St Brigid’s Day 2023
Department of Foreign Affairs
Irish women blazing a trail
Brigid, Brigit, Bríde, Bríd, Bríg. Goddess, saint, healer, warrior, visionary. February 2023 saw Brigid and her trailblazing ways celebrated for the first time with a national public holiday.
With the Department of Foreign Affairs’ aim to raise awareness of the day and nurture and recognise feminine culture, bigO devised a video campaign to launch the first national celebration of this powerful, symbolic figure.
The evocative hero video, I Am Brigid, featured a number of Irish women who are leaders in their fields of activism, academia, advocacy, science, sport, music, medicine and more. The film encapsulates the idea that Brigid and her gifts of healing, fire and creativity live within us all.
By using the rich text of myths surrounding Brigid and contemporising them, we created a dreamlike film that celebrates modern creativity and female energy. Vibrant portrait imagery and quotes from each of the video’s participants were also used to bring the campaign pages to life across ireland.ie
Context
In addition, the Common Threads project and its video illustrates the power of creative expression to form connections as 40 textile artworks from across the globe were combined to create an art piece that mirrored the sisterhood and the myth surrounding St Brigid’s cloak.
Despite its ancient origins, bigO’s approach was to signpost St Brigid’s Day as something fresh, inspiring, brave and progressive – a space where we can craft new narratives while platforming trailblazing voices in Ireland and on the international stage.
