Ireland’s ‘Second Favourite’ Patron Saint
I’m sure you’ve heard of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, but have you ever heard of our other, female, patron saint?
St. Brigid is Ireland’s lesser-known (outside of Ireland, that is) patron saint and her holiday is celebrated on February 1st every year. This year, 2024, is 1500 years since her death and festivals and celebrations are happening right up to the 5th of February.
St. Brigid shares a name with Brigit, one of the most celebrated goddesses and most powerful deities in Celtic mythology. According to CIEtours, some believe St.Brigid did not exist and was a mere Christianisation of the Celtic goddess Brigit while others believe she was an important figure in her own right that was named after the goddess.
The backstories of the two women differ. St. Brigid was born to a slave, baptised by St. Patrick, and returned to her wealthy Leinster chieftain father as a child to be his servant. The “Triple Goddess” Brigit was the daughter of the fearsome druid Dagda, the Chief of the Tuatha dé Danann, who were a supernatural tribe in Irish folklore often referred to as Celtic Gods and Goddesses. This Brigit went on to become the Queen of the Tuatha De Dannann by marrying the King.
