Capturing the spirit of Brigid

I crossed half a world to arrive last night at the Solas Bridhe Centre of Brigid's Spirituality and find myself ushered in to the hermitage called Hope.

This morning I set out armed with the new edition of "Rekindling the flame : a pilgrimage in the footsteps of Brigid of Kildare" to explore the places associated with this wonderful woman. Starting with excellent coffee and lemon drizzle cake at the Firecastle Cafe I headed for St. Brigid's Cathedral where the first three sites were located. But the Cathedral was closed - only opens to visitors after May 1st. Feeling somewhat miffed I went to the Kildare Heritage Centre where the manager encouraged me to add my disappointed comments to the dozens of others in her visitor book.

She did tell me about the local parish Church of Saint Brigid which is richly blessed by contemporary expressions of Brigid's character. In front of a beautifully written icon I lit candles for all of you who are journeying with you.

Finally after visiting the white Abbey of the Carmelites still operating as a centre of devotion to places where Mary is believed to have appeared , Lourdes, Knock, Medugorje and to other saints , but surprisingly not the great Carmelite Spanish saints of Teresa of Avila or John of the Cross; and the ruins of the Franciscan Grey Abbey from the early 1700's, I made my way to St. Brigid's Garden Well and Prayer Stones.

There I found the Spirit of Bridgid - in running water and mossy stones; in the round well and the clootie trees covered in tokens of devotion. Brigid was there too in the father who brings his son after school each day and who welcomed me as a traveller to this place.