Feasibility Study for PILGRIM WAY on the Shannon Erne Systems CONSULTATIVE WORKSHOPS 4-7th February 2019 – Local Knowledge Shared During Workshops

WORKSHOP 1: SOUTH SHANNON – ( 4/2/19)

Item Raised Detail Comment General Issues  Community consultation is key – this cannot be delivered without local inputs and ownership; Insurance Issue: Note: o Input to design at local level; Current situation is that o Process by which route developed critical there has never been a o must be developed from bottom up with successful claim for landowners and community recreational access to  Regeneration of villages may be linked to economic lands in under the opportunity for rural areas; Owner Occupier Act 1995.  Insurance – key issue raised, especially for landowners; Two separate High Court  Communication through community; decisions in 2002/ 2018  Need to look outwards: cannot tell your own story have made it clear that without looking up and down the Shannon; persons entering lands  Mass paths reputed to have all started in ; must take responsibility  Environment needs to be considered and potential for their own safety, impacts of more visitors into the region. based on precedent set in common law (both UK and Ireland). Support Community Need financial supports to community / prep maps Dialogue with religious De-institutionalisation of the religious experience but bodies required as increased interest in pilgrimage/ spirituality; owners/ custodians of Seeds of true engagement  baseline for future direction. many of these sites Respect at core: – for reasons why do pilgrimage - for the sites/dynamic/liberal traditions - autonomy- appeals to young people

How will this be Small community groups or pilgrimage groups marketed?  Pilgrim voyages – how will pilgrims travel? Who? Numbers? o Suggest 4 stages of the route Word-of-mouth: US visitors – bringing back images to “sell” of ancestral grave stones.

Scattery Island  St. Senan’s Day (8th March ) St. Senan  Ivor the Viking – died and buried at Scattery  Scattery co-owned by  Scattery – oldest site on the Shannon: St. Senan trained St. Clare CoCo/ OPW and Ciaran, and others. community (bought  Scattery  links to Atlantic routes 1986 approx.)

Scattery – Miltown – Corcomroe – Kilmacdough pilgrim Early European Pilgrim route in Co Clare. routes were connected by Scattery  Holy Island  Brittany  Switzerland water / sea & later  Italy overland St. James Gate  Camino starts in Dublin

Glenstal Abbey  Glenstal Abbey – on edge of Pilgrim designated zone; still Should be included? active monastery & school; site of worship St. Columb of Terryglass Retreated to Inis Oirce in Fergus Islands  went to give last ‘Junior’ monks moved rites to St. Finian of Clonard who was ill with Justinian plague frequently to quieter (but Columb died next day of plague). places, away from main monasteries

St. Brendan Famously travelled to Newfoundland – also north to Iceland – died in Reykjavik Mungret See You Tube – Mungret Heritage Pilgrim Voyage

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WORKSHOP 2: /MID-SHANNON (, 5/2/19)

Item Raised Detail Comment Ferbane Lemanaghan - Managhan’s Well St. Manchán Gallen Priory – St. Gall; stone carvings Links to Swtzerland Killagally Glebe – ex monastery & children’s graveyard St. Canoc; St. Saren’s Well Portrunny  Graveyard & Church  St. Diarmaid’s Well – cure for eyes  link to 540AD; St. Ciaran trained there  Clonsellan Abbey was “halfway house on pilgrim route from Roscommon to Inchcleraun

Lanesborough  St. John’s Church 1858 & cemetary Co  6thC Church & 9thC castle   St. Ciaran  Sheila-na-gig  St. Faithleach Well + ruined masshouse  Clontuskert Abbey – St. Brendan and St. Faithleach  Augustinian Monastery@ Saints Island  – Elfeet (last of 5 castles)  Massrock @ Derragaragh

