Archive for category Brigit's Tradions
Brigit’s Cloak Traditons: We loved to hear from you about yours!
Posted by Garden Admin in Brigit's Tradions on January 28th, 2010
Brigit’s Cloak Traditons: We loved to hear from you about yours!
The story of the young St Brigit asking the King for land for her monastery is well known. In most versions the Chieftain tells her that she can only have as much land as her cloak will cover, so she casts her cloak on the ground and it magically expands to cover a huge area of fertile land around Kildare. In an alternative version Brigit takes off her cloak and her helpers cut it into many thin strips, which they placed end to end on the ground and enclosed a large area of land.
In Connemara, as in many other areas, it was customary to place a piece of cloth over a hedge on the eve of Brigit’s Day and leave it out overnight. Brigit was said to pass by in the night and imbue the cloth with protective and curative powers. This was known as ‘brat Bhríde’ meaning Brigit’s mantle or cloak and was cut into pieces for use as required. In some areas of South Connemara the brat was traditionally used as a headache cure.
Please share any Brigit’s traditions you have experienced or know of with our readers