Pilgrimage has been defined as “a meaningful journey to a place of spiritual or mystical significance” and the practice is almost as old as history. In Ireland, the pilgrim journey has strong historic resonance with early Christians coming to Clonmacnoise; medieval penitents journeying to Lough Derg and Glendalough, while others visited Skellig Michael or  climbed Croagh Patrick.

Despite this long pilgrim tradition, there was, until relatively recently, little footfall on Ireland’s penitential trails with the country not regarded as an important destination for pilgrimage. The foundation of Pilgrim Paths Ireland 2013 greatly raised awareness of the country’s pilgrim routes and created a more general appreciation of Ireland’s Christian heritage. Since then, the ancient Pilgrim Paths of Ireland have echoed to ever-increasing footfall.

Learn More

Read about the Pilgrim Paths of Ireland in John G. O’Dwyer’s guide book ‘Pilgrim Paths in Ireland – From Slemish to Skellig Michael’.  With maps, photographs and concise directions and maps of each route, it is a virtual “Bible” for pilgrim walkers in Ireland. Published by The Collins Press (RRP €14.99), the book is available from bookshops and from https://www.gillbooks.ie