Brigid's Cross Irish Pub takes its name from Ireland's most famous female patroness, St. Brigid of Kildare. Next to St. Patrick, she is the most revered saint in all of Ireland. The most readily recognized emblem associated with St. Brigid, the woven rush cross, seen in our pub's logo, is hung over doorways and gifted to families on the first day of spring as a protection for hearth and home. The cross should stay in the doorway all year long until another cross is made the next spring.
Brigid was born in 452 and founded the Abbey of Kildare, southwest of Dublin. Both monks and nuns lived there, and many accounts record that Brigid served as superior of both the men and women. The Abbey of Kildare contributed significantly to the spread of Christianity throughout Ireland at a time when traditional Irish religion was waning.
Also known as Mary of the Gael, and Brid, St. Brigid is widely known as the patron saint of agriculture, farmers, nuns, babies, scholars, midwives and fishermen. But it may have been her miraculous brewing skills that made her so beloved by the people in Ireland. Legend has it that a nearby leper colony which one day found itself without any beer went to the good St. Brigid with their plight. Taking pity on the poor souls, she asked them to bring their bathwater to her and she blessed the murky liquid, promptly converting it into delicious ale.
Brigid was so revered as a model of women of every age, that gentlemen began the custom of calling their sweethearts their "Brides" - a custom that has remained in our own culture to this very day. When Brigid passed in 525, she was buried beneath the altar at Kildare. Three centuries later her body was relocated to lie beside the remains of St. Patrick at Downpatrick, one of Ireland's most holy shrines.
St. Brigid's feast day is February 1st, a day that means as much to us as St. Paddy's day, so be sure to visit the pub for a pint in her honor! |
