ST COLUMBANUS DAY - 11TH TO 13TH JULY 2025

Irish Bishops Communications Office

Bishop Denis Nulty, Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin, will host this year’s XXVI Columbanus Day, a three-day celebration of pilgrim walks and talks which will take place in Carlow town and the nearby the village of Myshall, over 11 to 13 July, in honour of Saint Columbanus, whom Pope Benedict XVI described as “the best known Irishman of the early Middle Ages”.

This year is the first time that this annual European gathering takes place in the Republic.

Ahead of the opening of the Columbanus Day celebrations in Carlow, Bishop Nulty said, “Europe, and many parts of the globe, are currently experiencing harrowing levels of industrial-scale destruction of human life and dignity, as well as the resulting high volume of people displacement, the likes of which we haven’t witnessed on the continent for eighty years. We pray to our Irish Saint Columbanus to intercede to bring peace, for the alleviation of suffering, and for an immediate cessation of all warfare.

“Into this bleak context the diocese of Kildare & Leighlin is hosting the XXVI Columbanus Day gathering here in Carlow. I warmly welcome our 250 guests from around Europe as well as the special message sent to us by the Holy Father Pope Leo XIV for our occasion, who aptly states, ‘Saint Columban, speaking across the centuries, can still teach our world today about how love for God and neighbour requires us to care for creation and to cultivate our souls’.

Bishop Nulty continued, “Known as a pioneer of Christian unity, education, and of respect for the environment, Columbanus was born in Myshall on the slopes of Mount Leinster, and would go on to leave a profound mark on the continent. Now, his message of peace and shared humanity is being revived in the very landscape where his journey began.

“The celebrations over the next three days will be deeply rooted in Carlow’s rich spiritual heritage. Events include a major symposium at Carlow College, the launch of a European-themed exhibition at the County Museum, and a solemn ecumenical prayer service in Myshall. Saturday’s pilgrim walk – from the iconic Nine Stones to the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross – will be a symbolic journey of unity and hope, joined by people of all ages and faiths. Adding to the special occasion, former President of Ireland Mary McAleese will speak on the saint’s legacy; Professor Dáibhí Ó Cróinín of the University of Galway will address Ireland’s contribution to the birth of Europe, while local musicians and choirs will fill Carlow with traditional Irish sounds. A concluding celebration of Mass on Sunday, attended by European Church leaders and civic representatives, will underscore Columbanus’ enduring relevance.”