The Way of the Sun

The Way of the Sun, as it was first coined by Anthony Murphy and Richard Moore in 2006, is an ancient Bronze Age (or perhaps earlier) pilgrimage route and royal road (Slieghe Assail) that connects some of Ireland's most sacred sites from the Irish Sea west to Clew Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The Way begins at the mouth of the Boyne River near Drogheda, winding west along the path of the sun at the equinoxes, through Newgrange, the Hill of Slane, Tailtin (Teltown), Kells, Loughcrew, Lough Sheelin, across the River Shannon, Rathcroghan, Lough Gara, Kilmovee, Urlaur, Knock, Ballintubber Abbey, and ends at the summit of the Reek or Croagh Patrick - known as Cruachán Aigle in pre-Christian times.

In this episode, we took a deep dive into the gorgeous collaborative of Irish NGOs, government, spiritual organizations, and pilgrim volunteer efforts to revive this ancient pilgrimage that purportedly St. Patrick walked entirely on his way to his famous 40-day vigil on the top of the Reek in the 5th century. Currently, the pilgrimage route is being called the Ireland West Camino and spans over 500-km from Downpatrick through Drogheda and west to the Reek. Hear about some of the wild ecstatic Green Martyrs and early Celtic Christian saints, as well as the ancient Tuath Dé Danann who have inspired the resurrection of this pilgrimage route in the 21st century. We were joined by multiple pilgrims who walked the last 187-km of the Way in 2024 and who will be walking 370-km of the Way of the Sun in September of 2025.

Jeremy Schewe, Lumi Schewe, Thomas Breiter, Maggie Lochtenberg, Nick Morse, Bob Kelly, Gina Reichert, Jennifer Robb, Mary Schewe, George Schewe