Events in Ireland

Large crowds came to Knock Shrine for the annual novena this year and especially last Sunday on the Feast of Our Lady of the Assumption there were 20,000 people present on that special day.  Knock Shrine is a very special place of peace and prayer.  So many Masses are celebrated there each day and so many heartfelt prayers prayed.  It is indeed a place of prayer for all nations.  The Novena ends on Saturday the 21st August which is the Feast of Our Lady of Knock.

And 1,000 young people from all over Ireland participated at the annual Clonmacnois youth festival, a festival of prayer and joy from the 12th to the 15th of August.  On the Saturday 43 Priests attended and heard many Confessions.  This is a wonderful experience for many young people to be exposed to the faith and to come to know that true joy exists only in a life with God. 


Numbers rose too this year to the Island of Penance and Prayer at Lough Derg.  It is also known as St. Patricks Purgatory.  St. Patrick’s Purgatory, Lough Derg, is among the oldest centres of Christian Pilgrimage in Western Europe, supposedly dating back to the sixth century. Lough Derg lies about four miles north of the village of Pettigo in County Donegal.  This is a place where people go barefoot for three days, pray, have no sleep for the first night (sleep on the 2nd) and also fast over the three days. 
Information from:  http://www.loughderg.org/