Happy February 29th - also known as Ladies Day - everyone. Today single ladies can propose to their boyfriends.
From Wikipedia:
"In the English speaking a world, it is a tradition that women may propose marriage only on leap years. While it has been argued that the tradition was initiated by Saint Patrick or Brigid of Kildare in 5th century Ireland, it is dubious as the tradition has not been attested before the 19th century. Supposedly, a 1288 law by Queen Margaret of Scotland (then age five and living in Norway), required that fines be levied if a marriage proposal was refused by the man; compensation ranged from a kiss to £1 to a silk gown, in order to soften the blow. Because men felt that put them at too great a risk, the tradition was in some places tightened to restricting female proposals to the modern leap day, 29 February, or to the medieval leap day, 24 February. According to Felten: "A play from the turn of the 17th century, 'The Maydes Metamorphosis,' has it that 'this is leape year/women wear breeches.' A few hundred years later, breeches wouldn't do at all: Women looking to take advantage of their opportunity to pitch woo were expected to wear a scarlet petticoat -- fair warning, if you will."
Read the Snopes.com article here for more information on this and Sadie Hawkins Day.
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St. Brigid was actually originally from Faughart, Co. Louth, which is part of the Diocese of Dromintee and Jonesborough. I know this, because I am a leader of girls who call themselves Brigins, afte St. Brigid and I live within the parish of Dromintee and Jonesborough, and the Shrine to St. Brigid is just a few miles away, in Faughart, Co. Louth.
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