‘Bríd Festival Sligo’ a creative arts festival celebrating St Brigid, her energy, spirt and ingenuity.
A forward thinker ahead of her time, St Brigid’s creativity, enterprise, mysticism, and links to ecology are the influences behind this years Festival. The Bríd Festival Sligo is funded and supported by Sligo County Council Arts Service & Creative Ireland (Sligo).
The Bríd Festival Sligo is an inclusive, creative arts festival which embodies the energy and spirit of St. Brigid. Galleries, new up-and-coming artist studios and creative hubs across Sligo are getting involved, there will be lots of Spring energy and creative activities to enjoy, from a festival Bríd Supper, poems and song to ceramic, print, ink, weaving and copper leaf making workshops, contemporary exhibitions, forest lantern walks, seed talks and sharing, all inspired by St. Brigid’s diverse legacy as patron saint of creativity, healer, environmentalist and protector of the land. The festival runs from January 29th – February 3rd, 2025.
I was delighted to talk to local artist Catherine Fanning about the 2025 festival, you can listen to our chat on the podcast, and also below. I have taken part in some of the events before, and it’s a great way to try your hand at something creative, and to meet new people in the process. All the events are free, and I’ve listed them all on this blog post, but keep a look at the Facebook page for the latest news.
Programme of events
January 25th, Feb 1st & Feb 3rd Sligo Woodland School, LETS Organic Gardens, Cleveragh Dr, Demesne, Sligo F91X314.
Creative Sessions for all ages Jan Saturday 25th, 2-4pm St Brigid lantern making workshop Feb Saturday 1st, 11am -1pm Willow arch and nature weaving workshop Feb Monday 3rd, 3-5pm Nature lead intentions and lantern walk in the woods Events are free, booking required, booking via website www.sligowoodlandschool.com
Bríd Festival Sligo Launch January Wednesday 29th, 11am -2pm Ard Voltas Art Space, Ballisodare.
A gathering for artists, creatives, makers and community. This event invites creatives and community to come together and share in the making of a living tree sculpture. We will weave rush and willow with Bridget O Connell and sculpt copper leaves with sculptor Rob Ireson. The artworks created will be added to the newly installed An Crainn Voltais/the Voltage Tree sculpture. Workshops are free, booking required, required, booking via link on ArdVoltas Instagram page.
Seed Talk & Seed Sharing January Thursday 30th, 11am -12noon Sligo County Library, Stephen St. Sligo Town F91X264
Join us to learn all about seed harvesting with Áine Bell, head gardener from the North Mayo Heritage Centre. As part of this event, we invite you to take from our mobile seed library. Bring new life back to your garden and plant for the year ahead with seeds from our mobile seed library. The seed library was created by learners from the Sligo Community Training Centre. The event is free. To reserve a place, email sligolib@sligococo.ie or phone 071 9111675
Ceramic Workshops January Thursday 30th MADE Sligo Craft Collective Shop, No. 3 Wine St. Sligo Jan Thur 30th, 2.30- 3.30pm
FREE, Ceramic nature based tile workshop with artist Rachel Quinn Jan Thur 30th, 3.45-4.45pm FREE, Ceramic portrait sculpture workshop with artist Tom Callery Booking required, email catherinefanning@hotmail.com (email heading ceramic workshops).
Exhibition Opening. January Friday 31st, 2.30pm. Abhainn Studio, Pier Road, Enniscrone. Sligo
Meet and chat with artist Ruth Le Gear.
Ruth’s practice involves an engagement and meditation with the landscape, through the creation of water essences. Her work revolves around this dialogue, this communion with nature and is part of an obscured tradition of bards, storytellers, healers, wise women and artists.
Ink Making & Eco Printing February Saturday 1st, 12noon- 2pm Hamilton Gallery, No. 4 Castle St. Sligo. Interactive demonstration session and talk by artist Aideen Connolly. Learn how to make your own oak gall ink and eco print. No booking required, walk-ins welcome.
Eco Art Installation Exhibition by Aideen Connolly February Saturday 1st open for viewing gallery hours Hamilton Gallery, No. 4 Castle St. Sligo.
A temporary eco art Installation exhibition by artist Aideen Connolly. A collection of artwork that focuses on the natural world, using natural materials that explores ecological dynamics.
St Brigid Supper. Festive foods, insights into Imbolc traditions and customs, acoustic session by singer/songwriter Erin Luna Gallagher. February Saturday 1st, 6-9pm. Oak Moon Cafe & Banking Hall, Yeats Building, Hyde, Bridge St. Sligo.
A traditional custom associated with St Brigid was a festive supper. In line with tradition we invite community to join our supper table and partake in some St Brigid’s traditional festive foods, savory
breads, cheeses, bannocks scones with freshly churned butter, colcannon and apple cake.
As part of the evening you can take part in some St Brigid traditions such as passing through the
‘crios bride’. Pass through the straw rope crios bride and obtain the protection of Brigid and freedom from illness for the coming year. Bridget O Connell will be on hand to share insights into the traditions and customs associated with Imbolc/St Brigid. To round off the evening, singer and songwriter Erin Luna Gallagher will perform an acoustic session. Her versatile voice that carries powerful belts, emotional expression and soothing tones will bring our festive supper to a close.
Free event, booking required.
Mono Printing with grasses & seeds. February Sunday 2nd, 11.30am – 1.30 pm Facet Studio, Pier Road, Enniscrone. Sligo.
Studio print workshop with artist Bernie Colhoun. Free workshop, booking required, contact Bernie. berniecolhoun@gmail.com
St Brigids Poems.
Commission Poems for children are wonderful gateways to a world of imagination and language. Poems, with their rhythmic patterns and vivid imagery, are perfect for capturing young minds. Linking with the Primary Colours Arts Education programme four Sligo Artist Panel writers, Crona Gallagher, Margaret
Kilcoyne, Maeve McCormack and Maeve McKenna, were commissioned to write poems for children as part of this year’s festival.
Commissioned poems are available online. See Bríd Festival Sligo social media pages.
Giolla Bríd Publication. Publication by artist Karen Webster
On display at Sligo Libraries & festival events ‘Giolla Bríd’ is a collection of work that explores the relationship between Brigid and nature with a particular focus on the story of Giolla Bríd and the
seaweed. Karen explores seaweed not only as a traditional resource but also as a habitat and as an art
material.
Children’s Poetry Competition Sligo. Deadline date: Friday 31st January
The Sligo Bríd Festival Children’s poetry Competition invites Sligo county primary school children to create a piece of poetry inspired by St. Brigid’s diverse legacy as patron saint of creativity, healer, environmentalist and protector of the land. Entries to be emailed to catherinefanning@hotmail.com Email
heading: Bríd Festival Children’s Poetry Competition. Full details above.
Open Access Pilot @ Pulled Print Studio. ATU Sligo Innovation Centre, Ash Lane Ballytivnan. Sligo F91YW50
Linking in with this year’s Bríd Festival Sligo, Pulled Print Studio are offering Sligo based creatives the opportunity to avail of five weeks of print studio access. Full details on how to apply for this awarded opportunity will be shared online from Jan 29th. Follow the Bríd Festival Sligo and Pulled social media for more details.This Open Access Pilot is funded and supported by Sligo Arts Service CPD Programme.
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