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A NEW BOOK IS LAUNCHED .....

FAREWELL FROM OUR PILGRIM BLOGGER

PILGRIM'S BLOG - THE FINAL DAY

PILGRIM'S BLOG - DAY SEVEN

PILGRIM'S BLOG - DAY SIX

PILGRIM'S BLOG - DAY FIVE

PILGRIM'S BLOG - DAY FOUR

PILGRIM'S BLOG - DAY THREE

PILGRIM'S BLOG - DAY TWO

PILGRIM'S BLOG - DAY ONE

A WET START TO THE WEEK !

STILL WET - STILL WONDERFUL !

A PERFECT PILGRIMAGE

BEAUTIFUL BALLAUGH

AN EVENING AT BALLADOOLE

PILGRIMS TO CORRADY KEEILL

A MORNING IN MAUGHOLD

DEBATING IN PARLIAMENT ?

HISTORY AND HEAVEN IN BALDWIN

THE FINAL CHAPTER

HOW THE WEEK BEGAN in MAY 2006

KEEILL WOIRREY ON SATURDAY 20 MAY 2006

MAUGHOLD KEEILLS - SUNDAY 21 MAY 2006

MONDAY IN MAROWN - 22 MAY

AN EVENING WALK - MONDAY 22 MAY

A BONUS AT SPOOYT VANE - 22 MAY

A MORNING WALK - TUESDAY 23 MAY

THE SOUTHERN KEEILLS - THURSDAY 25 MAY

HOW THE WEEK BEGAN in MAY 2006

Lots of water underfoot, but none fell from the skies to dampen the spirits of the pilgrims who began PRAYING THE KEEILLS ON Saturday 20 May, with a 5-hour walk to Keeill Woirrey.

Over 30 people (and three dogs!) walked and prayed over 6 miles of stunning scenery in the Cornaa Valley and on the slopes of North Barrule. Blue Badge Guide Marinda Fargher enriched the walk with her comprehensive knowledge of the area, and Judy Cannan led times of prayer and reflection both at the keeill and at various points along the walk.

KEEILL WOIRREY ON SATURDAY 20 MAY 2006

OUR PICTURE SHOWS THE HAPPY, HOLY (!) FACES OF SOME OF THE PILGRIMS AT THE END OF THEIR WALK TO KEEILL WOIRREY ON THE FIRST SATURDAY
OF PRAYING THE KEEILLS WEEK 2006

ALL AGREED THAT IT HAD BEEN A VERY SPECIAL TIME, AND A WONDERFUL BLESSED START TO THE WEEK. Many appreciated the chance to meet new friends and chat as they walked, and everyone was fascinated to learn about the area from walk leader Marinda Fargher who, as well as being a Methodist local preacher, is a Blue Badge Guide with a wonderful gift for sharing her extensive knowledge in a relaxed and entertaining style.

Judy Cannan shared her gifts for leading worship, as she guided times of prayer and reflection at various points along the walk, and at the keeill itself. Part of the walk was done in silence, which everyone appreciated.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS WALK ?
Go to the PRAYER RESOURCES section and look at the PDF file for the PRAYING THE KEEILLS leaflet which describes each event for each day of PRAYING THE KEEILLS WEEK

MAUGHOLD KEEILLS - SUNDAY 21 MAY 2006

Pilgrims to the keeills at Maughold were unfortunately driven into the shelter of the Church by persistent rain. But after the Prayer Service led by Canon David Green, Vicar of Kirk Maughold, popular local historian Frank Cowin gave a fascinating talk on the keeills and the history of the collection of crosses on this important religious site.

MORE FROM MAUGHOLD .....

Undaunted by the heavy rain, the pilgrims who came to Maughold on 21 May still went out to explore the keeills in the churchyard there, following the Prayer Service held in Kirk Maughold. Because of the slippery conditions underfoot, pilgrims were advised not to attempt to walk to St Maughold's Well - but this is well worth a visit in dry conditions.

MONDAY IN MAROWN - 22 MAY

Reverend Ian Davies, Vicar of Marown, led a large group of pilgrims who seemed oblivious to the driving rain, as they spent an afternoon PRAYING THE KEEILLS in the Marown area.

The group met at Marown Parish Church, and went first to Old St Runius Church (OS Map Reference 322787) then to St Patrick's Chair and Eyreton keeills.
Our picture shows Reverend Ian leading a time of prayer at St Patrick's Chair.

MORE FROM MAROWN - MONDAY 22 MAY

After pausing for prayer at St Patrick's Chair, the Marown pilgrims led by Reverend Ian Davies set off in search of the Eyreton keeills.

Despite poor weather, the walk was very well attended and the verdict - A BRILLIANT AFTERNOON !

Special mention must also be made of the delicious afternoon tea waiting at St Luke's Church in Baldwin, at the end of the walk !

AN EVENING WALK - MONDAY 22 MAY

PHIL CRAINE led an evening walk to ST PATRICK'S KEEILL ' a 4-mile glen and beach walk, taking in St Patrick's Keeill, the magnificent Spooyt Vane waterfall, Cooil Dharry nature reserve, and Glen Wyllin. The starting point for this walk was the car park by Glen Mooar beach (OS Map Ref 314902)

Here's Phil's thoughts on the evening '..
We enjoyed both beach and hill scenery and the sun came out later and shone right in our faces as we walked in silence back down the hill towards Spooyt Vane. Earlier, there was a bit of a scare as we approached Glen Wyllin along the beach, because the tide was right in and to avoid the sea we had to clamber over a high pile of boulders! Nigel Chaplin helped with the reflections - we used The Anthology material for the 'gathering prayer' at the start, then on the beach and at a hilltop, and the Closing Prayers when we were back in the car park. It was 9.45pm by this stage with rapidly fading light!

