Hook Lighthouse will host the first Imbolc Festival on 2, 3, and 4 February 2018.
Imbolc is a traditional Gaelic festival marking the beginning of spring. It is also the feast of St Brigid.
In ancient Irish mythology, Brigid was a fire goddess. St Brigid, whose feast this is, is the patron saint of boatmen, sailors, and mariners.
Imbolc is one of the lesser-known festivals of the ancient Celts, yet it ranked among the four most important in the Celtic calendar. The 800-year-old lighthouse will revive the festival.
Brian Kennedy, a multi-platinum-selling singer, will host a concert in the ancient lighthouse tower on Friday evening, 2 February. He has toured with Van Morrison and performed alongside Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and Ray Charles.
On Saturday, 3 February, the weekend’s festivities will begin with the Sunrise Tour of the ancient lighthouse at 7am. Guests will enjoy the dawn over the south-east coast while taking a bespoke lighthouse tour.
They can savour buck’s fizz, prosecco, fresh tea, and coffee. Hook Lighthouse will also serve breakfast canapés made from local produce, including smoked salmon from Ballyhack Smokehouse on homemade brown bread.
Guests must book this adults-only tour in advance by calling 051 397 055.
In the afternoon, storyteller Baya Salmon-Hawk will offer free storytelling sessions for children from 2pm to 4pm, telling ancient Celtic tales. Captain Hook will assist her.
On Saturday evening at 5pm, a spoken word event titled “A Fire in the Head” will commence, celebrating the turning of the Celtic year. Attendees will share poetry, stories, and song by candlelight, all under the theme of fire and water, alongside the story of St Brigid of Kildare.
The event invites storytellers, poets, rappers, and writers to join the “word” competition on the theme of Imbolc. Best-selling author Cat Hogan will judge the event. The winner will receive tickets to the Kieran Goss Concert at the lighthouse in the summer.
On Sunday at noon, Salmon-Hawk will perform a Celtic Goddess Ceremony on the theme of “quickening.” The word Imbolc means “in the belly” in Old Irish and signals the “quickening of the year.”
The ceremony, titled “Quickening Within You,” will commence at St Dubhan’s Well before participants walk to the lighthouse and into the cobbled garden maze. In the centre of the maze, participants can tie spring wishes on the Imbolc tree sculpture, surrounded by fire baskets lighting the maze garden.
On Sunday afternoon from 12pm to 4pm, Captain Hook will offer children’s entertainment and games. Café specials will include pancakes filled with seasonal berries and sweet sharing plates.
Throughout the weekend, local artist Rose will offer Art Workshops featuring Brigid’s cross and Celtic goddess art.
All Imbolc Festival events at Hook Lighthouse are free of charge, apart from the Brian Kennedy Concert (tickets €30pp), the Sunrise Tour, and Art Workshops with Rose. Sunrise Tour tickets are €45pp, and Art with Rose is from €5.
For further details and ticket booking, see www.hookheritage.ie or call 051 397 055.