by J. Michael Finn
The annual religious pilgrimage to climb Croagh Patrick, also known as Climbing the Reek, has been going on for hundreds of years. The event occurs in Ireland every Garland Sunday, the last Sunday in July. It attracts 30,000 pilgrims of all ages, from the very old to the very young. Thousands of people come to climb a 2,507 foot mountain—over one million climb it annually.
Croagh Patrick is a mountain in western County Mayo, Ireland, five miles west of the city of Westport, near the village of Murrisk. The name Croagh Patrick comes from the Irish Cruach Phádraig meaning “Patrick’s Stack.” The mountain is also known locally as “the Reek,” an English word for a “rick” or “stack.” In pagan times, the mountain was known as Cruachán Aigle (the meaning is unclear but is could mean Eagle’s Stack, or Aigle could be a proper name).
Croagh Patrick was a pagan sacred place long before the arrival of Christianity. For the pagan peoples of Connaught it was the dwelling place of the Celtic deity Crom Dubh (the dark bent one) and the principal site of the harvest festival of Lughnasa, the festival that celebrated the chief Celtic god, Lugh Lamhfada (Lugh of the Long Arm). It was traditionally held around August 1.
The history of Garland Sunday, or Bilberry Sunday as it is sometimes known, also goes back to pagan times. The holiday is connected with Lughnasa, as well. One story is that it was considered the end of the “hungry season,” when people could enjoy a good meal of freshly harvested new potatoes.
The tradition of the annual pilgrimage goes back to a story of St. Patrick. It seems that Patrick was exhausted and fatigued when he came to this remote part of Ireland. He longed to rest for a while to refresh his soul in solitude. On the Saturday before Ash Wednesday, in the year 441, he took himself to the top of what was then Cruachán Aigle. There he spent the forty days and nights of Lent, fasting, pouring out his heart to God, and entreating Him with prolonged prayers and with tears that Christianity may not fail in Ireland.
The Book of Armagh records that God summoned all the saints of Ireland, past, present and future, to appear before the holy bishop to comfort him with a vision of the huge harvest of souls his labors would produce. From that sacred spot on Holy Saturday, Patrick, with outstretched hands, solemnly blessed the people of Ireland, that they might cling to the faith and the land of Ireland, and that no poisonous snake might infest it. Then, refreshed with divine grace and comforted with the assurance that his labors would last forever, he came down from the mountain to celebrate Easter with the little flock he had left at the bottom of the mountain. From that day forward the mountain was known as Cruach Phádraig.
From the days of St. Patrick, pilgrims began to do penance and pray on his holy mountain during Lent, just as Patrick had done. References to these pilgrims are found in the pages of the Irish annals. It is recorded that in the year 1113, on the night of March 17th, during a thunderstorm, thirty pilgrims perished on the summit.
After this tragedy, the time of the annual pilgrimage was changed from Lent to summer. The Annals of Boyle relate that Hugh O’Connor, King of Connaught, who came to the throne in the year 1225, cut off the hands and feet of an outlaw who dared to rob a pilgrim on his way to Croagh Patrick.
The following quote is from a document of Pope Eugene IV, dated September 28, 1432, and shows how this ancient pilgrimage was recognized and honored in Rome: “A relaxation of two years and two quarantines of enjoined penance, under the usual conditions, to those penitents who visit and give alms for the repair of the chapel of St. Patrick, on the mountain which is called Croagh Patrick whither resorts a great multitude of persons to venerate St. Patrick the Sunday before the feast of St. Peter’s Chains.” From St. Patrick’s own time there has been a chapel on the summit.
The climbing of Croagh Patrick has always been a pilgrimage of penance. Ancient tradition was that the climb was to be done barefoot or on your knees as a symbol of your sorrow for your sins. Today, climbing the mountain barefoot is discouraged, but it is still often practiced by some veteran climbers.
Climbing the Reek is tough, demanding and often dangerous. It’s not for the faint of heart or those with difficulty walking. There are three pilgrimage stations on the way to the top, each of which has a sign with instructions for the proper rituals and prayers to be said. The final climb to the top of the mountain is a challenging uphill hike over lose stones.
While there have been very few deaths, injuries such as serious cuts, broken arms, ankles and legs are common. Depending on the weather, hypothermia due to exposure can also be a problem. Wear sturdy shoes; layered clothing; water and a walking stick are also requirements. In short, be prepared. During the 2010 climb, a total of sixteen climbers were seriously injured.
At the top of Croagh Patrick is a chapel, called St. Patrick’s Oratory. From early in the morning on Garland Sunday, Mass is offered continuously throughout the day; when one Mass ends another is started. It is customary to attend Mass upon reaching the top. In 1958, Pope Pius XII granted a plenary indulgence to anyone completing the climb of Croagh Patrick and praying at the summit.
On a clear day there is a spectacular view of Clew Bay and the surrounding Mayo countryside from the top of the mountain; some say it’s the most scenic view in Ireland. Most importantly, however, remember that if you are skilful and lucky enough to reach the top of Patrick’s mountain, your trip is only half complete; you have to climb back down the mountain, a three-mile walk that is just as challenging as the climb to the top. Those who have completed the climb record it as a life-changing experience.
If you are interested in seeing the mountain and enjoying the scenic view without leaving the comfort of your armchair, there is a new book just published titled Croagh Patrick: A Place of Pilgrimage, A Place of Beauty, by Westport resident Harry Hughes (O’Brien Press, 2010). It is loaded with pictures, history, folklore and archeology of Ireland’s holy mountain.
Whether in person, or through the pages of books and online postings, Croagh Patrick’s, and climbing The Reek, is one of Ireland’s great milestone’s.
*J. Michael Finn is the Ohio State Historian for the Ancient Order of Hibernians and Division Historian for the Patrick Pearse Division in Columbus, Ohio. He is also Chairman of the Catholic Record Society for the Diocese of Columbus, Ohio. He writes on Irish and Irish-American history; Ohio history and Ohio Catholic history. You may contact him at
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