KilDare.ie County Kildare Community Network
Title
County Kildare Community Network, Ireland
Description
St Brigid
County Kildare takes its name from St. Brigid’s monastery beneath an oak tree; Cill Dara, the church of the oak tree.
This 6th century saint is one of the three patrons of Ireland. Little factual evidence is known about the saint but it is traditionally believed that she founded a monastery at Kildare which was unique in that it was a mixed community of nuns and monks. It was there that she died in 525 AD. The eternal fire, which was tended by the nuns there, was extinguished at the time of the Reformation.
The stories about Brigid have been linked to a pagan sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Brigda on the same site, beneath the oak trees. Many miracles are attributed to Brigid, one of which explains her links with the Curragh plains. In reward for curing the local king of an ailment he offered her whatever she wished for. Her request was that he give her as much ground as her cloak would cover to graze her flock of sheep on the plain. He agreed, and when she spread her cloak it marvellously spread out to cover the entire plain.
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