Editing Imbolc (section)

==Present day customs==
[[File:Making crosses at St Brigids Well.JPG|thumb|250px|People making ''Brigid's crosses'' at St Brigid's Well near [[Liscannor]].]]
{{Infobox holiday
| holiday_name  = Saint Brigid's Day/Imbolc<br/>public holiday
| type          = National
| image         = 
| imagesize     = 
| caption       = 
| official_name = 
| nickname      = 
| observedby    = [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]
| litcolor      = 
| longtype      = 
| significance  = 
| begins        = 
| ends          = 
| week_ordinal  = first
| weekday       = Monday
| month         = February
| celebrations  = 
| observances   = 
| relatedto     = 
| duration      = 1 day
| frequency     = Annual
| firsttime     = 2023
| date2022      = 
}}

St Brigid's Day and Imbolc are observed by Christians and non-Christians. Some people still make Brigid's crosses and {{lang|ga|Brídeog}}s or visit holy wells dedicated to St Brigid on 1 February.<ref>Monaghan, p. 60.</ref> Brigid's Day parades have been revived in the town of [[Killorglin]], [[County Kerry]], which holds a yearly "Biddy's Day Festival". Men and women wearing elaborate straw hats and masks visit public houses carrying a {{lang|ga|Brídeóg}} to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck for the coming year. There are folk music sessions, historical talks, film screenings, drama productions, and cross-weaving workshops. The main event is a torchlight parade of 'Biddy groups' through the town.<ref>{{cite news |title=Biddy spirit alive and well in Kerry |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerryman/entertainment/biddy-spirit-alive-and-well-in-kerry-36523447.html |work=[[The Kerryman]] |date=27 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Three years on, Biddy's Day Festival still going from strength to strength |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerryman/entertainment/three-years-on-biddys-day-festival-still-going-from-strength-to-strength-37763340.html |work=[[The Kerryman]] |date=2 February 2019}}</ref> Since 2009 a yearly "Brigid of Faughart Festival" is held in [[County Louth]]. This celebrates Brigid as both saint and goddess and includes the long-standing pilgrimage to [[Faughart]] as well as music, poetry, and lectures.<ref>{{cite news |title=Events planned for Brigid of Faughart Festival |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/louth/news/events-planned-for-brigid-of-faughart-festival-41274598.html |work=[[Irish Independent]] |date=24 January 2022}}</ref> The "Imbolc International Music Festival" of folk music is held in [[Derry]] at this time of year.<ref>{{cite news |title=Music returns to Derry air with the Imbolc International Music Festival |url=https://www.irishnews.com/arts/2022/01/07/news/trad-music-returns-to-derry-air-with-the-imbolc-international-music-festival-2553631/ |work=[[The Irish News]] |date=7 January 2022}}</ref> In England, the village of [[Marsden, West Yorkshire]] holds a biennial "Imbolc Fire Festival" which includes a lantern procession, fire performers, music, fireworks, and a symbolic battle between giant characters representing the [[Green Man]] and [[Jack Frost]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Everything you need to know about Marsden's Imbolc Fire Festival |url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/marsdens-imbolc-fire-festival-light-14190951 |work=[[Huddersfield Daily Examiner]] |date=23 January 2018}}</ref>

More recently, [[List of diplomatic missions of Ireland|Irish embassies]] have hosted yearly events on St Brigid's Day to celebrate famous women of the [[Irish diaspora]] and showcase the work of Irish female emigrants in the arts.<ref>{{cite news |title=St Brigid's Day: Irish women to be celebrated around the world |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/abroad/st-brigid-s-day-irish-women-to-be-celebrated-around-the-world-1.3777791 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |date=31 January 2019}}</ref> In 2022, Dublin hosted its first "Brigit Festival", celebrating "the contributions of Irish women" past and present through exhibitions, tours, lectures, films, and a concert.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dublin to host St Brigid's Day events, celebrating the original Brigit |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/dublin-to-host-st-brigid-s-day-events-celebrating-the-original-brigit-1.4789324 |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |date=30 January 2022}}</ref>

In 2016, the [[Green Party (Ireland)|Green Party]] proposed that St Brigid's Day be made a [[public holiday in the Republic of Ireland|public holiday in Ireland]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.newstalk.com/news/green-party-proposes-making-st-brigids-day-a-public-holiday-567040 | title=Green Party proposes making St Brigid's Day a public holiday }}</ref> This was put into effect in 2022 after the party entered government, and "Imbolc/St Brigid's Day" has been a yearly public holiday since 2023 to mark both the saint's feast day and the seasonal festival.<ref name="public holiday"/> A government statement noted that it would be the first Irish public holiday named after a woman, and "means that all four of the traditional Celtic seasonal festival will now be public holidays". The public holiday is observed on the first Monday of February, except for years where 1 February happens to fall on a Friday, in which case the holiday is observed on that Friday instead.<ref name="public holiday"/>

