Tanzanite's Castle Full of Books

I just finished The Daughter of Lir by Diana Norman which is set in medieval Ireland and centers around an abbess of Kildare.  One of Ireland's patron saints is St. Brigid of Kildare and she provides quite a bit of inspiration for the story.  I found this stained glass depiction of her and the resulting mosaic is one of my favorites! The window is in St. Joseph's Cathedral in Macon, Georgia.

Born in the mid 5th century, she decided to become a nun and as time went on she set up an establishment for young women that became a model for others in the country.  She set up several convents and in her 30's, returned to her childhood home of Leinster where she built a small church.  As more and more people came to seek her advice and blessing, the town of Kildare grew up around it.

St. Brigid was known for her charity and kindness to the poor and helpless but also for her strong mind and her convents were run according to a firm set of rules that she established.  She died in 525.

*information from libraryireland.com