With St Brigid’s day just around the corner, we have some ideas to get you into the festive mood.
For a lot of people, Mass is a celebration on this day.
The topic of St Brigid’s day will make you feel empowered as we celebrate a female Saint. St Brigid’s day is one of the first feasts and festivals in the Irish Calendar.
This year is the first time that St Brigid’s Day is marked as a public holiday. So you’ll have time to enjoy the festivities.
1. St Brigid’s Cross making
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A common activity to take part in is “Brigid’s Cross”, a quick tutorial is available online here.
Many people will remember making a cross in school, so why not take a trip down memory lane and make them at home?
Why not open up the historical celebration by making a Cross for your house, the Cross is believed to ward off disease and act as a protection against fire.
2. Celebrate at Powerscourt Distillery
Another idea if you are living in Dublin or fancy taking a day trip, would be to attend the festivities being held at Powerscourt Distillery.
Powerscourt Distillery is hosting a celebration of St Brigid on Sunday, February 5th, with many different events taking place on the grounds.
Why not take a trip to Powerscourt on the Bank Holiday weekend, and take in the beautiful grounds it has to offer?
Activities on the day will include whiskey tastings, dance performances, craft markets and many more which can all be found here.
3. Herstory Light Show
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St Brigid’s day is on the first of February, marking the beginning of spring, in recent years there have been many different celebrations in her honour.
A fun and vibrant activity to attend on the weekend of St Brigid’s day each year is the Herstory Light Show. This light show, adds breathtaking colour to historic landmarks in Dublin.
The Herstory Lightshow is produced alongside Dodeca, a professional visual technology company. For more information and locations click here.
Many people have commented on their ideas of St Brigid herself and the power she held. Resident Poet at Herstory, Laura Murphy expressed her idea perfectly “Brigid is a Celtic goddess, Christian saint, and a symbol of feminine power and compassion, who transcends religion or spirituality, making her inclusive and appealing for all faiths and none”.
4. Why not take a trip to County Clare and celebrate St Brigid’s day at the Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher are also offering many activities to take part in.
Some activities include “How to make a Bridéog Doll”, this is a Doll that was created years ago to represent St Brigid, meaning “Little Brigid” or “Young Brigid”.
There will also be demonstrations on how to make a St. Brigid’s day cross in the visitor centre, this will be offered to all age groups! On your way there you could also visit St Brigid’s Well in Liscannor Co.Clare, which is rumoured to hold one of the best healing waters in Ireland.
5. Celebrating women
Dublin has been preparing for St Brigid’s day, and getting into the festive spirit!
With this event only taking place for the first time last year, it really showed to be a huge success. “Brigit 2023: Dublin City celebrating women”, will be held from Wednesday 1st of February until Monday 6th of February.
This festival will celebrate many women of Ireland both past and present. There will be a range of activities to take part in, including guided tours of Dublin and many exhibitions.
The Imbolc Fair will take place on Sunday the 5th of February, from 12-4pm in Meeting House Square.
Another idea would be to join in on the Discover The City – Walking Tours, with a special series taking place called “Women Walk the City”. More on the Brigit 2023 Celebrations can be found here.
Words by Katlyn Murray