Ballintubber Abbey offers warm welcome back to a very special Maltese Group -2022

This summer we had the pleasure of the Maltese group which was organised by James Portelli and his wife Rituccia back again to us.

He had a different group here with us in 2019 and that time the group done the 5 Pilgrim Paths of Ireland in 5 days. St Kevin’ Way in Co. Wicklow, St Finbar’s Pilgrim Path in Co. Cork, Cnoc na dTobar, Co. Kerry, Cosan na Naomh, Co. Kerry, and ending up in Ballintubber doing the Tochar Phadraig Pilgrim Path.

This time the group of 21 stayed in the Ivy Tower Hotel in Castlebar and had hired Corduff Travel Bus to take them about and only done the Tochar Phadraig Pilgrim Path. On day one 17th August the group set out for Aughagower at 9am lead by Richard Staunton that looks after all the grounds of our Abbey as their guide. There they arrived safely and celebrated Mass in St Patrick’s Church Aughagower .
On Day two the group took their Bus to Aughagower and were met by Con Lydon who takes pride in keeping Ballintubber Abbey sparkling for all the weddings and tours that come to see it. They walked with Con and his wife Bernie all the way to Taoibh Na Cruaiche and climbed to the top of Croagh Patrick where again they celebrated Mass with their own priest Fr Walter Vassallo OFM.
On Day three, the group took their bus to Ballintubber Abbey and they walked from Ballintubber Abbey to Church Island accompanied by our famous grounds man Richard Staunton and they celebrated Mass in the little chapel there. St Finan set up his monastery here in the 6th Century on Church island. The group walked again back to Ballintubber Abbey to meet their bus.

On Day four the group arrived again at Ballintubber Abbey and had a guided tour of the Abbey by Muriel Barry and Pauline Dixon our Tour guides and the group again Celebrated Mass in this historic Abbey. After Mass the group set out on a 10k IVV Loup walk from Ballintubber, down by Knockaragh Village, around by Cougaula, back by Ringeraun, up by Knockmoyleen and Creevagh and back again to Ballintubber Abbey.

After this the group took their bus to The Lough Inn Restaurant in Partry for a celebration meal and the group were presented with a Certificate for completing the Tochar Padraig Pilgrim Walk by Fr Michael Farragher. The group invited Con Lydon, Richard Staunton, Fr Frank Fahey, Maura Walsh , Teresa Vahey and Fr Michael Farragher to the celebrations.
After the meal the group took their bus back to the Ivy Tower Hotel and went to do a little shopping around the town of Castlebar.

We look forward to welcoming the group back again in August 2023.

#Xircammini