Ukulele Hayley

By Ukulelehayley

Cross of St Brigid

My cousin bought us this cross which lives above our front door. It’s the cross of St Brigid of Kildare and is supposed to bring her protection and blessing to the house.
I thought it appropriate to blip on this Leap Day as she has connections with the custom of women being able to propose on 29th February.

It's generally considered to be an Irish tradition, harking back to the fifth century and St Brigid of Kildare.

Brigid apparently insisted that St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, give women permission to propose marriage every leap day. When Patrick relented, legend has it that Brigid immediately proposed to him.

He refused and offered her a silk gown instead, which is why the Irish tradition states that a man who refuses a leap day proposal must give the woman asking a silk gown. This is just one of the traditions about what happens if a man refuses a marriage proposal.

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