At Go Fly Your Kite, we believe that culture and creativity soar highest when they are experienced together. Our specially designed St Brigid kite workshops offer children a unique opportunity to connect with Irish heritage whilst engaging in hands on artistic expression and outdoor play. Through these 60 minute sessions, young participants discover the remarkable life and legacy of Saint Brigid of Kildare, one of Ireland's three patron saints alongside St Patrick and St Columba, whilst creating and flying their very own customised kite adorned with Brigid inspired imagery.
Who Was Saint Brigid of Ireland?
Saint Brigid was born around 450 in Faughart, near Dundalk in County Louth, during a transformative period in Irish history when Christianity was spreading throughout the island. Her story is one of remarkable determination, compassion, and leadership that continues to inspire people today, some 1,500 years after her death.
Brigid was the daughter of Dubhthach, a pagan chieftain of Leinster, and her mother Broicsech was a Christian slave. Despite being born into slavery, Brigid's life would become a testament to the power of faith and generosity. She was freed from bondage after her father tired of her giving away his possessions to the needy. One particularly notable incident involved Brigid giving away her father's jewelled sword to a leper whilst Dubhthach was attempting to sell her to the King of Leinster. The Christian king recognised her holiness and declared she should be left alone to follow her faith.
Around 480, Brigid founded a monastery at Kildare, which developed into a vital centre of religion and learning. The name Kildare itself comes from the Irish Cill Dhara, meaning "the church of the oak", as the monastery was built on the site of a shrine beneath a large oak tree. What made Brigid's foundation truly revolutionary was her establishment of a double monastery, housing both men and women, where she ruled alongside Bishop Conleth with equal authority. This was extraordinary for the time and demonstrated Brigid's progressive vision for religious life.
The monastery at Kildare became renowned for its scholarship and artistry. Brigid founded an art school where work was done with metal and illumination, creating the famous Illuminated Manuscripts of Kildare, which were praised throughout medieval Europe for their breathtaking beauty.
The Legends and Miracles of St Brigid
Many miraculous stories surround Saint Brigid, each revealing different aspects of her character. One of the most famous tales is that of Brigid's cloak. When asking the King of Leinster for land to build a convent, she requested only as much land as her cloak would cover. When the amused king agreed, Brigid's four companions took the corners of her cloak and walked north, south, east, and west. The cloak miraculously expanded to cover many acres of fertile land, astonishing the king who then converted to Christianity and supported her work.
Brigid is also said to have miraculously changed water into beer for a leper colony and provided enough beer for 18 churches from a single barrel, earning her status as a patron saint of beer alongside her many other patronages. She is recognised as the patron saint of poets, healers, blacksmiths, dairy farmers, cattle, midwives, and newborn babies, reflecting the breadth of her influence on Irish life.
A perpetual fire was kept burning at Kildare for centuries in her honour. This flame was tended by nineteen nuns who each took turns keeping it alight, with the twentieth night reserved for Brigid herself, who was said to return spiritually to maintain the sacred fire.
The Tradition of St Brigid's Cross
Perhaps the most recognisable symbol associated with Saint Brigid is the distinctive cross woven from rushes that bears her name. The origin of this tradition comes from a deeply moving legend. The prevailing Christian folklore involves Brigid converting a dying pagan chieftain on his deathbed by collecting rushes from the ground and weaving them into a cross whilst explaining the meaning of Christianity and the Crucifixion of Jesus. The sick man was so moved by her care and explanation that he requested Christian baptism before his death.
St Brigid's crosses are typically woven on 1 February, her feast day, which is also the festival of Imbolc in pre Christian Ireland, marking the beginning of spring. The crosses appear in many different shapes, from simple Latin crosses to intricate woven designs featuring diamonds or lozenges at the centre, with some featuring three or four arms radiating outward like a wheel in motion.
The crosses were blessed and hung over doors and windows of houses, byres, and stables to protect the family and all the animals from fire, storms, lightning, and illness. Even today, these crosses remain a cherished symbol of Irish heritage, representing protection, welcome, and the blessings of Ireland's beloved female patron saint.
Bringing St Brigid's Legacy to Life Through Kite Making
Our St Brigid kite workshops at Go Fly Your Kite have been carefully designed to honour this extraordinary woman's legacy whilst providing children with an engaging, educational, and thoroughly enjoyable experience. We understand that the best way for young people to connect with cultural heritage is through active participation and creative expression, which is why our workshops seamlessly blend storytelling, art, craft, and outdoor activity into one memorable hour.
When children arrive at our workshop, they embark on a journey through time, discovering who Saint Brigid was and why she remains so important to Irish culture. We share her stories of generosity, her miraculous deeds, and her role in establishing centres of learning and art. Children learn about the famous St Brigid's cross and its significance as a symbol of protection and blessing. We discuss how Brigid was not only a spiritual leader but also a champion of education, creativity, and community, making her an ideal role model for young people today.
The Workshop Experience
Our 60 minute St Brigid kite workshop follows a carefully structured format that ensures every child leaves with both knowledge and a completed kite to fly. The experience is divided into several engaging stages, each building upon the last to create a comprehensive and satisfying creative journey.
