and reflection;
And joyful anticipation
of our Lord’s resurrection.

From Celtic Benediction, “Saturday Morning Prayer of Thanksgiving” by J. Philip Newell

For the night followed by the day
for the idle winter ground
followed by the energy of spring
for the infolding of the earth
followed by bursts of unfolding
thanks be to you, O God.

I recently finished Reminiscences of Levi Coffin, the reputed president of the underground railroad: being a brief history of the labors of a lifetime in behalf of the slave, with the stories of numerous fugitives, who gained their freedom through his instrumentality, and many other incidents. 

Yes, that’s the entire title. I read the original on my Kindle, which was 748 pages and I have absolutely no regrets! This is a treasure-trove of history from someone who had a wide range of experiences related to slavery. He not only cared for and helped transport thousands of fugitives, he raised a lot of money for their care and the care of thousands he never met. He knew judges and policemen and prominent citizens he could call on for help.

I would love to meet this man one day in heaven. Being a Quaker, he was opposed to any kind of violence and he kept to the laws of whatever place he found himself. However, he used his intelligence and ingenuity, along with a sense of humor, to outwit his opponents and the slave catchers. That alone is enough to make Levi Coffin a fascinating figure from history, but he and I share a common ancestor. My 10th great grandfather was Tristram Coffin (b.1609, Brixton, Devon, England. D.  02 OCT 1681, Nantucket). I am descended from son James and Levi is descended from son John. This makes Levi Coffin my 4th cousin 7x removed. (Thank you Ancestry.com)

He is most known, of course, for assisting escaped slaves through the Underground Railroad. He was also a prominent businessman who once ran a warehouse in Cincinnati that sold slave-labor-free goods. He recruited folks who, according to his words, lacked the moral courage to house fugitives but wanted to help. These folks contributed money, made clothing, and cooked for the fugitives. Toward the end of the Civil War, when these fugitives no longer needed the railroad once they were free in the north, he raised funds for contraband camps. These were the places the slaves were housed in the south when they escaped behind Union lines. Levi, along with other Quakers, worked to clothe and educate the Blacks. He even went to Europe to fundraise and found this part of the book very educational. He had many friends in Europe he’d met in America who believed, and help convince others, that England played a part in the suffering of the enslaved. They brought slavery to America and they bought cotton grown by the labor of slaves. Levi did not think of himself as a speaker, he had a soft voice, but he continued to speak to the wealthy Europeans across England, in Ireland, in Northern Ireland, and in Scotland. Here’s something I hadn’t heard before. The people in Ireland said they owed a debt to America and to the Quakers living in England and Ireland for their help during what is most commonly called The Potato Famine. I didn’t know the Quakers had set up soup kitchens and worked with Irish farmers to teach them how to grow crops other than the potato. Sure, a million Irish died during that famine but how many survived because of this Christian charity? I asked Google and found out they saved thousands. How many Blacks did Levi Coffin, his wife Catherine, and his fellow American Quakers save? Perhaps tens of thousands. I find this amazing.

There are many instances related in this book of fugitives Levi helped escape, some of them who were actually free but were kidnapped and sold into slavery, including Stephen, the first slave Levi helped when Levi was just 15 and living in North Carolina. He took the time to talk to the slaves after a day of corn shucking, which was a neighborly event. Learning his story, he spoke to his father who tracked down the person Stephen had been working for in the north who then came after him. It’s a longer story but ended in Stephen’s freedom. There are stories that don’t end happily, of course, but most of Levi’s efforts were successful. Levi Coffin is a man that should not be forgotten. If you haven’t read his story, I encourage you to.

From Wikipedia:

Coffin died on September 16, 1877, at around 6:30 p.m. at his home in Avondale, Ohio. His funeral was held at the Friends Meeting House of Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Daily Gazette reported that the crowd was too large to be accommodated indoors; hundreds had to remain outside. Four of Coffin’s eight pallbearers were free blacks who had worked with him on the Underground Railroad. Coffin was interred in Cincinnati’s Spring Grove Cemetery in an unmarked grave.[48] Coffin’s wife, Catherine, who died four years later on May 22, 1881, is buried in Spring Grove Cemetery as well.[49]

You can read his book free online here.

Here’s something else! His grave did not remain unmarked. A group of Black citizens of Cincinnati raised money to mark both Levi and Catherine’s graves, as a kind of push back to all the Confederate statues that were being erected in the early 20th century. You can read about that here.

