In hopes by prayer and penance here God's mercy to secure, Lest punishments hereafter For them we may endure. III. "He blessed with sweet devotion This penitential isle ; He chose as its director St. Dabheoc, without guile; While hosts of saints and hermits here True happiness did find, By leaving home and worldly joys And kindred all behind. IV. 66 Throughout each station season, Frequent this holy shrine. Each pilgrim here is edified With piety sincere, And it's here each soul is purified By penances severe. V. "But when the Holy Island Is fading out of view, With tears the grateful pilgrims To it they bid adieu ; Saying, 'May its name still spread abroad, Its fame grow greater still, Its Patron Saint still honour'd be, And crowds its cloisters fill.' VI. "So fare you well, Lough Derg; With pleasure shall I dwell On the happy days I spent with you, Formerly this was chanted at the departure of each boat from the island, by a person who volunteered her services for that purpose; but latterly it has been discontinued, and has become almost quite forgotten, like many other glorious memories of this ancient retreat. THOUGHTS ON NEARING PETTIGO THE LAKE-LITHOGRAPHIC VIEWS OF THE ISLAND-THE STATION SEASON-THE AUTHORIZED RELIGIOUS EXERCISES OF THE PILGRIMAGE -EXPLANATORY OBSERVATIONS ON THE "EXERCISES"MOST REV. DR. DONNELLY PETITIONS THE HOLY SEE FOR INDULGENCES-COPY OF THE PAPAL INDULT. ORMERLY a pilgrimage to Lough Derg must have been attended with much hardship and inconvenience, when we consider that pilgrims travelled, in many cases barefoot, from the most remote parts of the kingdom. Considering, however, the facilities of travelling which we enjoy at the present day, the journey is now regarded as little more than a pleasant excursion trip. Good roads lead towards the lake, though, we regret to say, not to its shore; a line of railway runs pretty close to it; well-appointed cars in connection with each, train ply between the lake and railway; in a word, pilgrims have now-a-days little to complain of from fatigue or inconvenience, till they are landed on the island of Lough Derg. There are three routes by which pilgrims reach Lough Derg. The first of these starts from the town of Donegal, and, after proceeding for about five miles along a good N county road, it enters on a mountain track leading in a direct line towards the lake, passing along the side of Augh-Keen Mountain, and reaching the lake at a headland close to Saints' Island. By this route come many of the sons and daughters of old Tyrconnell ; while others of them, less observant of the ancient usage, and preferring the more easy mode of travelling by car, take the roundabout way by Pettigo. Some years since a project was in contemplation of running a boat on certain days to the mouth of the River Fluchlynn, for the greater convenience of the Donegal pilgrims. This would be to them a saving of about three miles across a difficult stretch of moorland, and would make the journey from Donegal to the lake only about six miles. Should the number of arrivals warrant it, I see no reason why this project may not hereafter be put in operation. The second route leads from Castlederg, past Killeter, on through the district of Aughayarran, and terminates at the "cabin," or ferryhouse. This route leads by a very good road till within view of the lake, when (the same as on the previous route) the pilgrim has to tread the remainder of the way over a well-beaten mountain track. Very many pilgrims from the counties of Derry, Tyrone, and part of Donegal come by this way; though many others prefer travelling from Castlederg to Pettigo by car. The third and principal way is that from Pettigo. All the pilgrims, who come by train or car, proceed to the lake by this route. Nor will it be out of place here to state that "Lough Derg return tickets" available for return within fourteen days, and at a reduced rate of fare, are furnished to pilgrims at the principal stations of the different lines and branches of the Great Northern Railway. On the arrival of each train at Pettigo, there are cars in waiting to convey the pilgrims to the lake. Those who prefer remaining over night in Pettigo will find there good hotel and inn accommodation, and will meet with, on all sides, kindness and attention from the inhabitants. The same may be said of the accommodation, courtesy, and civility to be experienced both in Donegal and Castlederg. From the map of the lake and its surroundings, which we append to this work, the reader will be able to comprehend these three routes to Lough Derg, with the respective distances of these towns from the lake. A good road leads from Pettigo in the direction of Lough Derg; but, when within about half a mile from the lake (through whose fault I do not inquire, though it certainly redounds but little to the credit either of the local magnates, or of the Donegal Grand Jury), the road stops short at the mountain side, and the pilgrim has to enter on a boggy path, which in wet weather baffles description. And yet these pilgrims pay their share of county cess, and the island itself is also assessed! And, again, these pilgrims pay a tax of eightpence each to the lord of the soil for permission to cross the haunts of the hare and moorfowl, and thence to be ferried to Station Island; and for these no road has been hitherto allowed, even at the public expense ! Verily might we here moralize with Burns on "man's inhumanity to man ;" but we will rest content with asking, if it were the merest Protestant conventicle of which there was question, would |