Participants in the Elphin Diocese’s and Ballinasloe & District pilgrimages to Lough Derg, June 22nd – 24th 2018

The Elphin diocese’s eight annual three-day pilgrimage to Lough Derg will take place from Friday 20th June to Sunday 22nd  June 2025.

As well as praying for our personal intentions we will invoke God’s blessing on our parishes and diocese.

Persons interested in participating  are encouraged to forward their name, email address and  / 0r  mobile number to Justin Harkin for inclusion in the 2024 Pilgrimage Reminder Service.

Justin can be contacted on his mobile:  087 6171526    or via  email:  [email protected]

Introduction to Lough Derg
St. Patrick’s Purgatory, Lough Derg, is among the oldest centres of Christian Pilgrimage in Western Europe, dating back to the sixth century. It lies about four miles north of the village of Pettigo in County Donegal, in the Diocese of Clogher, and is renowned in Irish Christian tradition since the time of St. Patrick.

Lough Derg is a special place of peace and personal challenge and has been receiving pilgrims continuously for well over 1000 years.

For many it is also a place of great healing, an extraordinary place where profound communion  between God and the individual takes place and usually is unseen and unheard by anyone except the person themselves.

Elphin Diocesan Pilgrimage 2025
The pilgrimage is reserved to adults over eighteen years of age who are in good health and who do not any disability or health condition that could give rise to difficulties for the person over the course of the pilgrimage.

Pilgrims are asked to be at the Island for 1 pm on Friday 20th  June.
They will depart the Island c. 10 am on Sunday 22nd June.

Information on Lough Derg
Please visit:  www.loughderg.org

Practical Information
Please consult the Lough Derg Three Day Brochure by clicking here. 

Likely cost per person (excluding travel)
General Admission to Island:  €80
Senior Citizen’s & Students:  €70 
Payable online, or on the bus or, for those travelling by car, on arrival at  Lough Derg.

Travel to and from Lough Derg
Pilgrims are welcome to make their own travel arrangements to and from Lough Derg
or avail of a Special Pilgrim Bus Service, pending available  places.

Pilgrim Bus Schedule and Booking Arrangement
Subject to demand the following bus service will be provided.

Pilgrim Bus Schedule and Booking Arrangement

Subject to demand the following bus service will be provided.

Departure Times, Places & Cost (approximate)

8.15 am
St. Michael’s Church,
Ballinasloe
Cost:  €50 return
14.30 pm (Return time on Sunday)

8.45 am
Ganly’s Hardware,
Roscommon Rd.
Athlone
Cost:  €45 return
14.00 pm (Return time on Sunday)

9.15 am
Casey’s Cirle K Car park
Athlone Rd,
Roscommon
Cost:  €40 return
13.30 pm (Return time on Sunday)

9.30 am
Filling Station
Tulsk
Cost:  €40 return
13.15 pm (Return time on Sunday)

10 am
St. Joseph’s Church Car park
Boyle
Cost:  €40 return
12.45 pm  (Return time on Sunday)

10.25 am
Castlebaldwin Roundabout Car park
Cost:  €35 return
12.20 pm  (Return time on Sunday)

11 am
Summerhill College Car park
Sligo
Cost:  €35 return
11.55 am (Return time on Sunday)

11.15 am
St. Colmcille’s Church
Drumcliffe
€35 return
11.35 am (Return time on Sunday

11.40 am 
Church of Mary Immaculate
Grange
€35 return
11.20 am  (Return time on Sunday)

12 noon
Church of St Molaise
Cliffoney
€30 return
11 am (Return time on Sunday)

13.00
Arrival at Lough Derg

To reverse a place on the bus please contact  Justin Harkin @ 087 6171526 / [email protected]  before Monday 17th June.

Places on a first-come first-served basis.

All Other Enquiries
Please contact Justin Harkin @ 087 6171526  /  [email protected] .

Updated:  26th September 2025