Lately we have been learning about saint Brigid... Here are some of the things that I have learned
Saint Brigid was born in 450 AD in co. Louth
Her mother was Portuguese and her father was a pagan chieftain
Her father named her after the pagan god of fire.
Even though he was a wealthy man, he kept Brigid and her mother as slaves
Brigid was inspired by saint Patrick
Her father wanted her to marry as she was very beautiful... But she found her calling with god and prayed for her beauty to be taken away from her.
She founded many convents and monastries in Ireland the most famous in Kildare
Legend says the king of Kildare offered her as much land as her cloak would cover any by miracle her cloak grew and covered the area that is now the curragh
On the death bed of a dying chieftain who was raging... She weaved a cross from the rushes on the ground and legend says that this calmed the man down.
It is now tradition to make this cross on saint brigids day to protect from fire
Another tradition is laying out cloths on the eve of st. Brigids day and her spirit passesby and blesses them
