Brigit Festival 2006:

Bride with her white wand is said to breathe life into the mouth of the dead Winter
to bring him to open his eyes to the tears and the smiles, the sighs and the laughter of Spring.
CARMINA GADELICA

In the Celtic calendar, February 1st marks the beginning of Spring, the festival of Imbolc or Lá Féile Bhríde. In the company of women and men - homemakers, craftworkers, students, healers, storytellers, community activists, poets, therapists, musicians, artists, writers, theologians, folklorists, and dancers - come help liberate, excavate, and celebrate our ancient role-model: Brigit as Goddess, Saint, Abbess, and Muse. We will be working together in an integrative and experiential way, using sound, music, movement, and ritual to explore Brigit's wise traditions. In the words of two of our resource persons, Caroline Kehoe and Deirdre Ní Chinnéide:

To journey through the Celtic world is to travel widely.
The call to re - member with this ancient civilisation our ancestors,
is to retrieve that which we have lost and longed for in these current times.
In circle sound and movement, the pilgrim walks through other worlds -
in, outside, beyond, before - and drawing from a deep well of image,
myth and ritual opens to the Celtic song and dance within

RESOURCE PERSONS
Deirdre Ní Chinnéide - Singer, therapist, and performer
Mary Condren - Theologian, writer, and feminist theorist
Merovée Guerin - Artist and Brigit folklorist
Caroline Kehoe - Professionally qualified dance and meditation facilitator
Nóirin Ní Ríain - Theologian, singer, and musician

Further biographical details (msword.doc)

Time and Date: Sunday January 29th 2006 1:00 pm - 10:00pm

Venue: Kilnamanagh Family Recreation Centre, Kilnamanagh, Dublin 24.

Meals: Tea and coffee will be provided. As part of our sharing we are asking participants to bring
cold food and/or drink - sweet or savoury - (estimate for six people) to share for the
party/meal Sunday evening.

What to bring: Bring special small pieces of cloth or decorations for Brídeogs (dolls) - if you wish to
make one. Bring green rushes to make crosses (if you can find them-keep them damp).

Clothing: Wear comfortable loose warm clothing (in layers) and shoes for dancing.

Programme: Through movement, meditation, dance, sound, song and small group sharing, we will
aim to integrate our embodied souls with our spiritual and political commitments and
revive Brigit's Spirit within us.

Sponsors: Institute for Feminism and Religion and Kilnamanagh Family Recreation Centre. IFR

Aims: to explore a prophetic approach to feminisms and religion, inclusive of many
traditions and the emerging consciousness in Ireland. We do that by providing
opportunities for women to reclaim religion by engaging theoretically and
experientially with the issues of feminist theology, ethics, spirituality, and ritual.
The event is an integrated experience of spirituality, dance, music, feasting and ritual.
Since it will be difficult to integrate late-comers to the group,
participants should aim to come on time and to stay for the whole event.

Directions To Kilnamanagh Family Recreation Centre: (Kilnamanagh is near Walkinstown, Templeogue,
Greenhills and Tallaght Town Square).

M50: Coming from North or South, take the Ballymount/ Cookstown exit. Follow the signs to the Belgard
Road or Cookstown. You will drive about half a mile. The new LUAS lines will be on your right. Take a left at
the top (at the dual carriageway) and take the next left (at Potterson Myson). Follow the Mayberry Road and
turn left after you pass Dunnes Stores. Drive about another half a mile until you come to the Kilnamanagh
Family Recreation Centre on your right.

Coming from Templeogue/Tallaght Bypass: Turn right at the Square, Tallaght, and drive about half a mile until
you come to Potterson Myson on your right. Turn right for Kilnamanagh, and turn left after you pass Dunnes
Stores. Drive another half a mile until you come to the KFRC on the right.

From Greenhills Road Walkinstown, driving or by bus: If coming by bus, (50, 77, 77A) get off at the Cuckoo’s
Nest public house. KFRC is across the road. If driving, take the first right after the Cuckoo’s Nest (second
traffic lights) and take the turn before Dunnes Stores.
LUAS: Take the Red Line and get off at the Kingswood stop. Go through gap in wall and turn left into
Kilnamanagh. Walk about half a mile, down the hill, to KFRC on your left. KFRC venue number for emergencies: 4521199

THE FESTIVAL OF BRIGIT: BOOKING DETAILS

ADVANCE BOOKING PLEASE!

To help us prepare adequately for the numbers who are coming, please book your place by post (preferably), phone or email.

Post: Send to IFR, c/o Kitty Stafford, Donard Cottage, Donard, Co. Wicklow.
or post or drop into Kilnamanagh Family Recreation Centre, Treepark Road, Kilnamanagh Tel: 01 452 1199

Cheques: Make cheques payable to Institute for Feminism and Religion.

Phone: KFRC (after 2:00 pm) 4521199

Email: instfr@gmail.com

This event is being widely advertised and places will not be guaranteed for those who do not register
by post, phone or email, by January 27th. Priority given to advance postal bookings.
BOOKING FORM
(Please send in advance or bring it with you.)
Name _____________________________________________________________________________________
Address ___________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Telephone ___________________________________ E-mail ______________________________________
Would you like to be on our email list? Yes / No
REGISTRATION: (tick ✔ whatever applies to you)
SUPPORTER'S FEE €50.00______________________❒
(Paying this amount will allow us to offer places to those who could not otherwise afford to come)
BASIC FEE €25.00 ______________________________❒
(This amount is the actual cost per person)
LOW INCOME FEE €10.00 _______________________❒
(Students and SW Recipients)
TOTAL ENCLOSED: €___________