Saint Brigid's Cross

Pat Mc Ginty making a St Brigid's Cross 

Bridget grew up in the Christian faith and was well-known for her kindness and her generosity. Her desire was to devote her whole life to helping people. With a few friends, girls of her own age, she went in search of a place to do their work. Near Drumcree overlooking the River Liffey and under a great spreading oak tree, they found such a place. Here they built a shelter – and later a Church – and the place became known as the Church of the Oak, or Cill Dara. It is still Kildare today. It was about the year 470 AD. In their convent they looked after the poor and the sick.

St Bridget died in Kildare in 523 and there her remains were laid to rest in a beautiful jewelled shrine within the church. However in the ninth century, when the Danes or Vikings began to ravage the country the body of Bridget was brought for safety to Downpatrick. It was buried in the grounds of the Cathedral, along with those of Saints Patrick and Columba