Laois keeps St Brigid's Day alive through stunning tradition

This weekend, Laois will see a fantastic workshop take place to keep the traditions surrounding St Brigid's day alive. 

Old Irish traditions surrounding St Brigid's Day are kept alive in Portarlington this weekend, with a special gathering to take place.

My Brat Bhríde is an Irish community that celebrates St Brigid's Day, formerly known as Imbolc, a pagan feast day to celebrate the start of Spring.

Rita O'Loughlin, the spearhead of My Brat Bhríde, told the Leinster Express / Laois Live that she has always been passionate about Irish heritage and local communities.

Pictured: My Brat Bhríde workshops in the Dunamaise Arts Centre, sponsored by Creative Ireland Laois 

Originally from Dublin, Ms O'Loughlin moved to Portarlington over twenty years ago, to what she describes as ‘a small town with a huge heart’.

"The tradition of the Brat Bhríde was quite normal in rural Ireland many years ago, when access to doctors was not as easy as it is today," Ms O'Loughlin explained.

"With firm belief and devotion to the healing power of St Brigid, it was commonplace for women to leave a small piece of plain cloth outside on the 31st Jan the eve of Brigid’s day, as an offering to the Goddess/Saint and she in turn would imbue it with special healing powers as she passed over the land," Ms O'Loughlin explained.

"It was then taken inside on the morning of the 1st Feb and kept in a safe place to be used for anyone who fell ill."

This tradition of the Brat Bhríde was passed to Ms O'Loughlin by her mother, who lived with her for many years.

During those years, the pair began their own take on the Brat Bhríde, by upcycling and embroidering preloved scarves with spirals of colourful wool, and gifting them to friends and family as Brigid healing shawls, or 'Brat Bhrídes'. 

"We found that the more we gifted our version of the Brat Bhríde and explained the meaning of the beautiful scarves we were creating, the more people asked to also learn how to make them," Ms O'Loughlin said.

"Everyone just loved the idea behind their take on the Brat Bhríde."

After her mother died, Ms O'Loughlin decided to set up a voluntary initiative showing people of all ages and abilities how to make their own Brat Bhríde from a preloved scarf, which they could keep or gift to another.

"We only promote gifting, this is an essential part of the group's ethos," Ms O'Loughlin explained.

She started the award winning My Brat Bhríde in 2021 with the help of the Port Art Collective, a group of local artists that came together to support and promote each other’s work.

"I have been all over Ireland promoting the initiative in schools, women’s sheds, rehab centres, libraries and many festivals," she said.

Over the years, Ms O'Loughlin has gifted hundreds of her bespoke upcycled Brat Bhrides to many people, including notable names such as Graham Norton, Marian Keyes, Tommy & Yvonne Tiernan, and Liam O'Maonlai.

"Many requests have come from strangers looking to help a family or friend who is unwell, I've always been blown away by the stories of healing and comfort about my scarves in these cases," she said.

The Brat Bhríde initiative has been commended by Sustainability Ireland for its 'fresh and innovative approach' to reworking and reinventing this old tradition, changing it from a small plain piece of cloth to a magical multicoloured embroidered shawl that is personalised.

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Ms O'Loughlin has tailored her embroidery technique to a simple running stitch which any age or ability can easily learn.

"By using simple stitching with colour and design the completed scarves are always beautiful," she said.

It is emphasised at her workshops that there is no such thing as a mistake, the objective is to create a shawl of healing and not a fashion item, although they always end up fulfilling both categories.

"There is no skill set required and the real aim of this project is to promote a revival of the Brat Bhride tradition across Ireland at a community level," Ms O'Loughlin stressed.

"It's about embracing togetherness, celebrating communities and cherishing our heritage by involving the wisdom and experience of older members of society and bringing all ages together," Ms O'Loughlin finished.

My Brat Bhríde will hold this workshop on Friday January 31, from 7:30pm to 10:30pm in Portarlington.

For directions, see here.

This event is sponsored by Creative Ireland Laois.

For more information, contact 087 798 2821.