An Bóthar Pub - Brandon Mountain

You don't have to walk up all 3123 feet (952m) of Ireland's second highest mountain to appreciate the truly awesome view. But, on a clear day the panorama from the top is worth every step.

Brandon Mountain (Cnoc Bréanainn) is an ancient place of pilgrimage. At the summit lie the remains of Saint Brendan's Shrine (Séipéilín Bréanainn), which comprise a small oratory (a stone built church of the Early Christian Period), shelter, Saint Brendan's Well (Tobar Bréanainn), a cross-inscribed pillar stone, and some small stone mounds, or 'penitential cairns'.

Tradition has it that Saint Brendan and his companions spent 40 days and nights fasting here to purify themselves before setting sail for the mythical 'Promised Land of the Saints' from Cuas below in 535 AD.

Each year on Saint Brendan's Festival day, the last Sunday in June, a pilgrimage is made along the Saints' Road (Cosán na Naomh) from Ballybrack (Baile Breac) below - and from Cloghane (Clochán) on the other side of the mountain - up to the Shrine where Mass is held.

Other pilgrimages to the summit used to take place on Saint Brendan's Feastday (May 16th) and Domhanach Chrom Dubh (Crom Dubh's Sunday) - the last Sunday in July.

Both the holy well and pillar stone at the summit may well hark back to pre-Christian tradition, when the mountain was named Sliabh Daidhche and the Celtic festivals of Bealtaine (Beltane), the midsummer solstice and Lughnasa were celebrated at sacred hilltop sites.

Brandon Mountain is the focus of a fascinating historical landscape. There are a surprising number of field walls, ruined drystone 'beehive' huts (clocháin) and other ancient structures on Brandon's western and southern slopes.

The route of the Saint's Road is not far from the Bóthar Pub. The start of the uphill path at Baile Breac is marked by a traditional wayside grotto. From here, the route to the summit is way-marked with crosses (the 'Stations') and poles.