Solas Bhride - Feile Bride 2023
Feile Bride (Festival of Brigid) Solas Bhride - Kildare; Geraldine Moore The organization of an Annual Feile Bride was an offshoot of the Conference in 1993. It is a week to ten-day long series of events commencing on the eve of St. Brigid\u2019s Day each year with a candlelight pilgrimage and ritual at St. Brigid\u2019s wells on January 31st. The ritual draws hundreds of people from near and far. The feile continues to grow and attract many national and international groups. Solas Bhride has an abundance of pilgrims and visitors to the Centre on St. Brigid\u2019s Day each year. Usually, the weaving of St. Brigid\u2019s crosses take centre stage that day and it is wonderful to see so many happy faces showcasing St. Brigid\u2019s crosses as they leave the Centre with their self woven crosses. The customs and traditions associated with St. Brigid are highlighted and celebrated in workshops in Solas Bhride, Kildare Library and Kildare Heritage Centre. People come to Kildare at this time to speak about justice in the world or lack of it. A Peace and Justice Conference organised in collaboration with Afri is a core component of the Feile. Afri invites renowned speakers from Ireland and around the globe to address issues such as disarmament, poverty, climate justice, care for planet earth and other major issues that confront our world. The Conference is far more than a \u201ctalking shop\u201d. New initiatives are birthed and peace and justice activists leave the Conference each year with a spring in their steps and renewed energy to continue working to create a more caring and sustainable world. The programme for Feile Bride varies each year and usually includes a celtic lecture, a concert, poetry, music, song and dance. Feile Bride events are now being organised both within and outside Ireland in places such as USA, Canada, Norway, Sweden, UK, Germany and Italy. The Department of Foreign Affairs in 2021 launched its 4th global St. Brigid\u2019s Day Programme which celebrates the creativity and talents of Irish women. Irish communities around the world have enthusiastically embraced the celebration which has contributed to the rapid growth to the number of celebrations which saw over 30 cities involved across the globe in 2021.