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Use of Icon of Saint Brigid by kind permission of the Archdiocese of Armagh
St. Brigid, Naomh Brid, Mary of the Gael
St. Brigid was born c.450 AD and she grew up and lived in Kildare. From an early age, she was drawn to the love of God and consecrated her life to his service. St. Brigid lived a life of prayer and penance and was loved by the people for her care of the sick and the poor. Her good influence spread throughout Ireland and her reputation for holiness extended to the Continent where there was extraordinary veneration for her.
She founded a convent in Kildare on the site of the present St. Brigid’s Cathedral, and during her lifetime, close to thirty monasteries for women and men were under her rule. St. Brigid was called “Mary of the Gael” because her virtues closely resembled those of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
St. Brigid’s Feast Day is celebrated on 1st February, as she is believed to have died on that day in 525 A.D.
She is venerated as Secondary Patron Saint of Ireland.
You were a woman of peace.
You brought harmony where there was conflict.
You brought light to the darkness.
You brought hope to the downcast.
May the mantle of your peace cover those who are troubled and anxious
and may peace be firmly rooted in our hearts and in our world.
Extract from Prayer to St Brigid
St. Brigid - born c450 AD
died 1st February 525 AD
878
St. Brigid’s remains are moved from Kildare to Downpatrick to avoid Viking desecration.
1185
St. Malachy, Bishop of Down, rediscovers the remains.
1186
On 9th June the remains are formally transferred to Downpatrick Cathedral. To save the relics during various upheavals they are divided amongst churches, monasteries, families and individuals in safer districts.
1283
Irish knights on a crusade to the Holy Land bring the head of St. Brigid with them. In Portugal, they are killed by the Moors and the Sisters of St. Bernard are given custody of the relic by Queen Dinez.
1706
The relic is transferred to the Church of St. John the Baptist at Lumiar, near Lisbon. In 1780 it is enclosed in a special shrine, remaining there to this day.
1928
In November, Cardinal Archbishop of Lisbon gives a portion of the head as a relic to the Archbishop of Dublin for the new Church of St. Brigid, Killester.
1929
On 27th January, the relic is formally placed in St. Brigid’s Church, Killester by Archbishop Byrne.
2025
On 2nd February, after a number of years locked away in a safe, the relic is reinstated in the shrine of St Brigid, located to the right of the main Altar. All are welcome to visit and spend time there.
Cloak
Legend tells us St. Brigid found a site for her convent but it belonged to the King of Leinster. She bravely asked the king for “only the land my cloak will cover”. The king said “Well if that is all, you shall have it”. St. Brigid laid down her blue cloak and it began to grow and stretch, rapidly gaining speed and covering acres of green pastureland. All who saw were amazed. The king kept his word and St. Brigid gave thanks to God.
Lamp/Fire/Flame
When Brigid built her monastery and church in Kildare, she continued the custom of pre-Christian times of keeping the fire alight. The fire represented the new light of Christianity. Nineteen of her nuns tended the fire and on the 20th day, Brigid herself tended it. In 1993, the sacred flame was re-lit in Kildare and is still tended in Solas Bhride, by the Sisters of St. Brigid. The flame burns as a beacon of hope, justice and peace for Ireland and our world.
St. Brigid’s Cross
This is the symbol most associated with St Brigid. The story is that, Brigid was attending at the bedside of a dying, pagan chieftain. She prayed to God and as the light began to fade, she bent and picked some rushes from the floor and wove them into a cross. Although extremely feeble, the man wanted to know about the cross and Brigid told him of God’s love for all and how He had sent his son to die on the cross so that in the next life we might all be eternally happy with Him. Her cross became synonymous with her kindness and care for all.
Oak Tree
St. Brigid is said to have chosen Kildare as home for her monastery because of the great oaks that grew there, providing shelter and wood for building and keeping the fires burning. “Cill Dara” (Kildare) means “Church of the Oak”.
Wells/Water
There are many sacred springs and wells in Ireland associated with Brigid and these are considered to be powerful sources of inspiration, healing and a means of physical and spiritual purification.
A Glimpse of the Past
Since the relic of St. Brigid has been in our parish, it has always held a special place in our history. This rare British Pathé footage from 1929, records the day the relic was enshrined at St. Brigid’s in Killester by the Archbishop of Dublin and in 1930 shows the procession bearing the relic in its golden shrine to mark the anniversary celebrations that year.
Click on an image above to view the Pathé movies
The Reliquary
A casket of similar design to that which contains St. Patrick’s Bell. The reliquary contains the cruciform which is in the shape of an Irish Cross and has a glass front through which the relic (bound by gold) can be seen. It was sealed in place by the Archbishop of Dublin with the Archdiocese seal.
Stained Glass Window
Positioned to the right of the Altar of St. Brigid, this window was installed to celebrate 80 years of St. Brigid’s Parish, Killester (1926 – 2006). It contains a number of symbols associated with St. Brigid including: a cloak, water, flame, cross & oak tree.
Painting behind the main Altar
This striking painting of ‘the profession of St. Brigid by St. Mel’ was completed in 1952 by Mr. George Collie RHA. Many of the figures were inspired by people the artist knew including his daughter (St. Brigid), his brother (white clad bearded monk), his two sons (the cross bearer and person in right foreground). A local parishioner is also pictured in the background.
Mural of St. Brigid
Commissioned to celebrate the reinstatement of the relic of St. Brigid on 2nd February 2025. St. Brigid is depicted in the Curragh, Co. Kildare with the church she established in the background. She stands by an oak tree and the lamb represents her love of nature. She holds the cross for which she is renowned. Painted by award winning artist Ross McHale.