Most of the snow had melted, so I hoped the journey wouldn’t be too hard. Armagh was far away and most of the trip would be through the territory of the Uí Néill, the sworn enemies of Leinster. As a bard I could safely pass through their lands, as could Dari, as long as she stayed with me. Still, we were two women travelling alone. We both would carry daggers on our belts when we left the monastery and strap knives to our thighs beneath our robes. Within easy reach in my satchel was a short but very sharp sword which I knew how to use. I was not the daughter of a famous Leinster warrior for nothing. During the sermon, Father Ailbe talked about the problem of suffering and how a loving God could allow such terrible pain in our lives. He said there were no easy answers, but perhaps the problem lay in our perspective. Mortal beings, he said, are trapped in time like insects in amber. But for God, all of time is an eternal present. He said it must be something like the way a parent views a child.
What do You think about Saint Brigid's Bones (2014)?