Clonfert, Co Galway St. Brendan the Navigator *Modern pilgrims Our Lady of Clonfert – May Pilgrimage – famous 700 year old statue attend Emmanuel C of I – famous 7thC doorway House (Eddie Stone) in Famous swastika symbols (pre-date Nazism) Clonfert for cure (of cancer) Clonmacnoise Oratory of St. Ciarán Nun’s church + Sheila-na-gig St. Ciarán’s Holy Well (500m out from monastery on Pilgrim route Killoney Castle – links to along Eiscir Riada – still intact Anne Bolyn Can travel along Eiscir from Clonmacnoise to Ballycumber Clonfanlough Stone (pre-Christian)

Clonmacnoise Pilgrim Path on Eiscir – enters @ Nun’s Site Dr Mary Tubridy study Pilgrim Path  no infrastructure aligned to Path in modern era of ecology of site + Wooden bridge across – 1st bridge on Shannon Mongan Bog (-negative features) “Too many people” visiting site: lack of paths, damage/ & poor experience Option may be to use Eiscir (5km loop route, in SAC?)  disperse visitor with viewing platform? NPWS “Living Bog” – 12 raised bogs restoration project - crosses via Eiscir SAC – yew tree used to build infrastructure in old

Potential for ‘Mid  Corlea – Iron Age Bog significance Shannon Wilderness  Sharavogue Bog Ritual Park’ in the  Birr – Holy Well Mystery “Peat District”  St. Patrick’s coachman Suspicion  St. Manchán’s Holy Well  Lough boora  Bog carvings – Belmont, Ferbane, Ballinahowen  Ferbane bog  Pollagh- Raha - Kilcormack Mongan Bog -very rich heritage -v. significant raised bog along Shannon Westmeath Kilkenny Church + font + well + 19th century church -associated with the Knights Templar

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Item Raised Detail Comment Lough Ree Islands Viking links to Hare Island – Viking hoard Assess to islands – could Viking Links – St. Riog/Rioch and cross slabs be achieved by Athlone (monastery = foundation of town) augmented reality or Early Christian cross slabs from Franciscan Friary circumnavigation of St. Mary’s Church islands? Baylinn High Cross – St. Ciaran link Baylinn: private lands

Lough Ree Cashel, Co. Longford - graveyard close to Corlea; on pilgrim route to Uisneach Potential for @ Carn Hill Greenways -routes being developed Cycleways -mass rock Bog Park Rathcline Church – prints of engravings 1700s -good condition and public access

Access from Barley Harbour Quaker Island St. Diarmuid 560AD and Vikings stronghold; Queen Maeve link

Graveyard and causeway Saints Island St Ciaran 542 AD/vaulted chamber Moate links Nunnery Inisbofin Nunnery Nun’s Island Sacked by Cromwell - transferred to Galway Bethlehem Westmeath Schoolhouse – more recent history; reasonable access Inchmore Priory Oliver Goldsmith link

Longford Ballinakill Graveyard – open to public St. Ernan – 2 bullaun stones St. Mel’s 1840-1856 (neo-classical_ - links to St Patrick

Rindoon Fort on Promontory Private ownership Medieval town deserted – but older Christian site - permissive access St John’s Castle 1250 AD, with church, hospital - looped walk St. John’s Knights’ Hospitaller, expelled from Jerusalem St. Johns: Kilcommon Cemetery at - 9thC papal mention – Expelled from Jerusalem prayer ceremony in November each year. St. John’s Well – pattern (24th June) annual Rinnegan Plaque – story of Cruxification Harbour at Lecarrow – 5km to bus to Rindoon site (held in private ownership; permissive access)

Roscommon Roscommon – St. Comán Dominican and Augustinian associations St. Bridget’s Well @ Raharra – cure for (eyes?) Changing place for Teach Sraha (Four Roads) in Roscommon south horses (for pilgrims)

Boyle, Co Roscommon Abbey link to Trinity Island (7th century ) monks transferred between islands

Drum, Co Roscommon St. Bridget’s Holy Well and ruins of old abbey On pilgrim/ funeral path Crosses @ Nure (Yew). to Clonmacnoise Restored Wake House: 1 mile from Shannon. Old timber bridge was crossing point. Drum > Bridewell > Clonowen all assoc. with Bridget.

