Waterford councillor welcomes new bank holiday
Waterford Green Party Councillor Cristíona Kiely has welcomed the Cabinet decision to make Lá Fhéile Bríde (Brigid’s Day) a public holiday from 2023.
The Green Party has long called for a new bank holiday to mark Lá Fhéile Bríde, as there is currently no public holiday dedicated to a woman.
Cllr Kiely said: “St Brigid’s Day (Imbolc) is a day to celebrate women in Ireland.
"It’s a day to celebrate our history, our stories, our strengths and our passions.
"It’s appropriate that it marks the February 1st too because it is a fitting time to celebrate nature and new beginnings with the turn of the seasons.”
St Brigid, formerly the pre-Christian Earth Mother Goddess Brighid, is one of Ireland’s two patron saints, along with St Patrick.
The bank holiday will fall annually from 2023 on the closest Monday to February 1st - unless February 1st falls on a Friday in which case the Friday will be a public holiday. A one-off extra bank holiday will be added this year on March 18th, 2022, in recognition of the contribution that workers made during the pandemic.