Phil Brennan

Posted on November 12, 2019

Posted in Phils Blog |

Voices on the Camino

“Setting out is not covering miles of land or sea or travelling faster than the speed of light. It is first and foremost opening ourselves to other people, trying to get to know them, going out to meet them… It is possible to travel alone, but the good traveler knows that the journey is human life and life needs company.” (Dom Helder Camara)

To wrap up our Camino season for 2019, Elaine and myself wanted to give the last word to people who have shared the path with us here in Waterford over the last year. We’ve met amazing people, each with their own unique story to tell, each with a resilience of spirit and a kindness of heart that inspires both of us on our way. Their voices capture a little of the essence of we all need from time to time when we come away on Camino. Long may our paths cross!

The Waterford Camino was an experience that will remain with us for the rest of our lives. There are so many hidden gems of nature’s beauty along the way that you would never discover alone. Surprises around every bend. This combined with Phil’s reflective readings and meditative music allowed nature to come alive in us. On the boat trip, Elaine’s smoked salmon along with the freshly cooked chicken sandwiches went down a treat. The gentle caring atmosphere created by Phil and Elaine left us feeling very secure and relaxed. Everything was taken care of. Walks were tailored to the ability of each participant. The guidance of Phil from a historical and spiritual aspect was moving and uplifting and led to a sense that we are part of something bigger and greater than ourselves. We were completely overawed with the whole experience and look forward to April 2020 when we will return for more. (Anne and Mai, Offaly)

We had an amazing 2 days with Phil and Elaine. They are the ultimate hosts. They bend over backwards to make sure our every wish was exceeded. We saw the most beautiful views and went on an incredible bike ride on the Waterford Greenway. They also treated us to some fabulous meals. I cannot recommend them enough. They are truly wonderful people. Our time with them was the highlight of our vacation in Europe. (Julie, Ottumwa, U.S.A.)

Thank you for a rejuvenating few days. I enjoyed everything and I have a bank of films of each event which I can re-run at will. I had no idea Waterford county is so beautiful; I find it hard to choose what I enjoyed most. I think you have put together something very unique. Your enthusiasm and your vision were catching. I loved the inspirational stories, the reflective pauses and the music. Elaine, I enjoyed our chats. I came home refreshed and more in touch with my inner self. I wish you all the best with a very worthy venture. Thanks for the extra kindness to me. (Anne, Shannon, Co. Limerick.)

Absolutely wonderful experience. Phil and Elaine were incredible tour guides. Very knowledgeable and friendly. They went out of their way beyond the scheduled tour to share stories and the history of the area. The Greenway was lovely and views were amazing. Their passion truly shined through. Best tour of our Ireland trip. (Sue, Texas, U.S.A.)

Throughout our Camino, we listened to the most apt, insightful quotes, so true to the busyness of people’s lives today in contrast with the peacefulness and tranquility evident in the beautiful places we passed along the way. Stories of times past were articulated so well that you could almost hear the sounds of the history of the place come to life. I found that it was possible to visualise how things must have been long ago, especially as we were looking over the rusty railway and the wide river. Adding to the whole experience was the lovely nurturing food and laughter at every stop. Later, we strolled through Crough Woods, paused for reflection and we had quiet, personal time by rushing waters – allowing the torrent carry all our troubles downstream. All in all the whole experience for me was surreal and I felt that I had a ‘brain shower’ which left me feeling like Seamus Heaney once said, “walking on air”. Thank you Elaine and Phil. (Annette, Waterford)

Walking the Waterford Camino with Elaine and Phil was a unique experience. Gentle, stunning walks were interspersed with meaningful and insightful reflections. I continue to benefit from the spiritual medicine dispensed on our Camino experience. (Frances, Waterford)

Wow, I cannot say enough good things about this excursion and the company that runs it. My husband and I arrived on the ‘Celebrity Silhouette’ Cruise Ship. We really wanted to get away from the generic tours and mass crowds so we found this little gem of a tour on Viator. Talk about an authentic experience. Phil and Elaine are the friendliest tour guides I have ever had. They are very knowledgeable and passionate about Waterford and had every detail in planning worked out meticulously for us prior to our arrival. Their ‘Cycle of Life’ experience on the Waterford Greenway was first class from the location to the bikes to the food. As we set out along the Greenway by the river, it was so tranquil and beautiful; exactly what I hoped and pictured Ireland to be like. As we peddled, we were able to see more magical places along the old railway line which I won’t mention because you have to experience them for yourself. We also stopped for lunch in an adorable little pub, Kiersey’s, in Kilmacthomas. We had a very authentic lunch of bangers n’ mash and bacon n’ cabbage. My husband was raving about the lunch for days.If you want to REALLY experience Waterford, its breathtaking scenery and the friendly accommodating locals, you have to do this tour. It well exceeded our expectations. (Chantelle, North Carolina, U.S.A.)

Early crisp morning by the river for meditative silence to start the day, stories of Cromwell and history of the train travel in bygone days led by a walk on the Waterford Greenway. Exploring the woods with inspirational words from Phil to lead into contemplative observation of birdsong and mindful walking. An adventure into the Mahon Falls with invigorating mountain air led to stops at tearooms to refresh and chat with the Camino group. Historical input of landmarks by a local historian, Garvan Cummins, complete with photographs of local happenings. A world I never knew existed until that Camino day. Thank you Elaine and Phil. (Grace, Waterford)

Thank you for a wonderful day. Memories that will stay a lifetime for all the right reasons. Life affords us every now and then the opportunity to meet and share our journey with others. Starting out our journey on a wet November morning and ending up friends at sunset. These are memories when the darkness visits our lives will bring hope as we all know daybreak and sunrise always comes. (Caroline, Kilkenny)

As an Australian in Ireland, the Waterford Camino was the highlight of my year. We had all the beauty of the places we visited, a really fine group of pilgrims and 2 inspiring leaders. There is no better way to spend time close to God than surrounded by nature and in the company of faith-filled and spiritual people. The story of the Golden Buddha would have to be one of the all-time greats. Look at the people around us and there is gold in everyone. Loved the Waterford Greenway because I have biked it twice, on foot you see parts again with added meaning. All the organising is so worth it, Phil and Elaine. 100% recommended. (Br. Gerry, Mount Sion, Waterford)

The Story of the Golden Buddha has a profound message that echoes through the ages.No harm to remind ourselves of its power. 300 years ago, the Burmese army planned an attack to invade Siam (Thailand). The Siamese monks were in possession of the most amazing Buddha statue; 10 feet tall, in excess of 2.5 tons in weight and made of solid gold valued today around 200 million euro. Like those who passed before them, these monks viewed themselves as temporary custodians to a timeless treasure that would endure to the last. Given the monetary value of the statue, they knew the army would desecrate it and reap its spoils for themselves. They decided to cover the Buddha in 12 inches of clay to camouflage its true worth.

When the Burmese army arrived, all the monks were slaughtered. Everything was in ruins, but the clay Buddha survived the onslaught from the unsuspecting pillagers. There it remained hidden for centuries from generations of monks and visitors beneath its furtive disguise. In the mid-1950s, almost 250 years later, the monastery was to be re-located to make room for a highway. The monks arranged for a crane to come to move the clay Buddha to their new residence. To their surprise, the crane began to crack with the weight, so they waited for a day for more powerful equipment. They covered it with plastic sheets to protect it from the oncoming monsoon rains.

That night, the head monk went out to check if their sacred statue was still standing. He was worried that the crane would have disturbed their clay Buddha to the point of collapse and feared it would not survive the storm. When the light of his torch shone into the crack of the shrouded Buddha, he saw a glimmer… a reflection of something underneath the cloud of clay. He started to carefully carve away the shards of clay to find the glimmer grew brighter.

He rushed indoors to call the monks from their slumber. Together they chiselled with painful precision, inch by inch, until all was revealed. They marvelled in disbelief at the gleaming gold sculpture before their eyes. The statue was re-located to Bangkok where it resides in the Temple of the Golden Buddha. Every year, millions visit to worship at his feet. And to think it may never have been discovered.

“The purpose of life is to remove the layers so that more of the gold within us can shine and see the light of day. And the exciting thing is that every act of courage, every act of goodness will have an immediate pay off for you. Each time you do what you know is the right thing and follow your truth rather than the dictates of the crowd, a little more of the mud covering up who your truly are begins to fall. Each time you act with love rather than fear you become more of who you were meant to be. Every time you reach for your dreams, you begin to play your highest game and reach out towards your destiny.” (Robin Sharma)

We have recently updated our website to reflect our new Camino offerings for 2020. Take a wee browse on waterfordcamino.com You can contact Phil and Elaine directly at info@waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on October 24, 2019

Posted in Phils Blog |

In the steps of our ancestors – our Camino in Ireland’s South East

What’s worth achieving does not just happen overnight. Often the harder the pathway, the greater the satisfaction when you reach the summit and breathe in all that opens up before you. Somewhere along the way, we sense the spirit of those who have gone before. Nature has a way of reminding us that we are not alone… that we’re one tiny melodic note in a wider symphony that echoes from afar. When the universe speaks, it pays to listen.

