The busiest day in the year for Croagh Patrick is the last Sunday in July, which is an annual pilgrimage day in Ireland known as Reek Sunday or Garland Sunday. Thousands of people will climb the mountain to hear mass in the chapel at the summit. It was built in 1905 by 12 local men using local stone and cement that was hauled up the mountain by donkey.
Croagh Patrick is also the end point of the 61km Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail, a national way-marked way which begins in the village of Balla in east Mayo. The walking route traverses many types of terrain including woodland, bog, mountain track and country lanes and passes several heritage sites of archaeological significance. These include thirteenth-century Ballintubber Abbey, the stone bed at Aughagower that St Patrick is reputed to have slept in, and the Boheh Stone, a rock outcrop with art carvings dating to 3000 BC.
Although Croagh Patrick is today associated with St Patrick and Christianity, it was a place of pagan worship as far back as 3000 BC. It was originally called Cruachán Aigli, meaning Eagle Mountain or Mount Eagle, and was a place of gathering at the ancient Celtic festival of Lughnasa in August.
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