St Brigid's Weekend

The Celtic festival of Imbolc is traditionally celebrated on the first of February through to sunset on the second. Falling between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, Imbolc marks the halfway point in the dark side of the year and welcomes the start of Spring. It is a celebration filled with hope for the longer, brighter days ahead.

Imbolc is the feast day of Brigid or Brigit, the Celtic goddess of health, fertility, poetry, prophecy, learning, hearth fire and smithcraft. Brigid features in many Irish myths and legends. She was said to have been a daughter of The Daghda, the wife of Bres, the mother of Ruadan and stories often tell of her having two sisters.

The name itself, "Imbolc" is said to be derived from the old Irish for "in the belly" or "ewe's milk" and it marked the time of year when the milking of the ewes would start. Rituals involved in celebrating Imbolc included lighting fires to symbolise the growing strength of the sun after months of cold and darkness