At St Patrick's Keeill, we all sat round the perimeter walls I think we were about 23 altogether so a nice fit and used the Evening Prayer for groups straight out of the Prayer Booklet.

A BONUS AT SPOOYT VANE - 22 MAY

A special bonus on the EVENING WALK TO ST PATRICK'S KEEILL was the presence of John `Dog` Callister, a keen walker, nature lover and Manx speaker.

Walk leader Phil Craine writes ....
He knows so much about every nook and cranny of the island, and flora and fauna, and I invited him to speak at certain points of interest on the walk. In particular, he showed me a poem he`d written entitled `Spooyt Vane` which I asked him to read when we all went down to the waterfall.

After hearing John's poem, a number of walkers asked how they could get a copy. We're very grateful to John for allowing us to add his sensitive and evocative poem to our website. Visit the PRAYER RESOURCES section, where you can read and download SPOOYT VANE by John 'Dog' Callister

A MORNING WALK - TUESDAY 23 MAY

THANK YOU to the "pilgrim" who sent us an account of the SHORT PRAYER WALK IN GLEN MOOAR.

The entrance to the Glen is on the Kirk Michael to Peel coast road (OS Map Ref 314902) and the walk to ST PATRICK'S KEEILL is one of the easier ones!

"About thirty of us assembled at the entrance to Glen Mooar, surprised and delighted at the sunny, bright morning. Barbara Bregazzi led the group and introduced the idea of the walk as pilgrimage, opening with reflection and prayer.

We were encouraged to respect the feelings of those who wished to be quiet and we walked in comfortable silence, stopping at key points to consider the significance in our lives of similar times of threshold and change, reflecting on and praying about these.

When we arrived at the keeill, we learned something of its history and how it would originally have been used; we then said Morning Prayer for that day.

Some well-shod members of the group ventured further and visited Spooyt Vane waterfall, while the rest stayed longer at the keeill or started to make their way back to the cars.

We were grateful to Barbara for her thoughtful leadership: we had been brought closer to God and to each other through both the walk and the worship."

THE SOUTHERN KEEILLS - THURSDAY 25 MAY

Some of the best weather of the week enhanced a memorable afternoon spent exploring some important sites in the south of the Island. This pilgrimage met in Ballasalla and moved first to the Balladoole Keeill site. The picture shows the group enjoying the splendid views before the time of prayer at the keeill, which was led by Reverend Norma Cole and Reverend Peter Robinson, using the two resource books produced for the week.

MORE FROM THE SOUTH - THURSDAY 25 MAY

From the Balladoole site, the pilgrimage moved on to St Michael's Isle, with more breathtaking views, and evocative atmosphere. As at Balladoole, we were fortunate to have well-known leading local historian Mr Frank Cowin in the group and he was able to give much fascinating detail about the sites and the surrounding area. Reverend Norma Cole concluded the time at St Michael's Isle with another time of worship, based around the Celtic Evening Prayer for that day in the special resource book. And thanks to all at The Abbey Church in Ballasalla, who provided a first-class afternoon tea at the end of the pilgrimage! It was a perfect way to finish, as it encouraged all the pilgrims to linger and enjoy a real time of fellowship

YOUNG PEOPLE SLEEPOVER - FRIDAY 26 MAY

One of the leaders of this special PRAYING THE KEEILLS YOUTH EVENT - Phil Craine - sent us this wonderful photograph of a mist-bedecked summit of Cronk ny Irree Laa, taken at about 7am on Sat morning! Phil writes - Following a smashing BBQ from Enda on the Friday evening, we walked the mile or so from Eary Cushlin down to the keeill at Lag ny Keeilley, which was both remote and stunning. We had a short service (based on the Celtic daily prayer booklet) & were rewarded with a massive orange and pink canvas to the west, as lights appeared all along the Irish coast. We lingered a while and needed torches to get back.

11 year-old MATTHEW BRAMMER was one of the young people who took part in this event and this is the email he sent us when he got back home ...

"On Friday night at Eary Cushlin I went for the youth sleepover. We walked to the Keeill and had a short service. It was lovely listening to some music and watching the sunset. On Saturday, I was up first, and got to wake everyone ! We climbed up Cronk ny Iree laa, I went on the big pile of stones at the top. Then we did a prayer shout. Did you hear us?!! It was led by Enda. Can we do it again next year please? Matthew (age 11)

THE LAST WALK - SATURDAY 27 MAY

THANK YOU TO REVEREND MARY RAILTON-CROWDER (Associate Vicar - St Thomas and All Saints Churches, Douglas) for sending this photograph and report following the last walk of PRAYING THE KEEILLS week, 2006.

"This was us after getting off the tram, just before setting off on a wonderful walk. Although we are pictured in wet weather gear - the sun did come out and we had a great walk down to Garwick Bay then on to Clay Head and across the Ballanette wetlands. Ending with Celtic evening prayer in the stillness of Old Lonan Church and then back on the tram to take us back to Douglas. Prayers at stages on the way were led by Phil Craine and then I led the service in St Adamnans. Believe it or not - I am now sunburnt!!! All in all a fantastic day - just sorry I don`t have a photo of the sunshine!!!`