As the Jubilee Year of Hope draws to a close, priests at Ireland’s major pilgrimage sites say conversations are already under way about what might come next, following a year in which Knock, Lough Derg and Croagh Patrick were linked through a shared pilgrim passport and commemorative pin that encouraged cooperation and renewed interest in pilgrimage.
At Lough Derg, Fr La Flynn said the passport may not continue “exactly in its present format,” but he is confident something lasting will emerge from the experience. “This has been a new experience for the three sites,” he said. “It has been an occasion for us to work together — these three significant national pilgrimage sites — and thank God, it was a very happy experience for us all.” While a formal review meeting was hoped for before Christmas, he said discussions would now take place in the new year, expressing confidence that the partnership itself would be “a legacy of the Year of Hope”.
At Croagh Patrick, Fr John Kenny pointed to the response of pilgrims themselves as a key sign of the year’s impact. He said the Jubilee saw a noticeable increase in organised pilgrimage groups, many of whom deliberately completed all three sites. “People actually made the effort to make a pilgrimage out of their journey,” he said. The initiative, he added, reminded people that pilgrimage does not have to mean travelling abroad. “We have a lot on our doorstep here,” he said, pointing to Ireland’s long tradition of sacred places stretching back centuries.
At Knock Shrine, Fr Richard Gibbons PP described the passport and pin as “a very worthwhile initiative” that was embraced in practice, not just in principle. “It linked up the three major pilgrimage sites on the island,” he said. As part of the Jubilee, the Knock parish and shrine community themselves travelled to Croagh Patrick and Lough Derg, collecting stamps alongside other pilgrims. “We were very, very happy,” he said.
