St. Gobnait's Day

St. Gobnait's Day

While celebrating St. Gobnait's Day on the 11th of February, we looked at beautiful stain glass windows by Harry Clark with our artist in residence, Veronika. St. Gobnait is the Patron Saint of Bees and she lived in the 7th century in Ireland. 

'St. Gobnait' by Ben

Legend tells that she was originally from County Clare. Fleeing from a family row, she sailed to live on Inisheer, one of Galway's Aran Islands. An angel appeared to her on the island and told her to go find a meadow with 9 white deer. This would be the place for her to start a convent. 

'St. Gobnait' by Ella

St. Gobnait travelled all over Ireland to find her 9 white deer. First she saw a meadow with 3 white deer, then she saw a meadow with 6 white deer so she knew she was getting closer. Finally, in Ballyvourney, County Cork, she saw her 9 white deer. This is where she settled to build her convent.

'St. Gobnait' by Emma

St. Gobnait was an avid beekeeper. She kept plagues away and cured sick people by using honey  as medicine. She could also talk to her bees. One day, when bandits came and stole all the village cattle, St. Gobnait set her bees on them. The bees chased the robbers and blinded them until all the cattle  were returned. 
St. Gobnait's Day is still celebrated in Ballyvourney to this day, where she is said to still cure the sick and injured with magic ribbons tied around her wooden statue. 

'St. Gobnait' by Amelia

Using colourful tissue paper, we made our own 'stain glass windows' of St. Gobnait. 

'St. Gobnait' made by Dylan

They really glow when the sun shines through our classroom window!

IF I WAS A SAINT, I WOULD...

Using our imagination we thought of ourselves as Saints, what we would do and whose Patron Saint we would like to be. Meet our little Saints here: 

If Fionn was a Saint ... he would be the Patron Saint of Lions. 'My miracle power is lightening. If hunters came to shoot the lions, I would strike them down with lightening'.

If Síofra was a Saint ... she would be the Patron Saint of Dogs. 'I would dedicate my life to rescue all the stray dogs'. 

If Keelyn was a Saint ... she would be the Patron Saint of Fish. 'With my miracle powers I would take all the plastic out of the sea and safe all the fish'. - and I can walk on water!

If Eanna was a Saint ... he would be the Patron Saint of Liverpool. 'I would play football with Liverpool and they would always win!'

If Emma was a Saint ... she would be the Patron Saint of Dogs ('obviously') and Snowflakes: 'because we need snow for the polar bears'.

If Ultan was a Saint ... he would be the Patron Saint of Fire and Darkness: 'because we need fire for heat and darkness to sleep.'