St. Brigid’s Day is celebrated on February 1st. The Bank Holiday will take place on the first Monday in February each year, except where St Brigid’s day happens to fall on a Friday, in which case that Friday February 1st will be a public holiday. A consensus among the Irish Government was reached to name the 10th Bank Holiday after the patron saint as part of the pandemic bonus to thank the public in general, and frontline workers in particular. It would help to recognise the enormous sacrifices made by Irish people during the Covid pandemic.
In the lead up to the feast, a St. Brigid’s Workshop was organised. It was led by Catherine Hayden, niece of one of our apartment residents who has been basket weaving for 30 years. At least 20 residents from both units attended the demonstration. Catherine showed how to make an original cross, she showed different types and designs. We also learned that Waterford had its own particular cross!
There are seven basic categories of the cross, diamond with four or three arms, wheel type, the traditional Latin cross made from straw or rushes, there was also bare wooden crosses which were bound with straw. Most crosses were made from rushes or straw, but depending on the area where rushes would grow, its best that they are left for a while when picked as this softens the rushes, making it easier to work with them.
Catherine came well prepared with the rushes which she had picked and dried and she also had a number of crosses already made for the residents to see.
On the Feast of St. Brigid after a lovely Feastday Mass, Rose our activities coordinator went live on our Activity Chanel to give a brief account of the life of St. Brigid to residents gathered in the concert hall and for those who wished to enjoy in their bedrooms on TV relayed from the Concert hall. In the afternoon another group gathered to share about Holy Wells particularly St. Brigid’s Wells which are found in Co. Kildare and Liscannor Co. Clare. Residents found the whole day very interesting and chatted together about St. Brigid at lunch time.