Choosing From Hundreds of Templates
The first exciting step involves selecting a design template from our extensive collection of Brigid themed imagery. We have curated hundreds of designs that reflect different aspects of Saint Brigid's life and legacy. Children can choose from:
Templates featuring St Brigid's cross in various traditional styles, from the classic four armed design with its distinctive woven centre to the three armed northern variants. These designs connect directly to one of Ireland's most recognisable cultural symbols.
Imagery celebrating Brigid's connection to springtime and nature, including the flowers, plants, and animals associated with Imbolc, the ancient spring festival celebrated on her feast day. These might include early spring blooms, lambs, or the sacred flame that burned at Kildare.
Designs incorporating Celtic patterns and knotwork that reflect the beautiful illuminated manuscripts created at Brigid's monastery. These intricate patterns teach children about the extraordinary artistry of early medieval Ireland.
Representations of Brigid's miraculous cloak, illustrating the famous story of how her small garment expanded to cover vast acres of land. These templates often feature radiating designs that capture the miraculous expansion.
Symbols of Brigid's many patronages, including images related to healing, agriculture, poetry, and craftsmanship. Children particularly enjoy templates showing Brigid with the white cow with red ears that legend says sustained her as an infant.
The sheer variety ensures that every child finds a design that speaks to them personally, whether they are drawn to geometric patterns, natural imagery, or narrative illustrations. This element of choice is important as it gives children ownership over their creation from the very beginning, fostering investment in the project and encouraging them to engage more deeply with the cultural stories behind their chosen design.
Tracing and Personalising
Once a template has been selected, children trace their chosen design onto the kite fabric. This stage is more than simple copying; it is where children begin to make the design their own. We provide light, durable kite material that accepts both tracing and colouring beautifully. The tracing process helps develop fine motor skills and hand eye coordination whilst allowing children to study the details of their chosen imagery closely.
As they trace, workshop leaders continue sharing stories about Saint Brigid, relating different tales to the various design elements children are working with. A child tracing a St Brigid's cross hears the story of the dying chieftain. A child working with floral patterns learns about Brigid as the herald of spring. This narrative accompaniment transforms the tracing process from a mechanical task into an immersive cultural experience.
Colouring and Creating
The colouring stage is where creativity truly flourishes. Armed with markers, pencils, or paints, children bring vibrant life to their traced designs. We encourage them to use traditional Irish colours or to innovate with their own palettes. Some children prefer to research authentic colours associated with Saint Brigid, such as the green of spring, the gold of wheat and harvest, or the white and red of the miraculous cow. Others delight in creating entirely contemporary interpretations using bold, modern colour combinations.
This stage is wonderfully meditative and allows children to work at their own pace whilst engaging in conversation with peers and facilitators about Irish culture, kite flying traditions, or simply the joy of making art. The workshop environment is supportive and non competitive; every child's artistic expression is valued and celebrated.
Throughout the colouring process, workshop leaders circulate, offering encouragement, answering questions, and continuing to weave in information about Saint Brigid. Children might learn how Brigid provided endlessly for the poor, how she stood up to kings, or how her monastery welcomed scholars from across Europe. These stories provide context for the imagery children are creating and help them understand why Brigid remains such an important figure in Irish heritage.
Building the Kite
With the design complete, attention turns to construction. This is where the workshop becomes particularly hands on and educational in a different way. Children learn the basic engineering principles that allow kites to fly, understanding concepts like balance, tension, and aerodynamics in age appropriate terms.
This construction phase emphasises problem solving and spatial reasoning. Children discover that their kite must be symmetrical to fly well, that the bridle point affects flight characteristics, and that every element serves a purpose. These lessons extend beyond kite making, introducing fundamental concepts about design, function, and the relationship between form and purpose.
Taking Flight
The culmination of the workshop is, naturally, flying the completed kites. Weather permitting, children take their creations outdoors to experience the thrill of seeing their Saint Brigid inspired artwork dancing in the sky. This moment connects the entire workshop experience, from learning about a fifth century Irish saint to watching a personally decorated kite soar overhead.
Flying the kite is not merely recreation; it is a powerful metaphor for how cultural heritage can be kept aloft and relevant. Just as a kite requires wind, guidance, and the right conditions to fly, cultural traditions need engagement, education, and active participation to remain vibrant. Children intuitively understand this as they run with their kites, feeling the tug of wind and the satisfaction of successful flight.
For many children, this is their first experience of traditional kite flying, an activity that has delighted young people for thousands of years across countless cultures. The joy on their faces as their kite climbs higher is universal and timeless, yet uniquely connected to Irish heritage through the imagery adorning their creation.
Educational Value and Cultural Connection
Our St Brigid kite workshops serve multiple educational purposes beyond the obvious development of artistic and motor skills. They introduce children to a crucial figure in Irish history and help them understand how one person's dedication and vision can shape a nation's culture for centuries.