The Real St. Patrick© 2007 Cindy Thomson, All Rights Reserved

He wasn’t Irish, and yet America’s biggest Irish celebration is held in his name. He wasn’t the first bishop sent to Ireland, yet he is responsible for launching the evangelical push that converted the pagan Irish to Christianity. He never drove the snakes out of Ireland—there weren’t any, at least not in the literal sense. He wasn’t a leprechaun, though his day is symbolized by smiling little men wearing short green pants and sporting a long white beard. The number of people who know so little about the real St. Patrick always surprises me. It’s probably not their fault. What most people know about him is delivered on cards and in fairy tales.

So what is true about St. Patrick? He is one of three patron saints of Ireland; the other two are Brigid and Columba. He was born in the late 4th century, most sources say 387, somewhere on the coast of Britain—perhaps in Wales or Scotland. As early as 431 Pope Celestine sent a bishop named Palladius to minister to the Christians in Ireland. Patrick came to Ireland when he was 16, but he came against his will.

Fortunately, we have his own words left to us in the form of his autobiography referred to as his Confessio, and his Epistola, an admonition of British mistreatment of Irish Christians. Patrick was kidnapped by Irish raiders searching for slave labor, a common practice in those days. He worked for six years as a shepherd, and in those lonely times—as he later explained in his Confessio—he began to pray in earnest and trust God. He escaped and made his way back to his homeland. Later he became a bishop and had a dream or a vision in which he heard the voice of the Irish calling to him to come and walk again among them. This is how Patrick, who wasn’t Irish, became the most revered Irish saint in the entire world. He did return, and apparently had several run-ins with pagan kings. Patrick stood up for his beliefs and was instrumental in guiding the Irish people to Christ. His predecessor, who was probably already in the country when Patrick returned, had been sent to minister to people who already believed; Patrick ministered to unbelievers.

Did Patrick convert all of Ireland? Hardly. That would have been a near impossible task in one man’s lifetime, especially since it was done without warfare, unlike Europe during the Crusades. Others came after him and carried on his work in Ireland and beyond: Brigid, Columba, Brendan, Aidan, and Columban to name a few. But St. Patrick is the name today that identifies all things Irish. The holiday is no longer just a religious observance. It is a day of cultural pride for all those with any hint of Irish blood in their ancestry.

Read the most famous of St. Patrick’s writings (although it was most likely written in a later time period): The Lorica 
(Also referred to as St. Patrick’s Breastplate and the Deer’s Cry.)

©2026 Cindy Thomson

This story may not be copied with the permission of the author.

In Irish Gaelic, seamróg, the shamrock is an Irish symbol we’re all familiar with. But how did it come to be associated with Ireland, and why is it important to St. Patrick’s Day?

St. Patrick, according to legend, used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity: one plant, three leaves. One God, three parts: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The plant is common in Ireland, a clover weed. Sometime in the 17th century Irish folk began wearing shamrocks on St. Patrick’s Day. In the 19th century the shamrock became a symbol of Irish independence and was worn in the lapel. This is where the term “Wearnin’ o’ the Green” came from. Irish regiments were forbidden to display the shamrock because it was seen as an act of rebellion against the British government. This prompted the words to the popular song:

O Paddy dear, and did ye hear the news that's goin' round?The shamrock is by law forbid to grow on Irish ground!No more Saint Patrick's Day we'll keep, his color can't be seenFor there's a cruel law ag'in the Wearin' o' the Green."

The words and music can be found here.

From Irish Culture and Customs:

Today, the shamrock is firmly established as the most instantly recognizable emblem of Ireland. For good luck, it’s usually included in the bouquet of an Irish bride, and also in the boutonniere of the groom. It’s the symbol of a quality B & B that’s earned the right to display it. It’s part of the Aer Lingus logo, as well as those of many other companies, sports teams and organizations. And, it’s also an integral part of an old tradition called “drowning the shamrock.”

This takes place on St. Patrick’s Day, when the shamrock that has been worn in the hat or lapel is removed and put into the last drink of the evening. A toast is proposed and then, when the toast has been honored, the shamrock is taken from the bottom of the glass and thrown over the left shoulder. Sláinte!

So, it seems that the shamrock as the symbol of Ireland is a much more recent tradition than St. Patrick’s era, but still a vital part of Irish history.

So the shamrock is a variety of clover, but just which variety? This has been debated for quite some time. In the late 1800’s a man named Nathaniel Colgan undertook the mission of determining which one was the shamrock. He had botanists from all over Ireland send him samples, which he planted and labeled. His conclusion:
The results of this harvest may be most clearly shown thus:
19 Shamrocks matured into Trifolium repens.
12 Shamrocks matured into Trifolium minus.
2 Shamrocks matured into Trifolium pratense.
2 Shamrocks matured into Medicago lepulina.

