ST. BRIGID'S CLOAK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 13, 16 January 1937, Page 7 (Supplement)

ST. BRIGID'S CLOAK.

It had often been found, Bays tlio "Children's Newspaper," that tradition ia founded on ,fact. It has always seemed unlikely that the piece of curly woollen fleece said to be part of St. Brigid's cloak, which has\ been treasured for 000 years in the cathedral of St. Sauveur at Bruges, was actually worn by the Irish saint, who was horn as Ion" ago as the fourth century.

, Now some remarkable evidence haj been found in ancient documents by a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries that the fabric, which is rerv ancient and shows signs of hard wear actually may have been part of St! Brigid's mantle. -

It is a piece of shaggy, dark crimson material, about 21in by 2oin, and was, taken to Belgium by "an English princess, after the Battle of Hastings in 10BG. c

Before he became King of England, Harold had lived ;in Ireland as an exile. While he was the guest of the King of Leinster it is likely that, when making a pilgrimage to the tomb of the 'saint at Ivildare, lie acquired this relic.

Shaggy weaving, which is extremely ancient in Europe, was probably an Irish custom long before Brigid's time, and there are maiiv allusions in old manuscripts to shagrug mantles. It has been found that the piece of shag-rug at Bruges was coloured with dye made from ironoxide, and artists of the future will be able to represent the exact tinl of her mantle.