Patrick’s birthplace
Given the recent resurgence in pilgrimages, it is strange that there is little or no interest in Irish people visiting Banwen in Wales. It is ‘Man Geni Padrig Sant’, as the Welsh put it — the birthplace of Saint Patrick.
While 100,00 climb Croagh Patrick every year in his footsteps — some of them in bare feet — very few visit the place where Ireland’s patron saint was born.
Every year, tens of thousands also do the Camino, the old pilgrim route that leads to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain.
Many more Christians also take the route from London to Canterbury Cathedral, known as the Pilgrims’ Way, popular since the Archbishop of Canterbury, Saint Thomas Becket, was murdered in 1170 by King Henry II’s knights.
Every year, children at the local primary school in Banwen enter an essay competition about St Patrick and the village has its own small parade.
So why no major interest in St Patrick’s birthplace among Irish pilgrims? Perhaps a little saintly intervention is needed.
