KILDARE: New stamps issued for St Brigid and Imbolc festival

An Post has issued a striking set of stamps marking both the feast day of Saint Brigid and the pagan festival of Imbolc.

The stamps are by Louth based artist Yoko Akino, with design by Oonagh Young of Design HQ.

The events are associated with fruitful harvests, and a specially designed First Day Cover envelope includes both stamps and imagery of a fertile meadow and oak sapling, a lovely keepsake this St Brigid’s Day. 

Aileen Mooney, Irish Stamps Manager, encourages people to get into the spirit of things: "February is Springtime, always a good time to renew connections by writing and posting a card or letter to someone in your life who gives you support and strength, builds your resilience, listens, makes you laugh and is your ally in a sometimes challenging world."

The 'N' rate St Brigid’s stamp (€1.40), which covers postage all over the island of Ireland, features the St Brigid Cross.

According to An Post, this unique stamp 'acknowledges the continuing relevance and influence of St Brigid, who led a large monastery in County Kildare and became one of Ireland’s three patron saints.'

"She is said to have used a cross made from rushes in the deathbed conversion of a pagan chieftain," An Post said.

The 'W' rate stamp (€2), for worldwide postage, features a fire motif symbolising Brigid’s 'divine, creative and healing powers.'

An Post added: "The Imbolc festival celebrates the goddess Brigid’s feast day, mirroring the Christian feast day of St Brigid.

"Known as a triple goddess in Celtic Tuatha Dé Danann mythology, Brigid is one of the few pagan figures to endure after Christianity came to Ireland."

An Post further said: "A renewed and growing interest in Brigid both nationally and internationally, a new annual public holiday and numerous festivals nationwide signal her importance both as a symbol of authority within Christianity and as an inspiring figure of womanhood and empowerment.

"Brigid’s qualities of compassion, peace-making and courage, and her active role in modelling equality between genders, underline her revival — speaking to issues of our time."

The stamps and First Day Cover envelope are available at anpost.com/shop and in selected Post Offices nationwide.