St Brigid was born in 451 or 452 at Faughart, near Dundalk, in Éire. Her name is that of the pagan goddess of fire. She converted to Christanity, inspired by the preaching of St Patrick. She founded a double monastery, of monks and nuns, at Kildare, the first women’s monastic community in Ireland.
Kildare became an episcopal see, with St Conleth as the first bishop. St Conleth incidently lends his name to an Irish Traditional group and their website can be found here.
Brigid died there in Kildare in 525. Known as 'the Mary of the Gael', she is the secondary patron of Ireland after St. Patrick.
St Brigid - pray for us!