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Locals among Lough Derg pilgrims
08.06.11
LOUGH Derg has seen
nearly 1,000 pilgrims since opening for the season
on June 1.
Pilgrims from Inishowen, other parts of Ireland,
England, America, Italy, Scotland, Switzerland and
Slovakia have been among the first of the seasonal
visitors with almost 20% going for the first time.
Kay McLaughlin, in her 40s from Inishowen, finally
made it to Lough Derg after years of saying she
would always go, while Sheena Conway (24) travelled
from Dublin with her mother for the first time.
Sheena is emigrating to Australia later in the year
and wanted to visit Lough Derg before she left.
"The sacrifice of shoes, food, and sleep seems to be
worth the spiritual rewards that are achieved on Day
3 when pilgrims depart with a smile on their face
and maybe having left some burdens behind on this
island which has been welcoming pilgrims for
centuries," said a spokesperson. |
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The spokesperson said
the Lough Derg slogan 'Bringing you the Gift of
Hope' was, perhaps, a "great beacon for people these
days".
"Hope is a word we all could be doing with seeing
more of these days - switch on the news any day and
all we hear are stories of governments collapsing,
loss of jobs, civil unrest, and natural disaster.
2011 sees Lough Derg’s message of hope shining
through as perhaps a little shaft of light for all
of us."
The traditional three day pilgrimage runs daily
until August 15. Visit
www.loughderg.org
or email
info@loughderg.org |
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