Saints of the Archdiocese of Dublin

St Kevin 3 June Read Alive-O 7 pupil book pages 57 & 58 to find the answers. Why did Kevin go off to the Wicklow mountains when he was a young man? Why did hermits and monks sometimes pray with their arms outstretched? How do we know Kevin loved God’s Creation? What is your favourite legend about St Kevin? Where can we see one of the best examples of a round tower in Ireland? According to legend,what age was Kevin when he died? Use the code below to find out what Glendalough stands for? =G =L =N =E =H =T =K =O =F =W =A =S                    Write your answer here: __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Watch the Alive-0 7 DVD material on the icon of St Kevin. Find your A4 size poster of St Kevin in your Alive-O 7 Pack.

St Kevin and the Blackbird And then there was St Kevin and the blackbird. The saint is kneeling, arms stretched out, inside His cell, but the cell is narrow, so One turned-up palm is out the window, stiff As a crossbeam, when a blackbird lands and lays in it and settles down to nest. Kevin feels the warm eggs, the small breast, the tucked neat head and claws and, finding himself linked Into the network of eternal life, Is moved to pity: now he must hold his hand Like a branch out in the sun and rain for weeks Until the young are hatched and fledged and flown. Read the poem one of our great Irish poets wrote about St Kevin. And since the whole thing's imagined anyhow, Imagine being Kevin. Which is he? Self-forgetful or in agony all the time From the neck on out down through his hurting forearms? Are his fingers sleeping? Does he still feel his knees? Or has the shut-eyed blank of under earth Crept up through him? Is there distance in his head? Alone and mirrored clear in Love's deep river, 'To labour and not to seek reward,' he prays, A prayer his body makes entirely For he has forgotten self, forgotten bird And on the riverbank forgotten the river's name. Seamus Heaney Sing “All the Nations of the Earth” from Alive-O 8.

Down: St Kevin Crossword See Alive–O7 Teacher’s Manual T 1 L8 St Kevin 1) Where did St Kevin study for the priesthood? 2) To what hill did St Kevin go to meet other abbots in 544? 3) On what kind of ground was the first church built when others began to join St Kevin? 4) What was the name of the bishop who ordained St Kevin? 5) In what age was St Kevin's bed believed to have been a tomb? Across: 1) In what part of Co. Wicklow did St Kevin settle? 2) For how many years was St Kevin believed to have lived alone? 3) What kind of building was St Kevin's bed? 4) Which saint is said to have baptised St Kevin? 5) What kind of life did St Kevin live alone in Co. Wicklow? See Alive–O7 Teacher’s Manual T 1 L8 St Kevin

Answers to St Kevin crossword: Down:  1) Killnamanagh 2) Uisneach 3) Holy 4) Bishop Lugidus 5) Bronze Age Across: Glendalough Seven Cave Crónán Hermit 

Icons of Celtic Saints What is an icon? The word “icon” comes from the Greek word for “image.” It usually has no frame and was normally painted on wood. Icons were considered more than just a painting. They were written after much prayer, reflection and meditation. True or False? Circle  or x 1) An icon usually has a frame.  x 2) Many icon painters were monks and nuns living in monasteries.  x 3)The gold on an icon represents the Presence of God as light.  x 4) Icons don’t often hold our attention.  x Read more about icons on p. 56 of Alive-0 7 Book of Kells

How about visiting Trinity College to view the Book of Kells?

Icon of St Kevin 3 June

Icon of St Laurence 14 November

St Laurence O’Toole 14 November St Laurence O'Toole (Lorcán Ó Tuathail) was born in Castledermot, Co. Kildare in 1128. He became Abbot of Glendalough in 1153 and Archbishop of Dublin in 1162. He died in Normandy on the 14th of November 1180 and was canonised in 1225. See Alive-0 7 Who is the current Archbishop of Dublin? To learn more about the Archdiocese of Dublin see www.education.dublindiocese.ie On this website ,there is a prayer service for St Laurence O Toole’s Feast Day.

St Brigid 1 February

St Brigid- the early years St Brigid came from a noble family like many others of our early saints Her father Dubthach [Duffa] was a distinguished Leinster chief descended from the kings of Ireland Dubthach and his wife lived for a time at Faughart near Dundalk St Brigid was born about the year 450 The family moved to Kildare where St Brigid spent her childhood Brigid was baptised and raised as a Christian It is believed that St Brigid met St. Patrick when she was a child

St Brigid Maybe you could visit St Brigid’s well in Co. Kildare Read about the charism of the Brigidine Sisters today & how they live, inspired by the person of Jesus and the vision of St Brigid. You can find their website @ www.brigidine.org.au A charism is a gift of the Holy Spirit given to some body or some group of persons. For more about St Brigid, look in Catholic Schools’ Week Booklet Read more about St Brigid in Alive-O & Alive-0 2 Teacher’s Manual Term 2 Lesson 3 Sing “We sing a song to Brigid” in Alive-O 2 & 3

Prayers to St Brigid Let us pray: One writer recently referred to Brigid as: “the woman who, above all others, embodies the spirit of pre-Christian and Christian Ireland.” Let us pray: St Brigid Mary of Ireland ask for us all today, the courage to do God's bidding whatever the world may say. The grace to be strong and valiant, the grace to be firm and true the grace to be faithful always to God, to Mary and you St Brigid’s Blessing May Brigid bless the house wherein you dwell Bless every fireside every wall and door Bless every heart that beats beneath its roof Bless every hand that toils to bring it joy Bless every foot that walks its portals through May Brigid bless the house that shelters you. See our website for a prayer service for St Brigid’s Feast Day. Write your own prayer to St Brigid

Blessed Margaret Ball 30 January Walter merchant 17 priests 1515 Blessed Margaret Ball was born Margaret Bermingham about _ _ _ _ in Skreen, Co. Meath. She married Bartholomew Ball, a prosperous and important _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ in Dublin. As this was a time of religious persecution, it was well known that Margaret provided ‘safe _ _ _ _ _ _’ for any bishops or _ _ _ _ _ _ who might be passing through Dublin. She would often invite her son _ _ _ _ _ _ to dine with them on these occasions, hoping for his reconversion. Find the missing words: mayor Walter suffered January streets Margaret’s son Walter Ball was elected _ _ _ _ _ of Dublin. He had his mother arrested and drawn through the_ _ _ _ _ _ _ on a wooden hurdle, as she could no longer walk, to Dublin _ _ _ _ _ _ where she was to be imprisoned for the rest of her _ _ _ _. The conditions in jail were extremely harsh and she _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ greatly and died in prison in _ _ _ _. Blessed Margaret Ball is one of the _ _ Irish Martyrs and her feast day is celebrated on the 30th _ _ _ _ _ _ _. merchant 1584 17 priests 1515 houses Perhaps you could visit the Chapel of Blessed Margaret Ball in Santry in Dublin life castle