On February 1st, we celebrate Saint Brigid’s Day or Imbolc, a very important day in Celtic Ireland, marking the beginning of Spring, an end to the darkness of Winter and welcoming a new season of growth.

St Brigid was Ireland’s only female patron saint and was known to have helped spread Christianity in Ireland, she is believed to have been Ireland’s first and only female bishop and is seen as an early feminist.

Born around AD 450, it is said that she was humble and helped the people around her. It is believed that she was able to perform miracles and spent her time healing and feeding the sick. Brigid founded a monastery in Kildare with a hospital, scriptorium and farm.

A symbol associated to her is the St Brigid’s cross. Traditionally, to mark Lá Fhéile Bríde, these were and still are hand made, blessed and kept in the home as a sign of protection and prosperity for the year ahead.