St Brigid’s Day is almost here

It may not be a bank holiday yet, but there’s plenty to celebrate

1 February marks not only the start of spring and the end to a seemingly endless January, but also St Brigid’s Day. The holiday is an Irish tradition to honour the Christian saint Brigid and Celtic goddess Brigit.  Recently, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar announced that from 2023 onward, St. Brigid’s Day will become a bank holiday – putting Brigid right up there with Patrick! This year, though we won’t be taking the day off, there’s still lots to celebrate. In particular, it’s a day to mark the lives and achievements of women. And there are events happening at home and abroad to give some grá to all mná.

 

 

In Dublin, Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland has launched Brigit 2022: Dublin City Celebrating Women, which will see a range of events take place across the city. The inaugural event is using a hybrid format, so whether you’re tuning into a talk online or hopping on the bus to a live performance, you’ll be able to take part.

Beyond the capital city, there’s plenty to see and do – both around Ireland and further afield. On the To Be Irish site, you can find information on events happening everywhere from South East Asia to North America. And there’ll still be things to see and do later into the month of February.

Spring forward

St Brigid’s Day coincides with the beginning of spring, and harks back to the tradition of Imbolc. Imbolc, also known as the Feast of Brigid, celebrates the arrival of longer, warmer days and the early signs of spring. That means the evenings are getting brighter, the cold will be letting up, and winter is on its way out. Between that and the lifting of restrictions, there’s plenty to look forward to in the coming weeks.