PICTURES: Annual pattern of St Berrihert begins in Tipperary

The annual Pattern of St Berrihert will begin on Wednesday 18 February and continue through to Thursday 26 February, marking an important period of prayer and pilgrimage in the parish of Bansha and Kilmoyler and surrounding communities.

A special gathering for communal prayers will take place at St Berrihert's Kyle and Holy Well at Ardane near Bansha, Co Tipperary, on Sunday 22 February at 2.30pm. All are warmly invited and welcome to attend.

A Saint of Early Christian Ireland

USE THE ARROWS OR 'NEXT' TO BROWSE THROUGH THE FULL GALLERY

St Berrihert was a 7th-century Irish monk associated with the golden age of Irish monasticism. Tradition links him with St Columba (Colmcille), the great missionary and founder of Iona.

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After leaving the monastic settlement at Iona, St Berrihert is believed to have travelled to Munster and settled in the Ardane area near Bansha, where he founded a small monastic community devoted to prayer, penance and learning.

The Kyle at Ardane is one of the most remarkable early Christian sites in County Tipperary. It contains ancient cross-slabs, carved stones and penitential stations that date back many centuries.

These stones stand as silent witnesses to the faith of generations who gathered there long before our own time. The nearby holy well, long associated with St Berrihert, has been a place of devotion and petition for healing and blessing through the centuries.

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The Tradition of the Pattern

Pattern Days are an ancient Irish tradition, combining pilgrimage, prayer and community gathering. Rooted in the early Christian practice of honouring a local saint on his feast day, Patterns became important spiritual and social occasions in rural Ireland.

The Pattern of St Berrihert continues this heritage. During the nine days, individuals and families visit the Kyle and Well to make the "rounds", recite the Rosary, and offer personal prayers and intentions.

Many people return year after year, maintaining a devotion handed down through generations. The communal prayers on Sunday 22 February at 2.30pm will provide an opportunity for people to gather together in shared faith, asking St Berrihert's intercession for their families, for the sick, and for peace in our world.

Preserving a Sacred Heritage

The Kyle of St Berrihert is not only a place of prayer but also a site of great historical and cultural importance. Its early medieval cross-slabs form one of the most significant collections of their kind in Ireland.

Their survival is a testament to the care and reverence shown by local people over the centuries. The continuation of the Pattern ensures that this sacred place remains a living centre of devotion rather than merely a monument of the past.

In gathering each year, the community renews a spiritual tradition that stretches back over thirteen hundred years. In a world often marked by haste and distraction, the Pattern offers a quiet space for reflection, renewal and hope.

Whether attending for spiritual reasons, historical interest, or a sense of connection to local heritage, all are most welcome.

The organisers extend a sincere invitation to parishioners, neighbouring communities, visitors, and all who value Ireland’s rich spiritual traditions to attend the Pattern during the nine days, and especially the prayers at the Kyle and Well on Sunday 22 February at 2.30pm.