St. Brigid of Kildare is regarded as Ireland’s second Saint, who is associated with fertility, healing and water. She was said to have performed many miracles including turning water into beer! Her patronage extends to dairy workers, blacksmiths, midwives and travellers. Brigid is said to have been born into a noble family at Faughart, Dundalk in 451 A.D, approximately 20 years after the arrival of St. Patrick to Ireland. Her story in Ireland is legendary

    Old Kyle once formed part of an important Early Christian Monastic site on the borders of the ancient Kingdoms of Munster and Leinster. It also seems likely that the site was of significance, long before the arrival of Christianity to Ireland in the 5th Century A.D. Old Kyle is recorded in early records as Clonfertmulloe, association with St. Molua, one of the foremost monks of Ireland from the 6th Century. Set within the

The name Durrow suggests an ancient wood or forest of Oak (Darú) which once encompassed this area in Co. Laois. A settlement sprung up here in the Early Medieval Period (400-1169 A.D) associated with an early church site attributed to St. Fintan Maeldubh (7th Century). This monastery is believed to have stood on the grounds of the present Protestant Church in the town until its ruins were knocked in 1731 (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2). There