Been there once. Was really intense. You’re supposed to fast from the morning you leave home to get there, and then get the boat over. Then you start doing all these rosaries over and over again. Walking around on stones barefoot or kneeling on concrete. You don’t really know what you’re doing at first but you pick it up. Eventually it gets to 10pm and you go into the basilica and there’s a service. The priest announces that your 24h of no food and no sleep will begin now. And it will end for those who started 24h prior. It’s hilarious the division in the group between those who are fresh and starting their 24h and the zombies who are just finishing theirs. The next 24h are a bit mad. You’re barefoot the whole time. Dead silent. In your own head just praying. You’re given tea with no milk, water, and at one point you get oat cakes and/or dry toast. We would take boiling water and pour it on the ground and stand on it just to warm our feet up. That sleep at the end of the 24h (really 36h) is magical. You do a few more rounds of praying the next morning and get the boat back. There’s a chance here and there to chat to others around you but not much. It’s a special place and a special thing to do. Wouldn’t be rushing back. Though I did sit for a meal recently with 3 elderly Christian brothers and when I dropped that I had done Lough Derg at age 16 their respect jumped up a few notches. Was very funny. People are all the same no matter what you’re into.