Killyleagh parishioners walk the St Patrick’s Way
Two teams from Killyleagh Parish set a goal to complete the St Patrick’s Way by 17 March. They decided to walk one section each week to ease the pressure of doing it all at once and to build a sense of momentum within the community as they followed the teams' progress through shared photos and weekly updates at the Sunday services. They covered the 85-mile route in nine sections, each offering something new.
Priest-in-charge, Revd Eben Grobbelaar, takes up the story...
When we set off from the Navan Centre, just outside Armagh, we were unsure if the walk would be more of a fundraising event or a true pilgrimage. We didn’t know what to expect — what should take priority, and how would we recognise the spiritual moments along the way?
The walk was never monotonous. During the first section, we arrived early in Armagh to find the cathedral glowing golden in the sunlight — a breathtaking sight. Streams accompanied us along much of the route, which became a reassuring sign that we were on the right path. Perhaps St Patrick himself once followed these same rivers. Walking reveals things you’d never notice from a car — a random suitcase stuck in a hedge, a pair of boots abandoned in a field as if someone had vanished, and a curious donkey watching us pass by. We met a staunch atheist, a journalist who later wrote about our journey on Newry.ie, and even a dog that guided us for two miles.
It didn’t feel like we were simply taking in the landscape — it felt like the landscape was taking us in, welcoming us like a gracious host. Gradually, and without consciously intending it, the walk became a pilgrimage. The thing about pilgrimages is that you must take the steps yourself. It requires perseverance, even when the sense of purpose for doing it wanes. Moreover, you can’t leave anyone behind. On the road I was reminded of Psalm 84:5: Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. The experience embodied the connection of body, mind, and spirit — the wholeness of our faith. We raise our arms in worship, we clap our hands in praise, and we speak the name of Jesus with hope.
For Killyleagh Parish, the pilgrimage was about community — walking together, singing, debating, and encouraging one another when the road grew long. Pilgrimage needs a revival. On a practical level, greater interest in St Patrick’s Way could lead to better signposting and improved infrastructure. The route from Armagh to Downpatrick winds along rivers, over hills, and through forests — but most importantly, it leads toward hope. Arriving in Downpatrick late in the afternoon on our final day, seeing Down Cathedral overlooking the town, a sense of relief and accomplishment were spontaneously felt. Like those going up to Zion, the ancient paths and practices lead to not just a place, but an encounter with God who calls us to ascend to greater levels of knowledge of him.
Eben Grobbelaar