Pilgrims climbing Croagh Patrick.
Photo: Mags Gargan A pathway running from the base to the summit of Croagh Patrick in Co. Mayo has been officially opened after the completion of a three-year building project carried out by hand. Thousands of tonnes of rock and soil were removed from the Reek to make it safe and accessible, as well as protecting the mountain.
The 4km pilgrim path runs from the statue of St Patrick near the base of the mountain to the church at the top of the Reek. It marks the culmination of years of hard, physical labour by a team of people who made hundreds of climbs in all weathers over the past few years.
They have now achieved what many considered an impossible task – the building of a two metre wide path all the way to the top of Ireland’s ‘holy mountain’.
There have been ongoing concerns about the condition of Croagh Patrick and the safety of the original pathway which had worn down considerably over the years.