Sometimes we all need to reflect and meditate on life's journey, to re-charge the batteries and find some personal space. Ireland's heritage is steeped in learning and spirituality, a heritage which continues today, with opportunities to visit religious sites, join pilgrimages and enjoy new spiritual experiences. Here we profile three well known places of pilgrimage and retreat: Croagh Patrick, Co. Mayo, Lough Derg in Co. Donegal and the Buddhist Retreat Centre, Dzogchen Beara in West Cork.

Croagh Patrick, Murrisk, Co Mayo

Croagh Patrick is the most prominent mountain overlooking Clew Bay on the Atlantic coast of County Mayo. Approaching it from the landward side to the east, it looks as if it has to be a holy mountain – and it is. Indeed, it is Ireland’s holiest, and one which has been attracting people to climb to its summit since the misty days of prehistory. In Ireland’s pagan period, it was probably a place where country folk for miles around foregathered to celebrate the festival of Lug, the good god of the pagan Celts, at the beginning of harvest at the turn when July turns to August. With the coming of Christianity, the Church diplomatically transformed the heathen festival into an annual Christian pilgrimage which still continues today.

Called Cruachan Aigle in the earliest historical sources, ‘The Reek’ as it is known locally has borne the name of Ireland’s patron saint for some twelve hundred years, and is the place where popular tradition has St Patrick climbing the mountain to spend forty days fasting on the peak, in emulation of the biblical patriarch Moses. While there, he is said to have been beset by demon birds, and even by the devil’s mother, both of whom he finally dispatched.

The annual pilgrimage in his honour now takes place on the last Sunday in July, though it can equally be made on any other day of the year. Until recent decades, it started by candlelight at midnight, and the 2510-foot ascent was undertaken barefoot. But most pilgrims now retain their shoes, and assemble in daylight near the northern foot of the mountain, close to the Late Medieval Franciscan friary at Murrisk. They walk around a modern white statue of Saint Patrick and then proceed, stick in hand, towards the summit. There, in the century-old chapel, confessions are heard, Masses are said, and rosary beads are thumbed by pious pilgrims kneeling in prayer, hoping to gain a favour, or doing it simply because they have been keeping up the practice for years.

The rigour of the walk to the top is tough but invigorating, achievable normally in under three hours, and rewarded in good weather with one of the finest maritime panoramas in the West of Ireland. It is one of Europe’s truly ancient pilgrimages, wafting the participant back in spirit to the hardship of the Middle Ages. Yet, for all its spirituality, the pilgrimage can be fun for young and old, exuding a sense of camaraderie among all who happily mix good humour and prayer as they puff up and down the stony paths, keeping alive an age-old tradition of community togetherness that is well worth experiencing.

Further Information:

Croagh Patrick is five miles from the picturesque town of Westport. Further information can be obtained from Croagh Patrick Visitor Centre which is located at the base of the mountain and opposite the National Famine Monument.

Croagh Patrick Visitor Centre

"Teach na Miasa"

Murrisk

Co Mayo

Tel: (098) 64114

Email: info@croagh-patrick.com

Web: www.croagh-patrick.com

Dzogchen Beara Retreat Centre, West Cork

Open to all, Dzogchen Beara is a Buddhist retreat centre under the spiritual guidance of Sogyal Rinpoche, author of the widely acclaimed 'The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying.' With more than 2 million copies in print and translated into 31 languages, these teachings resonate with people of any age, background and faith.

Dzogchen Beara offers a year-round programme of retreats and seminars based on the wisdom and compassion of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition - from introductory weekends which are open to everyone, to retreats for those who wish to deepen their study and practice.

Daily guests are invited to simply relax and enjoy this beautiful natural environment with the option of attending the guided meditation sessions (see below). For those who wish to stay a while there is cottage and hostel accommodation.

A Brief History by Peter Cornish

"In 1973, my late wife Harriet and I walked up a grass grown track in the far south west of Ireland. Tired of the race for material gain, we carried a dream of creating a spiritual home for people of all faiths, and those of none.

Our search for a sacred land had brought us to a spectacular mountain farm. It was perched on fuschia-hedged terraces directly above the Atlantic Ocean. There was no access or electricity, and water was in a distant well. We carried a mattress across a bog to the half-ruined house, turned out the cows and started work ....

Twlve years later we had installed services, roads, built the 'Centre House' and planted ten thousand trees. We invited Sogyal Rinpoche to come and teach meditation. In 1992, we made the place a registered charity and asked Rinpoche to b ethe spiritual director. Since then he has led nearly 50 retreats here and continues to inspire us all with his wisdom."

Dechen Shying, the Spiritual Care Centre at Dzogchen Beara

Opened in 2009, Dechen Shying Spiritual Care Centre at Dzogchen Beara is a small, unique respite home within the palliative care services in Ireland. It offers specialised care to those living with illness or facing death and to their family and carers. The Centre welcomes people from all walks of life and of all faiths or none.

"Sensitivity to the emotional and spiritual well-being of our guests is central to the care and professional nursing we offer. All care is offered in the spirit of kind-hearted awareness and mindfulness of each person’s individual needs. Our guests have the opportunity to rest and reflect, to spend precious time with loved ones and to connect with their own inner resources."

The natural beauty of the Beara Peninsula and the uniquely spacious design of the building combine to create an environment of peace for those facing the challenge of serious illness.

