Lá Fhéile Blaise

That would be today! It's very busy on the Festival circuit at the beginning of Feb (each year!). 

1. Lá Fhéile Bríde - the feast of St Bridget of Kildare the Matron Saint of Ireland
2. Candlemas - one of the four annual Term Days in the Scots legal calendar
3. St Blaise's Day

I've wished both the Blaises I know (one M, one F) the best day evah. The Blob had a long piece about the protocol for the day ten years ago. tl;dr - a pair of crossed candles applied lightly to the throat will prevent diphtheria, CoViD19, intrusive fish-bones and other gullet ailments for an entire year.

Note the application of science and technology to the logistics of applying two crossed candles to many throats during Mass on the day that's in it. You could go super low tech with a candle in each hand . . . but the priest cannot then raise the right hand to invoke the blessing of the saint. The appropriate tech solution is to tie the two candles together with a red ribbon. If the Parish is rich, they can indent for the Acme-Veritas Double-Helix Candle-Handle (with red ribbon fitted as standard) $155 each!! For the nifty brass candlebra set with crossed-candle-handle and two drip-trays you only need €19.64 + €2.32 for a pair of suitable candles. 

Tomorrow: The Feast of Saint Gilbert of Sempringham