Reviving the Óenach: Imbolc – St. Brigid’s Day Festival, Roscommon 2026
January 31 @ 10:50 am - 1:30 pm
€4 – €5
We are delighted to participate in the 2026 County Roscommon, St. Brigid’s Day Festival, that will see a number of different events take place around the county.
At Rathcroghan Visitor Centre, we will host a two lecture seminar focusing on St. Brigid and also the launch of an art exhibition.
Our event, titled Reviving the Óenach: Imbolc, will take place on Saturday, January 31st.
- 10:50 | Welcome & Introduction
- 11:00 | Dr. Elizabeth Dawson, Carlow College – St Brigit: earliest evidence, veneration and status
- 12:00 | Dr. Sharon Greene – Seeking Brigid: the archaeology of a saint
- 13:00 | Exhibition Launch- Maiden*Mother*Saint with short presentation by artist Natalie Folan
Dr. Elizabeth Dawson will deliver the first talk, entitled, “St Brigit: earliest evidence, veneration and status”.
Description: “Brigit is one of the most significant Irish saints of the early Christian period. The number of surviving medieval writings concerning the saint are testament to her success. Nonetheless, the origins and development of Brigidine veneration remain a matter of debate. This paper returns to consider the earliest written expressions of the cult to consider the avenues through which it is best understood.”
Dr. Elizabeth Dawson, a co-founder of the Irish Association of Professional Historians, is a medieval historian with an expertise in the early medieval history of Ireland and has lectured at University College Dublin and Queen’s University Belfast. Dr. Dawson is the recipient of numerous awards including the NUI Grant for Early Career Academics and IRC postdoctoral fellowship, and has worked with the Discovery Programme, the UCD Mícheál Ó Cléirigh Institute and the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland.
Dr Sharon Greene will deliver our second talk, entitled “Seeking Brigid: the archaeology of a saint”.
Description: Accounts of St Brigid in the Lives written in the 7 th and later centuries portray not only a remarkable, holy woman but one who seems grounded in the real world, taking part in household chores and interacting with people of all grades and with animals. But to what degree do these writings reflect the late 5 th / early 6 th centuries of Brigid’s world or that of her biographers a century or more later? Archaeological evidence can aid in answering this question, constructing a picture of the countryside she lived in and providing the opportunity to learn more about things and places she encountered and the people she met. As well as looking at some of the relics of her legacy, this talk will focus on trying to imagine the woman that became the saint.
Dr Sharon Greene is an archaeologist based in South Kildare. She is an independent researcher and an Adjunct Research Fellow at UCD School of Archaeology. She is a member of the Institute of Archaeologist of Ireland and of the Historic Monuments Advisory Committee for Kildare County Council. She was editor of Archaeology Ireland magazine from 2018 to 2023. She has been active in local heritage through Castledermot Local History Group for over ten years. Her research interests include the archaeology and history of early medieval Ireland.
Following the conclusion of our talks, Frenchpark artist, Natalie Folan will launch her art exhibition – Maiden, Mother, Saint.
This exhibition re imagines the figure of Brigid as goddess, Iron Age woman and saint, situating her as a figure of continuity and transformation. Through large-scale painted panels and a hand-carved idol referencing Iron Age ritual objects, the artist explores how one woman can represent both the divine and historic (Irish Arts Review).
Both in house and online bookings for this event can be made via Eventbright: https://tinyurl.com/282w465v
The County Roscommon St. Brigid’s Day Festival 2026 is supported by