It’s peak pilgrim on Croagh Patrick as Masses are cut
THE number of Masses at the summit of Croagh Patrick is to be halved at the annual Reek Sunday event.
The decision to reduce religious services on the last Sunday of July comes as a report reveals the Co. Mayo mountain has suffered unsustainable damage from the tens of thousands of tourists who climb it annually.
Father Charlie McDonald, who oversees the reek from Westport, says pilgrims can instead attend Mass at the bottom and at nearby Lecanvey. He said: ‘I want to be clear: we’re not banning people from going up the top. We’re saying there are other options. The conditions on the mountain, especially at the cone, are very challenging at the moment.
‘Just a few weeks ago, an American woman was injured there.’
More than 122,000 people, many barefoot, climb the reek annually, with 8,000 ascending on Reek Sunday.
The mountain has been linked with St Patrick since 441AD. In recent years, it has come to be associated with events that many feel are threatening its future.
Two weeks ago, almost 1,000 participants in the Gaelforce extreme sports event ran up the mountain.
Martin Keating, of Croagh Patrick Stakeholders Group, said yesterday: ‘The stakeholders group has moved past allocating blame for the condition of the mountain and is focused on delivering a sustainable solution.’