The healing properties of St Brigid's wells and Brat Bhríde
Eva Osborne
St Brigid's holy wells are scattered across the county, with sacred sites hidden in urban and rural areas alike.
St Brigid, one of Ireland's patron saints, has had a yearly public holiday in her honour since 2023 to mark both her feast day and the seasonal festival Imbolc.
The wells of St Brigid are said to offer healing properties for ailments, and this is no doubt the reason why I am instructed to fill numerous water bottles by my grandmother when I attend the cross blessing masses each year.
It makes sense that the water in St Brigid's wells would have the ability to cure sickness, as the woman herself was said to have worked miracles, including healing and feeding the poor.
The holy well I frequent every year is in Raffony, Co Cavan. I visit it each year on St Brigid's Day to get my family's carefully crafted St Brigid's crosses blessed with the holy water from the well.
I'm not particularly religious or spiritual, but there is a sense of calm offered by the site that is hard to ignore.
Elsewhere, St Brigid's Well in Co Kildare is a popular place of pilgrimage, due to the Saint's close connection with the county.
It is situated in the grounds of the Black Abbey, which was founded in 1212 by the Knights Hospitaller.
According to Megalithic Ireland, sacred wells were always places of pilgrimage to the Celts. They would dip a clootie (piece of rag) in the well, wash their wound, and then tie the clootie to a tree, a tradition still practiced today.
Visitors to St Brigid's well tie clooties to nearby trees, representing a prayer or a wish for healing.
The clootie tradition goes hand-in-hand with that of the Brat Bhríde (Brigid's Cloak) - when a piece of cloth is left outside on the eve of February 1st.
It is believed that as St Brigid passes, she blesses the cloth, imbuing it with healing power for the year. It is traditionally used to treat headaches, assist in childbirth, and protect against sickness.
St Brigid's legacy is lasting, evident in the continued upkeep of her wells and traditions across the country.
Celebrate this year by making a Brigid's cross and visiting a well!
