KILDARE: Light spectacle at Maynooth University to mark St Brigid's Day

Maynooth University joined Kildare County Council to celebrate Brigid 1500, a major cultural festival to commemorate the life and legacy of St Brigid, one of Ireland’s most famous saints.

MU played an active part in the celebrations, hosting Carrying Her Flame, a light spectacle by Luxe Theatre Landscape, on South Campus. Staff and students also joined a global Pause for Peace on February 1, an initiative of the Pause for Peace movement, which aims to build “a spirit of solidarity and peace in societies all over the globe”.

Professor Mary Corcoran of MU’s Sociology Department chaired the Brigid Steering Committee, which organised a series of events, concerts, talks and workshops, reflected the lasting impact of Brigid on modern Ireland.

St Brigid’s Day falls on February 1 and commemorates the saint, who has strong ties to Kildare where she is believed to have established a double monastery for men and women around 480 A.D. Since 2023, the day has been designated as a public holiday in Ireland.

MU’s Dr Niamh Wycherley, St Brigid expert and Lecturer in the Department of Early Irish at Maynooth University, was also involved in the celebrations. Dr Wycherley is host of a podcast, The Medieval Irish History Podcast, which showcases the complexity of Irish history through discussions with leading experts, and includes a focus St Brigid and her legacy. She also addressed an intercultural festival between Ireland and Italy, which featured music from Irish and Italian artists in the Church of San Martino a Mensola in Florence.

Dr Katriona O’Sullivan of MU’s Department of Psychology and ALL Institute was a guest speaker at a special event hosted by the Women in Business Network of Kildare County Council, to discuss her best-selling book Poor.