Talk:Murrisk
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The following is verbatum from Go Ireland's County Mayo website, if someone wants to incorporate it into the article:
Murrisk is a beautiful village that nestles at the foot of Croagh Patrick on the shores of Clew Bay. The name Murrisk originated from either 'Muir-Riasc' meaning a marsh, by the sea or 'Muir-Iasc' meaning sea monster whom the Pagan God used to worship. It has a wealth of natural amenities which can be grouped as the Mountains, Sea, Beaches and Sea Angling. Interesting walks in Murrisk include starting at the Augustinian Abbey along the shore towards the pier. The picturesque ruins of the Augustinian Abbey stand in the shadow of Croagh Patrick. There is a great deal of piety, heroism, poetry and drama enshrined in the history of the Abbey. It is no wonder the ruins have been declared a National monument. The Abbey was founded in 1457 when a letter from Pope Callistus III gave permission to an Augustinian Hugh O'Malley of Banada Friary, County Sligo to establish a Church and Priory at Murrisk on land donated by Thady O'Malley who is described as a chieftain of that area. The east window behind the altar is the finest architectural feature in the ruins, it has five trefoil pointed lights surmounted by interconnecting bar tracery and according to DR H Leask, the Irish authority on Church Building, 'is perhaps the best window of its type in the West of Ireland'. Bertra Beach is a blue flag beach and is another beautiful walk. On the last Sunday of July the annual Pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick takes place, starting in Murrisk. After that on the last Sunday of August, the well known pattern and Heritage Day takes place. In recent years it has been revived once again.
This is from a pdf I did a search for and found at The Night Skye website.
[edit] MURRISK
The village of Murrisk is situated 6 miles south west of Westport Co Mayo Ireland on the tourist route to Louisburgh and Connemara. It is a picturesque village that lies at the foot of Croagh Patrick. The name Murrisk is derived from the Irish language 'Muir-Riasc' meaning sea marsh or 'Muir-Iasc' meaning sea monster, which the pagan god used to worship. Murrisk village has a population of 235. For such a small village, it can boast its own National School, Post Office and two public houses. Murrisk is in the half parish of Westport, and the local Catholic Church is in Lecanvey approx. 2 miles from Murrisk village.
The main pathway to Croagh Patrick starts in Murrisk. Croagh Patrick Ireland's oldest pilgrimage has been a place of Christian Pilgrimage for over 1,500 years. A study by local students in the last two years show it is still a big attraction with over 100,000 people coming to climb this mountain annually. Murrisk is also home to a very impressive 11th Century Augustinian Abbey. The Abbey is now under the control of the Irish Office of Public Works.
The village was chosen as the site for the National Famine Monument. This bronze sculpture by John Behan depicts a famine ship with many victims of the Great Famine in Ireland. It was unveiled by the then President of Ireland Mary Robinson in July 1997.
