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Reek Sunday, Croagh Patrick Co Mayo, 2008(Warning 24 Pics)
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Martin wrote:
Punk Rock: Well now you have, last sunday of July each year, you should give it a go next year, great for buring off the sins
M
More details plz, is this something like these religous guys from the middle ages where they sued to whip their backs to cleanse their sins or the like?
I am not religous btw.
More details plz, is this something like these religous guys from the middle ages where they sued to whip their backs to cleanse their sins or the like?
I am not religous btw
More info below, taken from the page at the link http://www.sacred-destinations.com/ireland/mt-croagh-patrick.htm
History
Known in Irish Celtic as Cruach Phádraig and colloquially as “the Reek,” Mt. Croagh Patrick has been a sacred site since ancient times. Before the arrival of Christianity, the Celtic people regarded the mountain as the dwelling place of the deity Crom Dubh.
The mountain was the focus of the harvest festival of Lughnasa, traditionally held around August 1. The sacred mountain was especially important for women, who would sleep on the summit during Lughnasa to encourage fertility.
Neolithic art can still be seen on a rock outcropping known as “St. Patrick’s Chair” along the path to the top, and a Celtic hill fort was recently uncovered at the base of the mountain.
According to Christian tradition, St. Patrick went up the sacred mountain at festival time in 441 AD. After fasting at the summit for 40 days, he banished all the snakes and demons from Ireland.
The site quickly became an important place of Christian pilgrimage. A stone oratory dating to between 430 and 890 AD was recently discovered on the summit.
PilgrimageMt. Croagh Patrick is the most important Catholic pilgrimage destination in Ireland. Nearly one million visitors, most of them pilgrims, climb to the top every year. Almost 30,000 pilgrims make the trek on the last Sunday in July, known as “Reek Sunday.”
For most Catholics who visit Mt. Croagh Patrick, especially on Reek Sunday, the pilgrimage to the top of the sacred mountain is an act of penance. Accordingly, some untake the journey barefoot or even on their knees. The summit has a small chapel where Mass is held each day.
The full pilgrimage route originates in the village of Murrisk, 8km outside Westport. The first main sight on the pilgrimage path is a statue of St. Patrick, erected in 1928 by a Westport pastor. Although it is not one of the official stations (see below), it has become a place of prayer and makes a good goal for those not able to climb all the way to the top.
There are three pilgrimage stations on the way to the summit of Croagh Patrick, each of which has a sign with instructions for the proper rituals and prayers.
That clears that up then also I notice a lot of the people are elderly, it looks very dangerous, do many people get injured?
Liam2673 : As a matter of interest, how easy or otherwise was it to take these photos? Did people mind being photographed? Or did they notice?
Very easy to take these pictures. People are normally not looking and I am fairly quick:-), I don’t like staged pictures I like candids so this is mostly how I work.
When using a longer lens like a 70-200 you are a good distance away also. I do use wider lenses these days as i have a bit more confidence. People do notice sometimes though that you are taking their pictures. They normally don’t mind though and just smile and I smile back or else go up and talk to them. Sometimes I just ask people if I can take their picture and normally they don’t have a problem.
Punk Rock: That clears that up then also I notice a lot of the people are elderly, it looks very dangerous, do many people get injured?
A few injuries every year, nothing major I don’t think, People generally help one another and there are plenty of mountain rescue people around and all that, its very well run to be honest
M
thats interesting. so for a shot like no.8 or no.17, where you have clearly picked your moment, is it the case that you have formed in your minds eye the type of shot you want to take, and then actually taking the photo is very quick as a result?
Liam2673: thats interesting. so for a shot like no.8 or no.17, where you have clearly picked your moment, is it the case that you have formed in your minds eye the type of shot you want to take, and then actually taking the photo is very quick as a result?
Shot no 8 I had an idea of what type of shot I could get. The guy was clearly tired walking up so I knew he would stop to catch is breath. Was just a case of looking at him through the camera lens. Once he stopped and started to look up I took the shot. He saw me take this picture and just laughed as he was so tired, I told him its only another 10 mins to go laughing and he just laughed back and said more like a half an hour…
Shot no 17. I normally just walk around keeping my eye out for faces and characters. Once i spot someone(s) I then look for a good angle and walk around to that angle and try to get the shot from there. These guys I spotted but was hard to get an angle as they were sitting and there was people getting in the way etc, I had patience and after 10 minutes I got a good unblocked angle and and looked at them through the lens until their faces were facing the right way etc and took the shot. I used a 70-200 so they did not spot me keeping an eye on them through the lens while waiting for the moment to take the shot.
What i basically do in a nutshell is, be patient, keep an eye out for interesting people, find an angle, pick your moment and take the shot….
M
Beautiful set Martin…. some great faces and expressions. You really captured the feel of the day.
Richie
WOW!!! that looks like one hell of a hike!! The view is AMAZING!!! I’ve never even heard of that place… I’ll have to check it out!! Cheers for sharing! :D
I just read that Saint Patrick “Threw a silver bell down the side of the mountain, knocking the she-demon Corra from the sky and banishing all the snakes from Ireland.”
COOL! Did that really happen?
Isnt this more documentary photography??
orozco wrote:
COOL! Did that really happen?
Isnt this more documentary photography??Q1: Its an old story, it most prob didn’t happen as well as all the other Irish folklore and other nonsense myths and legends we have but they are really good fun to read and hear about :-)
Q2: Yes these are documentary, shouldn’t really be in this section
Your going to have fun living in Ireland
M
Martin wrote:
orozco wrote:
COOL! Did that really happen?
Isnt this more documentary photography??Q1: Its an old story, it most prob didn’t happen as well as all the other Irish folklore and other nonsense myths and legends we have but they are really good fun to read and hear about :-)
Q2: Yes these are documentary, shouldn’t really be in this section
Your going to have fun living in Ireland
M
IRISH FOLKLORE!! YES!! Very cool!! You know everyone over here in the states claims to be of Irish decent but most of them have never even been there… Ireland is most def the coolest place on the planet! Everyone here LOVES THE IRISH!! :D
Hi Martin, some lovely shots. Are they your feet? The last one is a classic, although I suppose you would be thirsty after all that climbing.
Well done Martin, really nice collection, delighted you enjoyed it and got some good images.
Some fantastic shots Martin. i was there myself the same day, for some reason i vividly remember the gentleman in number 13! don’t ask me why.
Thank you for sharing these fabulous photographs with the rest of us. All of them capture the effort it takes to climb the mountain. Well done. Noel
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