“We’re delighted to be teaming up with Phil and Elaine from Waterford Camino Tours to offer some really exciting new holidays together from 2020. Journeying has been running holidays in the Celtic countries for over 30 years for guests mainly from Britain and North America. They’ve been asking for more holidays in Ireland so our new partnership is really going to meet the need. And jointly with Phil and Elaine, we’ll be giving a very warm welcome to Irish guests who want to try out our new holidays in Wales too. Our first joint holiday is the Irish Camino Experience in March 2020 with Dungarvan, Co. Waterford as our base for the 6 days. We’re also developing joint pilgrimage style holidays from Ireland to St. David’s in Wales. Watch this space.” (Iain Tweedale, ‘Journeying’)

(Memorable day on ‘The Way of St. David’, in Wales, with
David Gleed and Iain Tweedale, from Journeying)

The Waterford Camino signature 6 Day experience will leave imprints that will last a lifetime. Every day, you can expect something totally different to what has gone before; a mountain trail one day, an old coastal pilgrim path another, a cliff walk, a Taizé Vigil led by members of the Island of Ireland Peace Choir, even a cycle on the Waterford Greenway or a walk around the mystical lakes of Glendalough. Our Camino in Ireland’s South East is a unique blend that is good for mind, body and soul.

The Waterford Camino experience is a time to pause our lives and take stock. Our walks are gentle, interspersed with some mindful, Christian reflection. We pace our trails so that no one is left behind (8km to 20km daily). Time-out in the great outdoors is as much about fun and adventure as it is about connecting to something deeper within ourselves.

Day 1: Arrival in Dungarvan

Our base for the 6 days is Brownes Townhouse, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. Your meals are prepped for you daily and served up to you, your accommodation is beautiful, your coach transfers each day are planned for you. All you’ve to do is show up. Leave the rest to us!

Day 2: Comeragh Mountains

8 km walk from the Mahon Falls in the heart of the Comeragh Mountains following the river as it meanders downstream through the numinous shades of Crough Woods below. Nature bares its soul as you take your first steps on the Waterford Camino out to the Falls. There’s a subliminal symmetry to it all – sheep, mountains, rocky hillsides, a forest pathway and the soothing sounds of the River Mahon as it flows from source to the awaiting ocean beyond. Here, in this amphitheatre of stillness, we sense we are part of something greater than ourselves.

Waterford is Ireland’s oldest city and was founded by the Vikings in the 9th Century. The team at Waterford Treasures Museum bring the story of the city to life in ways that echo long after the visit is over.

The 15th Century Wine Vault still stands in silent homage to a bygone time and is living testimony to Waterford’s historic association with the Camino. It was from this ancient citadel hidden in the undercroft of museum that Mayor James Rice set out on 2 epic voyages to Spain to complete the Camino de Santiago in the 1400s. Seems only right then to relax in the enchanting surrounds of the 13th Century Choristers’ Hall alongside the Wine Vault and enjoy the Irish Tapas Experience of wine, music and song. These moments are worth savouring!

Day 3: St. Declan’s Way

St. Declan’s Way takes us on an old pilgrim route that can be traced back to the 5th Century, almost 400 years before the first pilgrims trekked across the Camino de Santiago. Against the awesome backdrop of the bay in Ardmore, the early morning walk along the cliff brings us face to face with timeless relics from our Celtic past – St. Declan’s Well, Ardmore Round Tower and a 12th Century Cathedral. From here, we make our way through some of the iconic stretches of the pilgrim path St. Declan set out on some 1,500 years ago (8 to 20km. Your choice!).

The beautiful heritage town of Lismore, Co. Waterford has a rich and fascinating history which comes alive in our visit to Lismore Heritage Centre. Founded by St. Carthage and his community of monks in 636 AD, Lismore gained its most famous feature, its castle, in 1185 when Prince John built a fortress on the banks of the River Blackwater. Lismore Castle belonged to the famous adventurer, Sir Walter Raleigh, who sold it to Richard Boyle, the Great Earl of Cork and father of scientist Robert Boyle. The castle has been standing strong through the centuries and is now home to the Duke of Devonshire. Here, by the river’s edge, past and present merge to connect us to something ageless within our reach.

Day 4: Waterford Greenway

11 km walk along the old railway line from Waterford City to Kilmeaden on the Waterford Greenway. There’s something about the Greenway early morning as the river lulls us unknowingly beyond the fretful stir of the city. It’s as though our cadence slows down in unspoken harmony with the river’s flow.

All around you can see signs of what has gone before… the old railway line, Viking ruins shielded beneath its grassy vault, the graceful foliage of Mount Congreve Gardens 300 years on, the desolate ruins of an old watch tower desecrated by Cromwell and his troops in times gone by. We become temporary voyagers in a timeless odyssey.

We have the option as part of our Waterford Greenway experience of cycling the last stretch from Durrow into Dungarvan. As you cycle, you leave the world as you know it and enter a magical new zone. Adjusting to the radiant hues as we leave the dimmed enchantment of Durrow Tunnel behind, then surveying the panoramic vista that awaits us as we free wheel towards Clonea… you feel liberated to be part of it all.

Day 5: To the waters and the wild

We start our day with a scenic coach journey along the Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark from Dungarvan to Tramore. On arrival in this seaside town, we have a choice of an 8km walk around the sand dunes on the beach or a beautiful cliff walk along the path from Newtown Cove. Ice-cream on the promenade or a mindful stroll through the Lafcadio Hearn Gardens completes the experience!

Then on to Dunmore East for a 3 km. cliff walk trail from the harbour to Portally Cove. There’s something timeless about this place that draws you in. It’s good to stand still and soak in the beauty that stretches out from the headland seawards. Energy ripples in symmetry with the dancing of the waves. We begin to see what might otherwise pass us by; the magical hues of the azure ocean as it laps onto the flat rocks, the languid majesty of the seal as it basks in the sun, the silhouette of Hook Lighthouse as it peers out through misty skies.

A short trip out to sea on return is a must! Time in ‘The Keltoi Warrior’ opens our pores to the wonders of the universe. Brendan takes us on a voyage of discovery, sharing anecdotes on the coves and sea caves, narrowing the lens to absorb the sublime beauty of the miniscule against the towering backdrop of the cliffs. Here, by the water’s edge, it’s good to anchor for a while and simply soak it all in.

Day 6: Glendalough – the journey home

Glendalough, a name that echoes around the world as a place of profound beauty and tranquility, is located within a valley of two lakes in Co. Wicklow, Ireland. This place is a sacred space, captivating in its beauty and in its serenity. We are joined here by a member of the Tearmann Spirituality team to share the pathway that pilgrims for centuries have trod.

In the 6th Century on the lake shore, a Christian hermit named Kevin established a small monastic settlement. This early Christian community became one of the cradles of Celtic spirituality and Irish monasticism. After Kevin’s death in 618 AD, a great monastery flourished in the valley right up to the 12th Century. The ruins of this monastic city still remain, with a magnificent round tower, a beautiful 11th Century stone church and the high cross that has guided many a pilgrim home for over a 1,000 years.

En route to Glendalough, we’ll step back in time to visit a 12th century Abbey in Ferns, County Wexford, which stands at the centre of an earlier monastic enclosure established in the late 6th century by St. Aidan (Maedoc, Mogue, Maodhóg, Edan).  High crosses nearby are testament to Ferns significant ecclesiastical history.  Spend a while connecting with the past in this wonderful setting.

Welsh tradition maintains that Aidan succeeded David as Abbot in Menevia, Pembrokeshire. It is said that what distinguished him from his fellow monks is that he brought his own beer from his native land. Aidan’s reputation for compassion endures to this day. He made it a precondition for all monks who followed in the steps of Jesus to share their food with those in need. Time is St. Aidan’s Ferns is precious time and reminds us of our shared Celtic past. It is a beautiful coincidence that my hometown of Gorey is only down the road. Serendipity at its best!

Elaine and myself are excited rolling out our Irish Camino Experience from Spring 2020.The pieces are falling into place. We’ve learned a lot along the way. Where we’ve arrived at feels right! For further information, check out our website on waterfordcamino.com or email Phil and Elaine directly at info@waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on September 12, 2019

Posted in Phils Blog |

A world without borders

You cannot beat the exhilaration of reaching the mountain top and surveying the vastness you’ve left behind from your very own sanctuary in the skies. One deep breath and you feel you belong. The ecstasy of the conquest quickly yields to a silent disbelief at the timeless beauty that opens up before you. There are no borders in the great outdoors – just an intricate mosaic of light and contour that stretches beyond to where the eye cannot reach. The universe has a way of leading us to a place where words are no longer necessary or adequate. Nothing better than to sit down, have a snack and just soak it all in.

