St Brigid's Day: Things to do across the country over the long weekend
From TV shows to city-wide events, there are plenty to do over the long weekend.
Now with a new Bank Holiday in her honour, St Brigid is a popular talking point in homes across the country this week.
St Brigid’s Day marks the beginning of Spring and is a celebration of our female patron saint and women in Irish society. In honour of Brigid herself and the day becoming a national holiday, there's no shortage of things to do over the long weekend.
A programme of culture events are taking place across Ireland to celebrate so whether you want to get creative, lose yourself in Irish mythology or just sit back and relax with a good TV show, there is lots to choose from.
There are plenty of events happening in Dublin as part of the Brigit: Dublin City Celebrating Women which is back for its second year from Wednesday, February 1 until Monday, February 6.
A range of activities are taking place across Dublin as part of the event by Dublin City Council which celebrates the contributions and achievements of women both past and present. The city-wide programme aims to shed light on the stories of Irish women.
As part of Brigit: Dublin City Celebrating Women an Imbolc Fair will be held on Sunday, February 5 from 12pm to 4pm at Meeting House Square. There will be body paint workshops, a wise women’s weaving circle, Imbolc Tarot reading and lessons on the art of blacksmithing.
Other events include a two-hour create your own felted vulva workshop with artist Tamara Fiabane at This Must Be The Place in Temple Bar on Saturday at 5pm. The workshop promises plenty of tea, coffee, biscuits, and craic.
Plus, there's an aerial performance at Barnardo Square on Sunday with three performances throughout the evening at 7.30, 8.15 and 9pm.
- For the full list of events, see dublin.ie/whats-on
Irish soprano Eimear Quinn will host a Concert for Brigid on Sunday at 7pm in St Brigid’s Cathedral in Kildare featuring special guests. There is also a live stream available of the events so you can tune in from anywhere across the country or indeed the world.
- See brigid1500.ie
Celebrating Brigid and the women of Ireland, Ardóidh mé mo Sheol — Lá Le Bríde 2023 is a music and entertainment show about the life of St Brigid.
With a cast of musicians, singers, poets, mythologists and academics, the 75-minute-long show will see presenters Síle Ní Bhraonáin and Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin guide us through a musical celebration of Brigid.
The show was filmed at St Brigid’s Cathedral in Kildare in front of a live audience — on the grounds where Brigid is said to have established a church and monastery.
Musical guests will include Siubhán O’Connor, Paddy Keenan, T with the Maggies, and many more.
- Ardóidh mé mo Sheol - Lá Le Bríde is on TG4 on Sunday, February 5 at 9.30pm.
EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum is hosting a range of events to celebrate St Brigid’s Day including a family-friendly interactive story session and Brigid’s Brideogs.
Taking place on Monday, February 6 between 2pm and 3pm, Brigid’s Brideogs will explore the customs of Spring around the world and why the Irish made Brideogs. Of course, you can also make your very own Brideog to take home. The workshop takes place at the EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum and is suitable for children 6+ and adults of all ages.
- To book see epicchq.com/event
Tiny Tots: Brigid’s Stories takes place on February 6 from 10am to 11am at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. It is suitable for families with children aged six and under. The interactive story session uses historical re-enactment and imagination to bring Irish history to life.
- To book see epicchq.com/event/tiny-tots
To celebrate St Brigid’s Day, Crawford Art Gallery in Cork city also has plenty of activities and celebrations over the coming days including; Music at Midday, special tours of the collection to honour St Brigid and the themes of women, nature and mythology as well as art workshops and a screening of Rita Duffy’s short animation ‘Anatomy of Hope’.
On Monday February 6, the gallery will present a special St Brigid's Day tour of the collection and there will be live traditional music, song and dance from 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
- Check it out at crawfordartgallery.ie/st-brigids-day
A series of events celebrating women in Irish society will take place across Limerick city to mark the national holiday.
‘Bantracht’, an exhibition hosted by selected members of the Mná na nEalaín will open to the public on Thursday, February 2 until Monday, February 6 at Treaty City Brewery, 24 & 25 Nicholas Street, Limerick. It will feature work from Rennie Buenting, Eva Byrne, Angelina Foster, Lara Grufferty, Carol Kennedy, Sibéal Riordan, Emily Robards and Sinéad Cunneen Williams.
Meanwhile, the work of Aoife Cawley will be exhibited in King John's Castle and open to the public on Thursday, February 2. The visual artist works in the realm of printmaking and textiles and the exhibition features bold graphics and neon colours.
Hosted by Yin Yoga Jen, #StandStrong is a special 45-minute yoga class on Bray Seafront on Monday, February 6. Established by Allianz Insurance and Women's Aid, the #StandStrong movement aims to showcase solidarity with women subjected to domestic abuse.
Those wishing to take part will meet opposite Catalyst Coffee on Bray Seafront. 100% of all funds will go to Women's Aid.
- For more information or to purchase tickets, see standstrong.ie
In the heart of Cork city, Nano Nagle Place will host two family-friendly events to celebrate St Brigid's Day. On February 1 from 1.30pm to 2.30pm a collaborative cloak design will get underway with Celtic templates and lots of colours.
Then from 3pm to 5pm facilitator, Ellie Donovan will show everyone how to make their very own St Brigid’s cross that they can take home. Both events are free and for all ages.
- See @nanonagleplace on Instagram.
Another option for those hoping to stay in for the Bank Holiday weekend, Derry Girls star Siobhán McSweeney will be presenting a documentary on RTÉ that details the life of Brigid, untangling the fact from the folklore to reveal all about the Saint.
- Finding Brigid airs on RTÉ One, Tuesday, January 31 at 10.15pm. Catch up on RTÉ Player.
Herself is a large-scale public ‘projection project’ that will take place in Gort, Galway on February 4. Individual moving portraits of each woman whose lives and work embody the qualities that Brigid is known for have been filmed and layered with visuals representing their ‘Brigid’ qualities.
In collaboration with local community groups, artists Shona MacGillivray and Jill Beardsworth, the images will be projected at dusk on courthouse building in Gort town square.
