It's St Brigid's Day Woooot

Red_Marauder

Does anybody celebrate this day anymore? It was a pretty big deal when I was a kid, we had the stories/ legends about St Brigid at home and school, and then inevitably trying to make something that vaguely resembled a cross from rushes gathered on an expedition to the moore...where invariably a fight would break out between my siblings and someone would get a smack. Brigid wouldn't have been impressed.

I have lots of very nice memories about this day but we never really seem to hear about it anymore. Some of the legends are quite cool kids stories, I was just wondering, does anyone celebrate/ take note of this day anymore?

Disclaimer: I'm not talking about this from a religious point of view, the whole thing is very pagan anyway. I just think it used to be a nice feast day/ tradition from our pre Norman heritage.

chupacabra

Red_Marauder wrote: »

Does anybody celebrate this day anymore?

no

Celly Smunt

where'd she learn to make a cross

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Crosses, yes, but that was about it.

Darlughda

Yes, this is imbolc in the pagan calendar, or st. Brídes day, The sap is risin, and the reign of the winter has come to an end. Brighid is a great Irish lady: patroness of poets, smiths and fire.

She represents the rising of the fire of the youth and defiance in the face of the old i.e., winter, and what has gone before. She celebrates youth and the sprightly ness of new animals : calves and lambes.

She is also a godess of healing,arts and crafts. She was such an integral goddess in ancient Ireland that she was incorporated into the christian traditon when the patricians took over in the 5th century.

Red_Marauder

Darlughda wrote: »

Yes, this is imbolc in the pagan calendar, or st. Brídes day, The sap is risin, and the reign of the winter has come to an end. Brighid is a great Irish lady: patroness of poets, smiths and fire.

Do you speak with a rural west Clare accent like one might hear at the Cliffs of Moher visitor centre? Cos that's how I read this post!

senbwcs

We should turn it into a second Paddys day, I fancy a pint.

MadPatrick

I remember my nan asking my dad why we didn't make crosses on St. Bridgid's Day. I prefer that I didn't, I have enough useless skills as it is

phasers

When I was younger I used to confuse the St Brigid's cross and the swastika

IvySlayer

I still have my cross from primary school

efb

Didn't the femenists try to claim this day a few years back?

Paddy 1-0 Brigid

biko

Nice sunny day, bring on spring!

Minstrel27

Magnus wrote: »

Nice sunny day, bring on spring!

Spring isn't for another month and a half

Biggins

St Brigid's day? No, never did.
It could pass by (and has done) without me even knowing it was such a day.

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

themadchef

The kids spent a whole day last week making cross after cross in school. Like a little sweat shop it was The big box of crosses is then left in the church for all the auld wans.

funk-you

Traffic in the towns is gonna be ****e so with all the crinkly rattlers driving to mass. Ah nuts.

-Funk

Dionysus

Minstrel27 wrote: »

Spring isn't for another month and a half

Maybe so in Britain or America. We were always told in school and at home that spring begins today, just as summer begins on 1 May, autumn begins on 1 August and Winter begins on 1 November.

Liam Byrne

Minstrel27 wrote: »

Spring isn't for another month and a half

I did a search on the web when I read this, and I can honestly say that it's the first time I've ever heard of this.

I was always told - and still take this as true - that the equinoxes are in the MIDDLE of each season.

Spring = Feb 1st to April 30th (equinox March 20th/21st)
Summer = May 1st to July 31st (equinox June 20th/21st)
Autumn = August 1st to October 31st (equinox September 20th/21st)
Winter = November 1st to January 31st (equinox December 20th/21st)

Your post (and the resulting search) would be the first time I have EVER heard of the equnioxes being considered to be the start of their respective seasons.

Run_to_da_hills

RTE use to celebrate it.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

RTE use to celebrate it.

Little known fact: if you spin it fast enough, it produces a hypnotic Twilight-Zone style effect which makes the viewer dumbfounded and unable to change the channel for the next two hours (used to be done prior to the Late Late show)

newmember2

Liam Byrne wrote: »

I did a search on the web when I read this, and I can honestly say that it's the first time I've ever heard of this.

I was always told - and still take this as true - that the equinoxes are in the MIDDLE of each season.

Spring = Feb 1st to April 30th (equinox March 20th/21st)
Summer = May 1st to July 31st (equinox June 20th/21st)
Autumn = August 1st to October 31st (equinox September 20th/21st)
Winter = November 1st to January 31st (equinox December 20th/21st)

Your post (and the resulting search) would be the first time I have EVER heard of the equnioxes being considered to be the start of their respective seasons.

There's only two equinoxes - the other two are solstices.

I used to go to Scoil Bríde primary school in Dublin. February 1st was always highly celebrated - making crosses, class party!

Choke

MadPatrick wrote: »

I remember my nan asking my dad why we didn't make crosses on St. Bridgid's Day. I prefer that I didn't, I have enough useless skills as it is

I just realised that while we used to make the crosses in school, I now have absolutely no idea how to make one, should I be so inclined.
Kinda sad in a way.

Snowie

I crossed this thread out when i read st brigit dammm curiosity :mad:

Dubs

Pipe cleaners at the ready!

BluesBerry

My primary school was called St Bridgids and our school went all out for its namesake we spent the whole day talking about good oul bridgid and making the crosses it was a great away from the mundane school work we had to endure

Red_Marauder

Scien wrote: »

Originally Posted by Red_Marauder
and then inevitably trying to make something that vaguely resembled a cross from rushes gathered on an expedition to the moore....

Did you grow up in an Emily Bronte novel?

Moores aren't the preserve of 19th century Yorkshire... 'though instead of Heathcliff with those dark, dark eyes; we midlands children had a rambling, limping pervert named Black Dick.

It's a pity more people don't engage with the traditions and the legends of St Brigid - it would make a far nicer national holiday in my book
(plus we'd have today off work to get hammered)

Ponster

Liam Byrne wrote: »

I did a search on the web when I read this, and I can honestly say that it's the first time I've ever heard of this.

I was always told - and still take this as true - that the equinoxes are in the MIDDLE of each season.

They are, but the Irish calendar doesn't use the equinoxes to determine the seasons.

Wiki link


I for one always have a st Bridgids cross on the wall.

WindSock

We used to get this day off at school as she was the Patron St of it.

I still never learned how to make her cross though...I guess I was on her good side :pac:

Ponster

WindSock wrote: »

I still never learned how to make her cross though...I guess I was on her good side :pac:

Never too late to learn....interesting soundtrack on this one....esp on 2:34 mins

Red_Marauder

Ponster wrote: »

I for one always have a st Bridgids cross on the wall.

You're supposed to burn that today, and make a new one. Or a plague be on your house.

It looks a bit Ikea, is Brigid outsourcing?

Mike 1972

Ikky Poo2 wrote: »

Little known fact: if you spin it fast enough, it produces a hypnotic Twilight-Zone style effect which makes the viewer dumbfounded and unable to change the channel for the next two hours (used to be done prior to the Late Late show)

Kinda redundant given that a sizeable chunk of their audience only had one channel ?