Brigit’s Garden, a sanctuary in the West of Ireland.
Brigit’s Garden takes you on a magical journey into the heart of Celtic heritage and mythology, making it one of the truly outstanding places to visit in the West of Ireland. The award-winning Celtic Gardens are widely regarded as one of the most spectacular in Ireland, set within 11 acres of native woodland & wildflower meadows. In addition to the Celtic Gardens visitors can enjoy the nature trail, an ancient ring fort (fairy fort), thatched roundhouse and crannog, and the calendar sundial, the largest in Ireland.
Brigit’s Garden is very family-friendly with a kids’ discovery trail, a natural playground and lots of opportunity to explore.
Our Visitor Centre houses the Garden Café with excellent fresh food, the colourful Gift Shop and a function room.
Brigit’s Garden offers a fully professional service to tour groups and community groups with guided tours of the Celtic Gardens, add-on workshops, group catering and bespoke programmes.
We offer a full calendar of family-friendly special events throughout the year, from Brigit’s Day celebrations to an alternative Santa experience.
Brigit’s Garden is a Discover Science Centre and a popular destination for primary schools, with exciting programmes linked to nature and heritage.
Our high-standard facilities and tranquil surroundings make Brigit’s Garden the ideal venue with a difference for weddings , meetings and special events.
Brigit’s Garden is a wonderful enchanting place. The attention to detail is extraordinary, down to the types of flower used in each space make for a wonderful experience. There is always lots to do and if you are lucky enough to visit on one of the festival days
The Gardens
A walk through the four Gardens takes you on a journey through the Celtic cycle of the seasons, each garden representing one of the Celtic festivals of Samhain , Imbolc , Bealtaine and Lughnasa . This seasonal cycle mirrors the cycle of life from conception to old age and death. The design weaves Celtic stories with contemporary design to create spaces that are beautiful and tranquil yet inspiring and full of life.
Samhain Winter Garden
The festival of Samhain (pronounced Sow-en) or Halloween falls on October 31st and marked the beginning of the yearly cycle for Celtic peoples.
This was a time of death and the promise of re-birth, a time for stillness and reflection. It was understood that in the dark silence comes whisperings of new beginnings, the stirring of the seed beneath the ground. In the Samhain Garden the long bank in the shape of a sleeping woman represents the earth resting for the winter. Her body shelters a still pool with a female figure cast in bronze resting on an island. The pool is enclosed in a ring of birch trees, reflecting the stark simplicity of the season. This is a place to be still, dream and prepare for the movement of spring. In summer, the earth woman wears a dress of wild flowers and grasses.
Imbolc Spring Garden
Imbolc (pronounced Im-ulk) is the old Celtic name for the spring festival on February 1st, now St. Brigit’s Day. The birth of lambs and the first snowdrops herald this season of new life as the land re-awakens and growth begins again.
In the Imbolc garden the path leads through wildflower meadow and orchard trees to a children’s glade with its delightful basketwork swings. In the sunken garden, a carved triple spiral outlines the stories and symbol of Brigit, Celtic Christian Saint and pre-Christian goddess of the land.
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Bealtaine Summer Garden
The great fire festival of Bealtaine (pronounced Belt-an-a) or May Day celebrates the bright half of the year and the coming of summer’s warmth. This is the time for sexual awakenings, marriages and the adventures of young adulthood. The lovers theme is represented in the Flame Figures sculpture, and in Diarmuid and Grainne’s bed, a grassy hollow facing the sun and surrounded by simple wildflowers for the mythical lovers.
Bealtaine is a time for celebratory fires and in the Garden the fire runs from the Flame Figures through copper flames set into the processional way between the standing stones, to the ceremonial fireplace in front of the bog-wood throne. Here, the young adult can claim their personal power and sit as King or Queen in their own life.
Lughnasa Autumn Garden
The festival of Lughnasa (pronounced Loo-na-sa) in early August marks the beginning of the harvest and the transition from summer to autumn. Named after Lugh Lamh Fada, the hero of the mythical Tuatha de Dannan, it is a time of plenty and celebration.
Mounds represent harvest baskets and the constellation of Orion, which some Celts associated with Lugh. Stone beds in spiral shapes stand to each side and host an abundance of culinary and healing herbs. Two interlinked stone circles make spaces for feasting and dancing. As we approach the end of the cycle it is time to reflect, give thanks and celebrate all that has come to fruition.
Garden concept by Jenny Beale, design by Mary Reynolds
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