St Patrick's Day: Finding the Relics of St Patrick

One of Ireland’s most precious relics, St Patrick’s Bell once belonged to the venerated saint. The trapezoidal gilded case, commissioned by King Domhnall Ua Lochlainn, was forged later, likely around 1100. And since then, the bell has been in the same family (the Mulhollands), and has never been lost track of, unlike most relics! Associated with a miracle in 1044, the simple iron bell was coated in bronze to shield the holy relic from human eyes. Today, the bell is housed in the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin.

Another holy chair is the Boheh Stone, not far from Croagh Patrick, a mountain with strong St Patrick associations (see below!). The Boheh Stone chair is decorated with Bronze Age swirls and Christian crosses – as often happened, pagan festivals and shrines were repurposed to fit Christianity. Though an amazing place to follow in St Patrick’s footprints and hike any day of year, a local’s tip is to the Boheh Stone visit on the 18^th April or August 24^th to witness the ‘rolling’ sun – seated at St Patrick’s Chair, the sun will appear to roll down the mountain!

The trail up the pointed dome of Croagh is always amazing, but to follow in his footsteps, participate in Reek Sunday pilgrimage in July!

To this day, Croagh Patrick is recognised as Ireland’s Holy Mountain – associated with St Patrick as it has for over a thousand years. In the 5th century, St Patrick scaled the mountain in order to fast 40 days and nights at its summit. Today, there is a shrine to St Patrick’s memory on top, and the trail has become a well-worn pilgrimage route (culminating on the final Sunday in July when thousands of pilgrims ascend the mountain). Croagh Patrick is one of best places to visit in order to understand what Ireland’s patron saint stood for and follow in his footsteps! The mountain is located in Co Mayo, forming an epic backdrop to Westport town.

Approaching the medieval site of the Rock of Cashel built into a rock supposedly resulting from St Patrick’s miracles!

In the centre of Ireland, there is an impressive medieval church built into a massive block of stone known as the Rock of Cashel. Also sometimes called St Patrick’s Rock, this is due to a local legend that claims St Patrick miraculously banished the Devil from a cave in a nearby mountain called the Devil’s Bit – the force of this expulsion flung the rock chunk to its present site, becoming the Rock of Cashel. Though not relics of St Patrick in this strict sense, it was here that St Patrick is said to have converted and baptised Aenghus, the King of Munster, in the 5th century. For anyone travelling through central Ireland with an interest in St Patrick’s, the Rock of Cashel offers an intriguing story and a fascinating history and mythology!

This St Patrick’s Day, follow in the footsteps of Ireland’s patron saint along ancient pilgrimage routes to the summit of Ireland’s holy mountain, past mountain shrines to find the relics of St Patrick!