A giant human formation of St Brigid’s Cross will be visible from the skies over Co Kildare this St. Brigid’s Day.
On February 1, up to 4,000 secondary school students from schools across Co Kildare will create the ‘human Saint Brigid’s Cross’ formation on the Curragh Plains.
If successful, the formation will break the world record for the most amount of people coming together to make a living Saint Brigid’s Cross.
The event will be captured from the air with a drone and can be watched on the ‘Into Kildare’ social media channels.
This world record attempt is part of the ‘Pause for Peace’ initiative.
On St. Brigid’s Day, 13 schools from Co Kildare will call on people from Kildare and around the world to stop for a minute’s silence at 12pm local time, to “pause for Peace.”
Organised by Into Kildare, the Tourism Board for County Kildare and Solas Bhríde Centre & Hermitages, the event will call for world peace while also marking the 1500th year of the passing of St. Brigid, the patron saint of Kildare.
The story of St. Brigid is closely associated with the Curragh Plains in Co Kildare, which is why the Curragh was chosen as the location to create the giant human St. Brigid’s Cross.
The King of Leinster at the time gave St. Brigid some land on the Curragh to build a church.
According to the story of St. Brigid, the king told St. Brigid she could have as much land as her cloak would cover. Her cloak then miraculously stretched and covered all of the Curragh Plains.
“Pause for Peace recognises the dreadful suffering and injustices that are happening all over the world and its objective is to ask people to stop and reflect on how they can promote peace in their own communities and in turn around the world," explained Principle Of Kildare Town Community School, John Hayes.
"70 ‘Peace Ambassadors’ have been selected from 13 different secondary schools located around Co. Kildare and the students are all highly motivated and excited to be involved.
"The role of the Peace Ambassadors is to promote and speak about the Pause for Peace movement and to be involved in various environmental, sustainable and climate change activations which reflect the cornerstone of the patron saint of County Kildare, Saint Brigid. A renowned peace maker the beloved saint is also known as a protector of nature and is associated with spring and new beginnings.”
The Cathaoirleach of Kildare County Council, Councillor Fintan Brett enthused: “This is a momentous year for County Kildare, the Pause for Peace movement sets the scene for a year of joyous celebrations which will showcase all the fantastic historical and cultural experiences and attractions that Kildare has to offer.
"We look forward to welcoming our many friends both old and new to County Kildare over the new public holiday weekend.”