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Saint Patrick's Purgatory: A Twelfth Century Tale of a Journey to the Other World

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This book is a wonderful commentary on and translation of, the medieval tale "Tractatus de Purgatorio sancti Patricii" or "(Tract On) Saint Patrick's Purgatory". The spiritual traditions of St. Patrick's Purgatory or "the Lough Derg Pilgrimage", continue to exist as they always have on the islands of Lough Derg, in County Donegal. This is one of many Irish spiritual traditions which probably originated in Pagan times and which grafted Christian tradition (and hence ecclesiastiscal approval) on to itself. Many Irish Catholic traditions like the Lough Derg Pilgrimage have a warrior based asceticism attached to them and their continued existence over the course of centuries is a testament to their power and utility. This book documents a medieval view of the Lough Derg Pilgrimage at a time when it was famous and popular across Europe and when many Knights - Irish and otherwise - traveled to Lough Derg to test their mettle on the spiritual plain. The Marines may have Paris Island, but it seems the Irish have always had Station Island! This book should be an indispensable part of the library of any person studying the Irish warrior tradition.