The small town of Lourdes, located at the foothills of the Pyrenees in France has been the destination for Irish pilgrimages to Lourdes for decades. Since the Apparitions in Lourdes in 1858 people have travelled to visit the Grotto to pray and reflect. 

Groups of Pilgrims from Ireland are recorded as going to Lourdes in the 1870's but not officially recorded until 1913. It is the most visited pilgrimage site in the Christian world with over 6 million visitors each year to the site of the Marian apparitions to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858.

Between February 11 and July 26 in 1858, Bernadette Soubirous, a 14 year old peasant girl expeirenced 18 apparitions of the Virgin Mary in the Massabielle Grotto. During the 9th vision, an underground spring with healing powers was revealed. The visions were declared authentic by Pope Pius IX in 1862 and veneration of Mary as Our Lady of Lourdes was authorized.

In the year 2000, RTÉ Broadcaster Paddy O'Gorman joined one Dublin pilgrimage as they begin their trip to Lourdes.

First broadcast 08 November 2000

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