Conor McGregor shares St Brigid’s Day scarf ritual to ward off sore throats

The Crumlin man posted a picture of himself at a church service alongside his son Conor Jnr with the religious message celebrating the eve of the Irish saint.

“Saint Brigid's Eve tradition,” he wrote. “Tonight is Saint Brigid's Eve. An old Irish tradition.

“Before you go to bed tonight hang a scarf or a cloth outside your door. Known as ‘Bratog’.

“They say the saint will pass and bless them,” he adds. “And in the morning this special garment will protect the wearer from ill health and also has been known to cure headaches and sore throats.

“Happy Saint Brigid's Day tomorrow”.

He added a praying emoji alongside a shamrock and love heart.

McGregor who suffered an injury to his buttocks after he was hit by a car last week, is not far off the mark when it comes to the tradition associated with the saint.

According to the National Museum of Ireland, people believed St Brigid crossed through the land on the eve of her feast day and gave blessings and protection to homes and farms where crosses were hung in her honour.

“There were many regional styles and variations throughout Ireland with different materials used,” it notes.

“Families would recite prayers, bless the rushes or straw with holy water and then each make the crosses.

“They would hang them over the door and around the home to welcome St Brigid. Many households kept the cross each year in the under-thatch of the house and you could tell how old a house was or how long the family had lived there by the number of crosses in the roof!”