At the primgrimage too St Brigid’s well last year
St Brigid’s Day festival returns with a packed programme
The Brigid’s Day festival in Clondalkin will return this year for one day with a packed programme for Monday, February 2, which everyone can enjoy for free.
The events to celebrate Lá Fhéile Bríde in Clondalkin include a pilgrimage to St Brigid’s Well via the Northside, a ritual at the well and cross-making in the evening.
The day is also known as Imbolc, and it symbolises the beginning of Spring, falling halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.
Imbolc translates to ‘In the belly of the mother’ – spring starts to blossom from within Mother Earth.
Festival chair Eoin Ó Broin told The Echo about what’s to come as we near the big day.
Mr Ó Broin said: “There are three parts to the day. First part is a walk from the city centre to the St Brigid’s well in Clondalkin – it’s a 16-kilometre pilgrimage.
“People meet at 9am at The Sanctuary in Dublin 7 and then we’ll go through Kilmainham, down the canal to Woodford, through Knockmeenagh and Newlands then over to the well. That’ll be led by Dr Karen Ward, who is with an organisation called Moon Mná.
“The second part of the day is at the well itself – Karen will lead a fire and water ritual at the well.
Sharon Walsh, centre making crosses last year
“People can burn the Brigid’s crosses they made last year there, and then the third part of the day is at Áras Chrónáin from 1pm to 5pm where people can drop in and make Brigid’s crosses.”
Mervyn Ennis will lead the workshop at Áras Chrónáin where people can make their new crosses, and other creations and holiday customs will be created and observed on the day such as Brídeog dolls.
Brídeog dolls are part of a tradition that dates back thousands of years, creating an effigy of the Patron Saint of Ireland to guide and protect people, homes and ships from danger.
Sharon Walsh will help people to create their dolls while Rachel Carol will work with people to make Brat Bríde – cloaks or ribbons that are left out to be blessed by St Brigid.
Imbolc celebrates renewal and through the long walk, the burning of the old crosses and the embracing of new creations, Clondalkin’s festivities mirrors that.
For more information on the Brigid’s Day Festival in Clondalkin, visit the dedicated Facebook and Instagram pages.
