Over 4,000 expected to climb Croagh Patrick on Reek Sunday

THE parish priest of Westport has said he expects more than 4,000 people to climb Croagh Patrick on Reek Sunday.

Though numbers have declined in recent years, thousands of pilgrims are still expected to descend on the Reek over the weekend, with Reek Sunday coinciding with the All-Ireland football final between Galway and Armagh.
An estimated 4,000 people braved wet, inclement weather conditions to make the climb for last year’s pilgrimage, which has been undertaken for over 1,500 years.

Speaking to The Mayo News, Fr John Kenny, Parish Priest of Westport, estimated that more would undertake the climb if weather conditions were more favourable.

“In recent years the numbers have fallen back a bit,” said Fr Kenny, who said that many pilgrims were climbing the mountain ‘throughout the year’ rather than on Reek Sunday.

Following an appeal, a requisite number of ministers have been recruited to say hourly Mass and administer Holy Communion and confessions on the summit.

New doors have been installed in the chapel on the summit in recent weeks. The newly-refurbished four-kilometre pilgrim path approaching summit has also been fully completed following three-and-a-half years of work.

Defibrillators
THREE working defibrillators will be accessible on the mountain this weekend as well as two trauma kits on the summit and cone.

The defibrillators were installed by Darren Forde, who won Mayo Person of the Year for his work in installing life-saving defibrillators around Mayo.

The theme for Reek Sunday this year is ‘to pray for and honour grandparents and the elderly’.

Pilgrims are advised to heed the instructions of stewards, the mountain rescue teams, Order of Malta, and Gardaí when travelling to the mountain and undertaking the climb.

Those climbing the mountain should stay on a defined path and not encroach on the surrounding area. Dogs are not permitted.
The schedule for Reek Sunday weekend pilgrimage is as follows:

Garland Friday, 26 July – Local Pilgrimage at 10am. Mass on the summit of Croagh Patrick, celebrated by Westport native, Father Tod Nolan, PP Newport, at 7.30pm. Mass at Murrisk Community Café – Croagh Patrick Car Park.

Reek Saturday, July 27 - Tóchar Phádraig Pilgrimage begins at Ballintubber Abbey at 8.30am. Vigil Mass in Saint Mary’s Church, Westport, Archbishop Francis Duffy of Tuam at 6.30pm.

Reek Sunday, July 28 - 7.30am until 2pm, Confessions will be heard on the summit throughout the day. First hourly Mass on the summit takes place at 8am with the last Mass taking place at 2pm.