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For over two decades, Carmel Hayes has made regular visits to St Brigid’s Primary School in Drumilly, south Armagh, to teach children the traditional craft of weaving St Brigid’s crosses. These crosses are carefully made from rushes, a grass-like plant often regarded as a nuisance by farmers. Carmel emphasizes the importance of technique, explaining, “The whole secret is to hold them good and tight,” as she demonstrates the weaving process.
Her granddaughter Mya is one of her most dedicated pupils, learning how to fold and secure the rushes to create the distinctive cross shape. In the classroom, a basket of rushes sits ready for use, some of which were gathered by a student named Olivia, who proudly shared, “I went to the fields and cut them down and brought them into school.” Besides the craft itself, Carmel also shares stories about St Brigid, especially highlighting how her feast day on February 1 marks the beginning of spring or Imbolc in the Celtic calendar.
Reflecting on the significance of teaching about the saint in a school that bears her name, Carmel said, “It is lovely to talk about her in a school named after her.” She described the annual tradition around St Brigid’s Day as a way to transition from the winter months into spring, with children looking for snowdrops and early flowers as signs of renewal connected to St Brigid’s legacy.
The children have also been learning about some of the stories linked to St Brigid. For example, they heard how she asked the King of Leinster for land on which to build her work but was initially refused. The king granted her the land that her cloak could cover, and, as Riona recalled, “She wanted land to build a church and she had a cloak and it grew all over the land but the king didn’t want her to have the land.” Eadaoin added, “She built that church in Kildare and it was her most famous church but she was from near here in Louth.” Faughart in County Louth, just over 10 miles from the school, has strong ties to St Brigid, while Downpatrick in County Down also asserts a connection to the saint.
Though better known as the resting place of St Patrick, Downpatrick claims the burial of Ireland’s other patron saints, Brigid and Colmcille, as well. The local tour guide, Brigid Watson, commented from the graves at Down Cathedral, “When she died she was buried beside the high altar in Kildare. But because of Viking attacks it was decided in 878AD to bring her remains here to Downpatrick where she is buried with St Patrick and also St Colmcille – so the three patron saints of Ireland are buried together here on Cathedral Hill.” However, Watson noted that over time, some relics of St Brigid, including her skull, were relocated. She said, “I’ve actually been to the church on the outskirts of Lisbon where her skull is kept. It was brought there by three knights who left there in the 12th Century.”
In recent times, the celebration of St Brigid’s Day has grown, becoming a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland. Although Northern Ireland does not officially recognize it as a holiday, an increasing number of events take place annually to honour her feast day. One notable example is a festival held over a weekend at Down Cathedral, situated close to her burial site, providing a focal point for commemorations
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