===Neopaganism===
[[File:Imbolc Festival February 3rd 2007.jpg|thumb|250px|Imbolc Festival in [[Marsden, West Yorkshire]], 2007]]
Imbolc or Imbolc-based festivals are observed by some [[Neopaganism|Neopagans]], though practices vary widely. While some attempt to closely emulate the historic accounts of Imbolc, others rely on many sources to inspire their celebrations.<ref name="Adler1">Adler, Margot (1979) ''Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today''. Boston, Beacon Press {{ISBN|978-0-8070-3237-4}}. p.&nbsp;3</ref><ref>McColman, Carl (2003) ''Complete Idiot's Guide to Celtic Wisdom''. Alpha Press {{ISBN|978-0-02-864417-2}}. p.&nbsp;51</ref> Festivals typically fall near 1 February in the Northern Hemisphere and 1 August in the Southern Hemisphere.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Drury |first=Nevill |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rwzttsI9-NwC&q=nevill+drury |title=Handbook of Contemporary Paganism |publisher=[[Brill Publishers]] |year=2009 |isbn=978-90-04-16373-7 |editor-last=Pizza |editor-first=Murphy |location=[[Leiden]], [[Netherlands]] |pages=63–67 |chapter=The Modern Magical Revival: Esbats and Sabbats |editor-last2=Lewis |editor-first2=James R}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Hume |first=Lynne |title=Witchcraft and Paganism in Australia |publisher=Melbourne University Press |year=1997 |isbn=978-0-522-84782-6 |location=Melbourne}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Vos |first=Donna |title=Dancing Under an African Moon: Paganism and Wicca in South Africa |publisher=Zebra Press |year=2002 |isbn=978-1-86872-653-0 |location=Cape Town |pages=79–86}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Bodsworth |first=Roxanne T |title=Sunwyse: Celebrating the Sacred Wheel of the Year in Australia |publisher=Hihorse Publishing |year=2003 |isbn=978-0-909223-03-8 |location=Victoria, Australia}}</ref>

Some Neopagans celebrate the festival at the astronomical midpoint between the [[winter solstice]] and spring [[equinox]] — in the Northern Hemisphere, this is usually on 3 or 4 February — while others rely on the full moon nearest this point.<ref>{{Cite web |title=archaeoastronomy.com explains the reason we have seasons |url=http://www.archaeoastronomy.com/seasons.html |access-date=15 January 2018 |website=Archaeoastronomy.com |archive-date=23 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123062729/http://www.archaeoastronomy.com/seasons.html |url-status=usurped }}</ref> Some Neopagans designate Imbolc based on other natural phenomena, such as the emergence of primroses, dandelions, or similar local flora.<ref name="Bonewits184-5">Bonewits, Isaac (2006) ''Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism''. New York, Kensington Publishing Group {{ISBN|978-0-8065-2710-9}}. pp.&nbsp;184–5</ref>

====Celtic Reconstructionist====
[[Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism|Celtic Reconstructionists]] strive to reconstruct [[ancient Celtic religion]]. Their religious practices are based on research and historical accounts,<ref name="McColman">McColman, Carl (2003) p.&nbsp;12</ref><ref name="Bonewits130-7">Bonewits (2006) pp.&nbsp;130–7</ref> but may be modified slightly to suit modern life. They avoid [[syncretism]] (i.e., combining practises from different cultures). They usually celebrate the festival at the start of spring, or on the full moon nearest this. Many use traditional songs and rites from sources such as ''The Silver Bough'' and ''The Carmina Gadelica''. It is a time of honouring the goddess Brigid, and many of her dedicants choose this time of year for rituals to her.<ref name="McColman" /><ref name="Bonewits130-7" />

====Wicca and Neo-Druidry====
[[Wiccans]] and [[Neo-Druidry|Neo-Druids]] celebrate Imbolc as one of the eight Sabbats in their [[Wheel of the Year]], following Midwinter and preceding [[Ostara]]. In Wicca, Imbolc is commonly associated with the goddess Brigid; as such, it is sometimes seen as a "women's holiday" with specific rites only for female members of a [[coven]].<ref>Gallagher, Ann-Marie (2005). ''The Wicca Bible: The Definitive Guide to Magic and the Craft''. London: Godsfield Press. p. 63.</ref> Among [[Dianic Wicca]]ns, Imbolc is the traditional time for [[initiation]]s.<ref name="Budapest">Budapest, Zsuzsanna (1980). ''The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries''. {{ISBN|978-0-914728-67-2}}.</ref>