Extent: Paperback with French flaps
Pages: 40
Size: 280 mm x 210 mm
Publisher: Beehive Books
The charming illustrations of Brigid and her fox are the perfect fi t for this bouncy legend of a “wee small cloak”.’
- Margaret Anne Suggs, Illustrator of BGE Children's Book of the Year 2016, member of Illustrators Ireland and IBBY
***
‘A delightful and amusing take on an old story that’ll have you humming as you read.’
- Siobhán Parkinson, children’s writer, inaugural Laureate na nÓg and founder of Little Island Books
***
‘Rhyme and rhythm, music and song – all in Catherine Ann Cullen’s wonderful, inimitable style. What better way to introduce Brigid and her cloak to young readers.’
- Áine Ní Ghlinn, poet, playwright, children’s writer and current Laureate na nÓg, 2020–2023, the fi rst to write exclusively in Irish
See, and sing, what a determined woman can achieve
Review by: Peter Costello
There has been great interest in St Brigid of late among historians and writers. Some of these have been in their way controversial; but there is nothing controversial about this little book. It is altogether delightful. Award-winning children’s poet Catherine Ann Cullen has created a rhyming poem which can easily be learned off and sung with relish. She has taken the medieval legend of St Brigid’s cloak and how it was stretched to cover enough land to build a church in Kildare, land that the local king, an angry roaring old greybeard, had refused the determined young woman that Brigid was.
“‘Cause nobody gets as rich as me/by giving their fields to the poor for free…”
Would he give her, she asked, as much land as her little cloak would cover? He laughed at her. That little cloak. He would indeed. With the help of her followers she pulled out the fabric in a marvellous way, till it covered all the land she needed – this is a local adaption of a very ancient myth found all over Europe.
The king had laughed at her, but she carried the day. He sees the error of his ways, and becomes her kind friend, sending his men to help with the building. This may well be a book for Christmas come early, but it is still worth buying at any time, for it is great fun at any season of the year. We will look out for more books from this creative team.
Click and Collect - Free
Click & Collect is available across Ireland and Northern Ireland in our Veritas stores. We will contact you when your item(s) are ready for collection. Please visit your branch after you receive contact from us that your items are available to collect. The order will be ready for you within 2-5 working days, subject to opening hours, order volumes, if the item is in stock and time order is placed.
Standard Express Delivery
Complimentary shipping within Ireland & Northern of Ireland is available on orders over €100, delivery fees will be added according to the area of delivery, as described below:
| Country Zone | Under €100 | Over €100 | TimeFrame |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | €6.50 | Free! | 3-7 working days |
| Northern Ireland | €6.50 | Free! | 3-7 working days | UK | €12.00 | €15.00 | 3-7 working days |
| **Trade Customers** | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country Zone | Under €500 | Above €500 | TimeFrame |
| Ireland | €6.50 | Free! | 3-7 working days |
| Northern Ireland | €6.50 | Free! | 3-7 working days |
| UK | €12.00 | Free! | 3-7 working days |
Please Note:
• Click and collect orders are "free" as there is no shipping involved.
• If the order after discount is applied is below €100 or €500 (trade orders), shipping will be charged.
• These time frames are a guide and shipping times may vary, especially at busy periods.
• Please allow a few days leeway for personalised products or pre-orders.
• We are aware of some shipping delays throughout Europe and the USA caused by unforcing circusntances or territorial border control restrictions. This is out of our control. Please allow a few days leeway for your delivery.
• Subject to placing your order before 12:30pm. Does not apply to pre-ordered items.
• Check on our Delivery Policy page, the delivery areas. We do not deliver to Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
Description
‘‘There was a wise woman, we’re all agreed,
some call her Brigid, some call her Bríd.
She grew up kind and she liked a joke
and she always wore a wee small cloak.’
A miserly king is no match for a smart young woman in this lively retelling of the beloved Irish legend of Brigid and her miraculous cloak. Award-winning poet and songwriter Catherine Ann Cullen’s words are brought to life in glowing illustrations by Katya Swan. Read the story and learn to sing The Song of Brigid’s Cloak!
About the author and illustrator:
Catherine Ann Cullen was the inaugural Poetry Ireland poet in residence. She is author of three poetry collections and three children’s books in verse, including All Better: Poems on Illness and Recovery (Little Island Books, 2019), which was reimagined from Latvian. Her first book, The Magical, Mystical, Marvelous Coat (Little Brown, 2001) won a Gold Award for Poetry and Folklore from the American Parenting Products Association.
Katya Swan is an illustrator living in Ireland. She has illustrated a number of picture books, including Bea’s Rumble Jungle, Bea’s Ocean Commotion, Frankie Pants and Mr Fox, and Monster Mom.
#BeehiveBooks