Brigid is believed to have been born in Faughart, near Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland. Three biographies agree that her mother was Brocca, a Christian Pict and slave who had been baptised by Saint Patrick. They name her father as Dubhthach, a chieftain of Leinster. Several histories say Dubthach's wife forced him to sell her to a druid when she became pregnant. Brigid herself was born into slavery.
From her childhood she was known to be holy and showed great concern for the poor. She took the veil in her youth from St Macaille at Croghan and probably was professed by St Mel of Armagh, who is believed to have conferred abbatial authority on her.
She settled with seven nuns at the foot of Croghan Hill for a time and about the year 468, followed Mel to Meath. About the year 470 she founded a double monastery at Cill-Dara (Kildare) and was Abbess of the convent, the first in Ireland ...Read more
