Places of Pilgrimage – Jubilee Year of Mercy-Southern Province

Mercy Heritage Centre, Charleville The 29th October 1836 was the foundation day in Mercy in Charleville. This was the third house of the Order. Catherine McAuley, Sr. M. Angela Dunne and two novices came from Baggot Street, via Tullamore. The Sisters went to the Crimean War in 1855, and also made foundtations in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia, and to Buttevant, and Midleton in Cork, New Inn in Tipperary and Kilmallock in County Limerick. There is a wornderful Heritage Centre now developed there and well worth a visit. It contains artifacts of the early foundation and memorabilal from Mercy Convents in the Province.

Skellig Michael (Irish Sceilig Mhichíl, "Michael's rock" A Christian monastery was founded on the island at some point between the 6th and 8th century and remained continuously occupied until it was abandoned in the late 12th century. The remains of the monastery, and most of the island, became World Heritage Site in 1996

In The Steps of St. Brendan – Kerry Camino

Welcome to the Kerry Camino. We invite you to "walk in the footsteps of St. Brendan, the Navigator", as a walker or pilgrim, on this journey of contemplation and fun. During the years 512-530 AD St Brendan set out from Kerry to spread the Word of God along the coast of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Brittany. Some believe that St. Brendan was the first European to reach America.

The Gallarus Oratory (Irish: Séipéilín Ghallarais, literally "The Church of the Place of the Foreigners") is believed to be an early Christian church located on the Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry, Ireland.

St. Mary’s Well Killarney - August 15th Pattern Day each year Freestanding circular-plan single-bay single-storey stone-built building over holy well, built c. 1850, with square-headed door opening having flight of internal steps down to well. Reroofed in late twentieth century. Set at rear of town hall.

The Great Famine – An Gorta Mór

We invite you to visit one of the numerous Famine/Pauper Graveyards either in your locality or somewhere in the Province.

Examples of such graveyards:

 Skibbereen, County Cork – Abbeystrory Cemetery  Fanlobbus, Dunmayway, Cork  God’s Acre, Tralee, Kerry  Madams Hill, Killarney  Callan, Kilkenny  Pulla, Ring, Waterford  Anacarty, Tipperary

Examples of Various Famine Graveyard Sites:

Abbeystrowry Cemetery, Skibbereen From newspaper accounts of the Famine time, Skibbereen was depicted as being symbolic of the destitution and hardship caused by the failure of the potato crop. Between 8,000 and 10,000 unidentified souls are buried in the Famine graveyard at Abbeystrowry near Skibbereen

Anacarty, Tipperary

Callan, Kilkenny

Pulla, Ring. Co. Waterford

You may know of many other Famine Sites…….. A Poem about God’s Acre in Tralee, County Kerry: God’s Acre bids me enter through the well-trodden stile of crafted limestone Man’s handiwork separating the living from the dead, the busy from the rested Therein repose the remains of the unmentioned, unlisted and oft forgotten In distant times of want, denial and inhumanity they came here for final rest Alone they sometimes sought it out, cold refuge against an even colder neglect Last faltering steps taken to meet their Maker in the soft embrace of Mother Earth Or in make-shift carts a final journey shared from workhouse or roadside refuge Drawn over limestone paths by souls rehearsing their own inevitable last journey. In our own time of plenty and opportunity we still seek out this relic from the past Stepping inside from a world speeding by, we each find our own personal recess Arriving to repose the burdens of our living with the memories of those deceased The Stations, the Grotto, the Altar and the Cross all give us comfort on our way Departing we are relieved, comforted and renewed by this sanctuary to our dead God surely chose his Acre wisely, its great value not being of our choice or making.

Our Lady’s Well, Ballyheigue, County Kerry Pattern Day September 8th

Muckross Abbey, Killarney is one of the major ecclesiastical sites found in the Killarney National Park, County Kerry, Ireland. It was founded in 1448 as a Franciscan Friary

St. Colman’s Cathedral, known as Cobh Cathedral It is the church of the Diocese of Cloyne. It overlooks Cork harbour. Construction began in 1867 and was consecrated in 1915. The Architects were Edward Welby Pugin and George Ashlin. The cathedral contains the only church carillon in the Republic of Ireland, which with 49 bells is one of the largest carillons in the British Isles. An automated system strikes the hour and 15 minute intervals while it also rings the bells in appropriate form for Masses, funerals, weddings and events. The carillon is also played on special occasions and generally every Sunday afternoon.

Gougane Barra, Cork The name Gougane Barra comes from Saint Finbarr, who is said to have built a monastery on an island in the lake nearby during the 6th century. The present ruins date from around 1700 when a priest called Denis O'Mahony retreated to the island. During the times of the Penal Laws, Gougane Barra's remoteness meant that it became a popular place for the celebration of Mass. The nineteenth century oratory which stands near the original monastery is famous for its picturesque location and richly decorated interior.

Saint. Gobnait Church and Holy Well. Ballyvourney The remains of the monastic settlement at Ballyvourney are located about a kilometre south of the town. There are two Holy Wells at the site - St. Gobnait’s and St. Albans.

Tubrid Holy Well, Millstreet A haven of peace – is situated 2kmwest of Milstreet Town – reputed to be Ireland’s largest Holy Well. It is visited annually – especially in the month of May by thousands of people

Miracles at Tubrid: Around the fire grate on Winter nights I often heard the old man of stories tell stories of miracles that did occur at Tubrid’s Holy Well Of people who were blind to light who suddenly could see He did impress on my young mind how amazing this place must be. He said the Tubrid waters has cures for every known disease And it even cured an allergy that on old bloke had to fleas It cured people of cancer and it cured people of gout And drinking Tubrid water cured on of warts in the mouth.

Teampaillín Fachtna, Rosscarbery, The Abbey, St. Brigid’s Well St. Fachtna of Rosscarbery, was the founder of the monastery of Rosscarbery in County Cork. He died around 600.He established a monastery and school in the area now known as Rosscarbery towards the end of the sixth century. His monastery became the principal monastery of West Cork, and later had a famous Scripture school known as the School of Ross. Brendan, the Navigator, taught in this school, which was crowded by students from every land. It flourished for three hundred years and survived in some form until the coming of the Normans to Ireland. It was the centre from which the Diocese of Ross developed. Teampaillin Fachtna is visited each year by many people. St. Brigid’s well is situated at the entrance gate to the Convent of Mercy in Rosscarbery.

St. John’s Well, Millstreet - June24th