THE ‘biddies’ were out over the weekend in some rural areas, keeping alive an age-old custom that marks the coming of spring while schoolchildren here and there have been making St Brigid’s crosses in honour of the saint whose feast day is February 1.

Cork play Monaghan in their Tesco Homegrown Ladies NFL opener on Saturday, but the following day sees arguably an even bigger assignment for the All-Ireland champions.

St Brigid’s 1-12 Ballaghaderreen 0-06

THE Government is set to make a decision on the introduction of an air ambulance service next month, following talks with a number of providers.

BRIAN COWEN said his time as Taoiseach had been “a time of great trial and test” as he bid farewell to the Dáil.

Whatever the old Celtic calendar said about spring starting on St Brigid’s Day, most country people know better.

An important seminar for beekeepers will be held from 2pm at the Parkway Hotel, Dunmanway, tomorrow. The seminar will be opened by Trevor Sargent, Minister for Food and Horticulture, and comes in response to the loss of the many hundreds of hives last year in this area.

MANY countries were Christianised in the early centuries AD, but only the Irish have an autobiography by a man who claimed to be the very first missionary.