We set out on a trek up Coumshingaun in the Comeragh Mountains quietly surrendering to our primal instinct to brace ourselves for the odyssey ahead. Our relaxed banter concealed a deeper fear. None of us had made this climb before. Adrenaline pulsed through the veins as we stared down the unknown. The trail from “base camp” at Kilclooney Wood car park eased our small group of eager adventurers on our way.

Step by step, rock by rock, we heaved upwards from one ridge to the next, only to be tracked by a 9 year old boy who passed with feverish zeal en route to the summit. I envied his spirit and his speed, reassuring myself that we too would arrive in one piece, maybe an hour or two later. For now, each step mattered even more than our destination above. Here, on the edge, you discover a primordial connection between you and the universe. The world you return to may not have changed, but, somehow, you have.

What greeted us on arrival was unforgettable. We stood there aghast, numbed spectators to a kaleidoscope of varying shades and colours that simmered in the midday sun. No words were spoken. Once the lens narrowed, we could see the River Suir dissect the city as it made its way seawards out to Dunmore East and we could follow the rugged coastline of the Copper Coast beyond Bonmahon tinged in silhouette against the sun drenched shore. We were enchanted by the stillness of it all. Lake waters rippled out from the hallowed vault below with soothing strains to calm the soul. Coumshingaun is a world apart. Its lilt lingers long after the last note has been struck.

Viewed from above, the world has no boundaries. Nature’s way has a pattern that ignites the curious mind. Difference yields to something greater. The miniscule has its place yet it hides anonymously against a towering backdrop. It’s as though a common thread mysteriously weaves it all together. We the onlookers, humbled by what plays out before us, pay silent homage to the creative life force that makes it all happen. Sometimes you just sense you are part of something far greater than yourself.

The mystical is closer than we realise – within reach of us all. You do not have to travel far to find it. A forest walk or greenway cycle, a trail by the river’s edge or just a quiet moment on a park bench; all have the power to draw us beyond our normal frontiers to a space where we can begin to see more clearly. The haze lifts in the moment and somehow the pathway opens up in ways we may not have noticed before.

For me, an early morning stroll along the Doneraile in Tramore has a peculiar way of slowing the pulse right down. It’s good not to reason, analyse or think. Here, by the shoreline, time pauses momentarily as we breathe in the sea air- birds skim the waters’ edge in search of their prey, fishing boats in the distance etch their meandering trail on the outstretched canvas, children dive from secluded rocks beyond the gaze of the passer-by. As the waves roll to shore with melodic ease, we sense the wider symphony that makes sense of it all.

Every step of the way along our Waterford Camino odyssey, we’ve turned to the universe for guidance. Nature has a way of nudging you in the right direction. There’s an elemental life force at play here that stirs from within and offers a perspective that the world cannot give. You have to trust the process and create the space for the magic to happen. Our trek up Coumshingaun has inspired us in ways we could never have imagined. Our signature 2020 ‘time-out’ in Ireland’s South East that blends trails in Glendalough in Wicklow, on the Saltee Islands off Wexford and up the Comeragh Mountains in Waterford owes its origins to this memorable day.

Want to finish with a simple tale, crafted by the mystic Anthony De Mello, that echoes far and wide for all of us to hear… There was a temple built on an island and it held a thousand bells. When the wind blew or a storm raged, all the bells would peel out in a symphony of sound that soared out from the citadel of stone to islanders near and far. Over time the island sank into the sea. Legend has it the bells continued to ring and could be heard by anyone who would listen.

A young man travelled thousands of miles determined to hear the bells. He spent days on the shoreline, staring out towards the vanished island and listened with all his might. All he could hear was the sound of the sea. He made every effort to block out the sound of the thunderous waters as they rolled to shore. But to no avail. The tempest of the waves seemed to drown out any prospect of ever hearing the bells beneath.

Weeks passed and still no sound rose from the secret vault beneath the sea. He met with locals who reassured him the mysterious legend was true. But as the days rolled on, he became disheartened and decided the time had come to pack up and go home. He went to say his last goodbye to the place that had become his home – the sea, the sky, the wind and the coconut trees. He lay on the sand, and, for the first time, listened to the sound of the ocean. Soon he was so lost in the sound that everything else was barely audible. In the depth of the silence he heard it. The tinkle of a tiny bell, followed by another and another… and soon a symphony of a thousand temple bells ringing in unison, in harmony.

Everyone needs that ‘still zone’, your silent retreat, your island of peace. The magic of the universe is not to be understood. It is to be listened to as one listens to the wind in the trees and the sound of the river and the song of the bird. If you really hear, you will know beyond words. What is essential is invisible to the eye. Melodic sounds can be heard as they float skyward in quiet abandon. It is then we know we are not alone.

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Dr. Phil Brennan and his wife Elaine invite you to share in one of their specially tailored ‘time-out’ experiences in Ireland’s South East. The Waterford Camino experience blends walks/cycles, motivational talks and music. For further information, check out our website on waterfordcamino.com or email directly at info@waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on July 19, 2019

Posted in Phils Blog |

To the waters and the wild – Dunmore East

“Stillness is vital to the world of the soul. If, as you age, you become more still, you will discover that stillness can be a great companion. The fragments of your life will have time to unify, the place where your soul shelter is wounded or broken will have time to knit and heal. You will be able to return to your self. In this stillness, you will engage your soul.” (John O’Donoghue)

It is not always easy to slow down in a world that moves at pace. The key to life is balance. Exertion without rest drains us to the core and dims our coordinates. We heave our way from one target to the next on the treadmill of life and rarely connect to source. We all need to press pause now and again and take a breather from the world. The great outdoors connect us to something deeper that might otherwise pass us by. Dunmore East has a mesmeric way of slowing the pulse right down. Anyone who escapes to the waters and the wild will want to return.

Headland trails, lobster pots, fishing, lunch out in the Bay – Dunmore East is the perfect ‘still zone’ to ease us back to where we belong. The Dunmore East Cliff Walk is perched above the village in silent homage to those who have passed this way for centuries. 200 years ago, young men from neighbouring Portally, Ballymacaw and Rathmoylan walked this very path to excavate boulders of rock from the cliff below as they sculpted the harbour we have today. Here, on the new footbridge beneath the cliff, we come face to face with curious remnants of a bygone time; footsteps, railings, carved rock – the railway line from the cliff to the harbour has all but disappeared. Faint strains echo through the citadel of stone to calm the stirrings of the passer by.

It’s good to ease the pace and feel the ground beneath your feet, to calm the tempest of the mind and soak in the beauty that opens up before you. Energy ripples in symmetry with the dancing of the waves. What we observe leaves lasting imprints; the magical hues of the azure ocean as it laps onto the flat rocks, the languid majesty of the seal as it basks in the sun, the silhouette of Hook Lighthouse as it peers out through misty skies. In observing the waters stretch out to the distant horizon, we sense intuitively the merging of what is near with timeless echoes from afar.

A trip out to sea on return to the harbour completes this experience. Time in ‘The Keltoi Warrior’ is precious time. Brendan takes us on a voyage of discovery, sharing anecdotes on the coves and sea caves, narrowing the lens to absorb the sublime beauty of the miniscule against the towering backdrop of the cliffs. After checking in on the lobster pots and maybe reeling in a mackerel or two, we anchor in at some quiet corner of the Bay. Lunch by the shoreline to the sound of waves lapping against the brow of the boat… “Well my mama told me there’ll be days like this…

“Just imagine that the purpose of life is your happiness only – then life becomes a cruel and senseless thing. You have to embrace the wisdom of humanity. Your intellect and your heart tell you that the meaning of life is to serve the force that sent you into the world. Then life becomes a joy.” (Leo Tolstoy)

You see it’s the unscripted events make life worth living – moments that happen in ways we least expect. Often it is the unlikely one we meet along the way who inspires in ways we could never imagine. One such person joined us with a group from Shannon for a 3 day ‘time-out’ in May. At 81 years of age, Anne defies the odds. Her mobility is not as great as it once was, but, with a little gentle encouragement, she mustered the courage to take that first step. There was no stopping her!

Anne threw caution to the wind. She may not be able to walk at the pace of others, or indeed cover the same distance, but she was determined to give it a go. She beamed from start to finish and kept us all on our toes with her astute observations and her irrepressible wit. Her smile was matched by her resolve to make the most of each moment, to soak in the wonders of the universe as it rolled out before her on the balmy seas. Dunmore East had helped her to retrieve something from within that she taught had long since passed. We who shared her path were the privileged ones.

Her words in a letter she sent on her return are a timely reminder to all of us to make the most of what each new day brings.

