The arduous yet newly refurbished ascent to Croagh Patrick’s triangular summit brought more joy than discomfort to numerous pilgrims who undertook the climb on an overcast day this past week.
A trio of friends, fellow Irish speakers from Ceathrú Rua in Connemara, Caoimhín Connolly, Kevin Kelly, and Seán Ó Flathartha found the climb satisfying. They chatted about their sense of accomplishment as they relaxed at the foot of the mountain just after midday on Thursday.
They were more intrigued by the chilly gusts at the summit than the small chapel on top, Ó Flatharta explained.
The secondary school educator, Caoimhín Connolly, was climbing the 764-metre sacred peak for the first time. Despite stories he’d heard about the peak’s steepness and potential risks, he deemed it safe. He declared that he might take his son, aged six, on his next climb.
The pathway, restored over the last three years, extends 4km from the foot to the peak. It was the brainchild of a Scottish expert named Matt McConway and was carried out by hand with the assistance of four local men, moving thousands of tonnes of rock and earth.
Connolly found the climb to be a reasonable two and a half-hour venture. He even contemplated bringing some of his students for the climb next time. Kevin, a primary school teacher and a friend of his, having scaled the peak five to six times before, agreed about the increased safety afforded by the massive restoration project, including steps on the sharpest inclines.
He suggested that similar marked pathways on other mountains could encourage more people to try hiking, expressed Kelly.
The 4km climb might not have been a breeze for physiotherapist Kate Creaby, a Colorado native who relocated to her husband’s hometown of Westport with her family last August. However, she’s been making it a regular trek.
“My child regularly partakes in equestrian lessons at the base of the mountain, located at Croagh Patrick Stables, giving me an opportunity to enjoy an invigorating climb,” she notes. Recalling the times before the pathway renovation and the construction of steps, she mentions the precarious decent through the top scree. The path is notably safer now, she adds. In fact, her spouse ventures up and down the path weekly.
The responsibility of protecting the beauty of Mayo’s sacred mountain lies in the hands of members dubbed Guardians of Croagh Patrick.
On a related note, new volunteers, designated as Croagh Patrick ambassadors, are observed at pathway’s edge, engrossed in an instructional session led by the Leave No Trace group advocate—this being their second day of orientation, having met the restoration team just the day prior.
Spearheading the batch, Clare Masterson, serving as a project officer at Leave No Trace Ireland, explains that the Leave No Trace ethos, which advocates minimal harm to the environment, was adopted in 2022 in collaboration with the Croagh Patrick Stakeholders group. This initiative aims to help protect the mountain, which experiences an influx of thousands of visitors annually, she explains.
Further explaining, Masterson points out that this latest recruitment and training of voluntary ambassadors has been made viable by funds from the 2024 Heritage Stewardship Fund.
Ged Dowling, an outgoing volunteer who works as a wilderness sherpa for Terra Firma, a cultural hiking company based in Co Mayo, states that the mountain possesses diverse significance for different entities. “The restoration of the pathway has permitted the mountain to revive – we have already witnessed significant habitat restoration in the three years since the initiative was implemented,” Dowling states.
While safety has notably improved as a result of the rejuvenation project, the primary objective was to halt further erosion triggered by the annual ascend of over 100,000 climbers.
Frank McMahon, a member of the path restoration project team, is thoroughly cognizant of the project’s positive outcomes. It’s worth noting that it’s been ten years since a report by Mountaineering Ireland proposed a “significant intervention” for the pathway.
McMahon shares that measures have been taken to revive the natural pathways around Croagh Patrick, a revered mountain located in Ireland. To combat erosion from walkers, non-essential routes have been sealed off, reclaimed by vegetation, whilst a two-metre path leading to the statue has been maintained for ease of access. More difficult regions of this trail have native stone steps in place, a feature appreciated not just by the typical climbers but also by the Mayo Mountain Rescue team, who have noted a noticeable drop in accidents since.
The mountain has become a popular attraction for two key groups. Fitness enthusiasts journey up the steep slopes for the sheer physical challenge, while others climb for spiritual reasons. The latter includes devout individuals who make the ascent barefooted, either out of respect for religious customs or simply to add an extra accomplishment to their journey. Social media enthusiasts are also frequent visitors, hoping to capture the perfect sunrise snapshot for their Instagram feeds. Additionally, regardless of weather conditions, members of the Traveller community can also be seen making the mountainous journey between March and September due to its religious significance.
Claire Coleman, a mother from Oranmore, County Galway, is part of this group. Despite not being religious herself, she acknowledges the mountain’s historical importance. Both Claire and her children, Grace (16), and twins Nicholas, and Christopher (12) returned from a Spanish vacation, ready to appreciate the spiritual heritage and while also promoting their fitness. And while she prefers her customary vegan snacks, her children prefer a less austere choice.
As her family embarks on the climb, looking as nimble as mountain goats, qualms about weather conditions clearly aren’t an issue for them. Scoffing at the idea, she leaves us with the words,” Is there anything that can compete with the charm of western Ireland?”