Children learn about the early medieval period in Ireland, about the spread of Christianity, and about the role of monasteries as centres of learning and preservation of knowledge. They discover that women could hold positions of significant authority and influence even in historical periods we might assume offered them few opportunities. Saint Brigid's story challenges assumptions and inspires children, particularly girls, to see themselves as potential leaders and innovators.
The workshop also teaches children about the importance of symbols in culture. They learn how objects like St Brigid's cross carry meaning beyond their physical form, representing beliefs, stories, and communal identity. This understanding of symbolism is valuable for interpreting other cultural traditions they may encounter, fostering cultural literacy and appreciation.
Additionally, by creating something with their own hands that connects to tradition, children experience the satisfaction of craft and the value of making rather than simply consuming. In our digital age, this tangible connection to creativity and culture is increasingly precious.
Adapting for Different Ages and Abilities
One of the strengths of our St Brigid kite workshop is its adaptability. The 60 minute format works beautifully for children of various ages and abilities because each stage can be adjusted in complexity. Younger children might choose simpler templates and work with bolder colouring tools, whilst older children can select intricate Celtic knotwork designs and work with finer detail.
The storytelling element is also scalable. Younger participants enjoy the miraculous and magical aspects of Brigid's legends, whilst older children can engage with the historical context, the significance of Brigid's leadership role, and the cultural importance of patron saints. Workshop facilitators are skilled at reading their audience and adjusting the information delivery to maintain engagement and appropriate challenge.
Children with additional needs are fully welcomed and accommodated in our workshops. The structured format, with clear stages and achievable goals, works well for many learning styles. The combination of listening, creating, building, and flying ensures that different types of learners all find aspects that suit their strengths.
Taking St Brigid's Spirit Home
At the end of the workshop, every child leaves with their completed kite, ready to fly again at home or in the park. But they take more than just a physical object; they carry knowledge, stories, and a personal connection to Irish cultural heritage. Many children continue to research Saint Brigid after the workshop, inspired by what they have learned. Parents often report that their children share the stories with family members, spreading knowledge of Ireland's first female patron saint to a wider audience.
The kites themselves become treasured possessions, hung in bedrooms or brought out on breezy days. Each time a child flies their St Brigid kite, they reconnect with the workshop experience and the cultural knowledge they gained. The kite becomes a bridge between past and present, between an extraordinary woman from the fifth century and a child living in the twenty first century.
Why Saint Brigid Matters Today
In choosing Saint Brigid as the focus for our cultural kite workshop, we are not simply reaching back to history; we are highlighting values and qualities that remain profoundly relevant. Brigid's generosity to those in need speaks to contemporary concerns about social justice and caring for vulnerable people. Her establishment of educational institutions reminds us of the transformative power of learning. Her role as a female leader challenges gender limitations. Her connection to both spiritual and practical aspects of life demonstrates the importance of balancing different dimensions of human experience.
Furthermore, Brigid represents the uniquely Irish gift for synthesis and inclusion. Whether she was indeed named after an earlier Celtic goddess or simply shared a name, the way Brigid's story incorporates both pagan and Christian elements reflects Ireland's ability to honour tradition whilst embracing change. This is a lesson with contemporary relevance in our multicultural world.
By teaching children about Saint Brigid through creative activity, we are not imposing heritage from above but allowing them to discover it through exploration and making. This approach respects children as active participants in culture rather than passive recipients, recognising that each generation must find their own way of connecting with and carrying forward the stories that matter.
The Magic of Combining Culture and Creativity
There is something uniquely powerful about learning through making. When children create their St Brigid kites, they are not separate from the cultural knowledge being shared; they are actively engaging with it, interpreting it, and making it their own. The physical act of tracing, colouring, building, and flying embeds the learning in a way that passive reception never could.
Moreover, the workshop format recognises that culture is not static or precious but living and dynamic. Just as the monks at Brigid's monastery created illuminated manuscripts that combined Christian iconography with Celtic artistic traditions, today's children create kites that honour historical symbols through contemporary craft and play. Both activities demonstrate culture as an ongoing creative conversation between past and present.
Our workshops at Go Fly Your Kite are ultimately celebrations of what makes Irish heritage so rich and enduring, whilst also demonstrating that this heritage belongs to and can inspire young people today. Through the simple joy of making and flying a kite, children forge personal connections to Saint Brigid's extraordinary legacy, ensuring that Ireland's first female patron saint continues to inspire new generations.
Whether the workshop takes place in schools, community centres, festivals, or private events, the response is consistently enthusiastic. Children love the combination of story, craft, and outdoor play. Educators appreciate the curriculum connections and cultural literacy the workshop provides. Parents value seeing their children engaged in creative activity that teaches them about their heritage in an enjoyable, memorable way.
In an hour, we cannot tell every story about Saint Brigid or explore every aspect of early medieval Irish history. But we can spark curiosity, provide hands on experience of traditional craft, and send children home with both a beautiful kite and a meaningful connection to one of Ireland's most beloved saints. In doing so, we honour Brigid's own commitment to education, creativity, and bringing light into the world, keeping her flame burning bright for future generations.
