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Lough Derg; St Patrick's Purgatory

Summary: Lough Derg is a lake in the Irish county of Donegal. In the middle of the lake there are two islets associated with St Patrick's Purgatory, Station and Saints Islands, surrounded by legends of demons, monsters and other mythical figures thought to inhabit them. It is St Patrick, however, who is the central character of the legends. He gave the name to Purgatory, because it is said that it was there where Christ showed St Patrick Purgatory and at the same time gave the living a chance to redeem their sins in this life. Th earliest record of a pilgrimage to Lough Derg is the Tractatus de Purgatori Sancti Patrici dated 1184. It, however, does not specify the site of the place. A little more light on the matter is shed by the Topographia Hiberniae by Gerald of Wales, the first version of which was written around 1186, and the second between 1187 and 1189. The stormy history of Ireland has left a mark on the islets, leaving the facts unclear during certain periods. Their reconstruction has been aided by archaeological excavations conducted both on the islets and in the area surrounding the lake. The geographical location of the lake, together with the recovery of ancient finds and rich folklore material, have facilitated the reconstruction of the history of the area all the way back to the pre-Christian age. Modern-day pilgrimages focus on Station Island with its St Patrick's Basilica and the remains of the anachoric penance cells known as 'the beds'. The traditional three-day pilgrimages take place between 1st June and 14th August, while the one-day pilgrimages take place in May, August and September, having been added to enable the elderly and the infirm to participate. A pilgrimage consists of special sets of prayers conducted in front of particular buildings. Lent is observed by the allowance of just one modest meal a day. The most difficult part of the pilgrimage is the 24-hour long vigil at the Basilica. Today, the traditional pilgrimage to Station Island draws some 20 to 30 thousand visitors. As opposed to the Middle Ages and to the 14th and 15th centuries, when it attracted crowds from across Europe, Lough Derg is virtually unknown outside Ireland, whence vast majority of the pilgrims come.

Peregrinus Cracoviensis, 2000, z.8, s. 55-78.

Instytut Geografii i Gospodarki Przestrzennej UJ

ISSN 1425-1922

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