This week: The life and afterlife of Saint Brigid; Laurel and Hardy in Ireland; and a history of rugby and Irish life

Saint Brigid at 1500

Saint Brigid of Kildare is someone who means a lot of different things to different people. She's a patron saint of Ireland, a figure of devotion for many. To others, she’s the Celtic Goddess of pre-Christian Ireland. She’s also a symbol of female empowerment and a feminist icon. Brigid is someone who has been enjoying another resurgence in popularity recently, since last year we've had that public holiday in her name and around her traditional feast day.

It’s purportedly been about 1500 years since Brigid of Kildare died. And as part of the ongoing Brigid 1500 programme of events from Kildare County Council, the Brigid’s Worlds conference is taking place at Maynooth University, this coming Friday and Saturday, the 13th and 14th of September.

Myles is joined by Maynooth University’s Dr Niamh Wycherley, a medieval historian in the Department of Early Irish, specialising in the early Irish Church. Niamh is the host of The Medieval Irish History Podcast and the organiser of the conference.

Laurel and Hardy in Ireland

In 1953, Laurel and Hardy were in the twilight of their long illustrious career. That year, while travelling on an ocean liner en route to Britain, they stopped over in Ireland – where they quickly learned just how much their comedy meant to people here.

Colm Flynn has the story. To learn more about Laurel and Hardy's visit to Ireland, Colm talks to Liam Muldowney, Grand Sheik of the Irish Laurel and Hardy Society; and Adrian Gebruers, Carillonneur of St Colman's Cathedral in Cobh.

Blood And Thunder: Rugby and Irish Life

How has Ireland – a tiny country where rugby is a minority sport – become one of the top rugby nations in the world? How has an all-island rugby team been maintained, despite political partition?

These and many more complex questions are explored in a new publication, which tells the story of this sport's long history here, and its relationship with Irish society. The book is called Blood & Thunder – Rugby and Irish Life: A History. It's published by Penguin Books.

Myles is joined by the author Liam O’Callaghan, Associate Professor at Liverpool Hope University.