Author: Shauna Gilligan

Writer and Educator based in Ireland.
Contemplation, Writing Festival, Writing Life, Writing Workshops

Imbolc & Brigid’s Day

Image of Brídeog (Brigid Doll) against a large Rosemary Bush. Brídeog is made of hay, wearing a white cloak and yellow dress made from cotton material. (c) Shauna Gilligan

This year as well as giving a series of workshops focused on Brigid as part of Brigid 1500, I am attending numerous Brigid events.

On Saturday 28th, I attended Brigit of Ireland: Icon for Today, in Trinity College Dublin (TCD) which was a wonderful day of events devised by Woman Spirit Ireland (Dr Mary Condren, Director) and opened by Dr Catherine Lawless, Director of the Centre for Gender and Women’s Studies (TCD). It was great to talk to fellow Brigid enthusiasts as well as hear the latest in historical and folkloric studies. Lectures and presentations included linking place and context, Dr Edel Breathnach and placenames as well as customs, Séamas Ó Catháín who also launched his book The Festival of Brigit. I’m very much looking forward to diving in!

Part of the day invited participants to create a brídeog, the process of which I most thoroughly enjoyed – guided by the ever patient poet Ruth Marshall. I’ve brought my brídeog to the garden (see photo above), and around the house, where she now sits, facing the front door (photo below).

I am very much looking forward to attending many more events (most of which are free and open to all) and encourage you to do the same:

In the spirit of Brigid, Lá Fheile Bríd, Peacful Imbolc….And don’t forget that Kildare calls for a Pause for Peace across the world at 12 mid-day your local time on Tuesday, 1st February 2023.

Collaboration, Exhibitions, Writers with Artists

“Mantles” Images in Strokestown Park Exhibition

A number of Margo McNulty’s stunning images, first published as part of our collaboration Mantles (Arlen House, 2021, now feature in Imbolc & Petrikovka, an exhibition in Strokestown Park. The exhibition runs until 26th February and also features work by Frances Crowe, Lea Farrell and Olena Kovalevych.

For more details please visit The National Famine Museum, Strokestown Park.

Image (c) Margo McNulty – “Portal”
Writing News

“Writing Our Way to Brigit/Brigid” Awarded Brigid 1500 Grant

I am delighted to be part of Kildare County Council’s celebration of Brigit/Brigid. Kildare County Council has kindly awarded my project Writing Our Way to Brigit/Brigid a Brigid 1500 Arts and Creativity Grant.

People are forgetting the singularity of Brigid, Alice Curtayne said in mid-twentieth century Ireland but in today’s Ireland, the plurality of Brigid is what speaks most to us.

Writing Our Way to Brigit/Brigid is, firstly, a series of creative writing workshops which will take place in the heart of Brigid’s Kildare – Kildare Library, Kildare Town.

This series of workshops will focus on using symbols and representations of Brigit/Brigid as prompts for participants to explore and write about their own relationship to Brigit/Brigid. In each workshop, using words, phrases and artefacts from her archival research as springboards, I will guide participants in exploring, through writing and oral story telling, symbols of Brigit/ Brigid in their lives.

Writing Our Way to Brigit/Brigid will also feature an evening where participants will have the opportunity to perform/show their work before a live audience.

Further details, dates and booking details will be announced shortly!

Please see https://brigid1500.ie/Events/ for a list of community events that are taking place all over Kildare for 2023 and beyond.

With thanks to Kildare County Council for the Brigid 1500 Arts and Creativity Grant.