'Gobnaits' invited to gather at Cork village for festival to celebrate local saint

Preparations are underway in the Cork Gaeltacht village of Baile Mhúirne to honour the local patron saint with a festival which will bring together women – and men – bearing the name of Gobnait from all over the world at the site on the banks of the Sullane where the medieval saint built her monastery.

The festival, which takes place on the weekend of February 9-11, builds on the success of last year’s ‘Global Gobnait’ call which resulted in people called Gobnait flocking to the Gaeltacht village while others called in from London and the US.

The weekend of events culminating on Sunday February 11, the Saint’s feast day, is being organised by Comharchumann Forbartha Mhúscraí (Múscraí Development Co-Op) language planning officer, Eibhlín Ní Lionáird, along with parish priest, Fr Seán Mac Carthaigh and archaeologist Dr Connie Kelleher.

“Last year, when there was such an overwhelming and positive reaction to ‘Glaoch Gobnait’ or Global Gobnait, we said we would try to build on it and now we’ve put together a full weekend of events to mark the feast of Gobnait,” said Eibhlín, whose own second name is Gobnait.

“Gobnait always was a great support for the parish and here she is again giving our tourist season a kick-start!” 

The Gobnaits will gather on Friday evening in the Mills Inn in Baile Mhúirne where they will be invited to taste some foods featuring honey as the main ingredient. 

Gobnait, who travelled to Múscraí from the Aran Islands, is the patron saint of beekeepers.

On Saturday, the Bishop of Cloyne, Dr William Crean, will unveil a new 3D model of a 13th century statue that is brought out on Lá le Gobnait (St Gobnait’s feast day) and on Whit Sunday each year for devotions to the saint. 

Saturday’s events will also feature a number of lectures from academics who will talk about the world in which Gobnait lived and ministered as well as an account of her journey to the Cork Gaeltacht from her home on Inis Oirr by writer Concubhar Ó Loingsigh. 

On Saturday evening the Gobnaits will gather again to choose their Banríon na mBeach/Queen Bee and, after that night’s festivities.

The festival events will culminate on Sunday evening with a presentation by the Ó Tuama School of Dancing of a show they have produced to interpret Gobnait’s life in dance.