“Thank you for a rejuvenating few days. I enjoyed everything and have a bank of films of each event that I can rerun at will. I had no idea Waterford County is so beautiful. I find it hard to choose what I enjoyed most. I think you have put together something unique. I loved the inspirational stories, the reflective pauses and the music. And Elaine, I enjoyed our chats. I came home refreshed and more in touch with my inner self. I wish you all the best with a very worthy venture. Thanks for your extra kindnesses to me.” (Anne, Shannon)

Our individual story is just one melodic movement in the wider symphony of the universe. No matter how small or insignificant we may appear each one of us is part of something greater than ourselves. This is the mystery of life made simple. We all have a song to sing, a story to tell, a higher purpose to map out. Dunmore East is the gateway to all that matters.

“Have your beautiful things but do not be imprisoned by them. Own them but do not let them own you. Give the main aim of your life over to far more important pursuits such as discovery of your highest potential, giving of yourself to others and making a difference by living for something more important than yourself. Success is fine but significance is the real name of the game.” (Robin Sharma)

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Our ‘To the waters and the wild’ in Dunmore East will be running on selected Sundays from July. The price comes in at €60 per person for groups of 8 to 12 persons, inclusive of mindful walks led by Dr Phil and his wife Elaine, boat hire, fishing and lunch. You can check our Facebook Events link www.facebook.com/pg/WaterfordCamino/events/ for available dates; Sunday 4th August, Sunday 11th August, Sunday and Sunday 25th August. Find out more about our signature experiences on our website www.waterfordcamino.com

Midweek breaks inclusive of the Dunmore East ‘time-out’ and the ‘Cycle of Life’ on the Waterford Greenway, with overnight dinner and B&B in the Tower Hotel, Waterford are also available; ideal for sports clubs, staff days or corporate events. Every day can be tailored to suit each group. Contact Phil and Elaine on info@waterfordcamino.com if you require any further information.

Phil Brennan

Posted on July 3, 2019

Posted in Phils Blog |

The Cycle of Life – a unique ‘time-out’

“If one has courage, nothing can dim the light which shines within… Since a price will be exacted from us for everything we do or leave undone, we should pluck up the courage to win, to win back our finer and kinder and healthier selves. There is no failure as long as you learn from your experience, continue to work, and continue to press on for success.”
(Maya Angelou)

We humans are more than what the outward eye can see. It is on the inside where the most significant battles are waged. In a world that rewards the individual who soars to the greatest heights, it takes real courage to stare down your own limitations and find happiness in your achievements no matter how humble. When the odds are stacked against us, we find out who we truly are.

There is a spark within each of us that tends to kick in when the pressure is on. We see it every day in the stoic courage of ordinary people dealing with crushing blows in life who somehow find the strength to hang in there when they’d have every reason to give up. It can be easier to drift into the slipstream of doubt than to take those decisive steps towards making new goals happen. The formula is simple; find out what you truly love to do – then direct all your energies into those very pursuits that make this possible. Our ‘Cycle of Life’ gives you the breathing space to do just that!

Timeout off the beaten track is good for mind, body and soul. It’s strangely liberating to leave civilisation as we know it behind and abandon ourselves to the power of the great outdoors. The rush of energy you feel as you navigate the old railway line by bike is unreal. There’s a life force at play here, something primordial, elemental even, that carries you along. The more we align our lives with the power of the universe, the more likely we are to gravitate towards what really matters in life. The world you return to may not have changed, but, somehow, you have, and in changing a whole new world is born.

“Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future… Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us… A day away acts as a spring tonic. It can dispel rancour, transform indecision, and renew the spirit.” (Maya Angelou)

Over the past few months, we’ve been creating a unique Waterford Greenway “day away” that we’ll be rolling out in the coming weeks. We’ve secured bookings with tour operators from the States and mainland Europe, but we want to make what we offer more readily available for people closer to home. Many have asked how they can experience one of our days without necessarily staying overnight. We’re trying to price it in such a way that we cover our costs, put a value on what we do, yet make it possible for more people to come away for a unique ‘time-out’ with us.

The ‘Cycle of Life’ on the Waterford Greenway.

See our Waterford Camino cycle route; https://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/2115063388

We look after the whole experience from start to finish. You simply show up and leave the planning to us. Our very own Greenway Man, Garvan Cummins, will have your bike and helmet waiting for you, lunch is pre-booked, and you’d be surprised what you can withstand with padded saddles to cushion you on your way. Once you have a moderate level of fitness, trust us to pace the cycle so that everyone can enjoy the experience. It’s not the destination that matters and the speed at which we travel, it’s all that happens in between.

We start out from Ireland’s oldest city, Waterford, ready to make our way down the 46km route to Dungarvan. Our cycle is leisurely, pausing for refreshments, mindful moments, a little history and a few photos at the most scenic points along the route. We’ll enjoy a wee snack with Waterford and Suir Valley Railway in Kilmeaden 10km down the line, light snack then beneath the Viaduct in Kilmacthomas at the halfway point supplied by Kiersey’s Bar and Tearoom, a wee breather in O’ Mahony’s, Durrow before completing the 10km final leg of the journey into Dungarvan. The key is to start early. We meet at 8am at the bus station on the quays in Waterford and arrive in Dungarvan for lunch at 3pm.

Early morning by the river lulls us unknowingly beyond the fretful stir of the city. Here, 6 kilometers down the Waterford Greenway, the cadence slows down in unspoken harmony with the tranquil stillness of the River Suir. All around you can see signs of what has gone before… the old railway line, Viking ruins shielded beneath its grassy vault, the graceful foliage of Mount Congreve Gardens 300 years on, the desolate ruins of an old watch tower desecrated by Cromwell and his troops in times past. Voices form a bygone age can be heard as you peddle on by.

There is something so refreshingly positive about the Waterford Greenway experience. The buzz of excitement in Kilmeaden as children feverishly boarded the train onto the Waterford and Suir Valley Railway, the infectious smiles from passers-by you had never met before, the relaxed chatter of cyclists as they meander their way en route to their next coffee break… people move to a different rhythm on the Greenway.

As you cycle, you leave the world as you know it and are transported to a different space, a sphere beyond our normal consciousness. Adjusting to the radiant hues as we leave the dimmed enchantment of Durrow Tunnel behind, surveying the panoramic vista that awaits us as we free wheel towards Clonea… you feel exhilarated to be part of it all.

When we arrive in Dungarvan, we hand back the bikes to Garvan, have lunch in 360 Cookhouse and you have the option of staying on and unwinding over a cuppa or something stronger against the stunning backdrop of the Bay before getting the return bus to Waterford. Buses leave on the hour, so you are free to stay in Dungarvan for as long as you wish. You’ll know somewhere deep down, long after the exertions are over, that this was more than just a 46km cycle down the Waterford Greenway. Once you connect to the life force within, you begin to see more clearly.

“As you look back your happiness will be defined by the mountains you surmounted, the valleys you climbed out of, and the life and/or career that you forged for yourself.”
(Maya Angelou)

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Dr. Phil Brennan and his wife Elaine are rolling out exciting new One Day Experiences over the coming months for visitors and locals alike. Our ‘Cycle of Life’ on the Waterford Greenway comes in at 95 euro per person inclusive of bike hire, helmets, bus return, ‘compass points’ on the journey led by Dr. Phil and Elaine, light snack in Kilmeaden and Kilmacthomas and lunch in Dungarvan.

You can check our Eventbrite Link for available dates; Saturday 13th July (On sale) and Saturday 27th July (To be released). With dates in the month of August to be announced in due course. Find out more about our signature experiences on our website www.waterfordcamino.com

Our Dunmore East ‘time-out’ inclusive of cliff walk and boat trip will be up and running too from this July on selected Sundays. Midweek breaks inclusive of both days and an overnight in the Tower Hotel, Waterford are also available – ideal for groups, sports clubs, staff days or corporate events. Every day can be tailored to suit each group. Contact Phil and Elaine on info@waterfordcamino.com if you require further information.

admin

Posted on May 22, 2019

Posted in Phils Blog |

5 Comments |

Escape to the great outdoors

“Go placidly amid the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence… You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.” (Max Ehrmann 1927)

We all live life at a pace these days. It can be hard to slow down. We have become so programmed, we tend to operate on autopilot and move from one task to the next without much time to stand still. I remember in my teaching days receiving a card from a friend in Africa cautioning me to “slow down and give my soul time to catch up.” He was right, even if I couldn’t see it at the time. I had become consumed by my work and struggled to see beyond it. Daily routine can numb us from the magic that lies in the unscripted moments in life. It’s great to break out now and again.

Navigating life is not always easy. Once you leave the moorings by the river’s edge, you cannot be sure the currents will conspire to help you. All the more reason to anchor at the isle on occasion and assess your travel path in light of what each new day brings. The universe has a way of nudging us into a realisation that there is more to life. Outdoor adventures, no matter how humble, draw us unknowingly to a space where we begin to feel alive again. What may have worried you starting out is viewed with new eyes by the time you return home. Perspective is everything. The world may not have changed but you have. From here, there is no going back.

