Croagh Patrick

Croagh Patrick, by Mark Waters

St Patrick reportedly spent 40 days and 40 nights fasting on this mountain in Mayo, but its reputation as a holy place predates even that event.

In his efforts to bring Christianity to Ireland St Patrick adopted a successful strategy of holding Christian celebrations in places that were already used for Christian worship; Croagh Patrick was one such place.

The belief is that it was associated in pre-Christian times with the festival of Lughnasa or the Harvest time.

Pilgrimage at Croagh Patrick

Barefoot pilgrim, by padraic woods

Nowadays the main pilgrimage takes place on the last Sunday in July, when thousands of people climb the rough track to the top of the mountain, many of them walking barefoot in spite of the sharp stones underfoot.

There are a number of ’stations’ on the route where pilgrims recite prayers and perform rituals in order to gain penance.

Masses are held throughout the day in the small church on top of the mountain, for those who make it up. They are also rewarded by magnificent views over the surrounding countryside and over Clew Bay.

In the Area

Westport is a thriving town and well known as a centre for excellent traditional music. Nearby Westport House, now open to the public, with its extensive grounds and gardens and a private zoo, is a particularly good place for children.

Clew Bay, by padraic woods

Clew Bay is dotted with hundreds of tiny islands; nobody knows how many there are, but you will almost certainly be told there are 365 (perhaps an extra one pops up in leap years!).

Founded just over two hundred years ago by Lord Altamont Louisburgh is an excellent example of an ‘estate town’ built on the pattern of four streets with a central cross roads.

It is so named because of the family of Lord Altemont’s links to the battle of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia in 1758.