By: Alusine Rehme Wilson
The globally recognized St Brigid's feast day which is originally a pre-Christian festival previously called Imbolc, marking the beginning of spring in Ireland was for the first time in Makeni’s history, celebrated in the beautiful cosmopolitan city.
Like it’s celebrated in Ireland every February 1, the Network Movement for Justice and Development-(NMJD), Local Women’s Group, nine Makeni secondary school pupils including Hearing Impaired pupils enjoined key stakeholders, Trocaire, the embassy of Ireland in Sierra Leone among others to observe the day in the Northeastern regional city.
The historic February, 1 celebration had commenced with a match pass from the Makeni Clock Town through the Dr. Vincent Kanu, Compound Streets, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma road to the Pastor Center where the Paramount Chief of Bombali Shebro Chiefdom PC Kasanagh-II, members of the Inter-religious council together with the Second Secretary of the Embassy of Ireland Madam Emma McLoughlin graced what is now believed to be a momentous celebration in the whole of Sierra Leone.
Apart for the Mayor of the Makeni City Council Mrs. Sunkarie Kamara who was unavoidably absent, a representative of the Irish Gender Based Violence Working Group, Reverend Mark Amadu Kamara, the Assistant Priest of the Cathedral Makeni Diocese, the Trocaire Country Director Madam Laura Lalor and Madam Emma McLoughlin, the Second Secretary of the Embassy of Ireland delivered speeches on the relevance of St. Brigid's Day, and expressed their delight over the warm reception they received from the people of Makeni.
The day’s celebration of the St. Brigid's Day which is set aside to recognized an Irish character believed to be the patron saint of babies, blacksmiths, boatmen, cattle farmers, children whose parents are not married, children whose mothers are mistreated by the children's fathers, Clan Douglas, dairymaids, dairy workers, fugitives, Ireland, Leinster, mariners, midwives, milkmaids, nuns, poets, the poor, poultry farmers, poultry raisers, printing presses, sailors, scholars, travelers, and watermen, in Makeni climaxed with presentation of Awards and Certification to pupils from 9 secondary schools that had participated in a poem and drama competition about St. Brigid's Day, followed by Bubu dance and performances by local artists.
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