Kilmalkedar church, Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry, Ireland – one of the sites along The Saint’s Road © Deborah Wagstaff 2016

One of my favorite resources for information on Irish pilgrimages is Louise Nugent’s “Pilgrimage in Medieval Ireland.” Nugent is an archaeologist who specializes in medieval Irish history and culture, and she uses her blog to document her trips to pilgrim sites.

One of her recent posts is about The Saint’s Road to Mount Brandon on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry. Using the website Story Map JS, Nugent invites her readers to virtually tag along on her pilgrimage to the holy mountain. The Saint’s Road Story Map includes Nugent’s photos from the area and information about sites along the way, including the ruins of early Christian churches, medieval cross slabs, and the pilgrim stone at Maumanorig which has an inscription in ‘Ogham’ script – the first known written form of Irish.

I’d certainly prefer to experience The Saint’s Road in situ, but unfortunately, time and money are working against me. In a few days, I will be returning to the United States. (Just when I was starting to feel at home in Dublin!) But Louise Nugent’s “Story Map” is a nice teaser, and only increases my resolve to return to Ireland in the future. She has also piqued my interest in Story Map JS as a useful tool for mapping information, whether it is news stories, literary journeys, road trips…it’s rife with possibilities.

See for yourself on Louise Nugent’s blog: https://pilgrimagemedievalireland.com/ and story map: Walking the Saint’s Road, Co. Kerry.