St Patrick allegedly banished snakes while standing on Ireland’s holiest mountain, Croagh Patrick, but keeping eager pilgrims away this year has proven to be as a difficult a task. Saying that “tremendous” numbers have already come, local Frank McCarrick, chairman of the Murrisk Development Association, said Reek Sunday “could bring about chaos” if warnings were not heeded. People are not observing social distancing,” complained McCarrick about those who have already come to scale Croagh Patrick. Local Mayo Mountain Rescue volunteer Cameron Clotworthy is concerned, too: “Normally we would have people on different sections of the mountain ready to help. “People who genuinely want to climb the mountain, they can climb on other days if they want to do so carefully.

Source: The Irish Times July 21, 2020 19:18 UTC