Pilgrims’ Progress:
The Changing Nature of Visitors to
Religious Sites in Ireland
Frances McGettigan
Corina Griffin
THRIC 15th June 2011
Outline
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Introduction
Research Objectives
Chosen Sites: Lough Derg, Clonmacnoise
Methodology
Results
Conclusion
Travel to Religious Sites
Cultural and Historical
importance
Motivated by Prayer
Search for Divine Favour
( Timothy and Boyd, 2003; Murray and Graham, 1997; Turner,
1978).
(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
Research Objectives
Research Objective 1: To analyse 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
Lough
Derg
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 outsidebut to the pilgrim the experience is profound.
(www.loughderg.org)
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
Array of Products
•3-day pilgrimages
•1-day retreats
•Ecumenical day
•Family day
•Quiet day
•Exploring Spirituality
through Art.
•Mother and Daughter
day.
Clonmacnoise
Monastic Site
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
Clonmacnoise Site Functions
Functions of
Clonmacnoise
Cultural Tourist
Attraction
Roman Catholic
Site of Worship/
Burial
Church of Ireland
Site of Worship/
Burial
Youth 2000
Festival Site
Methodology
Quantitative
200 on-site visitor
surveys at Lough Derg
and Clonmacnoise
SPSS analysis
Qualitative
-30 in depth interviews
with the stakeholders
-Open ended questions
included in the visitor
surveys
NVIVO analysis
Literature Review:
Spiritual Motivations
Pilgrims’ spiritual motivations outweigh
religious motivations
ATLAS SIG cited in Griffin (2007:18)
Emerging category of tourist: Spiritually
motivated tourist. Seeking mental
tune-up. McGettigan (2003:17)
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)
Literature Review:
Experiential Component
The Experience Economy
(Pine & Gilmore, 1999)
Search for authentic experience
(Shackley 2001:11)
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)
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)
Findings
Research Objective 1: To analyse 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
Research Objective 1:
Who Visits?
• Visitor Profiles created for each site.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Research Objective 2:
Why do they visit?
A wide array of Motivations
Cultural
Spiritual
Pilgrim or
Religious interest
Health and Wellness
Lough Derg Motivations
100
90
80
99
70
60
Pilgrims
50
40
55
30
37
20
3
10
0
Religious
Spiritual
Health and
Wellness
Cultural
Motivations
Figure 3
Clonmacnoise Motivations
100
90
80
70
60
Visitors
79
50
40
30
39
20
33
2
10
0
Religious
Spiritual
Health and Wellness
Cultural
M o t ivat io ns
Figure 4
“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)
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.
Lough Derg Wellness Experience
Spiritual
Health/Wellness
e.g. Interaction with a Higher
Power, interaction with others,
interaction with nature,
discovery of One’s authentic
Self through meditation and
time out experience, inner
peace and tranquility,
perceived cleansing of the
spirit
Physical Health/
Wellness
e.g. Fasting, walking,
alleviation of stress through
time-out of normal routine
Emotional
Health/Wellness
e.g. Counseling service,
sharing of emotions and
experiences with other
pilgrims, release of negative
emotions through the
Sacrament of Reconciliation,
improved self-esteem and
sense of achievement from
having completed the
pilgrimage
Mental Health/Wellness
e.g. Decluttering and quietening
of the mind through repetitive
exercises and prayer and
through the peace and tranquility
of the site,
time and space for reflection and
meditation
Figure 5
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)
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.
Conclusion
• Increasingly broadening array of consumers and
motivations.
• Highly significant number of spiritual and
wellness motivations reported but continued
demand for religious experience also evident.
• Sacred Sites provide deep experiences.
• Visiting a sacred site – important aspect of
Spiritual Quest.