Make a rush cross at King John's Castle
The rushes are the first thing you notice: bundles of green laid out on trestle tables, the dry, grassy smell rising as you bend over a workbench with a length of twine. In the stone rooms of King John's Castle on Nicholas Street in Limerick's medieval quarter, the St Brigid's Cross Making workshop is the city's own signature observance. You sit with other visitors and learn to fold rushes into the four-armed cross, then twist twine into a Bríd Óg doll. The session explains what the customs meant and how they connect to Imbolc, the old festival of springtime. It suits adults and children alike, and all materials are provided; Limerick City and County Council organises it. The 2026 edition ran on Saturday 31 January at 11am, so expect the workshop to fall on the Saturday closest to St Brigid's Day, which is 1 February. Check the council's listings for the 2027 date and booking details.
Follow the day's wider Irish calendar
Limerick's own published programme centres on the castle workshop, so plan around it and treat the rest of Ireland's Brigid season as an extension of the trip. Several celebrations run within easy reach of the city:
- Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, Co. Clare — an Imbolc Celebration on Sunday 1 February, 11am–5pm, with seasonal crafts and native Irish animals; family-oriented and run by Clare County Council. Bunratty is a short drive from Limerick across the county line.
- Dublin's Brigit Parade — Sunday 1 February from the top of Capel Street at 3.30pm, with puppetry, music, dance and ritual performance, part of Brigit: Dublin City Celebrating Women. A train ride from Limerick, or a separate leg of your trip.
- Blanchardstown concert — Monday 2 February, with vocalists Shóna O'Sullivan and Leah Barniville, violinist Denice Doyle and cellist Aoife Burke; proceeds go to St Francis Hospice Blanchardstown.
- Spirit of Kildare Festival — five days of free events, Thursday 29 January to Monday 2 February, with family performances, talks and creative activities.
- Roscommon's St Brigid's Day Festival — workshops, exhibitions, craft, music, poetry and storytelling, supported by Roscommon County Council's Creative Ireland Programme.
These dates come from the 2026 season; confirm the 2027 schedule with each organiser before you travel.
Time your visit to the turn of the season
St Brigid's Day falls on 1 February, and the celebrations cluster around the weekend nearest it, running from the last days of January into the first days of February. That is when the rush-weaving, the crafts and the storytelling happen. The 2027 edition will follow the same rhythm; watch the Limerick City and County Council listings for the exact workshop date and any additional programme the council announces.
Eat and wander in the medieval quarter
Base yourself around Nicholas Street and King John's Castle, where the workshop takes place, and give yourself time afterwards to walk the old streets and the riverside. The sources list no specific St Brigid's market or food stall in Limerick, so build your day around the castle session and let the city's own pubs and cafés fill the rest — then look to the wider Irish programme for seasonal craft and food events.
Start with the castle, then plan the rest
Begin by checking the Limerick City and County Council events page for the 2027 workshop date and booking, then map the Bunratty and Dublin celebrations onto the same weekend if you want more of the season. With the castle session fixed, the rest of your St Brigid's Day in Limerick falls into place.