Kildare County Council officially launched the Brigid 1500 festival programme for 2024 this month, revealing a spectacular lineup of events to look forward to in the new year. This festival will take place across the county of Kildare and aims to celebrate the life of St. Brigid and her enduring impact, as we reach the 1500th anniversary of her passing. The full press release is available on the Kildare County Council website here.
Taking place from the 27th of January to the 6th of February, this festival will host a wide variety of events, with something for everyone to enjoy. With the 2023 festival recently earning Kildare County Council the award for “best festival” at this year’s Excellence in Local Government Awards, next year’s festival is definitely one to watch out for.
Highlights from the programme include:
- A special St. Brigid’s Day concert, in collaboration with Hot Press magazine, which will take place in the Moat Theatre, St. David’s Church, and the Potato Market, in Naas. Artists confirmed to take part include Eleanor McEvoy, Moya Brennan of Clannad, Mary Coughlan, Gemma Hayes, Una Healy, The Henry Girls, Lisa Lambe, and Nell Mescal, with many more to be announced.
- Mother Earth, a day of food and music, to take place in the Wonderful Barn, Leixlip. This event will feature will feature a fantastic line-up of renowned female chefs including Darina Allen, Majken Bech-Bailey and Chantelle Nicholson.
- We Shall Overcome – Songs of Social Justice and Freedom, Athy
- She Moved Through The Fair – An Evening of Song, St. Brigid’s Cathedral, Kildare Town.
- Light shows will be unveiled around the county at prominent locations in Clane, Newbridge, and Athy, including Naas Potato Market and the new Naas Library and Cultural Centre.
- Two grand fiery processional events to celebrate St. Brigid will take place in the towns of Maynooth and Kildare over the bank holiday weekend.
- Specially commissioned artwork will also be unveiled, along with an artists’ exhibition, special honorary window displays, and theatre programmes.
For the latest updates on the Brigid 1500 programme, make sure to keep an eye on the website here. There, you’ll also be able to find some fascinating information about the life of St. Brigid and her lasting legacy.
Should the festival inspire an interest in learning even more about St. Brigid, you can also check out our library catalogue, where you can find plenty of books about St. Brigid and other Irish saints.
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