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Item Raised Detail Comment Meelick Church Co Franciscans settlement Galway

Existing Pilgrim St Killian – 3000 German visitors recognise his influence linkages to Europe/ Pilgrim Routes – none active from Ireland to UK Middle East Potential linkages Athlone IT – has developed Chinese links

Future Pilgrim links Will need to support pilgrim visitors: - Services (food, accomm, guiding, interpretation) Integrated services - Transport planning: staged, multi-day, multi-modal along the entire system - Boat linkages/ coach/ bus links will be required to - Ability to deal with groups market the Pilgrim Way - Education - Promotion EU Cycle Routes Offer potential for development esp. EuroVelo3 Dr. Diarmuid O’Tuama (NUIG) - advocate for EuroVelo1 Norway – Ireland – France – Portugal cycling @ EU level EuroVelo2 Galway to Moscow EuroVelo3 Focused on Pilgrim heritage routes across Europe EuroVelo3: Pilgrims http://www.eurovelo.com/en/eurovelos/eurovelo-3 Route: 5,122 km cycling Is there potential to link to this at later date? route on ancient pilgrim ways from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, France to Spain (financed through EU COSME progr).

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WORKSHOP 3: NORTH SHANNON/ (Carrick-on-Shannon 6/2/19)

Item Raised Detail Comment Boyle 12th century Cistercian Abbey Daughter of Mellifont Abbey 1. Trinity Island St. Bridget 2. Church St. Attracta 3. Hermitage St. Patrick Kilteeshan at mouth of  Church – stonemasonry (Feelystone) Seat of Bishop of Elphin  – (between Boyle and Carrick) Church overlooks Lough Key St. Mogue’s/Cavan near St. Mogue – born 555 AD Trained under St. Diarmaid in Bawnbay Small island – ruins of church Wales (Pembroke) but moved St. Aodh/Aodhánpet name “mogue”; back to Ferns (Boolavogue is His birth was announced to St. Cillian of Fenagh – linked named after him). to Clonard Friendly with St. Molaise – buried in Rossinver. St. Mogue’s and Drumlane Abbey – founded by Mogue also.

Rath Church/Cavan (i) Church of Rath near Killeshandra; monks from Drumlane travelled up to here. 1600s Ulster Plantation – built Church of Ireland – Subject to ‘Adopt-a-Monument restoration All travelled on water (2) Drumlane Abbey – graveyard in use  ruin and round tower (protected structure) Monastic 555AD – St. Columba  connection to St. Mogue Augustinian settlement. (3) St. Felim’s Church, Trinity lake @ Lough Oughter – door in Kilmore Cathedral in Cavan Rooskey/Strokestown/Ki Monastic tradition of 1500 years lglass “Cloon” – Cluain - gaeilge ‘water meadow’ Irish place-names Rooskey (rocky) ford until 18th century (logainmneacha) very Ancient track (St. Patrick’s Road) 7-9km long, following descriptive of landscape and the uplands (old ‘main road’). place meanings Islands in bog – joined up to form route Cloonfada – long meadow 1940s – found old bog road crossing tributary river, using oak timbers  seat of Kilbarry/ - Tearman Berach 8th century – St. Barry (Berach), – celebrated at Cloone; St Berach was a patron of the member of Ui Bhrúin -sent to St. Kevin’s, Glendalough O’Hanlons to be educated Waterford/Dublin/Kilbarrack links, but settled in Kilbarry in Roscommon.

