The Story of St. Brigid

St. Brigid of Ireland, also known as Brigid of Kildare or Naomh Bríd in Irish, is one of the patron saints of Ireland. Her story is steeped in legend and is intertwined with both Christian and pre-Christian traditions. St. Brigid is celebrated for her charitable works, piety, and her role in early Irish Christianity.

According to tradition, St. Brigid was born in the mid-5th century in Faughart, near Dundalk in County Louth, Ireland. Her parents were Dubhthach, a pagan chieftain, and Brocca, a Christian slave. Brigid’s mother was sold to a Druid, and it was in this Druid household that Brigid grew up.

From a young age, Brigid showed signs of compassion and generosity. Legends tell of her giving away her father’s belongings to those in need, which didn’t sit well with him. Eventually, her father granted her freedom, and Brigid embraced Christianity.

St. Brigid’s compassion extended to the poor and the sick. She is said to have founded a monastery in Kildare around 480 AD, where she established a community of nuns. This monastery became a centre of learning, spirituality, and hospitality. The monastery in Kildare had both monks and nuns, with Brigid as its abbess. It is said that a sacred flame burned in Kildare continuously, tended by the nuns, symbolizing Brigid’s hospitality and the light of Christ.

St. Brigid’s feast day is celebrated on February 1st, which corresponds with the ancient Celtic festival of Imbolc. Imbolc marked the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox and was associated with the arrival of spring and the lengthening of days.

The popular tradition of the woven St. Brigid’s cross is believed to have begun during a visit by Brigid to a dying pagan chieftan. To illustrate the significance of the Christian faith she quickly wove a simple cross from the rushes strewn on the floor, a popular floor covering of the time.

From this time on the woven rush cross has become synonymous with the saint. Commonly hung over the doorway in many Irish homes it is believed to bless and bring luck to every person who crosses the threshold.

St. Brigid is remembered for her kindness, charity, and commitment to Christian values. St. Brigid’s Day is still observed in Ireland, in fact we now have a bank holiday every year in her honour and it is a time when people traditionally make St. Brigid’s crosses, woven from rushes or straw, as a symbol of protection.

Her legacy lives on in the stories told about her and in the continued reverence for her contributions to Irish Christianity.

As part of our Irish gift collection, Connemara Marble have developed a St Brigid’s cross, to protect and guide you in all that comes your way.

You can shop our full range of Religious gifts here.