Springtime in Ireland is full of promise: of green grass rippling on rolling hills, explosions of yellow daffodils outside houses and shopfronts; the bleating of lambs just born; and longer days ending in colourful sunsets.
It’s a time of custom and celebration, and one that’s associated with the country’s only female patron saint, St. Brigid, whose feast day of 1st of February is now a public holiday. By celebrating St. Brigid, the country gets to mark the beginning of Spring and the joyful opening up of the year after the hunkering down of the winter.
At the start of February, the country is awash with colourful and vibrant festivals marking St. Brigid’s life, not just in Co. Kildare where she founded a convent, but across every county - from street parades in Dublin city centre to family-friendly St. Brigid’s Cross workshops in Castlebar.
The month marks the beginning of Imbolc too, one of four key festivals in the Celtic calendar (the others are Bealtaine, Lughnasa and Samhain). This day takes its name from the Irish phrase ‘i mbolg’, or ‘in the belly’, which conjures up images of fertility and birth. It falls halfway between the winter solstice and spring equinox, usually in the first week of February.
Today, St. Brigid is seen as a strong woman said to have had miraculous powers, and connected with the goddess Brigid and Ireland’s pre-Christian history. On a trip to Ireland in the Spring, you’ll see that several St. Brigid’s traditions are still alive 1500 years after her death. Look out for St. Brigid’s Crosses, woven out of reeds and placed above doorways to ward off evil spirits. Some people still take part in the custom of leaving a ‘brat Bhríde’, or Brigid’s Cloak (typically a piece of cloth) outside the door the night before 1 February, for St. Brigid to bless.
St. Brigid had to break barriers and push back against tradition to live the life she wanted to, and
Ireland is steeped in stories of strong women like her. There’s Dublin boxer Katie Taylor, who shattered glass ceilings in her sport and helped to transform Irish women’s boxing on her successful quest to win an Olympic gold medal. Or literary icon Edna O’Brien, a force of nature who across a long writing career has brought the hidden stories of Irish womanhood to a global audience. Or the groundbreaking first female President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, and her successor Mary McAleese, who together paved the way for greater representation of women in Irish politics.
Go further back and you can find the fierce warrior Queen Maeve, or Gráinne Mhaol, the 16th Century pirate queen. A springtime visit to Ireland offers the chance to stop off at locations connected with these strong women, like Maeve's Cairn on the summit of Knocknarea Mountain in Co Sligo; Rockfleet Castle near Newport, Co. Mayo, where Gráinne Mhaol is said to have died; or St. Brigid’s Holy Well and St. Brigid’s Cathedral in Co. Kildare.
Wherever you journey to, there’s the chance to embrace the longer days. Early mornings make it easier to get on the road, while the brighter evenings stretch the hours out, making hill walks or wandering around charming villages more enticing. It’s even better if you can take in a stunning sunset at the end of the day.
This spring, you can fill your heart with Ireland and all it has to offer, no matter what your interests. Down in Cork, afternoon walks in the seaside village of Kinsale will give you stunning views of the coastline. Or you can venture West and take in the ‘craic’ in Galway City, finding culture and cosy pubs around every corner, before venturing along the Wild Atlantic Way and into the wilds of Connemara. Over in Co. Clare, in Spring the Burren’s almost lunar landscape showcases the unique wildflowers that have made its limestone rock their home, like rare orchids and Alpine blossoms.
If you strap on your walking shoes, or take part in one of the country’s springtime walking festivals in the likes of North Leitrim or the Slieve Bloom area of Co Offaly, you’ll see Spring flowers like snowdrops and foxgloves come to life. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to spot a delicately carpeted bluebell wood.
Springtime is an excellent opportunity to go back in time with Ireland’s castles - like Bunratty Castle and Folk Park in Co. Clare, the stunning Glenveagh Castle and National Park in Co. Donegal, or Trim Castle, standing tall on the shores of the River Boyne in Co. Meath (film buffs will recognise it from Mel Gibson’s Braveheart).
Of course, no trip is complete without indulging in local food. Try a seaside town where you can crack open a lobster just feet from where it was hauled in, or squeeze a lemon over a freshly-shucked local oyster and wash it down with a cold pint of stout. Keep an eye out for food that dates back to St. Brigid’s time, like colcannon, oatcakes and deliciously salty Irish butter from grass-fed cows.
Outdoorsy types can cycle along Ireland’s many greenways, making friends with the local sheep as they travel. Or there’s the rugged Achill Island in the West, or the plant-filled Garnish Island (home to a Martello Tower) in the South. Popular small coastal towns like Doolin will be slightly quieter in Spring, their pubs offering the chance to make new pals as you listen to traditional music.
On a compact island like Ireland, a scenic drive can bring you to multiple counties in just a few hours and finding the nearest beach is a must while you’re on the road. While Spring temperatures are rising, only the brave will dare to take a dip in the Atlantic or Irish sea. But there’s nothing like a bracing walk along a sandy stretch of beach, whether it’s Portmarnock’s Velvet Strand in Co. Dublin, or Kilmurvey Beach on Inis Mór, or the 6km stretch of Banna Strand in Co. Kerry, to clear the head and boost the mood.
Bring a sturdy coat and a scarf along on your visit, and you’re pretty much covered for whatever weather the Spring brings as you adventure across the island. A bit of St. Brigid’s hardy spirit won’t go to waste either.