Bridget Daly is a Sighted mundane who has been serving at the London Institute since 1878.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Bridget came from an Irish family of Sighted mundanes who have been serving Shadowhunters for generations.
London Institute[]
Originally a cook for the Dublin Institute, Bridget was sent to London by the Clave to replace the late cook, Agatha.[1] She arrived around the same time as a fellow new employee, Cyril Tanner, who was also called for to replace his brother, a former employee, Thomas, who was killed in the same automaton attack as Agatha.[2]
As a precaution to avoid what happened with the former employees, the Conclave decided that everyone in the Institute, even the non-Shadowhunters, should be trained in battle to be able to defend themselves. Bridget and Cyril, however, proved to already be very capable and needed no further training.[1]
The residents soon learned that Bridget was quite morbid, often heard loudly singing Irish sorrowful folk ballads while she worked. Despite this, Bridget became an asset to the Institute, even fighting with the Shadowhunters in battle when the need arose.[1][3]
Bridget would remain a faithful servant of the Institute until her later years, helping raise the children of the Conclave members, including James and Lucie Herondale, as their nursemaid.[4][5] At some point she seemingly took over for Cyril with readying and driving the carriages as well.[6]
In December 1903, she assisted Tessa in preparing for James and Cordelia Carstairs's wedding; bringing in extra staff to assist her. Before the ceremony, she was summoned by Christopher Lightwood when one of the maids—Edith—collapsed in the drawing room. Bridget accused her of faking it to get out of all the work needing to be done but helped her nevertheless.
When Thomas Lightwood stood accused of being the serial killer that had been attacking the Shadowhunters of London and he and Alastair Carstairs were kept overnight in the Sanctuary before their trial, Bridget was asked to provide them with food and other necessary items. Feeling bad for Thomas, she prepared some of his favorite dishes and scowled at Alastair before she left.[7]
Later life[]
Bridget somehow became long-lived and was still serving at the London Institute when the Blackthorns and their friends came in 2012.[8][9]
Personality and traits[]
For some reason, Bridget is terribly morbid and is often heard singing Irish folk ballads, such as those from the Child Ballads, about death and heartbreak loudly while she worked, which tends to drive the inhabitants of the Institute crazy.[1]
Physical description[]
Bridget has curly scarlet hair, brown eyes, and is said to be "the definition of rawboned," having bones which are too big for her skinny frame.[1]
Skills and abilities[]
Bridget was trained with Shadowhunters and has demonstrated skill in fighting and handling weapons, holding her own very well in battle against demonic automatons and even other Shadowhunters.[1]
Appearances[]
- Clockwork Prince (first appearance)
- Clockwork Princess
- The Whitechapel Fiend (flashback)
- The Midnight Heir
- Chain of Gold
- Chain of Iron
- Chain of Thorns
- Lord of Shadows
Trivia[]
- Bridget has famously terrible eggs.[6]
- She supposedly owns a massive spear that she uses in battle.[6]
- How Bridget became long-lived (well into her 100s) will be explained in The Last Hours.[9]