From the archives: Croagh Patrick pilgrimage 90 years ago

As we head into the annual pilgrimage weekend on Croagh Patrick, Tom Gillespie took a look at our archives.

NINTY years ago, on Sunday, July 29, 1934, the annual night pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick took place and the following edition of The Connaught Telegraph devoted three columns to its coverage of the Reek climb.

The report read: The pilgrimage took place in rather indifferent weather, the heavy rainfall making the peaty surface of the first stage of the journey towards the summit slippery and difficult to negotiate.

A heavy pall of cloud enveloped the entire mountain, and the thousands who commenced the ascent after sunset on Saturday to keep vigil throughout the night had a rather trying experience in their efforts to keep to the beaten path, but the more thoughtful, having equipped themselves with electric torches, rendered the task less embarrassing for those who were fortunate enough to be of such a party or convenient to it.

The first three special trains from Dublin conveyed 350 members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society Conference from the city.

Further excursion trains were from Limerick, Athlone, Ballina and Sligo, and 35 busses ran from many centres, including Galway, Longford, Sligo, Limerick, Dublin and Athlone.

A notable feature of this year’s pilgrimage was the increase in the number of pedestrians, many of whom came long distances, while some of them completed the journey in their bare feet. Only two slight accidents were recorded - two girls who slipped while making the descent.

It is estimated by those who should know that the number of pilgrims was as great as ever. Last year (1933) it was estimated that 30,000 climbed the steep mountain slope. This year (1934) the number may not have been exceeded, but it was certainly reached.

One English paper - or a Dublin correspondent for it - went as far as to make the absurd statement that the crowd was three times smaller than last year. All one need say of that exaggeration is that it is a typical English dope. The correspondent sent his suff from Dublin most likely and it is not an unusual thing for the English papers to accept alleged local Irish news from their Dublin correspondents. It saves a lot of expense you see. It is quite possible, therefore, that the person who sent such a report to an English paper was never in Westport. But his imagination led him astray entirely when he chanced reporting that the pilgrims were not up to last year's standard in numbers.

The Railway Company report as good a year as ever before, and this is the test. Besides very few newspaper correspondents from Dublin care to venture near Croagh Patrick from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. when the real rush of pilgrims is proceeding, consequently they would know very little regarding the numbers who climbed the Reek between those hours.

This year (1934) the weather was terribly bad and the journey up the mountain side was consequently made tremendously difficult.

But then the fervent ones were determined. They would simply love to climb that sacred hill in the downpour.

From an early hour on Saturday afternoon the rush to Westport commenced. Never before has there been such heavy traffic in and out of the town. The streets were virtually choked with traffic and at the foot of the mountain, parking fields were full of vehicles from an early hour in the morning.

Perhaps it would not be out of place here to mention the fact that the extra heavy task imposed on the Guards as a result of the increase in motor traffic was splendidly and creditably discharged.

The Superintendent in Westport deserves credit for the excellent and satisfactory manner in which the Guards managed such an unparalleled flow of traffic.

At every corner or dangerous bend a Guard was placed and each Guard kept an eagle eye on the traffic from all sides. It was this carefulness of the Guards that made the lot of the motorists such an easy one. There was not a hitch from Saturday night to Sunday in so far as the traffic control was concerned.

The number of pilgrims who climbed the Reek barefooted was large. This task was a very severe one, but strange enough those who attempted the ascent in this manner always appear to make better progress than that by their better shod friends.

The numbers of old men and women who trudged up the mountain side in the drizzling rain was as remarkable as ever. The sight of so many aged and often infirm persons making such as strenuous pilgrimage is something of a wonder.

Here and there an occasional pilgrim might be seen in a weak condition, but fortunately there was no accident of any serious nature recorded.

In one case a lady pilgrim from Knockcroghery, Co. Roscommon, received injuries when she lost her balance and fell on the mountain side, but after being treated by Dr. Campbell, Westport, and in the County Hospital, Castlebar, she was able to go home.

In connection with that particular happening, a word of praise of the Catholic Boy Scouts would not be out of place. When the lady was injured she was well up the mountain side. Obviously only some organised body could deal with such a case. Very fortunately a number of the Castlebar and Westport Scouts were in the vicinity and under the careful direction of First Aid Officer Donal Darcy, Castlebar, and Scout Master Dyer, Westport, the injured and exhausted pilgrim was carried down on an improvised stretcher.

Those who made the ascent of Coach Patrick at 10 a.m. will realise in some small way what these Scouts had to endure in carrying a helpless pilgrim down the stoney and often sodden marrow path.

The stretcher, of course, had to be promptly improvised by the scouts themselves on the mountain side. This accomplished, Messers. Darcy and Dyer and the Scouts in their charge bravely carried down the injured pilgrim.

During the course of the pilgrimage many people fainted from sheer exhaustion, but their interests were promptly attended to by the Scouts when available and by other pilgrims.