‘Courting disaster’? pilgrim mobility in late medieval Ireland through the lens of Saint Patrick’s Purgatory, C.1350–C.1550

By Tara Shields
Published in Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy: Archaeology, Culture, History, Literature, January 2026.
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Abstract

This article addresses an important lacuna in scholarship by examining mobility in late medieval Ireland through pilgrims travelling to Saint Patrick’s Purgatory, c.1350–c.1550. Using first-hand narratives alongside administrative and ecclesiastical records, it challenges the view that travel through Gaelic Ireland was inherently perilous, arguing instead that pilgrims could generally move across both English and Gaelic territories with relative ease. Focusing on four continental travellers—Ramon de Perellós, Laurence Rathold, Ghillebert de Lannoy and Francesco Chiericati—it explores how political authority, social status and infrastructure shaped movement. These accounts highlight the role of safe-conducts, hospitality, translation and aristocratic patronage in facilitating travel, while risks were mitigated by networks of elite protection. Although elite pilgrims arguably benefited most, evidence also points to wider participation. Ultimately, this article reframes late medieval Ireland as an interconnected landscape where pilgrimage enabled cross-cultural interaction.