Leitrim Tarmon Abbey (+church) on shore of Lough Allen – possibly early medieval Church Island at Garradice Sheamore Passage tomb - + put up in 1960

Fenagh Monastic St Monaghan of Mohill Fenagh - lower abbey on Enclosure Interpretation centre but needs enhanced privately owned land interpretation. St. Cillian (spell. Keelan) = Caillín St. Eidín (female saint) - at Roscommon side of Carrick

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Item Raised Detail Comment Longford  Parish of : Ballinakill graveyard (still in use); Ballinakill 6th century monastery and 9th-10th slabs St. Ernan links  Clondara – Cluain dá rath: 8th century medieval church and ancient 8th century-11th C slabs;  Clonbroney – 1st nunnery in Ireland – St. Ita; St. Only 4 female saints listed in Monenna; St. Samhthann; St. Bridget. Latin lives.  St. Mel (1840’s): cathedral of St. Mel of Ardagh; -early medieval ruins Assoc. with St. Bridget Different St. Bridget

Abbeyshrule 1150 AD Cistercian Abbey 2km beside , 2km from .  Kilmahon (Cill Muadhán) graveyard at Drumlish Muadhán mentioned in Book of - St. Mahon (Muadhán) – martyrology of Tallaght & Book of Leinster  Clancowley – Cluain camhleach (sp?) meadow of steads - linked to Danes/ Vikings St. Mogue Travelled to Wales International pilgrim route Latin grammar transcribed on island  moved during Viking raids WW2 British RAF 1943 crashed.  Grammar now housed in St. Gallen in Switzerland (link to Columbanus)

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WORKSHOP 4: LOUGH ERNE – (Enniskillen 7/2/19)

Item Raised Detail Comment LOUGH ERNE Private lands, open to public  last burial (2018) Janus figure Boa Island Pilgrim Path from Kiltierney >Boa > Assaroe on water. Fertility rituals (GeoPark site) NIEA manage site called January God – see Seamus Heaney – dedicated poem to Janus on Boa Island note at end. White Island Islands of equal significance (on (private lands) Inismacsaint Carvings on White Island. Access from Castlearchdale via ferry Multiple agencies involvement in management of aspects of Heritage; birds; jetty heritage NIEA (heritage) + RSPB (birds) + WWI (jetty) Lough Derg, Donegal St. Patrick – key patron St. Bridget St. Damhóg (Davog) (secondary saint associated) Pilgrim trail via Waterfoot from L. Erne to Lough Derg Walk mapped a/c Ancient Way and links to Lough Derg trail. Saint’s Island – (1st Monastery) – Augustinian Station Island – current pilgrimage site; beehive cells constructed when moved to this site. Pilgrim Path – mapped (Erne to Saints Island) St. Bridget’s Well – toothache cure Broadening spiritual tours  needs work at lakeshore when not access the island during main 3-day pilgrimage. Killadeas Site of ‘Yellow Church’  Linked to the Culdees – a breakaway group from Devenish Island (ascetics)  Graveyard hosts important heritage features: o -Bishops Stone (pre-Christian) Est. c. 2000 visitors p.a. by o -Pillar stone (phallic stone) coach and car o -Round stone (with hole) o -cross carved stone – Italianate features  Access via the B82 to east shore Lough Erne sites – Killadeas is very close to road & accessible See Insurance note in South  Concerns of the Church community who look after this Shannon Workshop 1 above important site include: – is unclear how this applies o Safety Issues to N.Ireland, but given o Insurance/ and precedent basis in common o ongoing cost of maintenance of site law, the same principles should apply. Cleenish Island St. Columbanus – born in Kildare Knights of Columbanus link - – private landowners Studied under St. Sinell Plinth erected for his Bishop of Clogher – manuscript library, items from Cleenish anniversary statue of Studied in Bangor  died in Italy (Bobbio) – Columbanus (by Knights). Old graveyard – crosses/stones/Christian symbols NUIG research on Cleenish Italians come to visit Accessible from water – needs jetty (vs. road/lane)

 Partnership – link Cuilcagh to Upr. Lough Erne at Cleenish Island. o Heritage – History and Culture;  8 mile walk  Island Jetty – could link Cuilcagh by boat trip to Cleenish and/ or by canoe trail

Archaeological investigations at NUIG re. Cleenish.

