In Celtic tradition it is the 1st day of Spring while meteorologist might disagree 1 thing that is fact is that it is Saint Brigid's Day - Lá Fhéile Bríde (variants include Brigid, Bridget, Bridgit,
Bríd and Bride) and we asked the Brigid's, Brigit's, Bridget's of the country or the Brid's or the Breda's or the Bridie's or any one named anything like Bridget or who's birthday it is today to get in touch... Hector touched 174 Saint Brigid on the show this morning not physically but over the airwaves.
On How's Your Country This Morning it was a Bridie we spoke to - 82 year old Bridie Mooney who runs the best sweet shop in Greystones her grandchildren emailed in to tell us. Bridie and her husband took over the shop over 60 years ago from a lady who was retiring and now all the family help out in the shop from time to time.. You can get kola cubes, bulls eyes, cough & clove drops and even the newspapers. Bridie loves to see the excitement and anticipation in children's faces as they gaze upon the jars and jars of different sweets behind the counter.
Our Put your Town on the Map Champion Trisha Carroll from the hamlet of Castlelyons in Co. Cork stayed up late last night to watch that dance show on sky so was a bit sleepy this morning. Her challenger was Lee Mullane from Drumcliff in Sligo although told us off air she was from Cliffoney...
Castlelyons fact of the day - is that local man Colman O'Flynn bred the famous horse Denman right there in Castlelyons Co. Cork.
Drumcliff fact of the day - the famous poet WB Yeats is buried there.
A bit of controversy about sheep having tales but I sorted it out before the high horse brigade got involved and we accept if they are born with them then that's good enough... but all that late night TV proved detrimental to our champ as she could only name 4 out of 5 types of Board games so the tile goes to the North West to Sligo's Lee Mullane who is in the draw for the chance to win a VIP trip to the IFTA's - The Irish Film and TV Awards on Feb 11th. Don't forget you can still cast your vote fort the RTE Guide Best TV Moment of 2011 for free go to www.rte.ie/tvmoments.
Now as it was Saint Brigid's Day we know schools across the country will be making Saint Brigid's crosses we spoke to Eamonn in Donegal who was out in the frost down in the bottom fields early this morning cutting rushes with his 2 sons for their local school in Ramelton Donegal, the hands were frozen off them. When Hector asked Eamonn if he had a Saint Brigid's cross in the house he said sure I have 1 in the milking parlour looking after the cows, that's a tradition Saint Brigid's will then keep an eye on them...
If any other schools out there made Saint Brigid's crosses please send us in a photo of them to hector@rte.ie and we will give the best cross a nice prize....
Here are a few emailed into us already
Jessica Bridget Metcalfe with her St. Brigid's cross
One from Mark Watters, Castletownbere
15 Chick Flicks in - half way there and Alan last night watch 'My Best Friends Wedding' which he said and I quote 'was really good'.. He told us it's the story of 2 childhood sweethearts who agreed that if they were not married by aged 28 they would marry each other. However just 3 weeks before his 28 birthday he decides he is going marrying this young 1 and the story goes from there...
We know the whole country is getting ready for Euro 2012 and we here on Breakfast With Hector want to help so we bring you Lesson 1 of 'The Weekly Polski' - Breakfast With Hectors Guide to
Now in Class Act Barry the bad man from Bray has been sending the youth of the country packing each morning but he was actually only standing in for his brother Robbie who believe it or not was in Poland check out Wedding venues. Today Robbie was back and was surprised at his brothers success so he was determined to continue the families winning ways. Our challenger 13 year old Aoife O Dwyer from Tipp town but up a brave fight there was no stopping the Bray man who's name is in the draw to win that amazing VIP trip to the IFTA's which we will be giving away on Friday..
Well that's pretty much it a Happy Saint Brigid's Day to all out there and off ye go now down the bottoms(I love saying that as we have fields down home called the bottoms too) to cut some rushes... until tomorrow from 7 -9am here on RTÉ 2FM - Keep Her Lit...
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