All you need to know about Reek Sunday on Croagh Patrick
The Mayo News’ Guide to Reek Sunday explains what to bring, where to park and when to pray
Every summer, thousands of pilgrims make their way up Croagh Patrick, the 765-metre (2,510-foot) mountain overlooking Clew Bay in County Mayo, for one of Ireland's oldest and most significant religious traditions. Here's everything you need to know ahead of this year's pilgrimage:
The schedule
Reek Sunday festivities will actually begin on Garland Friday, July 24, with a 10am Mass on the summit and a 7.30pm Mass at Murrisk Community Café in Croagh Patrick's car park.
On Reek Saturday, July 25, the Tóchar Phádraig pilgrimage ― a walking route from Ballintubber Abbey ― sets off at 8.15am, followed by a 6.30pm Vigil Mass at Saint Mary's Church in Westport.
On Reek Sunday itself, Mass is celebrated on the summit every hour from 8am to 2pm, with confessions heard from 7.30am to 2pm. The day also includes an ecumenical service at 7.30am, led by Rev Alex Morahan, an Anglican priest based in Ballina who is originally from Louisburgh. According to Fr John Kenny, Administrator of Westport Parish, the ecumenical service was introduced last year as part of the Jubilee Year of Pilgrims of Hope.
This year's pilgrimage also marks Grandparents' Day, and organisers are placing extra emphasis on road safety following a recent rise in road deaths in the county.
Why Garland Friday matters
Garland Friday ― traditionally the last Friday of July, though the exact date shifts occasionally ― is the day locals traditionally climb the Reek. Fr Kenny expects a busier turnout than usual this year, partly because of the timing around the Mayo football match. He noted that pilgrims tend to shift their climbs earlier in the day when a big match falls on the Sunday.
The Saturday pilgrimage is largely organised through Ballintubber Abbey, with a dedicated group walking the Tóchar Phádraig route. But Fr Kenny points out that plenty of people simply climb independently, saying that on any fine day the car park and mountain are busy regardless of the official pilgrimage calendar ― whether people are there for religious reasons, sponsorship walks, or simply the scenery.
Quieter pilgrimages
Not everyone chooses to climb on the traditional pilgrimage day. Fr Kenny explains that while some pilgrims are drawn to the atmosphere and 'great buzz' of Reek Sunday itself, others deliberately pick a quieter day with fewer crowds. This year, the clash with the All-Ireland Final is expected to shape when people choose to make the climb.
Organisers have also seen a marked rise in private and group bookings on non-Reek-Sunday weekends. One recent weekend brought a group of 40-50 pilgrims from Dublin, part of a wider trend of groups arranging access to the site outside the traditional pilgrimage window ― a pattern that has been building steadily over the past two years.
WATCH VIDEO: What is the fascination about Croagh Patrick?
Where to park on Reek Sunday
Handling the scale of Reek Sunday has long been a challenge for the picturesque village of Murrisk. Frank McCarrick of the Murrisk Development Association recalls a time before the car park was properly managed, when as many as 30,000 people would descend on the area over the weekend with no formal arrangements in place ― leaving driveways blocked and even gardens used as makeshift toilets.
Under the direction of Johnny Groden, the Association eventually stepped in to manage parking directly. Today, the group leases the car park from Mayo County Council for the Reek Sunday weekend, charging €5 per car. Between the main car park (roughly 200 spaces) and the adjoining field (around 500 spaces), the Association and its forty volunteers can accommodate significant numbers ― a system designed to reduce the impact on the local community while generating some income to support it.
The association coordinates with the Gardaí, Mountain Rescue, St John's Ambulance and other bodies involved in the weekend.
Ahead of this year's pilgrims, the small chapel on the summit of Croagh Patrick was repainted last week, giving it a refreshed look for Reek Sunday.
69 climbs and counting
Among this year's pilgrims will be Paddy Joe Foy, an 86-year-old man from Aughagower who will make his sixty-ninth climb of Croagh Patrick on Garland Friday. He first climbed the mountain at just 16 years old.
His advice for anyone taking on the Reek is simple: take it steady, bring water and a snack, and be considerate of other climbers. As he puts it, Croagh Patrick is “no place for rushing” ― slow and steady is the way to get up without any trouble.
Croagh Patrick has drawn pilgrims for centuries and remains one of Ireland's most important religious sites, welcoming thousands of visitors each year ― a tradition that shows no sign of slowing down, even as the ways people choose to take part continue to evolve.
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