Each night, according to William Mackenzie in his Gaelic Incantations, Charms, and Blessings of the Hebrides (1895), a series of up to three prayers were meant to be performed. The person in charge of the hearth would smoor the fire, subduing the flames to a slow smoulder so it could be left safely overnight with having to worry about it burning out, or burning out of control. A second prayer then followed, as the person made their way to bed, which Mackenzie calls the Altachadh Laidhe, or ‘Bed-going Prayer’ (although of course if you weren’t in charge of smooring you’d just go straight to this one). The third prayer is called the Altachadh Leapa, meaning ‘Bed Prayer’ (which, as you might imagine, is said once the person has got into bed and is lying down, ready to go to sleep).
Mackenzie notes that there are Irish equivalents known for each of these prayers, and he gives a couple of examples for the first and third type from Siamsa an gheimhridh (1892). Further examples can be found in volume two of Douglas Hyde’s Religious Songs of Connacht (1906), and they all bear a striking resemblance to their Gaelic counterparts.
The following prayer is a version of an Altachadh Laidhe from the Carmina Gadelica, which can be performed as you’re making your way to bed (as an alternative to, or a follow-up to, the smooring prayer). The Gaelic has been modernised and accents have been added, where necessary, and the notes below discuss any other changes that have been made.
One interesting thing to note here is that while tàimh can certainly be interpreted to mean ‘rest, repose,’ it can also be understood as ‘dwelling, residing.’ In this respect, the title that Carmichael has given the prayer, Beannachadh Tàimh, could be thought of as having a clever double meaning, which is hinted at in the first line:
| Beannaich, a Bhrìghde, an fhàrdach, Is gach neach ta tàmh innt a-nochd; Beannaich, a Bhrìghde, mo chàirdean Anns gach àit am bheil an clos; Air an oidhche th’ann a-nochd, Agus air gach aon oidhche; Air an latha th’ann an-diugh, Agus air gach aon latha. | Bless, O Brigid, the dwelling, And each who rests herein this night; Bless, O Brigid, my dear ones In every place wherein they still; In the night that is to-night, And every single night; In the day that is to-day, And every single day. |
Notes
This short prayer for bedtime is basically as the original from Carmichael, with a Bhrìghde replacing a Dhé. This can, of course, be changed if you prefer.
Anns gach àit am bheil an torch -> Anns gach àit am bheil an clos. “Torch” isn’t listed in any of the dictionaries and it seems to have been added by Carmichael to give a rhyme to the a-nochd of the second line. Torch is glossed “clos” in the margin and it’s clear that clos is the better fit, which has been used in the English translation by Carmichael, so it’s been swapped in here even though it doesn’t scan as well.
References
A. Carmichael, Carmina Gadelica: Hymns and Incantations Volume III (Edinburgh, 1940): 356-357.
D. O’Fothartha, E. O’Growney, Siamsa an gheimhridh: no Cois an teallaigh in Iar gConnachta .i. Sceulta, Dánta, Abhráin, Tomhsanna, 7c. (Baile Átha Cliath, 1892): 130.
D. Hyde, The Religious Songs of Connacht Volume II (Dublin, 1906): 26-45.
W. Mackenzie, Gaelic Incantations, Charms, and Blessings of the Hebrides (Inverness, 1895): 85-86.
Eòlas 