Saints
B

Saint · Early medieval

Saint Brigid of Kildare

Period
5th–6th century
Feast day
1 February
Associated region
Kildare, Ireland

Founder of the monastery of Kildare and patron of Ireland.

Key timeline

View timeline in full
  1. 5th–6th centuryTraditional

    Foundation of Kildare

  2. c. 650

    Cogitosus writes her Life

  3. 2023

    Irish public holiday

Tradition makes Brigid the founder of a double monastery for women and men at Kildare, which Cogitosus describes as a great church in the 7th century.

Principal written sources

  • Cogitosus, Life of Brigid (c. 650)
  • Vita Prima
  • Bethu Brigte (Old Irish Life)

Full timeline

  1. 5th–6th centuryTraditional

    Foundation of Kildare

  2. c. 650

    Cogitosus writes her Life

  3. 2023

    Irish public holiday

Since 2023 her feast, 1 February, has been a public holiday in Ireland.

Feast day
  • 1 February
Venerated in (starting dataset)
Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican.
Patronage and roles (starting dataset)
Ireland, Dairy Workers, Nuns
Places
Kildare

Accounts in the starting dataset

The source workbook lists these under “Confirmed Miracle / Key Event”. The Atlas does not treat them as confirmed: each is labelled by the kind of evidence behind it.

  • TraditionalHagiography

    “Changing water into beer to feed hungry lepers and guests”

    Told in early medieval Lives of Brigid.

  • LegendPopular legend

    “Her cloak expanding miraculously to cover Curragh of Kildare for monastery”

    Its earliest written source has not been checked.

About the image · Editorial design

Editorial initial. No likeness of Brigid survives.

Editorial status

Editorial draft. Built from the starting workbook with editorial corrections and framing. It has not yet been checked against independent sources.

References

  • Workbook linkNot yet checked

    kildare.ie

    Link supplied in the source workbook (“Top 100 Saints”, row 50). It has not been checked to confirm that it supports every claim in that row.

Original workbook record

Imported unchanged from “Top 100 Saints”, row 50. Values here are the starting dataset, not verified facts; where the Atlas differs, the reason is noted below.

#
42
Saint / Title
Saint Brigid of Kildare
Primary Traditions Veneration
Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican
Feast Day(s)
Feb 1
Era / Lived
c. 451 – 525 AD
Origin / Region
Kildare, Ireland
Patronage & Major Roles
Ireland, Dairy Workers, Nuns
Confirmed Miracle / Key Event 1
Changing water into beer to feed hungry lepers and guests
Confirmed Miracle / Key Event 2
Her cloak expanding miraculously to cover Curragh of Kildare for monastery
Key Contribution / Historical Significance
Patroness of Ireland; founded monastery at Kildare featuring famous eternal flame.
Reference Link
https://www.kildare.ie

Editorial notes on this record

  • Era / Lived: c. 451–525 are traditional dates; historicity is debated.
  • Key Contribution: “Eternal flame” at Kildare is attested by Gerald of Wales (12th century), not early sources.