The Waterford Greenway takes on a new life when we slow the pace right down. Here on this age-old railway line, we come face to face with the power of the natural world to ease us beyond the world as we know it. We become temporary travelers in a timeless odyssey played out before us. The slower the cadence the more receptive we become to a deeper current that flows from source to the seas beyond – the telepathic symmetry of birds in flight over the River Suir, the shimmering shades across the Comeraghs as the clouds fade out into the darkening skies, the symphony of sound as the waves crash to the shore near Clonea. We sense we are part of something timeless in our midst. Nothing is said. It doesn’t need to be. The universe does it for us.

Closeness to the natural world tunes us to a new frequency. There’s no therapy quite like it. The more we gravitate towards the great outdoors, the more our lives can be observed from a new vantage point. Here, on the other side, the simple things matter; feeling the cool water as we wade our way along the beach or the thrill when we scale a mountain range once enticingly beyond our reach or the soothing calm of the river as it rolls with unswerving ease from the falls above. Through the narrowed lens, we begin to see more clearly. What’s around us connects to something deep within. Mind, body, soul in perfect equilibrium!

We are made from the stars and the universe is quick to remind us! My mam walked with us across the headland in Dunmore East on a recent visit. She climbed the steps up and strolled all the way out to Portally and back, drawing breath on occasion to soak in the beauty of it all. The views across the Bay over to Hook casts a mystical spell and all who pass this way sense it. The exhilaration she felt when she returned to the harbour was indescribable. It was one of those moments that stays with you! Every new adventure starts with one single step; from woodland trails to river walks to mountain treks to sea kayaking. There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction you experience on your return.

The Olympian spirit is not spared for the few – it’s meant for us all! One of our recent visitors cycled 20 km on the Waterford Greenway despite suffering with an arthritic condition that would have rendered such feats impossible. On arrival at Durrow, she was happy to meet us further down the line, but, to her surprise, we had arranged with the Greenway Man, Garvan, to have an ebike on standby should she choose to join us. She wasn’t just content to cycle into Dungarvan but insisted on making the return trip back to O’ Mahony’s after lunch. She was so proud of herself; she toasted her achievement over an Irish whiskey there and then and invested in her own ebike a week later. We all have depths to us that we only come to know when tested. There are no limits.

The following note awaited me when I awoke this morning. We were privileged to share the path with him and a delegation of international visitors who attended the Annual European SPES Conference on Spirituality in WIT last week. Each group brings its own brand of magic, depth and maybe a little madness 😊

“I joined a group of colleagues on the Waterford Camino last Saturday and we had a blast. Tour guides Phil and Elaine attended to our needs and enabled us to unwind after a busy few days. As we walked the Waterford Greenway between Waterford and Dungarvan along the old train track, we began to still the voice and tune into a more observing mind. The River Suir has a way of slowing the pulse right down and the walk from Killoteran to Kilmeaden was just the tonic we all needed. Elaine treated us to freshly baked Waterford ‘Blaa’ filled with roast chicken that she had prepared for each of us earlier and served us the perfect cuppa in the converted train carriage in Kilmeaden.

Our coach driver, Tom, then brought us on an amazing odyssey through the majestic Comeragh Mountains and dropped us off for a stroll out to the Mahon Falls. We were led on a short, reflective ‘compass point’ to guide us on our way before we walked onwards in silence or quiet chat with new friends. I fondly remember an American in our group, Kevin, lay his head beneath the stream that flowed to the Falls. This spontaneous ‘overflow’ of pure emotion helped him to momentarily forget that he was soaked from head to toe. There was great drying out as we made our way back, so he survived. We had great craic.                                           

Later we visited the quaint town of Kilmacthomas where we enjoyed some beautiful seabass in Kiersey’s. So many different nationalities assembled around one table – American, Belgian, Swiss, Norwegian, Canadian, Australian, Irish. We could have chatted for ages. Different people from different places yet for these fleeting few hours we were one. We continued our trails after lunch further up the Greenway through Durrow Tunnel. It was stunning to emerge from the darkness to an oasis of flora and fauna on the other side. This is the stuff of memory! There was a moment when walking in the light again felt like being in a vacuum; all went still and quiet, nudging us to go deeper.

On we travelled along the Copper Coast where we took in the breathtaking views that matched the curious history of this mystical space. Our final stop was to the seaside town of Tramore where we enjoyed a ‘99’ to the sound of the waters lapping to the shore. Some of the foreign academics, accustomed as they are to seeking truth, were curious to know how the ‘99’ got its name. After a quick google search, we discovered that it was the name given to the elite armed forces in Italy later used in a marketing strategy of an ‘elite’ ice-cream company to denote their superior brand. Whether it was Italian or Irish, it tasted lovely!

We travelled homeward grateful for an epic day that will live long in the memory. Thank you, Waterford Camino Tours, for making this happen! It has stirred something in me.” (Gavin Murphy, Dublin)

“I will arise and go now, for always night and day,

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;

While I stand on the roadway or on the pavements grey,

I hear it in the deep heart’s core.” (W.B. Yeats,1888)

Dr. Phil Brennan and his wife Elaine are rolling out exciting new One Day Experiences for the coming season. Check out the ‘Escape to the great outdoors’ on the links attached or on www.waterfordcamino.com We can create day experiences for groups of eight or more. You arrange the group, leave the rest to us.

We’ve added boat trips or kayaking down the River Blackwater and the River Barrow to go with our range of Camino Trails. For us, it’s not about moving at pace to reach our destination. It’s the steps in between that matter most! Contact Phil and Elaine on info@waterfordcamino.com for further information. Every day can be tailored to suit you.

SEE OUR ONE DAY ‘ESCAPE TO THE GREAT OUTDOOR’ OPTIONS

Phil Brennan

Posted on April 12, 2019

Posted in Phils Blog |

Arriving at a new place – the story of our Camino

“Your life is so fluid. Everything’s always changing. The way you think it’s going to unfold is not the way it’s going to unfold. That’s the fun of the whole exercise, and the gift!”

(Robin Sharma)

It’s hard to believe that 2 years have passed since we took our first tentative steps along the road of Waterford Camino Tours. We could never have imagined the craziness of all that would follow, and now, after an eventful and sometimes scary adventure, we sense that we are arriving at where we want to be. There are no guarantees. Step by step, we’ve kept moving forward no matter how steep the gradient. Step by step, we kept learning. 2 years on, it’s good to take stock!

The hardest lessons are the ones that teach the most! We’ve had to dust ourselves down from time to time and work our way through the haze when the elements have conspired against us. The tourism world has its own unique logic that you only come to understand when you become part of it. Tour operators have been our holy grail. Some promise you everything but rarely deliver; others are more genuine. You quickly learn to distinguish between the two. Our antennae have become more finely tuned. Sometimes you’ve just got to hang in there, be guided by your gut instinct and trust the universe to look after the rest. If you gravitate towards the right people, things fall into place in ways that can surprise.

There’s something about the great outdoors that keeps you on an even keel no matter what the world throws at you. Nature offers real perspective when it’s needed most. Charting a new course can bring with it adventure and peril in equal measure. It takes time to find your bearings. There’s an ebb and flow to the world of business that you need to adjust to – one day you’re cruising effortlessly with the wind at your back, the next facing into the harshest of storms. We try to keep the pace the same regardless of the conditions. We live in Tramore and we love nothing more than to walk the sand dunes loop when the tide is out. As the waters roll to the shore with reassuring ease, we sense that all will be well. No proof, just the universe reminding us that we are not alone.

It’s so important to be true to yourself in business and in life. The world can pull you in ways that are not meant for you. We’ve learned to stay focused on our own goals and aspirations especially when tested. Others may want what you offer tailored to suit their needs, not yours. This is where judgement comes in. If you tone down what makes you you, you become something that is not you. Simple as! If you move to the rhythm of others, you lose precisely what makes you unique and end up compromising everything that is important to you. It’s hard not to sell out to the dictates of a commercial world when the spoils of trade are dangled before you. We’re happy to steer our own course.

“This one step – choosing a goal and sticking to it – changes everything.” (Scott Reed)

It is good on occasion to project beyond what’s around you and anticipate what lies further down the path. Tourism in Waterford has evolved from ‘bucket and spade’ beach tourism through the 1900s to something altogether different today. The House of Waterford Crystal and The Viking Triangle are welcome additions to the tourism landscape in the city. They will always remain signature tourist attractions for visitors to the area. But they combined are not enough to keep people here. The Waterford Greenway is a ‘game-changer’, a meandering corridor bridging the city and the county for locals and visitors alike. Places like Dungarvan, Kilmacthomas, Kilmeaden are buzzing to a new beat and it’s infectious. Just under 300,000 people were on the Waterford Greenway last year. Something new is stirring!

Waterford can become a place to stay and not just visit. We’ve all seen the  coaches pull up late afternoon to hotels along the Quay, weary passengers traipse in for evening dinner and their night’s rest, with maybe a short walk thrown in for good measure, then packed up and gone early morning to visit the Crystal or Treasures. By lunchtime the next day, they’re kissing the Blarney Stone en route to Killarney. There is so much more to our city and county that they never get to see.  Close to 600,000 foreign visitors came to Waterford last year, of the 9 million that came to Ireland. Most stayed less than a day. Therein lies the challenge.

