Shalvey, Laura Brigid
(2003)
Continuity through change:
A study of the pilgrimage to Lough Derg
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Masters thesis, National University of Ireland Maynooth.
Abstract
St. Patrick’ s Purgatory, Lough Derg has long been an
important site of pilgrimage in Ireland having caught
the attention of the literary world in the twelfth
century. This pilgrimage has continued to exist and
develop throughout some of the most turbulent times
cf Irish history and stands as a monument to Irish
Catholicism.
In this thesis I have looked at how this pilgrimage
survived and developed in the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries when faced with much difficulty
and opposition from many ranks of society. In order
to deal with these issues effectively, 1 have divided
this thesis into three chapters.
The first chapter deals with the period o f 1700-1780.
During this period. Ireland was subject to the Penal
legislation, which placed serious limits on the practice
of Catholicism in Ireland. In this chapter I have
looked at the effects of the Penal legislation on Lough
Derg and its pilgrimage and how in spite of these laws
the pilgrimage continued often with the support of the
local Protestant community of the Parish of
Templecarne. I have also looked at the topography of
the island in the eighteenth century and at the
exercises performed by the pilgrims at this time.
The second chapter deals with the period of I 780-
1850. Over this period of time, St Patrick’ s Purgatory
was to witness many changes. The Clogher Diocesan
clergy took over the running of the pilgrimage and
much development of its facilities took place. New
Churches and accommodation for the pilgrims were
built during this time. This chapter also deals with the
impact of the Great Famine on this pilgrimage.
Chapter three deals with this pilgrimage tradition in
the post famine period. It looks at the ‘devotional
revolution", which swept Ireland at this time and its
impact on this historical pilgrimage. This chapter also
looks at the further development of the island and the
pilgrimage exercises.
In spite of the many hardships it faced in the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the pilgrimage to
Lough Derg continued and it maintained its esteemed
position in society. I believe this sacred site and its
pilgrimage tradition a worthy topic of study.
| Item Type: |
Thesis
(Masters)
|
| Keywords: |
Pilgrimage; Lough Derg; |
| Academic Unit: |
Faculty of Arts,Celtic Studies and Philosophy > History |
| Item ID: |
5311 |
| Depositing User: |
IR eTheses
|
| Date Deposited: |
14 Aug 2014 11:00 |
| URI: |
|
| Use Licence: |
This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available
here |
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