Pope Francis
Requiescat in Pace
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​Pope Francis has died aged 88, the Vatican Press Office has confirmed.
​He served as the 265th successor of St Peter from his election on 13 March 2013 to 21 April 2025.

At 9:45am, Rome time, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the  Apostolic Chamber, announced the death of Pope Francis from the Casa Santa Marta with these words:
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“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalised. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God.”

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• Pilgrimage Season Dates for 2025
• Online Booking

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The Three Day Pilgrimage for 2025 begins on Friday 3oth May, and runs until Friday 15th August (last day to begin pilgrimage is Wednesday 13th August).

One Day Retreats on selected dates in May, August & September:

MAY 2025
Sunday 4th
Monday 5th
Sunday 11th
Tuesday 13th
Saturday 17th
Saturday 24th
​Monday 26th

AUGUST 2025
Tuesday 19th
​Saturday 23rd
Sunday 24th
Monday 25th
​Saturday 30th

SEPTEMBER 2025
Wednesday 3rd
Saturday 6th
Sunday 7th
Tuesday 9th
​Saturday 13th
Saturday 20th
Sunday 21st
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Residential Retreats
Friday 16th - Monday 19th May
"Called" Young Adult (18-30) Retreat with Franciscan Brothers Ronan & Jacapo
Thursday 10th - Sunday 13th July
Facilitated by Eoin Madigan
For more information and booking, email Marcas.

​Quiet Day
Saturday May 10th   &   Friday September 12th

Pilgrim Path
Sunday August 31st
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Heritage Day @ Lough Derg  
Thursday 21st  August
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For more information and online booking   CLICK HERE.

Bookings for One Day Retreats for 2025 are open, Three Day Pilgrimages &  other events will go live shortly.

In the meantime contact Maureen by    email:   [email protected]    or telephone:   +353 (0)71 9861518

Traditional
​Three Day Pilgrimage

The pilgrimage is all about letting go, a time to see ones daily life as it truly is. The Three Day Pilgrimage provides a kind of breathing space in which people can calmly explore and reflect on where they find themselves in their lives at that moment in time.

Part of the spiritual benefits of any pilgrimage is learning to take nothing we have for granted. It is an opportunity to give thanks to God for having the health, the time, and the freedom to do the pilgrimage. It’s a moment to remember one’s loved ones at home and anyone who particularly asked for prayers, and also to say a prayer for fellow pilgrims.
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Lough Derg is a sacred place apart to bring burdens and leave them behind, to seek healing for wounds and to ask for them to be healed.

Find out more

One Day Retreat

One Day Retreats are guided days of prayer and reflection and include Prayers of Intercession, reflection on life with scripture and the celebration of Eucharist in Saint Patrick’s Basilica.

The afternoon also offers an opportunity for quiet time and Eucharistic Adoration.
​Hospitality on the day includes tea/coffee & scones on arrival and a light lunch is served.

Find out more

Lakeshore Pilgrimage
along The Pilgrim Path

In the summer of 2020 Station Island had to remain closed in line with public health measures due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

​Encouraged by the many enquiries from pilgrims who were missing their annual visit to Lough Derg, we turned our attention to what we could offer. The inspiration for the Lakeshore Pilgrimage came from those pilgrims who prayed at  the shore of Lough Derg in Penal times.

Find out more

Residential Retreat

Our popular residential retreats are for anyone who is curious and searching for a way to explore and deepen their experience of God in a Christian context. 

On crossing over to this ancient island of prayer, Lough Derg offers a unique opportunity to step back from a busy life, into prayer and reflection, and towards a deeper relationship with God. 
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Each retreat is structured around daily prayer, input from renowned facilitators, and personal time. Over the course of four days, the retreats provide a comfortable, full-board stay on the island.  Without fasting or walking barefoot, retreatants have the opportunity to join pilgrims making the traditional Three Day Lough Derg pilgrimage for Mass and Night Prayer.

Find out more

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Most tribes have holy ground, a sacred place that has come to stand for a presumed, numinous essence: the tribe transcendent. Lough Derg in County Donegal, a small lake with an island in it, Station Island, is such a symbol for the native Irish. An ancient site of pilgrimage associated with Saint Patrick, it evokes the central place of Catholicism in Irish culture, a position that in turn gives the people their spiritual purpose and distinction.

Margaret O'Brien