A sword, a cloak and a brideog were presented to President Mrs Mary McAleese this morning as part of a three-year campaign to have St Bridget’s Day made a public paid holiday.
Women in Media & Entertainment have organised today’s presentation at Áras an Uachtaráin to promote their call to have St Bridget’s Day declared a public holiday in recognition of women’s unpaid work and their contribution to wealth and health of the country.
St Bridget is honoured as the Patroness of Ireland and has been revered over the centuries as "Queen of the South" and "the Mary of the Gael". February 1st, the first day of spring, marks the anniversary of St Bridget’s death in 525 at the age of 73 or 74.
The gifts to the President represent the relics of St Bridget. The brideog, a symbol of the Saint made from straw, refers to women as the first carers of humans and life on the planet.
The sword is an emblem of the Sword of the Spirit replacing the Sword of War, stemming from St Bridget’s gift of her father’s sword to a leper as alms. The cloak represents St Bridget’s protection of those in need, and her healing and education centres for women.
Accompanying the symbolic gifts was a letter calling on the President to call on the Council of State and the Oireachtas to examine the constitutionality of the Government’s permission to the US to use Irish airports and airspace in the war in Afghanistan.
This afternoon, the group will go to the Government Buildings to present a sword and a cloak to the office of the Taoiseach.
The campaign to make today a public holiday was put forward as motion in the Senate by Senator Mr David Norris on March 8th 2000, International Women’s Day, and was supported in principal by all political parties.