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Item Raised Detail Comment Boa and Cleenish (FODC) – Restricted access in some time of year due to birds. Lough Erne Wildflowers Council – members of Heritage FODC Fermanagh & Omagh group District Council Clones, Co Monaghan St. Macartin, St Ronan and St Tiernan Outside of Focal Area - noted Knockninny Holy Well of St. Ninnidh, born in Donegal in 6thC; Upper Lough Erne St. Naille (Kinawley village) son of Aenghus, King of Leinster Naille: friend of Colmcille Inismacsaint – links In Lent, pilgrims came to Knockninny by boat from lake – 40 days of fasting Holy well has been restored – cures eyes Cave in side of hill – sheltered there Human remains found there – wealth of history.

Bundoran – church window dedicated to St Ninidh St. Ninidh’s Trail – developed by Lough Erne Heritage Group (LEHG) Belleisle (=Ballymacmanus) – Annals of Ulster

Inismacsaint Associated with St. Ninidh – not active/ derelict church -was in use until recently. Mapped on Heritage Trail - LEHG developing APP under Heritage Lottery Fund Lacks information except walks No idea of numbers visiting

Lough Erne Boats/ Cots Ancient log boat (3,502 BC) found on Lough Erne. Outside of Focal Area - Lough Erne cots – substantial timber boat; noted Lough-going currach (skin boats with fabric) not suitable for seafaring. Idea to row people island-to-island via Row-the-Erne rowing club. Difficult to land boats on islands – easy to puncture. St. Moling – eastern influence (Hindu) - -in lotus position. St Moling links to Inchcleraun on Lough Ree (St Diarmaid) City of Derry –>> Iona : Rebuilding sea-going currachs to recreate the voyage to Iona.

Derrybrusk 3 churches, linked to St. Columba -Killygarron Island - -bell fashioned there. (lack of accuracy on dates/ age)

Drumlane Monastery Restricted access: walk to site from village. St. Ronan’s – Aughaclocher – ancient graveyard Lisnaskea Heritage give Kilmore Quay and Derryad Quay  access via bikes to site. details

Lisgool Abbey Private ownership

St. Mogue’s, Co. Cavan Cavan County Council involved. (see also notes under Church on island – linked to Bishop of Ferns. Workshop 3 above) Local beekeeper runs ferry from jetty at Templeport Lough, with interpretation & storytelling. People were taking the clay Clay from church – supposed to protect from fire (blessed – so mange it now by providing take from bowl). material in bowl

Europe Links St. Isodore’s Well; Spanish links

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Item Raised Detail Comment St. Fanchadh at Enniskillen. People came to Lough Derg from all over Europe in past times. 1400’s – Florentine merchant came by boat on Lough Erne to Lough Derg. Finlough near Waterfoot – people (15 people drowned when log boat overturned)

Vikings links on Erne The Share Centre in Enniskillen offer Viking tours re- enactment Vikings reputedly over-wintered In Ballyshannon; then raided up river – (non-Christian) Olaf Scabbyhead – Viking associated with Erne

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‘January God’ - by Seamus Heaney

From: https://stairnaheireann.net/2016/01/15/january-god/

In ancient Roman religion and mythology, Janus is the god of beginnings and transitions, thence also of gates, doors, doorways, endings and time. He is usually a two-faced god since he looks to the future and the past. The Romans dedicated the month of January to Janus. His most apparent remnant in modern culture is his namesake, the month of January.

The Nobel Prize winning poet Seamus Heaney celebrated the enigmatic Boa Island bilateral figure’s similarity to the Roman deity Janus in his poem “January God”. The Enniskillen-born poet Francis Harvey published a collection of poems called The Boa Island Janus in 1996.

‘January God’ by Seamus Heaney

Then I found a two faced stone On burial ground, God-eyed, sex-mouthed, its brain A watery wound. In the wet gap of the year, Daubed with fresh lake mud, I faltered near his power —- January God. Who broke the water, the hymen With his great antlers —- There reigned upon each ghost tine His familiars, The mothering earth, the stones Taken by each wave, The fleshy aftergrass, the bones Subsoil in each grave.

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