Croagh Patrick

Croagh Patrick
*Cruach Phádraig*
Croagh Patrick; Cruach Phádraig
	;
Elevation	764 m (2,510 ft)
Location	West Mayo, Ireland
Prominence	640 m (2,100 ft)
Coordinates	53°45′36″N 9°39′34″W / 53.760047°N 9.659536°WCoordinates: 53°45′36″N 9°39′34″W / 53.760047°N 9.659536°W
Topo map	OSi Discovery 30, 31, 37 or 38
OSI/OSNI grid reference	L906802
Listing	Marilyn, Hewitt
Translation	"(St) Patrick's stack (Irish)

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Croagh Patrick (Irish: Cruach Phádraig) is a 764 metres (2,510 ft) mountain in the west of Ireland and an important site of pilgrimage. It is located 8 kilometres (5 mi) from Westport, County Mayo above the villages of Murrisk and Lecanvey. It is the third highest mountain in County Mayo after Mweelrea and Nephin. On "Reek Sunday", the last Sunday in July every year, over 15,000 pilgrims climb the mountain. The mountain forms the southern part of a U-shaped valley created by a glacier flowing into Clew Bay in the last Ice Age. Croagh Patrick is part of a longer east-west ridge; to the west is the mountain Ben Goram.

Croagh Patrick derives its name from the Irish Cruach Phádraig "(St) Patrick's stack", and is known locally as the Reek, which is a Hiberno-English word for a "rick" or "stack".^[1] In pagan times it was known as Cruachán Aigle, being mentioned by that name in sources such as Cath Maige Tuired^[2], Buile Shuibhne^[3], The Metrical Dindshenchas^[4] and the Annals of Ulster entry for the year 1113.^[5] Cruachán is simply a diminutive of cruach "stack", but it is not certain what Aigle means. It is either from the Latin loan aquila "eagle" (more usually aicile or acaile)^[6] or a person's name.^[7]^[4] In addition to its literal meaning, cruach in the pagan name may also have some connection with Crom Cruach.

A seam of gold was discovered in the mountain in the 1980s: overall grades of 14 grams (0.5 oz) of gold per tonne in at least 12 quartz veins, which could produce 700,000 t (770,000 short tons) of ore. Mayo County Council elected not to allow mining, deciding that the gold was "fine where it was".

[edit] Pilgrimage

Croagh Patrick has been a site of pilgrimage, especially at the summer solstice, since before the arrival of Celtic Christianity.^{[citation needed]} Saint Patrick reputedly fasted on the summit of Croagh Patrick for forty days in the fifth century and built a church there.^{[citation needed]} It is said that at the end of Saint Patrick's 40-day fast, he threw a silver bell down the side of the mountain, knocking the she-demon Corra from the sky and banishing all the snakes from Ireland.^[8] In fact, there were never snakes in Ireland^{[citation needed]}.

A Civil Defence survey conducted on 30 July 2006 indicated that there were approximately 15,000 pilgrims in 2006, fewer than in previous years, but heavy rain early that morning had been a deterrent. Two thirds of the pilgrims in 2006 were male. The pilgrims included participants from Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Australia, Brazil, the Netherlands, Italy, Latvia, India, Hungary and Canada. There were 3,500 first-time climbers ^[9].

[edit] The chapel at the summit

In modern times, a small chapel was built on the summit, and dedicated on 20 July 1905. On 31 July 2005, during the annual pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick, or "Reek or Garland Sunday" as it is known locally, a plaque commemorating the centenary of the building and dedication of the chapel was unveiled by Most Rev. Michael Neary, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Tuam.

Having celebrated the centenary of the building of the church on the summit, it was decided^{[citation needed]} in 2005 to open the church every day during the summer, rather than only on holy days. Mass is celebrated in the church every last Sunday in July (Reek Sunday) and every 15 August. The church is opened by information guides.

[edit] Gallery

A view of Croagh Patrick from Lecanvey on an early July morning	View from Westport	Another view from Westport	Beginning of path to the top
Mountain seen from path	Steep approach