Brigid’s Way walking pilgrimage to be held again later this month

The second annual Brigid’s Way walking pilgrimage will get underway this year on Saturday June 28^th in Faughart and finish up a week later in Kildare town on Saturday July 6^th.

The event is an Irish version of the famous Camino de Santiago and was held for the first time last July.

The pilgrimage will wind its way through quiet rural landscapes. Pilgrims will visit sites of spiritual significance, including Knockbridge, Hill of Slane and Hill of Tara and experience the magical landscapes of Donaghdee Forest and the Grand Canal en-route to Brigid’s monastic city in Kildare, arriving there on Sunday 6^th July.

This unique co-curated pilgrimage offers participants an opportunity to:

• Walk for 9 consecutive days through beautiful Irish countryside.
• Visit many sacred places in Ireland.
• Take part in scheduled and spontaneous ceremonies.
• Learn about the ancient traditions of Ireland in the company of like-hearted people.
• Uncover layers of stories within ourselves and within the land of Ireland.
• Allow time and space to drop down into the deeper part of ourselves. 

Each day pilgrims will walk 10 to 12 miles at a leisurely pace, with a support car travelling with the group at all times.

For further details or to book your place on the trip log on to www.brigidsway.ie or call Dolores Whelan on 042 9371901.

Diesel laundering waste dumped at Ballykelly

A large dumping of diesel laundering waste was discovered on the Louth and Monaghan border earlier today.

3,000 litres of diesel sludge was discovered illegally dumped at Ballykelly –  near to Louth Village and Stonetown.

This is the second dumping of fuel waste this month after two cubes of diesel laundering sludge were at dumped at St Brigid’s Shrine on February 1st.

Louth County Council are dealing with the disposal of the waste but at great cost to the taxpayer.

Diesel laundering waste dumped at St Brigid’s Shrine in Faughart

It hasn’t been a happy St Brigid’s Day for the people of Faughart and Louth County Council after two cubes of diesel laundering sludge were at St Brigid’s Shrine on this her feast day.

The discovery was made in the grounds of the car park at the shrine with council officials on site dealing with the matter. This is one of a number of fuel waste dumps that have been discovered in the area in the first few weeks of the year.

Meanwhile, The Fairgreen, Inner Relief Road, Blackrock village and The Loakers were all closed due to flooding this afternoon.

New Brigid of Faughart website and logo unveiled

The Brigid of Faughart Festival organisers have recently launched a new logo, website and Facebook page – all of which went live on New Year’s Day.

Now in its seventh year, the Brigid of Faughart Festival will run from Wednesday January 29^th to Sunday February 2^nd and offers a varied programme of events in celebration of Brigid of Faughart and the Festival of Imbolc (Springtime).

Now people can keep up to date with all the various events on the official website www.brigidoffaughart.ie

The festival group worked with Castlebellingham-based company Gatelodge Design, who produced a stunning new logo for the festival.

This step celebrates thecoming together of a very ancient part of the local heritage of the area, along with the most up to date technology available.

The festival launch takes place in the County Library in Roden Place, Dundalk, on Thursday January 16^th at 6.30pm and anyone with a story or memory of going to Faughart on St Brigid’s Day is very welcome to come along and share it.

St Brigid’s Crosses will also be made on the night.

For more information contact Roisin Cotter on 087-1363224 or email info@brigidoffaughart.ie

The Hill of Faughart

Check out this stunning shot of the Hill of Faughart as captured in 2010 by DMull.

Faughart is said to be the native place of St Brigid and the stream and well close to this site were named after her and are still visited by pilgrims today.

The graveyard on the Hill of Faughart contains the ruin of a small nave-and-chancel church. The walls of the nave stand to full height and appear to date from the 12th century. The walls of the chancel are much lower and may be of a later medieval date. The walls of the church are now greatly overgrown and much of the detail is obscured.