Reflecting on this year’s Interfaith Pilgrimage

The Annual Interfaith Pilgrimage 2026 proved to be a truly special and memorable journey of faith, friendship, nature, history, and shared discovery. Organized by the Dublin City Interfaith Forum (DCIF) in partnership with the Northern Ireland Interfaith Forum and Turas Columbanus, this year's pilgrimage brought together participants from diverse faith traditions and backgrounds for a day of walking, reflection, conversation, and fellowship through the beautiful borderlands of Counties Monaghan and Fermanagh.

Beginning at Mullynavale Road Car Park, the pilgrimage took the participants through some of the most beautiful and evocative landscapes of the Monaghan – Fermanagh border. From the very beginning, the spectacular scenery provided a constant reminder of the beauty of the natural world and the importance of taking time to pause, appreciate, and reflect. The panoramic views from Carnmore Viewpoint stretched across the surrounding countryside, with expansive valleys extending towards County Monaghan. Standing together and looking across this shared landscape offered a particularly powerful reminder that borders may divide administrative jurisdictions, but they do not divide the land, the natural environment, or the human relationships that connect communities.

The pristine Mullaghfad Forest offered another highlight of the pilgrimage. The stillness of the lakes and the surrounding forest created a welcome opportunity for participants to step away from the pressures and distractions of everyday life and to enjoy the simple experience of walking together.

The pilgrimage also connected participants with the rich historical and spiritual heritage of the region. Mullaghfad Church, seated deeply within the forest, evoked the long tradition of sacred spaces in the Irish landscape, where places of worship, prayer, and reflection have often existed in close relationship with nature. Its construction began in 1836 and it was consecrated in 1841. We were gifted by a visit of its Rector, Canon McClenagh, who explained to us that in recent decades, the church has been largely unused for regular worship and is in a somewhat “run-down state”. Electric power was never installed, giving the building a distinctive character. Its small graveyard is locally significant for containing the graves of historical members of the security forces, including Special Constables Robert Coulter and James Hall, both of whom were killed during the Anglo-Irish War in May 1921.

Mullaghfad Church sits in a very remote rural location, nestled among hills and forested land near the border of County Fermanagh and County Monaghan. Its isolated position means it is some distance from nearby settlements. Steeped in history, memory, and local legend, these sites reminded participants that the landscapes through which we walk are also landscapes shaped by generations of human experience, faith, struggle, community, and hope.

Corragunt Bridge provided another significant moment along the route. Situated at the border between County Fermanagh and County Monaghan, the bridge offered a particularly meaningful location for our interfaith pilgrimage as crossing it, became a natural symbol of connection and shared belonging. We also visited a marble monument at Moane's Cross to Seán South and Feargal O'Hanlon, two IRA volunteers from the Border Campaign of the 1950’s who were fatally wounded during an attack on the RUC barracks in Brookeborough on New Year's Day 1957.

Rather than focusing on division, participants were reminded of the many ways in which people, communities, traditions, and relationships cross borders and create bonds of friendship and cooperation.

Yet, as with every pilgrimage, the most important part of the journey was not simply the places visited but the people who made the journey together. Walking side by side created natural opportunities for conversation and connection. Participants shared stories from their diverse faith traditions, reflected on their personal experiences, and learned from one another in an atmosphere of openness, respect, and genuine interest.

As the miles passed, conversations developed naturally. People who had arrived as strangers began to discover shared experiences, common values, and unexpected points of connection. New friendships were formed, and existing relationships were strengthened. The pilgrimage demonstrated once again that interfaith engagement is not only created through formal meetings and structured dialogue. It is also built through shared experiences such as, walking together, listening to one another, appreciating the same landscape, and sharing moments of laughter, reflection, and discovery.

In this sense, the Annual Interfaith Pilgrimage 2026 embodied the spirit of the Dublin City Interfaith Forum's work. Interfaith engagement is ultimately about building relationships across difference and creating opportunities for people to encounter one another as fellow human beings. The pilgrimage provided a relaxed and welcoming environment in which participants could engage beyond the boundaries of their individual traditions and discover the richness that diversity brings to community life.

This year’s Interfaith Pilgrimage was therefore much more than a day in the countryside. It was an expression of shared values and a practical example of how interfaith engagement can bring people together. It created space for reflection, strengthened relationships, celebrated Ireland's rich spiritual and cultural heritage, and encouraged participants to appreciate both the diversity of their traditions and the values they share.

The DCIF is deeply grateful to all those who participated and contributed to making the pilgrimage such a memorable occasion. We extend particular thanks to our partners in the Northern Ireland Interfaith Forum and Turas Columbanus for their collaboration and friendship, and to everyone who helped organize and support the event.

As the group completed the journey, pilgrims took with them more than memories of spectacular views, peaceful forests, lakes, historic churches, and ancient monuments. They carried new friendships, new connections, and a renewed appreciation of the importance of walking together.

Finally, the pilgrimage demonstrated again that sometimes, the most meaningful journeys are those we make together. Through every step, conversation, story, and shared reflection, the pilgrimage offered a powerful reminder that although our faith traditions and backgrounds may be diverse, we can still travel together towards greater understanding, friendship, peace, and hope.