Our city and county is perfectly positioned to become a leading “slow time” tourism destination in Northern Europe. We in Waterford Camino Tours believe that a shift is happening, a movement of sorts towards more mindful, reflective breaks, that blend the great outdoors with history and culture into one really memorable experience. What this new generation of tourist wants is ‘time-out’ to re-charge the batteries and to connect to something deeper in the universe and in themselves. Don’t get me wrong. They love their few drinks, their good food, their live music – their down time. The two are not incompatible. Visitors want to come off the beaten track, dabble their toes in the the beauty of the place, unwind and be invigorated by all that they encounter along the way. 

Waterford has what it takes to deliver this in abundance. We’ve had 364 people share in our Camino experiences last year. Most are coming back! They love the place and are in no rush to leave. What we have is marketable, sellable and sustainable. We can do green tourism here and do it with unrivalled ease – without the queues, crowds or tailbacks that visitors elsewhere have to contend with. Our county is relatively undiscovered as a tourism destination. Whilst the figures for tourists on the Wild Atlantic Way in the West of Ireland have soared in the last decade, their ‘bucket list’ attractions are reaching saturation point. Places like the Burren, the Ring of Kerry, the Cliffs of Moher simply cannot handle the coach traffic in peak summer. Over-heating there can work in our favour here.

We are on the cusp on a time of real opportunity when it comes to tourism in Waterford. To mark our 2nd anniversary in business we held a tourism summit in Waterford Treasures recently where we invited key playmakers in the tourism world around the county and beyond to articulate a new shared vision for tourism in the South East. It gave a very positive and upbeat assessment of where things could be if we pool our energies and resources together to draw more tourists to the region. From stunning coastline adventures, to mountain trails to river trips down the Blackwater Valley to mystical tours around the hallowed surrounds of Lismore Castle, we’ve got it all here on our doorstep. We just need to package it and sell it in a way that meets the standards that the visitor looks for. This is starting to happen!

“Change is the law of life. and those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.”

(J.F. Kennedy)

Imagine the current Greenway extending down the track to New Ross and then on to Rosslare over the next 10 years. Very likely! Then imagine Dunmore East Cliff Walk opening up from Portally Cove to Brownstown Head and on to Tramore in the next few years. Again, very likely. Move on to the Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark. There are plans there to connect Anne Valley in Dunhill to the Waterford Greenway at Mount Congreve in the near future. A corridor from the Waterford Greenway to Crough Woods on to the Mahon Falls brings the Comeraghs into the picture before ultimately linking up with St. Declan’s Way in Ardmore.  Put the dots together and you realise that we have the potential to roll out something that will change the face of tourism in the South East for generations to come. 

We’ve learned that to build success we need the right team of people around us. Collaboration is the name of the game and we’ve refined our product in recent months to reflect the people we want to work with and the places we want our visitors to stay in. We had over 300 of our guests stay in the Tower Hotel last year. They loved it; the welcome, the food, the new rooms, even the Manager, Seamus O’ Carroll, sitting with them over breakfast to check in on how their Camino was going. We’re branching out this year to include Faithlegg House Hotel, Woodhouse Estate, Stradbally and Whiting Bay, Ardmore. We’re also teaming up with Brian Lynch at Suirway Coaches to provide luxury coach transfers for all our tours. We take pride in our standards and we are looking forward to rolling out signature Waterford Camino experiences in the city and county in the months and years ahead.

As I write, we’ve just received confirmation of our first American group booking for May of this year. After all the hard yards, we can begin to see the pathway ahead open up before us. I guess you can only do so much. Give it your all and trust the universe to deliver the rest! Life does not always listen to your logic. Guess there is a higher order running the show.

Dr. Phil Brennan and his wife Elaine invite you to share in one of their specially tailored Caminos through Waterford County during 2019. The Waterford Camino experience blends walks/cycles, motivational talks and music. For further information, stay tuned to waterfordcamino.com or email Phil and Elaine directly at info@waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on February 26, 2019

Posted in Phils Blog |

6 Comments |

Bridge Over Troubled Water

“Learn to light a candle in the darkest moments of someone’s life.
Be the light that helps others see: it is what gives life its deepest significance.”
(Roy Bennett)

I will never forget the day. Smoke billowed from the smouldering ruins with savage intent. Screams rose from the mire shrouded in crimson ashes that fell from the sky. We looked on aghast through the lens on the bridge, silent witnesses to an atrocity that defied all reason. Something had happened on our island that would tinge the landscape for evermore. All had changed, changed utterly. From here, there could be no going back.

August 15th, 1998, Omagh will always be synonymous with the worst terrorist attack that visited Northern Ireland during the troubles. I, like so many others, watched in disbelief when the images flashed up on the screen that Saturday evening; me chasing the dream hand in a card game in our family pub, the ’64’, in Gorey and they, blood-soaked and bewildered, cradling each other beneath the haze. Nothing was said in ’64’ as the reel rolled yet an unspoken truth connected us at the rawest of levels to the grief of a people we had never met before.

On the walk home that evening, my gaze was drawn to the lengthening shadows of the trees as they bowed in quiet homage to the setting sun. I know now what I sensed then; a line had been crossed. No ideology, no cause, could justify the killing of so many women, men, children, including a mother of unborn twins, and leave the living with wounds that would never heal. 31 lives lost in an instant – for what?… Against the darkening skies, the light of the distant stars became more visible. Against the brutality of this car bomb, the stoic dignity of a people shone like a beacon to guide me home.

15 year old Claire Gallagher had arranged to meet friends in Omagh that day. Their weekly ritual of catching up on the latest gossip over coffee was interrupted by the piercing wail of sirens outside. Police were alerted to live explosives in a car near the Court House at the upper end of the town. People were urged to move to a hastily erected security cordon on the lower Main Street until the threat had passed. Hoax or not, the call had to be taken seriously. The warning was designed to mislead, to draw people to the very place where the bomb was concealed – young and old alike moved in unison to their unknown fate. An eerie silence descended upon deserted streets as Claire and her friends left the sanctuary of the café behind.

Warnings of this kind were routine in the Province that summer. It was the inconvenience, more than any impending danger, that bothered people the most. Prime time Saturday afternoon, this disruption needed to pass, and quickly, so that everyone could get on with their day. Shop assistants, day trippers, locals and visitors alike, even Spanish students visiting the town with their host families from Donegal – all corralled into this one space under the reassuring glow of the afternoon sun. Claire was standing with her friends, chatting away, oblivious to the 500 lb bomb in a small, red Vauxhall Cavalier just metres away. 3.10pm the bomb exploded. Time stood still.

2 decades on, Claire is married to Ryan Bowes and they have 2 boys, Oran and Conor, and a daughter Cara. Within months of the bomb, she was back in school completing her O level exams on the way to realising her childhood dream of becoming a piano teacher. By her early 30s, she had opened her own Music Academy in Omagh – inspiring her students with her infectious positivity and unwavering belief in each one of them. What makes Claire’s story all the more remarkable is that she has achieved all this without sight. In Claire’s world, there are no limits. No explosion would define her future. She would!

The shrapnel sprayed through the air with merciless abandon. There was no order. Some walked away; others not so lucky. Little did Claire know that from that moment on she would never see again. It could be easy for her to feel sorry for herself; to long for just one glimpse of her three beautiful kids, to miss seeing the radiant faces of the children she tutored as they played the piano scales solo for the first time, to want to revel in the colours of the fragrant flowers or her favourite dress, to need to see the face of the man she loves. I’m sure there are times she feels it. Yet, her warm smile beams knowingly at all that happens around her; her antennae finely tuned – her coordinates undimmed.

March 1999, Claire came to Waterford to accept the St. Angela’s International Peace and Justice Award. There she was, sitting alongside Phil Coulter, playing Danny Boy on a grand piano mesmerising the large gathering of students and parents. Each note floated with haunting simplicity to a place only she could see. We had become private spectators to a courage mustered from somewhere deep within. We all felt it. Not a word was spoken. We wrapped up the evening with a wee surprise for our special guest – a poignant rendering of ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ with our own Folk Group in the school joined through the airwaves on one giant screen by Claire’s classmates from their Music Room, Loreto, Omagh. Two choirs, miles apart, soared in fragile hope to signal a new dawn. A spark had been lit!

Little did we know that what started that night 20 years ago would grow into what we now have today. Claire asked me to promise the link would continue and I owed it her to do make sure it would. Within a decade, we’d be singing at her wedding. The origins of the choir are etched deeply into our sound. Together our voices and our harmonies rise as one to reveal how difference and discord can give way to something greater. Over time, the choir evolved to include members from Gorey, Dublin, Belfast, Midleton, Kilkenny and Tullow to become the Island of Ireland Peace Choir. Each of the 40 voices in the choir, each person in the choir, each harmony line, no matter how diverse, has its rightful place. Our song and our story exist side by side.

