St Patrick's Purgatory - Pilgrims

Pilgrims

Since the records were destroyed in 1632, we have no way of knowing exactly how many people made the pilgrimage each year in those days. However, since that time, records are available. and we know, for example, that in 1700, 5,000 pilgrims were recorded for the season; by 1826 the number of pilgrims grew to 15,000, and to 30,000 by 1846, just before the onset of the Great Famine. From 1871 to 1903 approximately 3,000 pilgrims visited annually; and from 1908 to 1921, the number averaged over 8,000. From 1929 to the end of the century the number never fell below 10,000 pilgrims, and in many years was twice, and sometimes thrice, that number. The site has been attracting about 30,000 pilgrims in recent years during the main part of the pilgrimage season from early June until August 15.

Notable pilgrims include:

• Georgius Ungarus, also George Crissaphan or George Grissaphan (Krizsafán fia György, in Hungarian), knight in the army of Louis I of Hungary
• Malatesta Ungaro, Italian condottiero
• Laurence Rathold of Pászthó or Laurentius Tar (Tar Lőrinc, in Hungarian), a courtier in the court of Sigismund of Luxembourg, king of Hungary – the report of his pilgrimage: "memoriale super visitatione Domini Laurencii Ratholdi militis et baronis Ungariae factum de purgatorio sancti Patricii in insula Hiberniae" (in Hungarian )
• Guillebert de Lannoy, a chamberlain to the duke of Burgundy and knight of the Golden Fleece, made the pilgrimage in 1430.
• Francesco Chiericati, papal nuncio, visited the site in 1522
• Mary McAleese - President of Ireland
• Frank Duff - Founder of the Legion of Mary

There are thirty-three pilgrims to St. Patrick’s Purgatory between c. 1146 and 1517 who can be identified by name.Thirty-two are listed in Haren and de Pontfarcy; Francesco Chiericati saw the name of the 33rd, Guarino da Durazzo, in a book on Station Island during his visit, before all of the records on St. Patrick’s Purgatory were presumably destroyed on October 25, 1632.