1. Irish Places of Pilgrimage
Mr. Roddy

2. • We are learning about pilgrimages and special journeys
• We all take journeys everyday. Sometimes we go on a
special journey:
• Have you ever been on a memorable journey? Where
were you going?
• How did you feel?
• To visit relatives who live far away
•
• To see a baby that has been born
• When we move house
• To visit somewhere that is special to your family
• When we go on a special holiday
•

3. • Here are some examples of special journeys.
• A widow visiting a war grave in France.
• An Arsenal fan travelling to Leeds for a match.
• A pilgrim travelling to Croagh Patrick.
• What are the reasons for each journey?

4. People go for lots of different reasons…..
A pilgrimage is a journey to a special
place. It is usually a long journey.
What is pilgrimage?
People of all religions can go on
pilgrimage.

5. It could be
commanded in
scriptures or holy
writings
To feel part of a
larger group or
family
To ask God to make
them better if they are
sick.
To ask God to
forgive them for
something.
Why go on pilgrimage?
To spend time
alone and think
about God.
To bring something back (an
actual souvenir, or something
spiritual)
To renew their faith

6. Characteristics of Pilgrimage
Pilgrimage is a particular type of journey
On pilgrimages, groups of people unite in a common
faith and travel together to a holy place or shrine
“Going on pilgrimage without change of heart brings no
reward from God”
It was the hope and the dream by leaving home and
travelling to a special place one might return somehow
changed and renewed
Pilgrims frequently travelled together in groups to
give each other support and protection
Today people continue to go on pilgrimage to be at one
with themselves and with God

7. Modern Pilgrimage
World Youth
Day 2011 was
held in Madrid
The theme for
2011′s World
Youth Day is
“Rooted and Built
Up in Jesus
Christ,Firm in the
Faith”
(Col 2:7).
Did anyone
from your
parish go
Madrid?
Find out where the
next World Youth Day
will be held

8. Irish places of Pilgrimage
Many people who travel to
pilgrimage sites go to pray
for special intentions or to
give thanks to God for His
love or healing.
Lough Derg
Glendalough
Croagh Patrick
Faughart
Knock
St Brigid’s well
in Kildare

9. Name a pilgrimage site in Ireland which is
associated with:
 Mary _______________
 Penance through fasting ____________
 Penance through climbing in bare feet
________________
 Place of prayer on feast of St Brigid
___________________
 St Kevin ___________________
 St Laurence O’Toole ______________
Pilgrimage Sites

10. Where were pilgrim sites located in Ireland?
In rural settings
At monasteries
In desolate places to escape distractions and
become closer to God
Such religious life
emphasised
solitude,
pilgrimage, mission,
sacred locations
and tough
penitential acts.

11. Some characteristics of
Celtic Christian Sites:
High Crosses
Holy Wells
Holy Trees
Round Towers

12. Lough
Derg

13. The Lough Derg Experience
Lough Derg has always been a bit of an
enigma - a place where people fast and
walk barefoot and walk in circles repeatedly
does not make much sense to those on the
outside-but to the pilgrim the experience is
profound.
(www.loughderg.org)

14. Traditional Lough Derg
Pilgrimage
Core Product: 3 Day
Pilgrimage
• 1 daily meal of dry toast
and black tea
• 1 all-night vigil
• Bare-foot stations

15. Array of Products
3-day pilgrimages
1-day retreats
Ecumenical day
Family day
Quiet day
Exploring Spirituality
through Art.
Mother and Daughter day.

17. High Cross
(also called Standing Cross)
These freestanding crosses were found
outdoors
They were probably made of wood initially
Later they were made of stone & richly
decorated
The cross features a stone ring around the
intersection, forming a Celtic cross
This style of cross is only found in Ireland,
Scotland and parts of Britain
Such crosses were erected outside churches,
monasteries, at land boundaries or
crossroads
 Some may have been used as preaching
crosses

18. The second tallest high cross in Ireland is
found in the Dublin Archdiocese, in Moone,
Co.Kildare.
The theme of the cross is ‘the Help of God’-
how God came to humanity’s assistance in their
hour of need.
Scenes carved on the stone cross include:
Daniel in the lion’s pit, the sacrifice of Issac.
It is in three parts:
 the three children in the fiery furnace
 the miracle of the loaves and fish
 the flight into Egypt
High Cross

20. Did you know?.....
For centuries, people revered the
deities of wells.
In Christianity, Christ uses water to
heal.
Water is used in Baptism.
The Saints blessed the waters of wells
and used them for Baptism.
Pilgrims traditionally put water from the
holy well on afflicted body parts.
Many Saints founded a local church
beside this source of water.
St. Columba is reputed to have blessed
over 300 wells.
St.Brigid’s Well is a large and
ornate well and the site contains
a statue of St.Brigid. There are
5 prayer stones in a line. It is a
custom to pause at each stone
and to reflect upon an aspect of
Brigid/Brighid.
First stone: Brigid, a woman of
the land
Second stone: Brigid, the
peacemaker
Third stone: Brigid, the friend of
the poor
Fourth stone: Brigid, the
hearthwoman
Fifth stone: Brigid, woman of
contemplation.
Behind the fifth stone is a round
well that you encircle 3 times to
achieve harmony within yourself
and within the universe.
Holy Wells
The Wayside well
(beside St Brigid’s
Well) is a small and
ancient source of
water.
People visit here to
collect water in
bottles because of
its reputed healing
properties.

21. Holy Trees are often called
‘rag’ trees or ‘cloutie’ trees
Pilgrims often left rags or
items attached to the
branches of a nearby tree
They may have been in
remembrance of healings
received
Some believe that, while the
items remain on the
branches, the prayers are
still effective
Holy Trees

22. Round towers began to be
built about the same time
as the high crosses.
There remains some
confusion as to the real
purpose of these towers.
They may have been:
used for ringing bells
status symbols
landmarks to guide
pilgrims
used in liturgies or
ceremonies
watchtowers,
storehouses and places of
refuge.
Round Towers

23. The Fire Temple is located at the rear
of the Cathedral in Kildare.
In Pre-Christian times, the Priestesses
of the goddess Brighid kept her flame
eternally lit.
In Christian times, the religious Sisters
of St. Brigid continued this tradition.
The light was extinguished during the
Reformation.
On 1 February 2006, the flame was
permanently housed in a large glass
enclosed vessel in the town centre of
the Market Square.
The Fire Temple
(Kildare)

24. Who went on pilgrimages?
† The majority of people in Celtic times were not
literate. They relied on the symbolism in pictures
and architecture
† They cherished stories about the lives of the
Saints and the relics of these Saints
† Pilgrim sites associated with these Saints were
visited on Saints’ feast day
† Pilgrims often fasted, sought cures for illnesses
prayed to and honoured their favourite Saints
† The Celtic people were a restless people and had
an innate tendency to explore the unknown
† Unsurprisingly, the trend of ‘white martyrdom’
developed amongst monks. This was where monks
would leave possessions, family and friends in
order to travel the wilderness forever in the
service of God.
The three most important
Saints of Ireland were
St.Patrick, St.Brigid and
St.Colmcille (Columba).