St. Brigid, the compassionate, sensible female patron saint of Ireland, gets a lot less recognition than St. Patrick

St. Brigid of Kildare's shrine in Faughart, County Louth, Ireland. (Photo by RDImages/Epics/ Hulton Archive via Getty Images

On March 17, the world celebrates the feast day of St. Patrick, a zealous British bishop of the fifth century who became famous for spreading Christianity in Ireland. Patrick is Ireland’s main patron saint.

But as a medieval historian, I suggest that we also pause to remember another of Ireland’s patron saints, the nurturing, compassionate St. Brigid.