Next: 1 Feb 2027
Imbolc and St Brigid's Day
The first stirrings of spring in Ireland: rush crosses are woven and Brigid's cloak is left out for blessing.
When is Imbolc and St Brigid's Day in 2027?
Imbolc and St Brigid's Day 2027 is on Monday, 1 February 2027. Other years: 2026, Sunday, 1 February 2026; 2028, Tuesday, 1 February 2028.
About Imbolc and St Brigid's Day
Imbolc, on 1 February, was the Gaelic festival of the beginning of spring and the first lambs. It was later linked to Saint Brigid of Kildare, the sixth-century abbess who is among the patron saints of Ireland, and herself blends older traditions of the goddess Brigid, associated with fire, poetry and healing. On St Brigid's Eve, 31 January, people weave small crosses from rushes, with four arms meeting in a woven square in the middle, and hang them over doors and in barns to protect the house and animals from fire and harm for the year. In some homes, a piece of cloth, the brat Bríde, is left out overnight to be blessed by the saint, and used as a cure for aches and illness. Ireland made the day a public holiday in 2023. Butter, milk and bread are eaten.
Imbolc and St Brigid's Day dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Imbolc and St Brigid's Day date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday, 1 February 2026 |
| 2027 | Monday, 1 February 2027 |
| 2028 | Tuesday, 1 February 2028 |
What is eaten
- butter
- barmbrack
- dairy foods
Traditions of Imbolc and St Brigid's Day
Also part of it, and being written: Brigid of Kildare (The saint.).
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Imbolc" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.