When the sun breaks out in rural Ireland, you can almost believe in fairies.
County Mayo is the kind of place that visitors imagine when they think of rural Ireland: whitewashed stone houses in impossibly green fields dotted with sheep; rolling hills that tumble into the sea or break off in sheer cliffs; narrow winding roads that lead to villages with pubs and fish markets; residents with an admirable patience who are happy to take a moment to chat; small towns with cozy cafes and restaurants serving local fare.
Croagh Patrick reposes like a sleeping giant on the edge of Clew Bay. It dominates the landscape in western Mayo and tempts day hikers of all stripes with its gradual slope rising to a 2,507-foot summit.
Within minutes, the view opens up over the pastures and hills; islands dot the silver sea below. Teams of paramedics relaxed around first-aid tents, ready for the inevitable injuries. Children bounded by, leaving parents and grandparents behind, scrambled up hillsides for better views, shouted to each other. Some climbers wore the Gore-Tex of serious hikers, others seemingly their Sunday best. Some wore stout shoes, others flimsy sneakers. Some were barefoot on the loose, sharp stones as part of the Reek Sunday ritual, the annual pilgrimage day when tens of thousands of people make the ascent.
Depending on the source, this pilgrimage predates St. Patrick by a millennium or more. Some say the annual rite began in the Stone Age 5,000 years ago when people climbed to mark harvest season; others say it started 1,500 years ago. All seem to agree that St. Patrick fasted here for 40 days in 441, and since then the pilgrimage has been made in his honor.
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I am Jeff Clark, founder of Internet Brothers, producer of this blog, and passionate about hiking. I live in Western NC near the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests are just out my door, so the content will focus on these areas, but let me know what you would like to see on the site. 
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