Make of that what you will, but it seems to me that there is no one conclusive variety that we can call THE Irish shamrock. Later, I hope to post a photo of shamrock growing wild in Ireland. I’m awaiting permission. (I’m particular that way!)

More about the shamrock and the shortage this winter’s weather (this post was originally posted in 2010) has caused can be found here.

So, wear your green this St. Patrick’s Day. I always do, and if I were to forget, I’m always covered. I have green eyes!

This is an updated version of an old post from 2010.

As Joseph A. Knowles said (and mentioned in my book, The Roots of Irish Wisdom):

In a life of the Saint…many legends and traditions must be introduced to stimulate the devotion of the reader, and to relieve the monotony which would inevitably ensue from a mere studied recital of historical detail.

So, Knowles gives us permission to let our imaginations run free!

St. Brigid is associated with fire. When she was a baby neighbors saw the house was in on fire. They ran to it, fearful that the babe had perished in the blaze. However, the house was just aglow and she was unharmed. This miracle was a sign that she was favored by God. She is also connected to an eternal flame. At her duel monastery (both men and women) she and nineteen virgins tended a flame. After her death the fire needed no tending on her assigned night. The fire continued perpetually until the 13th century when it was extinguished. It was soon relit and continued until the time of the Reformation when it was put out. In 1993 the tradition was renewed by the Brigidine Sisters and continues on today. (Note the flame in the depiction on the stained glass window below.)

Brigid is associated with the hearth, which was the center of the Irish home. Surely the kitchen today is the heart of the home. I found this recipe on About.com and gave it a try. One of the traditions is to leave some of the bread on the windowsill for St. Brigid. I think I’ll do that. The birds will enjoy it, I think. Below is a photo of my actual loaf.

St. Brigid’s Oat Bread

©CindyThomson2010

Prep Time: 0 hours, 10 minutes

Cook Time: 0 hours, 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup flour (I used half white, half whole wheat)1 tablespoon sugar3/4 teaspoons baking powder1/4 teaspoon baking soda1/4 teaspoon salt3 tablespoons butter (small flakes)3/4 cup uncooked oatmeal flakes (I used steel-cut Irish oats)1 egg1/2 cup buttermilk 

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, 220 degrees Celsius.

Grease a baking sheet. (I used parchment paper.)

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
Add butter flakes, cutting them in with a knife until the mixture becomes crumbly.
Add oats and mix well.

Beat the egg with the buttermilk in a separate bowl.

Make a “well” in the dry ingredients, then pour in the egg mixture and mix all with a fork until the crumbs hold together.
Form the dough into a ball and knead (on a floured surface). Add flour if the mass is still too sticky to work with. (Just count on adding more.)

Form the doughball into a round bread and place it on the baking sheet.
Score a cross into the bread (do not cut through).

Bake for fifteen to twenty minutes, the bread should be medium brown.

I’ve never been accused of paying attention to presentation when I cook, so although my loaf wasn’t pretty, it tasted pretty good. If you make a loaf, let me know. If you email me a photo, I’ll use it in my next newsletter. What? Don’t get my newsletter? Sign up here:https://cindyswriting.com/index.php/lets-stay-in-touch/

May the blessing of light be on you – light without and light within.

May the blessed sunlight shine on you like a great peat fire, so that stranger and friend may come and warm himself at it.

And may light shine out of the two eyes of you, like a candle set in the window of a house, bidding the wanderer come in out of the storm.

And may the blessing of the rain be on you, may it beat upon your Spirit and wash it fair and clean, and leave there a shining pool where the blue of Heaven shines, and sometimes a star.

And may the blessing of the earth be on you, soft under your feet as you pass along the roads, soft under you as you lie out on it, tired at the end of day;

and may it rest easy over you when, at last, you lie out under it. May it rest so lightly over you that your soul may be out from under it quickly; up and off and on its way to God.

And now may the Lord bless you, and bless you kindly. Amen.
—Scottish Blessing, author unknown

This post originally appeared on my old blog in 2010.

Downpatrick Cathedral in County Down, Northern Ireland, sits elevated above the city streets and is a beautiful place. During the 7-8th century a Christian monastery occupied the hill where the cathedral now sits. This monastery, like so many others, was victim to frequent Viking attacks and in the 11th century a round tower was built beside a stone church, apparently better to withstand attack. The round tower was taken down in 1790, sadly. (Personally it’s interesting to me to note that my ancestors would have seen it because they left the area around 1770. It would have been in ruins then.) The remains of the round tower was then used to restore the stone church.

