The New Murrey and Blue blog

Purgatory

The two islands of St Patrick’s Purgatory….

Apr 7, 2023

buildings, religion, sources

Armagh Abbey, County Donegal, Froissart, Ireland, Lough Derg, maps, Pettigo, pilgrims, popes, Purgatory, Richard II, Saints Island, Sir William Lisle, St. Patrick, St. Patrick’s Purgatory, Station Island

It would be true to say that Ireland often confounds this floundering English/Welsh writer. Because of the politics? No. Because of the weather? No. Because of the trouble past? No. Because of the religious complexities? No, although religion is at the heart of it. The point that is taxing my grey cells is to…
All Souls’ Day

Oct 26, 2014

Uncategorized

All Souls’ Day, candles, Day of the Dead, Medieval, Purgatory, Richard III, soul cakes

by Merlyn MacLeod All Souls’ Day is Sunday, November 2nd. Beginning in 998, it was the day the ancient church set aside to pray for the dead — not just for your relatives, but for anyone you loved. In medieval England, children and the poor went “a-souling” on All Souls Day; going door to door,…