School: Rahan
- Location:
- Raheen, Co. Offaly
- Teacher: B. Nic Lochlainn
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0804, Page 034
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- XML “Saint Brigid's Cross - How it Originated”
- XML “Saint Brigid's Cross - Golden Cross and Poison”
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- (continued from previous page)man who had been staring at her asked her why she did that.
- Because there is poison in it, said' Brigid "Poison"? said the man in sunrise. "And wo put poison in it"? "Your wife", said Brigid. The culpriet them threw herself at Brigid's feet, imploringly asking (for) her forgiveness."I'll forgive you if you tell me why you wished to poison me", said Brigid. "The gold cross which you are wearing". said the woman.
It is said that from that day till the day of her death Saint Brigid never wore a silver one, which she kept hidden so as not to tempt anyone. She told Christians afterwards that anyone who would make a cross of rushes or straw, and who would put it under the roof of the house in memory of her own deliverance from death by poison, that house would be under her protection and neither harm nor burning would happen to that house or its inmates.