But most interesting (for us today and for pilgrims for centuries) is that the area was said to hold the earthly remains of St. Patrick. In 1900 a granite slab was placed over his grave (to discourage grave robbers.)

The grave was also supposed to hold the remains of the other patron saints of Ireland, St. Brigid and St. Columcille (Columba.)

Below is a picture of St. Patrick’s grave apparently before 1900.

From downcathedral.org

It is generally accepted that the main walls of the Cathedral date from the years after 1220. Then the monks, in a petition to Henry III, King of England, referred to the fact that the House of Saint Patrick, which had often been destroyed and burned, was being rebuilt again. Further destruction took place during the wars with Edward Bruce in 1316 and finally, on the suppression of the monasteries in 1541, the Cathedral was laid waste. Notwithstanding its ruinous state which lasted until 1790, King James I granted a Charter to the Cathedral in 1609, providing for a Dean and Chapter. The Charter also decreed that the Cathedral should be dedicated to the Holy Trinity, as the former Celtic church had been before the arrival of de Courcy. Rather than lose the connection with Patrick, the name began to be used for the growing town, which assumed the name Downpatrick.

Although successive deans continued to be installed within the ruined walls, there were no funds to rebuild the Cathedral until 1790 when Wills Hill, the Earl of Hillsborough (and afterwards first Marquess of Downshire), along with the then Dean, the Honourable and Reverend William Annesley, provided the impetus to commence the restoration.Read more here.

The interior of the cathedral is much newer than the exterior but still old by American standards.

Note that Amazon affiliate links are used in this post. They will not cost you any extra but help support me. Thanks.

Lately there have been more books published on St. Brigid of Ireland or inspired by her. It’s likely that’s because 2023 was the year her day became a national holiday in Ireland. There is renewed interest in Ireland’s female patron saint. But I’ve always been interested in her, ever since I learned about her sometime around the year 2000 at an Irish festival. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the publication of my first novel, Brigid of Ireland. I’ve released an anniversary edition, but more about that in a minute.

Here are a few books you may want to check out if you’re interested in Brigid. These aren’t really new.

This is the book I consulted the most while writing Brigid of Ireland. I see that it’s available only on Kindle on Amazon, but there is a new print edition available here on the author’s website.

When I visited Kildare, Ireland, I specifically looked for and found this book in the visitor’s center. It’s not easy to find in the US, but there are some used bookstores online where you might be able to find them. Here’s the link in Ireland. https://solasbhride.ie/product/rekindling-the-flame-a-pilgrimage-in-the-footsteps-of-brigid-of-kildare/

If you are planning to go to Ireland, you should definitely get this book as it’s a guide to places, but it also contains some inspiration which I enjoyed.

Again, there are lots of other books you can find on an Amazon search. I can’t vouch for them but I can tell you that I returned one that was obviously done completely with AI, so be careful.

Perhaps my favorites, children’s books!

And there are mine, of course. These historical novels are based on legends. Pages follows Brigid.

This nonfiction book contains a chapter on St. Brigid.

And finally, available only by contacting me, I have a wee children’s book, more of a pamphlet, really. They are $8 plus shipping.

This post was first published on my old blog in 2010.

The Celtic year can be pictured as a wheel. Each season flows into the other and it’s a cycle that continues on an on like a rolling wheel. In fact, some people think a Brigid’s cross is the shape of a wheel and represents the four seasons. Imbolc (or Imbolg) is the day of the Feast of St. Brigid and originally belonged the Celtic goddess of the same name. Later the church used this festival and named it Candlemas, which is the blessing of the candles or more important to the church, the recognition of the purification of the Virgin Mary. From newadvent.org:

According to the Mosaic law a mother who had given birth to a man-child was considered unclean for seven days; moreover she was to remain three and thirty days “in the blood of her purification”; for a maid-child the time which excluded the mother from sanctuary was even doubled. When the time (forty or eighty days) was over the mother was to “bring to the temple a lamb for a holocaust and a young pigeon or turtle dove for sin”; if she was not able to offer a lamb, she was to take two turtle doves or two pigeons; the priest prayed for her and so she was cleansed. (Leviticus 12:2-8)

But getting back to Imbolc, which is the Celtic festival, it’s the beginning of spring, the time when new life was just beginning to reveal itself, the first planting of crops and the beginning of fishing season. It was also the day for hanging a new Brigid cross over the front door of your house or your barn. You can read more about the crosses in my post here.

It may not feel like spring where you live. It likely didn’t in the land of these ancient people either. But it was the beginning, the hope of new life, fertile crops, young lambs and calves.