Summer Greetings from Celtic Rainbow Gifts in Maine!

This issue contains information on an Upcoming tour
to Ireland & some stories about St. Brigid.


Come Home To Ireland With Us in April 2005

Ireland awaits you – land of emerald greens, thatch cottages, music and charm. Discover family root, enjoy a pint in a centuries old pub, mingle with the locals and hear the lilt of the Irish voice. There is much to discover in Ireland; cliffs and breathtaking vistas, quaint villages and modern bustling cities imbued with history and culture. Ireland today is a vibrant mix of old and new traditional and contemporary.

Late in April 2005, if there’s enough interest, I will bring a group of folks over to Ireland on a custom of the country. This would be a custom tour that I will design with help from the folks at CIE Tours of Ireland. I can only give you a ball park figure of how much the trip would cost, as the details haven’t been hammered out yet. The cost will include airfare from Boston, New York or Baltimore. Of course wherever you’re located in the country, you can add on a connecting flight for an extra cost. All hotels, transportation, admission to attractions, full Irish breakfast every morning and most evening dinners are included in the price. The trip will be for roughly 10 days at a cost of about $1600-$1800 per person double occupancy. Details will follow once I hear from you.
I picked late April for several reasons: 1. air fares are still low that time of year,
2. it’s the beginning of their tourist season, so it’s not crowded, 3. Maybe you’ll have a tax refund coming, 4. the weather is fairly mild.
I have two questions for you.
1. Would you be interested going on this tour of Ireland in April 2005?
2. Is there any place special you would like to see or do on this trip?
Anyone considering this trip please email me back at:
linda@CelticRainbowGifts.com This it’s just a show of hands not a commitment for the tour.

If you are interested in a future trip to Ireland, Scotland, England or Wales, either with a tour group or a self drive vacation, I have some other good options for you to consider.
As a member the North American Celtic Buyers, I’m able to offer another 40 tours with CIE tours. These CIE tours are only through Irish & Celtic stores and must be booked through me or through NACB association. If you would like a travel book of all the tours offered, please send $2 to cover postage to:
Linda Keady
Celtic Rainbow Gifts
PO Box 447
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609



Saint Brigid

St. Brigid often called the Mary of the Gael and is also known by the names of Bride; Bridget of Ireland and Bride of the Isles. Her feast day is February 1st, the day on which she died about 525AD. She is buried in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland beside Saint Patrick and Saint Colmcille.

Patron Saint of : babies, blacksmiths, boatmen, cattle, children whose parents are not married, dairymaids, dairy workers, fugitives, infants, Ireland, mariners, midwives, newborn babies, poets, sailors, scholars, travelers and watermen.
Born out wedlock, her father was Dubhtach, a powerful Leinster Chieftain; her mother, Brocessa, a Christian Pictish slave who had been baptized by Saint Patrick. Just before Brigid's birth, her mother was sold as a slave to a Druid landowner.
Brigid's mother was in charge of her master's dairy. Brigid took charge and often gave away the produce. But the dairy prospered under her (hence her patronage of milk maid, dairy workers, cattle, etc.), and the Druid gave her mother her freedom. Brigid remained with her mother until she was old enough to serve her legal owner Dubhtach, her father.
Brigid was a high spirited child with a tender heart. As a child, she heard Saint Patrick preach, which she never forgot. She could not bear to see anyone hungry or cold, and to help them, often gave away things that were Dubhtach's. When Dubhtach protested, she replied that "Christ dwelt in every creature". Dubhtach tried to sell her to the King of Leinster, and while they bargained, she gave a treasured sword of her father's to a leper. Dubhtach was about to strike her when Brigid explained she had given the sword to God through the leper, because of its great value. The King, a Christian, forbade Dubhtach to strike her, saying "Her merit before God is greater than ours". Dubhtach solved this domestic problem by giving Brigid her freedom.
After some time, Brigid returned to her father, who arranged a match for her with a young bard. Brigid refused, and to keep her virginity, went to Bishop Mel, a pupil of Saint Patrick's, and took her first vows. Legend says that she prayed that her beauty be taken from her so no one would seek her hand in marriage; her prayer was granted, and she regained her beauty after making her vows. Another tales tells of Brigid plucking her eye out to be unattractive to a suitor. Legend has it that when Saint Patrick heard her final vows, he mistakenly used the form for ordaining priests. When told of it he replied, "So be it, my son, she is destined for great things."
When Brigid decided to form her convent she selected the beautiful land in Kildare. She wanted to build on the Curragh but the King was reluctant to give her any of the land. So she said that she would only take what her cloak could cover and he agreed. When she laid down her cloak it started to stretch and spread, covering the Curragh, and to the King's chagrin it looked as if it would cover Ireland!


The cloak covered a full 12 acres and it was on this ground that she founded her monastery, for nuns and monks. The name Kildare (Cill Dara in Irish) comes from this convent; Cill meaning a cell, such as one used for prayer and Dara being oak from which the buildings were constructed. Some people believe St. Brigid was buried beside the altar in the main Church in her convent, while others believe she is buried in Downpatrick with St. Patrick.
Brigid changed the pagan sanctuary of Cill Dara into a Christian shrine, which gave its name to the present County Kildare. She extinguished the ritual fire of the Druids, and lit a flame dedicated to Christ which was thereafter maintained by her followers until it was doused by the forces of Henry VIII.
Brigid’s wisdom and generosity became legend, and people traveled from all over the country to share her wisdom. Her monastery at Kildare became one of the greatest centers of learning in Europe. She continued her holy and charitable work until her death in 525 AD, when she was laid to rest in a jeweled casket at Cill Dara. In 835, her remains were moved to protect them from Norse invaders, and interred in the same grave that holds the remains of St Patrick and St Columcille at Downpatrick.
On the eve of St. Brigid’s day, rushes are brought into the house to make crosses. A girl of the family leads them in prayer. Food is left outside the door for Brigid and her cow. A ribbon or piece of cloth is left out on the window sill or on the door for Brigid to bless. It is used for healing headaches, sore throats and ear aches.















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