Purgatory at Inis Cealtra

Purgatory at Inis Cealtra

Lough Derg--Travelogue--Inis Cealtra--Purgatory

A nineteenth century translation of a German travelogue in Ireland.

Johann Georg Kohl, 1808-78

Kohl, Johann Georg, Travels in Ireland, p. 68

CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts

1844

CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts: a project of University College, Cork. Electronic edition compiled by Beatrix Färber, Sara Sponholz.

Citation for the purposes of criticism

Electronic text transcription

English, translated from German

Travelogue

DD_0558

52.915425,-8.450025

https://celt.ucc.ie//published/T840000-001

"The most celebrated of these islands is Innis-caltra (Innis Island), which is an ancient holy place, containing the ‘Seven Churches,’ and one of those pillar-like structures called ‘round towers,’ of which some account will be found in the sequel. We saw this island in the centre of a bay at the distance of a mile and a half, and by the aid of a telescope could distinctly perceive the most remarkable buildings. A dispute arose among the Irish as to whether the famed ‘St. Patrick's Purgatory’ was to be found on this island or on another in one of the northern lakes, but opinions were much divided on the subject. It may be that the people relate this tradition of several islands; but that the purgatory of the holy St. Patrick, once so famous through the half of Christendom, was situated in one of these little islands of Lough Derg, is acknowledged and satisfactorily proved by all Irish antiquarians. The people once imagined that here was to be found the suburbs of purgatory, or, in a word, the entrance to the lower world. St. Patrick, who converted the Irish to the Christian faith, is said to have obtained permission from God that the entrance to the lower world should be opened in Ireland itself, in order to convince unbelievers of the immortality of the soul, and of the punishments and sufferings the wicked must endure after death."

Travels in Ireland. Johann Georg Kohl First edition [xii+417 pages] Bruce and Wyld, 84 Farringdon St. London (1844)