Islands of Ireland: If you ever posted a letter in the 1980s you'll be familiar with Macdara's Island
Macdara's Island off Galway featured on the 29p stamp in the 1980s
On Saturday, July 16, hundreds of pilgrims will cram onto a flotilla of currachs, pleasure craft and fishing boats at the several inlets and piers of Mace Head in Connemara to cross about 2km of sea to honour the memory of a sixth-century saint. Not a lot is known about St Macdara but his legacy has lasted more than 1,500 years from when he chose this barren island to establish his church.
As my kayak glides onto the beach on the southwestern shore on a bright and breezy day the imposing sight of his church stands out like a beacon. This trip is two weeks before the pilgrimage and, of course, no multitudes are in evidence. It is the calm before the storm when hundreds of people will disembark into the shallows, (there is no pier and clement weather is much sought-after) to attend a mass in honour of the saint’s feast day.
St Macdara is the patron saint of Connemara fishermen, who tradition has it, dip their sails on passing the island in order to receive his blessing. And if they don’t… myth records a fierce vengeance unleashed from the seas on the unbeliever.
All the boats will be blessed on the day too.
The only activity on arrival at this serene place, apart from this visitor, is of a cormorant drying its wings on a rock. In some years weather conditions have been very bad so it is with no little courage that the devout board the boats. Nine people drowned on the pilgrimage in a storm in 1907.
This is one of several summer pilgrimage sites in the west of Ireland: some of these are to islands such as Caher in County Mayo or the site that draws by far the greatest number of pilgrims — Croagh Patrick itself.
St Macdara is believed to have established an oratory of wooden construction here in the sixth century at the dawn of Christianity on this island. The current building dates from the 12th century and had its roof restored in 1977. In addition to the church, there are three penitential stations comprised of cross slabs, and a holy well. There are also the ruins of a much later bothy around which animals were once raised.
Nobody has lived there for more than 800 years. It is a cause for speculation if the island had some trees back in those days when it was significant enough to be self-sustaining. The soil seems reasonable to support the growing of some vegetables.
The church is unusual, though not unique, in its design. A very steep-pitched roof is its standout feature and is a curiosity in itself. The church has just one room and a few very small windows.
Its appearance is so sturdy as to suggest it could last for another 500 years without much repair. it is regarded as one of the finest early Christian oratories in Ireland and, for this reason, was commemorated in a stamp issued in the 1980s.
One of the cross slabs has a motif of a Greek cross which are relatively widespread in early Church history in Ireland. The condition of some of the cross slabs prompted the late writer, Tim Robinson, to speculate that the island was subject to Viking raids. The hermitage on Inishboffin was raided by the Vikings in 895 as was the church on Caher Island to the east. It is reasonable to assume that Macdara’s Island was also attacked and that treasures from the church lie undiscovered in a hoard somewhere in Denmark or Norway.
Unsurprisingly the island has had many versions of its name including: Oileán Mhic Dara; St Mac Dara’s Island; Cruach na Cara; Crownacarro; Crunakarra; Mackdarra; and Inis mic Dara, Contemporary poetry has referenced the mystical appeal of the island. It is mentioned in by Paul Durcan.
“After Mass, the rain had drained away/
into a tide of Sunlight on which we sailed out/
to St MacDara’s Island and dipped our sails/
Both of us smiling.”
For the pilgrimage on July 16 inquire at Carna, or follow the crowds! Otherwise, kayak from a small strand near Ard just west of Carna.
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