The 1st of February marks the Celtic festival of Imbolc, meaning "to wash/cleanse" from the Irish verb "folcaim" [I wash]. Imbolc was originally a purification festival similar to the Roman Februa, a month-long period of sacrifice and atonement involving offerings to the gods.

The word Imbolc also means "ewes milk" owing to the return of fresh milk to the early Irish diet with the February lambing. The high fat content of sheep's milk brought great sustenance to the people of ancient Ireland.

1 Feb: Feastday of St Brigid (†524), abbess & founder of Kildare, one of three patron saints of Ireland. Her devotional names - 'lilium inter spinas' (a lily amongst thorns) - Muire na nGael (Mary of the Gaels).

The special position attributed to St Brigid is reflected in her name, which means:

'High, Lofty, Elevated' & 'Exalted One'.

#StBrigidsDay

In 480 AD St Brigid founded a monastery at Kildare ("church of the oak") on the site of a pre-Christian fire shrine - The flame was kept burning until extinguished during the Reformation in the 16th century.

"O Glorious St. Brigid, Mother of the Churches of Erin, patroness of our missionary race.."

- Prayer to St Brigid asking her to protect the Irish people, 1902.

'In a little boat, from the east, over the pure-colored sea, my Domnoc brought the gifted race of Ireland's bees.' - St Modomnoc #Feastday

The Bechbretha (7th c.) is an old Irish law-tract on beekeeping, special laws to protect bees & beekeepers were called the ‘bech bretha'.

'In Brehon times the management of bees was universally understood- every householder kept hives in his garden.'

Irish history beekeeping.

'Telling the bees' is an Irish folk custom. Bees were told of important events - births, marriage, death, lest they take offence & leave.

"The custom of 'Telling the bees' suggests that there is an ingrained connection between the bees & the souls of the dead."

Not only were the Irish monks meticulous beekeepers, they also lived in hive-shaped structures known as 'Clochán', or beehive huts.

Bunratty Castle in beautiful County Clare - Built in 1425, it is the most complete & authentic medieval fortress in Ireland.

South Solar room in Bunratty Castle.

Restored in 1954 to its former medieval splendour - it's home to a magnificent Tudor ceiling.