The Irish Pilgrimage Trust

The Irish Pilgrimage Trust is a volunteer led charity that has been for nearly 50 years travelling on pilgrimage/holidays to Lourdes with young people with special needs from all over Ireland. Their facilities are based in Kilcuan, Co. Galway and Cois Cuain, Co. Wexford, each offering different opportunities.

Both facilities provide Friendship Weeks during the Summer months; weeklong Summer holidays for young people with special needs. This wonderful organisation provides full board accommodation, activities, social events, entertainment, and medical support. Friendship Weeks are staffed by Trust Groups of trained and vetted volunteer carers. This organisation relies primarily on Volunteers fundraising and private donations to finance their Friendship Week.

Funds raised by our players has played a vital contribution to the Summer Friendship Week programme for two groups at their special homes. Friendship Weeks address a void in services available to young people with additional needs in the local community. The week is a very important holiday experience for their young guests with special needs, for many this this is their only holiday for the year. Their families and full-time carers also benefit by having a rest week while their family member is in the full-time care of the Trust. During each Friendship Week the groups participate in a programme of events, excursions and other activities tailored towards our guests’ abilities. Funding has made it possible to provide these opportunities, providing excursions and other important activities including confidence building, friendship, and social inclusion.

We're proud that we can support such a fantastic trust this is doing great work in the communities.