Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Lá Fhéile Bhríde shona daoibh go léir. Today is a very special day, not just for Kildare people but for people right around the country and indeed, all over the world. There are 52 events taking place in 52 different embassies across the world today, which is wonderful.

Brigid was very much known as a woman of peace and as a negotiator. There are many legends and stories about her but there is no doubt about her ability to bring people together. In that context, I very much appreciate that the Cathaoirleach has agreed to a pause for peace at midday, which will also happen in the Dáil. More than 1,500 years ago, Brigid passed away. She was a woman of wonderful traditions. Many stories are being told about her right around the country as we speak. Last Sunday in St. Brigid's parish church in Kildare we had the opportunity to bring her home. Relics that had left Ireland over 1,000 years ago were brought back to Kildare. It was a very moving ceremony and there is now a beautiful relic in the church which I would recommend people go and see. It might bring some solace in times of difficulty.

One of the legends about Brigid is that when she was looking for land on which to build a church in Kildare, the chieftain told her she could have whatever her cloak would cover. She took off her cloak and it spread and spread, and so we have the Curragh of Kildare, of which we are also very proud. Today we are going to have our own cloak made here in Leinster House. I am delighted, as chair of the women's caucus, that we were able to organise this event and I hope that all Members and staff will participate. To help us to make the cloak, we have a wonderful group of young women, aided and abetted by Ms Aideen Cross, a wonderful Rathangan woman who is just back from Kenya, having done a lot of really good work out there. Aideen and 13 young girls - Holly Tidd, Orna Manning, Claire Condron, Ellen Fitzpatrick, Kayla O’Rourke, Lilly McGivern, Clodagh Grimes, Aisling Nolan, my niece Libby O’Loughlin, Anna Kenna, Kate O’Reilly, Heidi Beary and Lucy McEvoy. - have been working over the last few weeks to make a cloak that we will keep here in Leinster House. Everybody is invited to participate in the workshop. I had a sneak preview just a few minutes ago and it is absolutely beautiful. I ask everyone to come and join us and thank the girls for joining us in Leinster House today.

Finally, I just want to mention "The Book of Kildare" which was launched on Sunday last. Ms Josephine Hardiman, a wonderful artist and calligrapher, spent seven years developing this book which includes all of the Kildare legends, including those relating to St. Brigid. The original is in the library in Kildare town and I would encourage anybody who has the opportunity to visit to do so. There are lots of activities happening all through the week.