Over the past few years, we have performed throughout Ireland, most notably on the infamous steps of Northern Ireland’s Government Buildings, Stormont and in The Odyssey Arena, Belfast. We’ve had the honour of singing the anthems in the Aviva Stadium, Dublin at soccer internationals and opened the 1916 commemorations in the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin. The choir travelled to Sri Lanka in 2008 to sing in the Children’s Homes that we had raised funds for in the wake of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. We visited Messines, Belgium in 2014 to mark the 100th anniversary of the ‘Christmas Peace Truce’ and more recently did a series of concerts in Krakow in 2017 in line with our commitment to bring our message of peace to places synonymous with persecution. Yet it is the smaller events that define us as a choir. Our origins lie in Omagh, our inspiration; Claire.

Kate O’ Neill from Avondale, Waterford, now living in Perth Australia, recalls one vivid memory from her 10 years in the choir. “It was a Sunday morning in Sri Lanka and the choir had come together to sing for the locals in a Church in Matara. Looking into the crowd I couldn’t but imagine what these people had been subjected to in the 2004 Tsunami. Many lost loved ones, some who were never found. Yet this morning there was what could only be described as a calmness in the church. People smiled as we sang, and it was then I realised that the sound we created was more than just a sound; it was a message and we all felt it… 10 years on and almost 10,000 miles away from home the Peace Choir holds a special place in my heart. Not only did I make wonderful friends and memories, it has helped shape the person I am today.”

John Kelly, from Omagh, recalls enduring memories from his days in the choir. “In the years following our Sri Lanka trip, the then Waterford-Omagh Peace Choir travelled the length and breadth of Ireland, from the steps of Stormont, to Tall Ships on the River Suir, to rain soaked steps outside Waterford Crystal during Thomas Francis Meagher weekends, to community churches on the peace walls just off the Shankill Road in West Belfast. All of us who remain involved to this day often talk about the Peace Choir being a “constant” even in our busy adult lives. It’s not always easy to take the time out to drive 8 hours in one weekend, often in one day, for a workshop or a concert, but when we do, we are immediately reminded why we do just that; the harmonies click, the dynamics ebb and flow and we feel, just for those few hours, that we have “come home”. Here’s to the next 20 years…”

Carmel Doyle from Tullow, Co. Carlow reflects on the distinctive sound of the choir and what it is that makes the choir unique. “The choir sings with a soft, beautiful tone, heavenly harmonies that I really fell for when I heard them for the first time five short years ago. Our workshops and concerts give me the chance to escape, to leave behind the normal worries all of us carry. We know how to enjoy ourselves too and the time to chill and mingle is always important. We are strong in our love of the music and our commitment to the choir. I am very lucky to be among its number. Long may the choir continue to be force for good – like a symphony played by the passing parade, it’s the music of life.”

Sarah Bates captures what it is that draws her to the choir. “Edmund Rice Centre – Taizé on the first Friday of every month. The chapel is in darkness except for the light of the candles and the moon. Our voices flow from the silence in harmony, lolling ourselves and all present into a meditative state. The Peace Choir is my musical and spiritual anchor. In a world where I can get lost in the busyness of work, study, living… the peace choir provides me with monthly opportunities to get back in touch with my voice, with the music within me, and simply, to sing. It brings out the best in me. It challenges me greatly and has taught me I can face my fears, sit with my fears, and overcome my fears to sing another day. I am grateful and privileged to belong to this choir, to this community which represents hope and peace.”

Claire. Our last words reach out to you. You have brought us together. Your light shows us the way. Thank you.

“Walk on, walk on
What you got they can’t steal it
No, they can’t even feel it
Walk on, walk on
Stay safe tonight.”
(‘Walk On’, U2)

Dr. Phil Brennan is founder and musical director of the Island of Ireland Peace Choir. This March, the choir will celebrate their 20th anniversary.

Special thanks to Kate O’ Neill, John Kelly, Carmel Doyle and Sarah Bates for their contribution to this blog and to all members of the choir, present and past, for the many great memories and the amazing friendships. To Elaine, for selecting the images and photos to go with this and for being a true companion for all of us in the choir over the years. We’d like to express our deepest gratitude too to Drew and Linda Hamilton, Omagh, and to the Edmund Rice Brothers, Waterford for being with us every step of the way.

Phil and his wife Elaine invite you to share in one of their specially tailored Caminos through Waterford County during 2019. The Waterford Camino experience blends walks/cycles, motivational talks and music.

For further information, check out our website on waterfordcamino.com or email directly at info@waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on January 5, 2019

Posted in Phils Blog |

1 Comment |

Time for what matters

This time of year, we hear a lot about resolutions. Diets, treadmills, nutrition… it’s frenzied. The gyms are shaking to excess with the new recruits each January brings. We become fixated. If you’re not on the ‘bang’, somehow you feel left behind. I use the gym, place a value on personal fitness but veer towards the casual chats among my fellow Olympians than the rigours of pounding in rhythm with the cross trainer. Resolutions are good but prioritising what is of real value is more important.

It is good to take stock on occasion, to learn from what has gone before and map out internally what really matters to you. This first step – choosing a goal and sticking to it – can transform the course of what is to come. To stare into the unknown brings us face to face with our own deepest fears and insecurities. Yet it is here, when all that once defined us is gone, that we come to know ourselves. Have your compass points to guide you and do not look back. When you set realistic goals and set sail toward new horizons, you are engaging in a hugely creative act.

We in Waterford Camino Tours have been charting our course and anticipating how best to safely navigate the waters ahead. Our journey to date has been an adventure to say the least. We’ve shared the path with many great people, chosen a team we know we can work with and identified core strategies that will keep us tracking in the right direction. It’s not always easy. But the hard lessons often point us towards where we’re meant to be. The start of a new year is an ideal time to reconfigure your coordinates, narrow life down to the core essentials and let go of the rest.

We’ve come to realise that what matters most in an ever changing world is staying true to yourself. The tourism landscape is constantly evolving. It is possible to read the signs, adapt where necessary, yet remain true to your own guiding principles. You do not have to sell out to the world or compromise what really matters to you to succeed. People can pull you where you do not need to be. The inner voice is the one worth listening to. Trust your deepest instincts and then build your plans around people you know you can rely on. Doors will open in ways you least expect. You’ve got to believe!

Waterford Camino Tours is widening our reach going into 2019 and blending a series of iconic trails in Ireland into the range of options that we are offering to our visitors. Waterford will always be our base but this coming season will see us add stunning trails and cycles in Glendalough and Gougane Barra to our existing tours. Moving outside of Waterford is an exciting new departure for us. We are building slowly and carefully, step by step, and putting a value on what is of real importance to us as we go along. The formula is simple. Do things right, do them well. Slowly does it!

Waterford offers a tapestry of memorable experiences all woven into one; water cascading down the rocks from the Mahon Falls, the warm embrace of light as we leave the dimmed enchantment of the Durrow Tunnel behind on the Waterford Greenway, flowers daring to show their face across the sun-drenched headland of Dunmore East, the shimmering glow of the ocean as the sun sets on the Copper Coast… all stir something in us and connect us to the wonders of the universe in an unforgettable way.

What makes our Camino different is that we do not rush the journey. We take our time. Those who like to walk less or more can do so. It’s not about marching feverishly towards our destination. The steps in between matter! We stride to a new beat on Camino. Life can become so frantic, we can easily whiz by the smaller, often incidental, moments that make each day worth living. Stillness soothes the fretful stirrings of the mind and opens our pores to what might otherwise pass us by.

When you arrive at the Mahon Falls high up the Comeragh Mountains, you feel you’re on hallowed ground, a cathedral of stillness carved out of rock that dates back over 300 million years. It is good to slow down, soak in the vast kaleidoscope of contour and colour that opens up before us from the Falls to the sea beyond. We become miniscule spectators to something timeless in this mystical amphitheatre beneath the skies.

It is so good to be adding Glendalough to our Camino options for the coming season. It feels right. This place is a sacred space, captivating in its beauty and in its serenity. When you take the trail around the lakes, you sense you are walking in the steps of our spiritual ancestors. In the 6th Century on the lake shore, a Christian hermit named Kevin established a small monastic settlement. The ruins of this spiritual city still remain, with a magnificent round tower, a beautiful 11th Century stone church and the high cross which is over a thousand years old.

Glendalough has a mesmeric way of drawing us beyond the noise and confusions of life and easing our cadence to a gentle stroll. Peace rolls through these vales and time here lulls us almost unknowingly to somewhere deep within. This place re-charges the spirit and awakens us to something new. The universe has its own peculiar way of reminding us of what really matters. In Glendalough, the pulse slows right down and we begin to sense that we are not alone.

