st brigid's day, where's all the crosses?

@Conall Cernach @boardise It’s a prechristian tradition related to the swastica. Brigid was also a pre-Christian god as well as an early irish saint. Fertility, poetic inspiration and blacksmithing i think were the god’s fortee I believe. The saint was compassion, settling disputes with kings and fertility I believe. Also a good symbol of female leadership as women ran one of the most powerful monasteries in the country for a few hundred years. Anyway fair play to any teacher who goes out after work to cut enough rushes for twenty plus kids. A lot easier for teachers living in the countryside rather than in a village or town. I like the tradition myself. Go out and cut a few rushes your self and enjoy making them with the kids. The 4 legged one or the three legged one. Yesterday was the Full mion between the winter solstice and the spring equinox when the Celtic Festival of Imbolc would have been celebrated. Going to make a crosóg Bhríde myself today. It goes a long way back. Going to put it above the front door. @Hotblack Desiato I’m all for it as it has deep roots in Ireland.

I always made them in primary school iirc. I think all bank holidays should be moved to good weather months . Sick of being out in snow and rain while orange men are out on the one day it NEVER rains 😡

@HerrKuehn I’d say it was a way of intregrating an existing Festival into a new Religion in Ireland at the time. Done with lots of things. There is historical evidence for saint Brigid. That shouldn’t be overlooked. Abbess of Kildare who was quite an influential figure historically. Its interesting as appartantly all the abbess there after the first one took the name Brigid or were called Brigid. So it could be a title.

I wouldn’t be surpised to see a resurgence in Imbolc/ Brigid festivals now that the Bank holiday is there. Nice idea for a gathering of friends on the Bank holiday weekend anyway. The Full moon was very bright last night. Brighest I’ve seen in a long while.

@Timfy Don't stress about it, the OP just made that "incident" up.

Has that vibe of "they're taking our xxx" alright

I call BS on that.

VDP have pretty much the largest non-government help network in the country. If someone asks them for help, they don't ask who they like to fúck, are they divorced etc. They got some negative publicity a few years ago for funding a LGBT drop in centre- but they funded it.

As far as I can see, many of the people who actually volunteer to do things this country are religious of some flavour. They just don't tell you about it, because it's not relevant while they're volunteering.

That one is literally thousands of people, nationwide.

Capuchin Day Centre. There's another one.

How would it even be possible to quantify a majority in the context of what people who are religious do or don’t do for others? It’s entirely subjective, in which your reason then that you see them do fcukall for anyone else, makes sense.

Not into the whole making crosses thing myself, but I can understand where the other poster was coming from - it’s just a creative endeavour is all, tradition, whatever, it doesn’t have to be grandiose gestures.

This though?

And of course the help is only forthcoming IF you’re not LGBT, divorced or some other affront to the floating man.

That’s just silly.

and happy people spread happiness and kindness.. nada wrong with that - no one gets hurts.. 

sounds like some of ye on here could do with some healing... like, to poke holes in something that's positive - sounds like ye need some light in your lives.. really.. 

I think that those who begrudge happiness for others.. tis a reflection of how sad they are themselves

That didn’t last long 😂

i didn't mean sad in a nasty - I meant it in a genuine way..

maybe my wording was poor..

but my overall point was that maybe they need some positive vibes in their lives - then maybe they would not begrudge other people's happiness.. or what ever brings them joy

Didn't say it was doing any harm but it's a rather silly justification for a public holiday and the endless bs about it in the media was a pain

but its not nice for people to knock what ever brings joy to other people - esp when they are not harming anyone in the process...

I think people who do that are perhaps unhappy.. and maybe shud find a way to be happier.. in their own lives..

I never used the word "bad"..

I guess we see things differently - its like this.. if there's something that folk believe in but I don't - I don't knock it - its just not my thing.. if it brings them joy - it would be rude of me to knock it.. and I wouldn't want to.. what ever brings people happiness.. and again - as long as no one in the process is being hurt.. ☺️

I made one!