BY JOHN FITZGERALD
Kilkenny City and county marked the feast day and public holiday to honour St. Brigid with a mix of creative flair, religious devotion, and homage to our county’s heritage.
Those lovely crosses appeared everywhere and the famed Kilkenny Heritage Walkers paid a special visit to an ancient well dedicated to the saint.
In homes, schools, libraries and churches, traditional Brigid’s Crosses were fashioned from rushes or straw, upholding a custom dating to about the mid-17th century. Acclaimed artist/ecologist Monica Fleming gave classes in how to craft these symbols of tribute to the woman whose life of healing and compassion continues to inspire.
Monica also explored other crafts and traditions associated with Ireland’s long and often turbulent past, as well as drawing parallels with differing cultures and ethnicities.
It was an opportunity to reconnect with our Celtic inheritance, and maybe even rediscover that old Irish belief in a world beyond, where departed loved ones reside and watch out for us.
In past times, rushes to make the crosses might be gathered on January 31st and on February 1st the weaving followed under the householder’s watchful eye.
Having been left overnight to receive a special saintly blessing, the crosses were positioned on the rafters or over the doors of homes to invoke the saint’s blessing for the remainder of the year.
After independence in 1922, St. Brigid’s Cross took its place with other potent symbols of Irishness such as the harp and the shamrock. In the 1950s, the Department of health chose it as part of its official logo, as did RTE in 1962.
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland also adapted it, not surprisingly given Brigid’s association with motherhood.
I called into Fennelly’s café/artistic hub in Callan, where rushes were neatly arranged on every table and anyone who dropped in was invited to fashion their own crosses, with help and guidance from proprietor Etaoin Holahan. Lively chats ensued as the interlacing rushes took on the likeness of a Celtic icon.
Some had more success than others in weaving the much-loved Crest of the Gael but each had its own appeal and distinctive style. Apart from Etaoin, Bridie the Jack Russell was available to inspect the work, a reminder that Brigid was a champion of the animal kingdom.
Fennelly’s has kept the light of culture flickering brightly since it opened its doors over a decade ago and Brigid herself would surely be proud of the craftsmanship on display. One cross-maker opined that Brigid must be a friend of Fennelly’s. Given its role in promoting a multitude of creative projects and bringing communities together, she mightn’t be far wrong. Meanwhile, in another part of the county, the Kilkenny Heritage Walkers had set out on their annual visit to St. Brigid’s well in the parish of Ballycallan, led by Jimmy Neary, brother of historian Paddy Neary. Lar McGrath and a team of dedicated locals assisted the group in navigating the maze of fields to be crossed to reach the well.
They set off from the Church of Saint Brigid at Gorteen to the well, which is situated on a 35 acre stretch of land known locally as Moore’s Bog. The well is one of the oldest of its kind in Ireland, pre-dating the Norman Invasion and it may even date to the sixth century when Brigid walked the earth.
This year, though, the walk felt more like a pilgrimage and an act of reverence, coming just a few weeks after the passing of the farmer on whose land the well is located.
Sean Hoyne had, each year, extended a hearty welcome to the walkers and gone out of his way to accommodate their act of homage. He was a hugely popular figure in the Ballycallan district, commanding respect for his wisdom, kindness, and friendly word for everyone.
The visit to the well drew a larger than expected group, partly due to a wish to say a posthumous “thank you” to Sean. A simple but deeply moving tribute to the man greeted the group when they approached the site of the well.
Sean’s family had placed a pair of boots belonging to him, along with a shovel, at the farm gate…symbols of an honest life on the land. Sean’s family participated in the event this year. It was an unforgettable event.
The group, in addition to hearing the story of the well, offered prayers and sang traditional hymns of praise to Brigid. They also sampled the water, the well being renowned for its healing properties, before departing the hallowed site.
But they’ll be back next year to St. Brigid’s well to again recall one of our county’s historic and spiritual treasures.
