hand and heart

The recent post office troubles have impacted our regular fundraising efforts. Please consider supporting the Register and Catholic journalism by using one of the methods below:

  • Donate online
  • Donate by e-transfer to accounting@catholicregister.org
  • Donate by telephone: 416-934-3410 ext. 406 or toll-free 1-855-441-4077 ext. 406
St. Brigid of Kildare is pictured in a stained-glass window in St. Brigid's Church in Crosshaven, a village in County Cork, Ireland, Jan. 20, 2022. The Irish government has added a new public holiday to the national calendar to honor the country's female patron, St. Brigid of Kildare.
St. Brigid of Kildare is pictured in a stained-glass window in St. Brigid's Church in Crosshaven, a village in County Cork, Ireland, Jan. 20, 2022. The Irish government has added a new public holiday to the national calendar to honor the country's female patron, St. Brigid of Kildare. CNS photo/Cillian Kelly

Feast of St. Brigid of Kildare a new national holiday in Ireland

By  Michael Kelly, Catholic News Service
  • January 20, 2022

DUBLIN -- The Irish government has added a new public holiday to the national calendar to honor the country's female patron, St. Brigid of Kildare.

The fifth-century abbess -- who is one of the country's three patron saints along with St. Patrick and St. Columba -- founded several monasteries of nuns. Her Feb. 1 feast day will become the new holiday; many Irish people mark that date as the traditional first day of spring.

Bishop Denis Nulty of Kildare and Leighlin, where St. Brigid founded her largest monastic settlement, had backed calls for the female saint to be honored on the civil calendar.

The new holiday, on which all public offices will close, will be in addition to St. Patrick's Day, which falls on March 17 and is also a public holiday.

This year, St. Patrick's Day will have an extra holiday March 18 as a special "thank you" to front-line health care workers for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The government also announced Jan. 19 that all health care workers would receive a one-time, tax-free bonus of 1,000 euros (US$1,134) for their work during the pandemic.

It comes as health officials in Ireland are expected to announce a lifting of all COVID-19 restrictions and phase in a return to normal over the next nine weeks as rates of infection continue to fall. Ireland has the highest vaccination rate in Europe.

Tagged under:

Related items

More in this category: « Munich abuse report accuses Benedict; Vatican to study document El Salvador marks 30 years of peace »

Please support The Catholic Register

Unlike many media companies, The Catholic Register has never charged readers for access to the news and information on our website. We want to keep our award-winning journalism as widely available as possible. But we need your help.

For more than 125 years, The Register has been a trusted source of faith-based journalism. By making even a small donation you help ensure our future as an important voice in the Catholic Church. If you support the mission of Catholic journalism, please donate today. Thank you.

DONATE