Pilgrims’ Progress: The Changing Nature of Visitors to Religious Sites in Ireland

1. Pilgrims’ Progress: The Changing Nature of Visitors to Religious Sites in Ireland Frances McGettigan Corina Griffin THRIC 15th June 2011

2. Outline • Introduction • Research Objectives • Chosen Sites: Lough Derg, Clonmacnoise • Methodology • Results • Conclusion

3. Travel to Religious Sites Motivated by Prayer Search for Divine Favour (Timothy and Boyd, 2003; Murray and Graham, 1997; Turner, 1978). Cultural and Historical importance (Richards & Fernandez, 2007; Olsen & Dallen, 2006; Digance, 2003; Petrillo, 2003; Vukonic, 2002). Emergence of A Spiritual component (McGettigan & Burns, 2001; McGettigan, 2003; Digance, 2006; Reader, 2007; Richards & Fernandes; 2007) Aim of this study is to provide an insight into changing nature of visitors to religious sites

4. Research Objectives Research Objective 1: Toanalyse the socio-demographic profile and origin of visitors at religious sites Research Objective 2: To identify the main reasons visitors come to religious sites. Research Objective 3: To provide some indication of future demand for religious sites

5. Lough Derg

6. The Lough Derg Experience • Lough Derg has always been a bit of an enigma - a place where people fast and walk barefoot and walk in circles repeatedly does not make much sense to those on the outside-but to the pilgrim the experience is profound. (www.loughderg.org)‏

7. Traditional Lough Derg Pilgrimage Core Product: 3 Day Pilgrimage 1 daily meal of dry toast and black tea 1 all-night vigil Bare-foot stations

8. Array of Products • 3-day pilgrimages • 1-day retreats • Ecumenical day • Family day • Quiet day • Exploring Spirituality through Art. • Mother and Daughter day.

9. Clonmacnoise Monastic Site

10. Clonmacnoise 6th Century Monastic Site (St. Cíarán) Outstanding example of an insular Monastic City Ecological significance: unique and diverse range of flora and fauna World Heritage Site Status Application 160,000 (approx.) visitors annually

11. Clonmacnoise Site Functions

12. Methodology

13. Literature Review: Spiritual Motivations

14. Literature Review: Cultural Motivations Many trips in the category of cultural tourism involve a trip to a religious site. (Richards & Fernandes 2007:217) Study of churches and religious sites in Italy 93% of tourists reported cultural motivation. (Petrillo 2003)

15. Literature Review: Experiential Component The Experience Economy (Pine & Gilmore, 1999)‏ Search for authentic experience (Shackley 2001:11)

16. Experiential Factor in Tourism 'The huge thing that we have done and acknowledged in tourism in the last number of years is that people are no longer looking for a holiday, they are looking for an experience. They want hands-on activity. They want to actually feel something. That is really important...the experiential.‘ (Failte Ireland Development Officer2009)‏

17. Literature Review: Experiential Component • The consumer (tourist) searches for emotional experiences. Weiermair (2001) ‘ Experiential qualities' of visiting sacred sites such as 'sensing' the sacred in the air and water or performing sacred rituals such as prayer and purification. Mazumdar & Mazumdar (2004)

18. Research Objective 1: Toanalyse the socio-demographic profile and origin of visitors at religious sites. Findings Research Objective 2: To identify the main reasons visitors come to religious sites. Research Objective 3: To provide some indication of future demand for religious sites

19. Research Objective 1:Who Visits? • Visitor Profiles created for each site.

20. Figure 1

21. Figure 2

22. Research Objective 2:Why do they visit?

23. Lough Derg Motivations Figure 3

24. Clonmacnoise Motivations Figure 4

25. “A Quest for Meaning” ‘I think essentially the Early Christian period is what people are most interested in, the early Irish monasteries. Clonmacnoise is a really good example of that. You know people are searching for some sort of connection in life and they can seek it through early religion and Celtic mysticism ’ (JOD Tour Operator)

26. Emerging Motivations • Visitors to Clonmacnoise are, therefore, exhibiting deeper intrinsic spiritual motivations. • Traditional pious pilgrim to Lough Derg motivations are giving way to a desire for peace, tranquility, contemplation and holistic wellness.

27. Lough Derg Wellness Experience Figure 5

28. Clonmacnoise Experience at Youth 2000 Festival ‘I became more positive and (…) more in touch with my spirituality again...’ (MT) ‘I definitely had more of a connection with my Higher Power(…) coming away, and just felt better, lighter.’ (KJS)

29. Indications of Future Demand • Tour operators note that this sector is particularly resilient to economic downturn. • Evidence of renewed interest in spiritual matters. • Evidence of renewed quest for meaning not • confined to traditional organised religion. • Continued growth in demand is therefore likely.

30. Conclusion • Increasingly broadening array of consumers and motivations. • Highly significant number of spiritual and wellness motivations reported butcontinued demand for religious experience also evident. • Sacred Sites provide deep experiences. • Visiting a sacred site – important aspect of Spiritual Quest.