Pilgrim path finished and ready for Reek walkers

Last Wednesday, April 10, a gathering took place in the Murrisk Development Café and on the Reek, to mark the culmination of the Croagh Patrick Sustainable Access and Habitat Restoration Project.

The pilgrim path from the statue of St .Patrick to the chapel on top of the Reek has now been completely restored and rebuilt by hand by the five-man team of Matt McConway, Frank McMahon, Tullio Pereira de Jesus, Bernard Burke and David Doyle. The path will be a lasting testament to the art and skill of these five craftsmen.

Representatives from Mountaineering Ireland, Croagh Patrick Stakeholders Committee, Murrisk Development Association, Mayo County Council, and Fr John Kenny, St Mary’s Church Parish Administrator, all turned out to pay tribute to the tenacity and dedication shown by the path restoration team over the past three-and-a-half years.

The sheer quality of their craftwork is unsurpassed and, in her tribute, Helen Lawless, acting CEO of Mountaineering Ireland, quoted Dr Caro-Lynne Ferris, an expert in mountain path restoration work, who informed her that the Reek path is unequalled in these islands and will be the benchmark for all future projects of this nature.

Helen presented each member of the team with a copy of the book, ‘Irish Peaks’, published by Mountaineering Ireland and now in its second edition.

Work on the Croagh Patrick Path is now complete. Pic: MattMcConway/X

On the day, the team were joined by the dedicated group of volunteers, sourced through Mountaineering Ireland: Mary Murphy, Phil McHale, Brian Gillivan, Noel Brady, John O’Callaghan, Brendan Byrne, Betty Walsh and Dave Loftus, who had all volunteered on one day each week to assist the team over the past two years and two months. Leave No Trace ambassador Kieran Reilly, was also present, as were Mayo Mountain Rescue representatives Mary Walsh and Colm Byrne. Since the restoration work commenced and the condition of the path has been upgraded, the number of callouts to Mountain Rescue has reduced considerably.

The Chairman of the Croagh Patrick Stakeholders group, Martin Keating, paid tribute to the team and to all volunteers involved in the project. Caroline Goucher of Mayo County Council chaired the celebratory event, and following a brief tribute from Frank McCarrick on behalf of the Murrisk Development Association and a concluding prayer and blessing from Fr John Kenny, the event finished.

Refreshments were provided on the day by the Murrisk Development Association.