Kildare artist passes Brigid Cross weaving onto next generation

Climate change may be affecting the reeds used to make St Brigid crosses, according to a Kildare artist who organises workshops in Brigid-centred crafts every year for local communities.

Sheena Malone, who divides her time and work between Allenwood and Berlin, says the reeds don’t seem to be as green as usual.

“They are browner this year — they don't seem to be as lush as they used to be,” she commented during a pre-Brigid’s Day workshop in Kilcullen’s community library, where she provided the reeds gathered from her own usual location in the Bog of Allen.

“I keep the place a secret,” she added with a smile. "Where I get them, they are nice and long, while in many other places they seem to be shorter."

There was a full house in the library for the event, with people of every age, from young children to adults in their 80s, indicating the legend of Brigid still attracts multi-generational interest.

For even some of the older ones, it was the first time they had made a Brigid’s cross.

When Sheena was growing up, the crosses were part of her life. "I grew up in the Bog of Allen, so there were reeds all around, and I've been making the crosses since I was in primary school."

During the pandemic lockdown, this craft from her school days grew more important. On walks in the bog, she collected loads of reeds and began making crosses and bridges (little reed dolls) in significant numbers.

"I asked people if they wanted them, free of charge, and then I ended up sending them all over the world to my Facebook friends."

Realising that people responded positively to the pieces, she decided to run workshops teaching others how to make their own and has been doing so for the past couple of years from Allenwood.

With art qualifications from UCD and Stockholm University, Sheena spends much of her time in Berlin, where she has worked on several arts-based projects and serves as a language editor for OnTrack, Sweden's largest university. Since 2021, she has also been the County Kildare Coordinator for the annual Culture Night programme.

Her own art, which includes textile pieces dyed with medicinal plants gathered in and around the Bog of Allen, has been exhibited at various venues across Kildare, in Berlin, and at Electric Picnic.

In 2024, her film The All-Ireland Turf Footing Finals won the Best Short Documentary category at Junefest, Newbridge.

Last October, Sheena embarked on an artist-in-residency project with 4th and 5th class pupils at Scoil an Linbh Íosa in Prosperous, creating shadow theatre films based on local folklore and myths, including one about St Brigid's Cloak.

These can be viewed on YouTube.