Lough Derg, County Donegal

Station Island on Lough Derg

Lough Derg is a lake in County Donegal, very close to the border with the United Kingdom. It is to be found about 4½ miles north of the border village of Pettigo. The lough is best known for St Patrick's Purgatory, a site of pilgrimage on Station Island in the lake.

The lake is about 2,200 acres in size, but is quite shallow, making it dangerous during bad weather. It has stocks of pike, perch and brown trout for angling.

St Patrick's Purgatory

Pilgrims at Lough Derg

For Roman Catholics, Lough Derg has a particular religious significance as the place of St Patrick's Purgatory, and to which there is a three day pilgrimage, which is said to follow a one-thousand year old pattern.

The legend is that St Patrick while converting the Irish was beset by doubters demanding to see for themselves the truth of his teaching. Patrick was led to a cave on an island and there opened a gateway to Purhgatory, where the doubters could see souls in torture. Later, a monastery was founded on the site. There is no evidence that Patrick came anywhere near the place. Another tradition links the foundation of the monastery to the perhaps legendary St Dabheog or Dabheoc, a local abbot who may have established the monastery on the site during the lifetime of Patrick.

The main pilgrimage season begins in late May/early June and ends mid-August, on the 15th, the feast of the Assumption of Mary. The pilgrimage begins on a Friday, during which participants may only have one meal; and no food is to be consumed during the ensuring three days. On arrival on the island, participants remove footwear and socks before commencing vocal prayers, waking around the island. A 24-hour night vigil then takes place. Generally, pilgrims depart on Sunday and complete their fast at midnight on Monday morning

Islands

Saint Patrick's Purgatory in a map of 1666

Including Station Island, there are about 30 islands and islets in Lough Derg, including:

Allingham's Island Ash Island Boat Island Bull's Island Derg Beg Island Derg More Island Friar's Island Goose Lodge

Gravelands Islands Illan Philipboy Inishgoosk Kelly's Isles Long Island Saints Island (on which there is a graveyard and the buried ruins of a monastery) Trough Island

References

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Lough Derg, County Donegal)

54°36′50″N 7°52′20″W