For more information, go to www.spiritualcare.ie

What's on Offer at Dzogchen Beara:

"The entire body of Buddhist teachings that was developed in Tibet remains intact to the present day. Its foundation has not been undermined, nor has its pinnacle been destroyed. We think of our tradition of Buddhism as a gift we have to offer the world. And all that we, the teachers of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, would ask is that you accept our offering, enjoy it, make use of it, and benefit from it."

| Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche

Daily Meditation Classes

Visitors and guests are welcome to attend the daily classes which offer a basic introduction to Buddhist meditation and guided meditations for developing Loving Kindness.

Retreats with Sogyal Rinpoche

Weekend and longer retreats with Sogyal Rinpoche and other eminent Tibetan masters.

Student-led Retreats

A public programme of weekend retreats offering introductions to the practices of meditation, loving kindness and compassion.
For more information click on Events Programme 2010

Rest and Renewal

Quiet breaks in cottage and hostel accommodation.

Further Information

Dzogchen Beara is situated on the south-west coast of Ireland, on the beautiful Beara Peninsula in County Cork. It is 144km (100 miles) west of Cork city, 56km(35 miles) west of Bantry, and 128km (80 miles) south of Killarney. The nearest villages are Castletownbere 8km (5 miles) and Allihies 11km (7 miles). The nearest airport, train station, bus station and port are in Cork.

Dzogchen Beara
Garranes, Allihies
West Cork, Ireland

T: +353 (0)27 73032
F: +353 (0)27 73177
info@dzogchenbeara.org

www.dzogchenbeara.org

Lough Derg, Pettigo, Co. Donegal

Over the black waves of the lake trip the lost echoes
Of the bell that has shooed through the chapel door

The last pilgrims, like hens to roost

                   Patrick Kavanagh, Poet

Have you ever thought about a sanctuary for the body, mind and soul? Or longed for an escape to an oasis of grace?

Lough Derg is the perfect haven, allowing you to get away from the daily grind. Stunning scenery and soothing surroundings allow you to reflect and meditate on your life’s journey. This small Donegal island, set in calm
lake waters, offers no distractions, no artificialities or interruptions. Instead you are warmly welcomed and cared for; there are no strangers here. 

This unique place of peace, which was one of Patrick’s first sanctuaries, offering him hope and renewal, continues to provide rest and growth for generations of pilgrims from Ireland and beyond. Allow yourself the opportunity to connect again with the treasures of your faith, to rediscover the quietness within and to go away renewed.

A Short History

What is known of the early history of Lough Derg comes mainly from the twelfth century. It appears that while Patrick was in the area he became aware of an island in Lough Derg that had a cave. It is said that he spent a day and a night in the cave and during this time had a vision of the after-life. It was this vision that gave the island its name, Purgatorium Sancti Patricii, and gave rise to the practice of pilgrimage.

In the Annals of the Four Masters, we are told of Lough Derg being plundered by Irish chieftains in 1070 and again in 1111. Life then for the monks was not only dangerous but also austere, with many choosing to endure harsh penance. It was for such practice that the monks chose Station Island spending long periods of time fasting and reciting prayers, living in small bee-hive cells which they constructed, (now known as penitential beds).


The Reformation had little impact on the pilgrimage, with the monastery enjoying the protection of the local chieftain. However this was not to last. Despite a 1603 survey reporting that, ‘the priory now is very much on the decay, and has these past many years been totally abandoned’, the monks continued to oversee the pilgrimage, which took place on Station Island.

All this changed in 1632 when a local Anglican Bishop drove the monks out of the Island, filled in the cave, levelled the beds and destroyed other relics. However people still came to the lakeshore to make Stations and keep vigil and within a few years the pilgrimage had resumed, under the guidance of the Franciscans who sustained the pilgrimage.

Various other attempts were made to shut it down but it survived, experiencing its greatest sign of renewal in 1763, with the building of a small church dedicated to St Mary of the Angels and later a church dedicated to St Patrick; both of these have been rebuilt on various occasions with the present St Mary’s church dating to 1870, and the original church of St. Patrick having been replaced by today’s Basilica.

And so this remarkable pilgrimage has not just survived but grown in spite of the many hurdles if has had to overcome. It continues to be a living remnant of the Christian Church in Ireland, providing solace for today’s pilgrims as it did all those years ago.

What's On Offer at Lough Derg

Three-Day Pilgrimage

The Three-Day Pilgrimage attracts people of all ages and walks of life, from different cultures and social backgrounds. Stepping outside their ordinary lives and routine, they leave behind many of the trappings of the modern world.

Pilgrims will have begun their commitment by fasting from the previous midnight; they follow a set routine of
prayers and actions, hallowed by centuries of practice, all the while fasting and walking barefooted.

Pilgrims make nine ‘Stations’ during their time on the Island. The Station is a mantra-type prayer, allowing pilgrims to get in touch with their real inner selves in a most authentic way. The challenging nature of the fasting, vigil and Stations is complemented by communal celebrations in the Basilica.

COST:

€55 includes boat fare & accommodation
* Reduced fee for booking online

AVAILABLE: 1st June to 13th August

One-Day Retreats

One day retreats are held throughout May and again in late August and September. On arrival there are light refreshments and an opportunity to meet fellow retreatants. A set programme is offered, allowing pilgrims to join with others in familiar and time-honoured prayer forms, as well as giving personal time to think about what is closest to their hearts.

COST:

€30 includes boat fare & lunch
Special rates for Groups of 15 or more

Available: 1st May to 30th May 2010 and 18th August to 21st September 2010

Also available: Family Day, Quiet Days, Inter Church Days.

Further Information

The Sanctuary, Lough Derg, Pettigo, Co. Donegal

Tel: 071 - 986 1518

Email: info@loughderg.org

Web: www.loughderg.org