Gougane Barra too has its own magical allure. When you arrive, you are met with the natural beauty of the hills which tower over Gougane Barra Lake and the renowned St. Finbarr’s oratory nestled in the heart of this idyllic valley. Just behind the oratory are the remains of St. Finbarr’s monastery from the 6th Century, with beautiful old stations of the cross above the ancient prayer cells. As dawn rises to a chorus of birdsong, the sacred and the universe merge as one in perfect harmony.

During Penal Times, when public shows of devotion were forbidden, people made their way to Gougane Barra and gathered secretly around selected mass rocks that are the source of great reverence for pilgrims to this day. Walks here can vary in length and each provide a unique vantage point to survey the glen below and the great mountain wall that encloses it. We become temporary voyagers in a timeless odyssey, enveloped between what has passed and what is yet to come.

Camino trails in Waterford also connect to our rich Irish spiritual heritage. Visitors on our Camino will have time to walk a little of St. Declan’s Way, the ancient path that runs from the Rock of Cashel in Tipperary to the Cliffs of Ardmore in Waterford which dates back to the 5th Century. Along the way, ancient roads, ruined churches, monuments and follies abound, the secrets of our ancestors locked in their stones. Here on pathways trodden by millions over the centuries, pilgrims, traders, rogues, warriors and adventurers, we literally walk on the steps of those who have gone before.

Take good care of you as you blaze your own trail over the coming year. Life does not stand still. It passes quickly. Seize this moment! Venture out into new frontiers, through pathways unknown, and enjoy all that the journey reveals along the way. I’ll leave the last words to the Indian mystic Tagore; “I have spent my day’s stringing and un-stringing my instrument, while the song I came to sing remains unsung.” Dare to take that first step. Dare to sing your song!

Dr. Phil Brennan and his wife Elaine invite you to share in one of their specially tailored Caminos through Waterford County during 2019. The Waterford Camino experience blends walks/cycles, motivational talks and music. We will be adding the new Camino experiences mentioned above to our website over the coming week.

For further information, stay tuned to waterfordcamino.com or email Phil and Elaine directly at info@waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on December 19, 2018

Posted in Phils Blog |

‘Silent Night – 200 years on’

“My father played the melodeon
Outside at our gate;
There were stars in the morning east
And they danced to his music”
(‘A Christmas Childhood’, Patrick Kavanagh)

Christmas carols have the power to trigger memories buried in the archives of our past. The simplest of carols can stir something deep within. I’ve seen an elderly woman in a coma in a nursing home momentarily re-awaken and join us in song, noticed hardened men drawn to a space they thought they had left behind, viewed children transported on a musical odyssey back to the manger in Bethlehem, watched a homeless woman cradle the infant child drawing strength from within even in the bleak mid-winter.

Christmas time has its own magical allure. The lights, the gifts, the music, the myriad of sporting spectacles beamed live to our sitting rooms, the gatherings among family and friends, the scent of the turkey roasting in the oven, the frenzied shopping, the carnival atmosphere in town; all combine to create something wonderfully festive that eases us almost unknowingly through the dreariness of the Irish winter.

Beneath the layers of tinsel and chimes, lies the age-old story that gives meaning to it all. The star still shines, oft’ hidden and unnoticed, mystical, enduring, casting its unique aura across the universe, its glow only observable to the curious eye. The glimmering light draws us back to source, to where it all began.

Christmas without ‘Silent Night’ would feel incomplete. The poignant lilt of the harmonies woven through the haunting simplicity of the melody carries us on the deepest of journeys to a space within. It lingers long after the last note is sung. We awaken to the aching realisation that we are not alone… that our story is part of something timeless. In the moment, we are nudged into the mystery of it all.

The origin of ‘Silent Night’ is worth remembering. In 1818, a roving band of actors was performing in towns throughout the Austrian Alps. On December 23rd, they arrived at Oberndorf, a village near Salzburg, where they were to re-enact the story of Christ’s birth in the small Church of St. Nicholas. Given that the church organ was out of commission and would not be repaired before Christmas, the actors decided to present their version of the Christmas story in a private home.

One of audience, assistant pastor Josef Mohr, was inspired to reflect anew on the meaning of Christmas. Instead of walking straight to his house that night, Mohr took a longer way home. His fateful Camino took him up over a hill overlooking the village. He stopped to survey the peaceful, snow-drenched citadel of light below. Reveling in the majestic silence of the wintry night, Mohr gazed down at the glowing Christmas card-like scene. Time past and present froze in creative fusion. He intuitively adapted a poem he had written years previously to the play he had just seen.

Mohr enlisted the help of his friend, church organist Franz Xaver Gruber, to compose a musical setting for the poem that could sound well even without the church organ. Within hours they both sung ‘Stille Nacht’ at their Christmas Eve service before the small congregation in Oberndorf with the accompaniment of a guitar. It was beautifully understated, magical.

Christmas 1914 on the battlefields of Messines brings us face to face with the power of this simple carol. Picture the scene. Young men and boys sunk in the blemished mud of Flemish and French trenches, ears reverberating to the terrifying sounds of shells exploding before them with a deafening defiance – scarcely imaginable to spectators from afar. Germans on one side; the French, British and Irish on the other. Between them, ‘no man’s land’ littered with the spoils of war, a sordid premonition of the fate in store for up to 13,000 soldiers a day.

Yet, amidst the chaos, hope simmered fleetingly on the horizon. The German soldiers were sent Christmas trees from home and placed them above their trenches, numbing the oppressive doom that enveloped them. A strange confluence of dark and light rose from the shadowy mire. The luminous trail extended for miles, a seamless halo from afar that transfigured the wretched landscape. The soldiers were moved. They remembered their loved ones back home.

They momentarily forgot where they were. And then the German tenor sang ‘Stille Nacht’. Soldiers from both sides fearlessly opted to leave the relative sanctuary of the trenches and embraced their ‘foe’ as their own. Stories were told, cigarettes smoked, brandy consumed, even a football match was played. Once hostile voices merged as one in common humanity.

A young British soldier, Albert Moren, near La Chapelle D’Armentieres, France, recalled: “It was a beautiful moonlit night, frost on the gound, white almost everywhere; and… there was a lot of commotion in the German trenches and then there were those lights – I don’t know what they were. And then they sang ‘Stille Nacht’ – ‘Silent Night’. I shall never forget it. It was one of the highlights of my life.”

Against the bleakest of backdrops, a spark was lit and the shroud lifted. Humanity had become participants in the nativity story 1914 years on revealing the face of the infant Jesus to the world. Their song lingers on in the stillness of a darkened night. Hidden in the silhouette, their hushed murmurings can still be heard. The men of 1914 did not just remember the first Christmas; they lived out its meaning.

British historian, Piers Brendon, described the miracle of the Christmas Truce as “the most extraordinary celebration of Christmas since those notable goings-on in Bethlehem – a moment of humanity in the midst of carnage.”

I was privileged to travel to Messines in December 2014 with ‘The Island of Ireland Peace Choir’ to pay homage in song to the young men of the Christmas Truce on the 100th anniversary. It was deeply humbling to see the graves of two Irishmen side by side in one of the tiny cemeteries scattered across the furrowed fields. On one headstone: 24th of December 1914, Private Delaney; on the other, 29th of December 1914, Private Murphy. In between… the Christmas Truce. We remembered in silence and in song.

One person made a deep impression on all of us privileged to meet her. Marie -Therese’s home overlooks the site of the Christmas Truce and for the previous 80 plus years of her life has welcomed visitors with tea and cakes as a token of her appreciation of the journeys they had made. She knew the significance of all that had happened on this hallowed land not too many years before she was born and understood the need to remember. Marie-Therese beamed with delight when we sang ‘Danny Boy’ for her on a pathway alongside her home. Her smile touched us all. She radiated warmth of a precious kind. Their spirit lives on through her.

At the end of our concert that evening, we chose to give our Waterford Crystal vase to Marie-Therese, and not to the local dignitaries, much to the delight of almost everyone in the audience. We could see in her beautiful simplicity, in her resilient smile, in her resolute kindness proof of the power of human goodness to triumph even in those very situations that threaten its existence. Maybe, therein lies the message of Christmas.

Last Christmas, the ‘Island of Ireland Peace Choir’ performed this version of ‘Silent Night’ in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. Hope you enjoy it. Elaine and myself would like to wish you all a peaceful and happy Christmas and everything you hope for in 2019.

“And the light shining from that star will show you who you are
And His light, shining with its might, will lead you through your darkest night.”
(‘The Star’, Kathy Mattea)

Dr. Phil Brennan is Founder and Musical Director of the ‘Island of Ireland Peace Choir’. Phil and Elaine invite you to share in one of their specially tailored Caminos through Waterford County during 2019. The Waterford Camino experience blends walks/cycles, spiritual reflection and music.

A video of the “Island of Ireland Peace Choir” performing in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, can be found by clicking the link HERE.

For further information, check out our website on waterfordcamino.com or email directly at philbrennanjnr@googlemail.com