St. Brigid’s Day: National Holiday in Ireland

Beginning in 2023, February 1, the feast day of St. Brigid, will become a state holiday in Ireland. Now, I ask you, is it a coincidence that we are going to Ireland in 2023 to visit sites connected with her on the #ancientbrigidtour2023 ? (see the photo in the sidebar)

This is pretty exciting! We’ll be there in April, but close enough for there to be some excitement built up still.

You might be asking, as many have, why am I so interested in this Irish saint? All I can tell you is that once I learned about her, and all the miracles attributed to her, and how much she is revered in Ireland, and that Brigid is both saint and goddess…well, I couldn’t stop my imagination! Actually, I can tell you more, and I have. Check here.

Where I live in Ohio there is very little, if any, observance of the day. There are some schools named for her and they may be planning some crafts (St. Brigid crosses, probably) but that’s it. Except…

Ground Hog’s Day

February 2 is Ground Hog Day and there are some similarities. St. Brigid’s Day is the unofficial beginning of spring. It’s the time when the fishing season starts and new lambs start showing up in pastures. And in Ireland if you’re wondering if spring weather is coming soon, you might count the number of hedgehogs you see out and about. Sure, a hedgehog is not a ground hog. They are completely a different species, and hedgehogs are cuter, I think.

But they both hibernate in winter so both can be viewed as harbingers of spring.

So when you observe Ground Hog’s Day in America, think of St. Brigid in Ireland and the coming of the the festival of Imbolc, which is St. Brigid’s Day, halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, or to put it another way, a celebration of ushering out winter and coaxing back spring. The winter solstice began the light half of the year and we begin seeing more daylight. Spring can not be far behind.

I’ll be posting more about St. Brigid’s Day on the eve, Jan. 31, so come back then!