Intro: Ireland West Camino - Downpatrick to Croagh Patrick

The Ireland West Camino is a Bronze Age and early Christian pilgrimage route that has been walked by kings and farmers, saints and poets, athletes and heroines. The most ancient portion of the pilgrimage route begins at Drogheda and the mouth if the Boyne River, follows the equinox line of the sun across the heart of Ireland through hundreds of culturally significant sacred sites west to Croagh Patrick.

This +520-km (+317-mile) route begins in Downpatrick, where St Patrick’s bones are interred, winds down the coast, over the Mourne and Cooley Mountains, along the Boyne, past Newgrange and Nowth, over the Hill of Slane, Navan, Teltown, Kells, Loughcrew, Ross, Gránard, Longford, the Royal Canal, over the Shannon River to Strokestown and Rathcroghan, and onwards to Urlaur, Kilmovee, Knock Shrine, Balla, and to the summit of Croagh Patrick.

The Ireland West Camino has three major sections:
1. St Patrick’s Way (Coastal) - Downpatrick to Drogheda
2. The Way of the Sun - Drogheda to Rathcroghan
3. The Tóchar - Rathcroghan to Croagh Patrick

This series of video shorts is an overview of each day with some commentary along the way either about sites passed, road conditions, or other.

Many thanks to: Sr Maureen, Mary Prendergast, Maura Walshe, Elaine Conroy of Rathcroghan Heritage Centre, Fr Fahey of Ballintubber Abbey, Fr Joseph of Kilmovee, Fr Richard of Knock, Tim Campbell and f Saint Patrick Centre, Balla Community Centre, Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail, Joyce Country Western Lakes UNESCO Geopark, Mayo County Council, Roscommon County Council, Longford County Council, Tóchar Valley Rural Network, Failte Ireland, Taina Brock, Bethany House of Prayer Dundalk, The Glyde Inn, Boyne Valley Camino, Rock Farm Slane, St Marys parish Navan, Ross Castle, Rath Mhuire & Dolmen Fáilte Community Centre, Kilmovee Heritage Centre, Knock Shrine, Tóchar Phádraig, Ballintubber Abbey, Innisfree House B&B, John Cannon, Ann Marie Staunton, Karen Carton, Kathleen ní Houlihan, Áine, Éiru, and many, many more for helping this come together in a good way.