Legends of St Brigid of Kildare to feature in new book
Epic Ireland: An Atlas of Daring Adventures from Every County, written by Kieran Fanning and illustrated by Alice Guidi, will be published by Gill Books
The legendary tale of St Brigid and her miraculous cloak is bringing Kildare’s rich history to life in a new book for children celebrating the extraordinary people, places and adventures of every county in Ireland.
Epic Ireland: An Atlas of Daring Adventures from Every County, written by Kieran Fanning and illustrated by Alice Guidi, will be published by Gill Books on October 22, offering readers a journey through the island’s fascinating past.
Brigid’s story tells how the saint, famed for performing numerous miracles, set her sights on establishing her own convent in the Curragh.
According to the tale, she had already performed remarkable feats, including making apples grow, turning water into beer, restoring the voices of two girls who could not speak and recovering a lost brooch from the sea by catching a fish that had swallowed it.
However, founding a convent would prove to be her greatest challenge.
Having identified the Curragh as the ideal location, with oak trees for firewood, a lake for water and fertile, level ground for growing crops, Brigid approached the King of Leinster to request land.
The king initially refused but, when Brigid insisted she needed only a small plot, he offered her as much land as her cloak could cover, believing he had outwitted her.
Brigid handed the garment to four accompanying nuns, who each took a corner. As they walked apart, the cloak miraculously expanded, stretching across an area of approximately one square mile.
Faced with the astonishing sight, the king honoured his promise. Brigid established her convent on the site and named it Cill Dara, meaning “Church of the Oak”. The name remains part of Kildare’s identity today.
The story is one of 32 county entries in Epic Ireland, which explores the lives of famous and lesser-known historical figures, from saints and sinners to rebels, pirates, soldiers and explorers.
Other stories include William Burke from Tyrone, Ireland’s first hangwoman, a tennis star who became a murderer, and a formerly enslaved man who fought his way to freedom before becoming a champion boxer.
Written by Fanning, a primary school teacher from Navan, Co Meath, the book combines storytelling with maps, historical facts and full-page illustrations by Guidi, an Italian artist based in Milan whose interests include folklore, mythology and ancient history.
Fanning holds a master’s degree in children’s literature and is also the author of Enchanted Ireland, Haunted Ireland and Solve It!, as well as Irish Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends.
The hardback edition will cost €24.99 and will be available in bookshops and online from October 22. With its mix of history, legend and adventure, the book aims to appeal to young readers and adults alike, making it a potential Christmas gift for anyone curious about Ireland’s past.