St. Brigid inspires Cork County Council’s Women’s Caucus
In a day of firsts, the first of February marking St. Brigid’s day, the first day of Spring in the Celtic Calendar, the first public holiday dedicated to St. Brigid, Cork County Council’s first Women’s Caucus has commissioned its first short film in honour of a woman who represents women in local government and in turn all women.
The first Women’s Caucus in Cork County Council was established in 2022, almost 1,500 years since the anniversary of St. Brigid’s passing. The caucus was established just a little over 100 years since Irish women were permitted by law to vote and stand in parliamentary elections, with the objective of addressing the ongoing under representation of women in local government.
St. Brigid was both a Celtic Goddess and a Christian Saint and in a similar manner Cork County Council’s Women’s Caucus aims to bring women elected representatives together, across party and ideological lines toward effective alliances around a common goal.
Brigid was a goddess of healing, fire and poetry and subsequently a Saint of poets and midwives, again akin to the Women’s Caucus in its work across policy areas addressing the needs of marginalised groups including children.
St. Brigid was a trailblazer, an extraordinary spiritual leader, ahead of her time in 5th Century Ireland but remains relevant today as a powerful symbol of female leadership. Cork County Council’s Women’s Caucus want to identify mentoring, education and policy initiatives which both encourage, facilitate and support women in a society that is inclusive, diverse and inspires future generations of women to become involved in politics. St. Brigid embraced this inclusivity and diversity by setting up a double monastery that included both men and women and for which she was the first abbot.
Chair of Cork County Council’s Women’s Caucus, Cllr. Eileen Lynch said,
St. Brigid’s founding of the first nunnery was an amazing feat for a young woman in a very patriarchal and hierarchal society, but she succeeded then and continues to inspire success now. Much of the folklore around Goddess Brigid and St. Brigid reflects the aims of Cork County Council’s Women’s Caucus. St. Brigid was a clear inspiration for Cork County Councils Women’s Caucus, because she was a woman of peace, a woman who straddled paganism and Christianity, a woman of generosity who treated everyone equally and welcomed everyone in.
Deputy Chair of Cork County Council’s Women’s Caucus, Cllr. Gillian Coughlan commented,
St. Brigid represents the spirit of the women of Ireland. Her attributes are pertinent and relevant to the Council’s Women’s Caucus who want to provide leadership and strengthen the capacity of women to effect change. The Council’s Women’s Caucus wants to welcome more women into politics and let them know that will be treated equally and supported through cross-party co-operation. Most importantly of all, to increase our influence in areas of significant importance for all the women of Cork County.