Saturday, 28 March 2026

Saint Patrick's Footprint, Skerries, Dublin

Saint Patrick's Footprint

Once upon a time the rapacious and greedy people of Skerries were reduced to behaving like a herd of blubbering idiots,

bereft of intelligible speech and bleating mournfully like sad, bearded and wizened old Goats.

Saint Patricks Footprint, Skerries, Dublin

True story, I'll get there eventually........

Saint Patrick, a Romano-British Slave (Patricus) who escaped captivity in Ireland and fled back to Britain from where he had originally been kidnapped by Irish raiders, subsequently had a dream while back home safely in his native land.

He dreamt of returning to Ireland one day to spread Christianity to the heathen and barbaric Irish.

At that time various Irish tribes, raiders and pirate bands were constantly raiding and pillaging along the western coastline of the Roman British Isles.

A Bishop "Palladius" is briefly mentioned in the historical footnotes of the time as having been despatched by Pope Celestine I at least a full year before Patrick arrived in Ireland, to minister to the Irish.

If the Pope was sending a Bishop to minister to the inhabitants of the Island it is safe to assume that Christians were already established in Ireland by the time of Patricks arrival.

The very same historical footnotes have no further information as to Palladius, his journey, nor his arrival in Ireland nor any of his efforts at ministering to the aforementioned Irish.

Although reputedly despatched to Ireland Palladius may never have set off for or arrived in Ireland at all.

We will never know.

It can therefore be assumed that although Christianity may well have been practised in Ireland around that time, it was in the minority of rites, and that Patricus, Saint Patrick, was the man chiefly responsible for the sudden, explosive and widespread adoption of Christianity on the extreme Western fringes of Europe, i.e. Ireland.

His own father, Calournius, was a Deacon in Roman Britain so it is likely Patrick inherited his father's religious inclinations and beliefs.

Patrick is accredited as arriving in Ireland some time during the 5th Century, possibly 432 or 433.

This was his second arrival in Ireland, his first having been when, as previously mentioned,

he was captured and enslaved by Irish raiders and spent a harsh six years in captivity here before escaping back to his home in Britain.

There appears to be no place in Ireland, no matter where you travel throughout the Country, that doesn't lay claim to some connection to the venerable Patrick.

While some connections seem well established, yet others appear spurious and unlikely.

It is impossible to retrospectively accredit any particular veracity to the many and various claims upon Patrick and his appearances

in any given locality but in all probability some claims are more likely than others.

However...... it all makes for a good story, or many good stories and even better myths and legends.

After all, where we would

be if we stuck to the truth?

Bored half to death I shouldn't wonder.

Getting back now to those docile and dumbstruck imbeciles and amadáns bleating and drooling morosely in Skerries......

Saint Patrick reputedly spent time on, surprise surprise, Saint Patrick's Island

(Church Island)

which is one of three small Isles close to the Skerries Coastline.

I have a red arrow pointing to the Church ruins on the Island in one photograph

(and also another pointing to Rockabill and its Lighthouse, home to Europe's largest colony of Roseate Terns).

Returning to Saint Patrick, his sole companion on the Island was his pet Goat.

Anyway, apparently at some stage the famished and emaciated people of Skerries stole, cooked and ate his most unfortunate Goat.

When Saint Patrick discovered this he questioned the Skerrites who could only reply by bleating like Goats.

They had lost the power of normal speech.

Ba, ba, ba, ba, went their pathetic invocations of innocence.

The Saint then knew for sure it was the Skerrites who had done for his missing and beloved pet.

In anger he leapt from the Island towards the Skerries shore on the mainland and left there the impression of his foot on the rocks where first he touched land in frustration.

Today, this relic of Patrick, his footprint, can be found by any inquisitive or curious visitor who cares to look for it beside one of the bathing areas.

It's quite large

(but also easily overlooked)

so at I guess I'd say Saint Patrick took a size 13 in shoes.

Eventually the ability to speak returned to the Skerries sinners who hopefully learned their lesson about avoiding messing about other peoples Goats in future.

As it's such an idyllic area I have included some other points of interest in the beautiful village area and also a few from nearby Loughshinny and Balbriggan.

Keep the wheels turning.

Vernacular Irish homes -

(a snazzy word for "of or by the people").

Thatched Cottages in Skerries village.

Muriel Gifford Mac Donagh memorial, Skerries Seafront.

In ten years this will be Century old graffiti. Skerries Bathing Area.

Skerries Napoleonic era defensive Martello Tower.

These impressive buildings are almost impregnable to Cannon fire. Built by the British in case of a French invasion of Ireland, chiefly along the Irish coastline.

There are also several located inland along the river Shannon.

The venerable Saint Pat himself outside Skerries R.C. Church.

The delightful architecture that defines another Carnagie Free Library, Skerries.

I believe that over 2000 Libraries were built by monies donated from philanthropist Andrew Carnagie and most are architecturally stunning.

Lunch Break - A fantastic and absurd beach front sculpture.

If this doesn't make you smile you're having a very bad day indeed.

Skerries Martello Tower again.

The old "Ovens" bathing area, Skerries.

I'm no boat expert but I think these are Currachs. They were a traditional Irish boat easily built from a wooden or stick and branch frame and animal skin and painted with tar. Today canvas is used in place of animal skins.

Although inexpensive to build as the times necessitated, the shallow draft and lack of a keel would have made them extremely dangerous in rough seas.

The fabulous Skerries Lawn Bowling Club with Skerries Windmill as its bucolic background.

Always open and welcoming to new members.

A brilliant sport and a relic of British imperialism in Ireland.

Apart from the sack of Balbriggan and the occasional killings and pogroms it wasn't all bad. Bloody peasants - always whinging.......

I came across this unusual and smallish natural depression in a large rock when looking for Saint Patrick's footprint.

I have decided to Christen it "Saint Patrick's Egg Cup".

A beautiful McLaren Car at Skerries, either Supercar or Hypercar, not sure which. Presumably an McLaren MP somethingamajig.

No idea how many Goats you'd need to steal in order to afford it ;-)

(Pure jealousy on my part.)

Looking out the door of Loughshinny Martello Tower. I'm addicted to climbing into towers be they Round, Martello, Castellated or otherwise.

Likewise to crawling into underground Crypts and caverns and occasionally meeting some old bones.

Old stones, bones, and Ice Cream cones.... Can't "bate" it for a day out.

The Martello doorway is elevated and difficult for attackers to access. There is a nice Bartizan over the door too. The name originated from Corsica where British soldiers saw Towers which looked similar to these at Mortella.

Geological and tectonic forces on display at nearby Loughshinny where the forces of nature have literally "bent" the rock. Recent archaeology at Loughshinny has uncovered evidence of trade with Romans from Britain.