Saint Brigid of Kildare or Saint Brigid of Ireland (†525) is the patroness saint of Ireland, and one of its three national saints along with Patrick and Columba. According to medieval Irish hagiographies, she was an abbess who founded the important abbey of Kildare as well as several other convents of nuns. Brigid was the daughter of a chieftain and a slave woman, and was raised in a druid's household before becoming a consecrated virgin. She is patroness of poetry, learning, healing, protection, blacksmithing, livestock, and dairy production. In her honor, a perpetual fire was kept burning at Kildare for centuries. Her feastday is celebrated on February 1.