Phil Brennan

Posted on May 5, 2020

Posted in Phils Blog |

And we will rise up

“I have a feeling that my boat
has struck, down there in the depths,
against a great thing.
And nothing happens! Nothing…
Silence… Waves…
Nothing happens? Or has everything happened,
and we are standing now, quietly, in this new life?”
(Juan Ramon Jimenez, translated by Robert Bly)

Emails come and go from far off places reminding us that these are scary times. We were due to host a family of 10 from California for a special 6 day Camino this month. We’ve been partnering up with Lismore Castle and The Cliff House Hotel and were preparing to roll out our signature one day offerings for their visitors from this Spring. As I write, we should be welcoming our Celbridge group to share the path with us for the fourth consecutive year. The pieces were just beginning to fall into place. In an instant, everything has changed. The tourism landscape lies tinged in vacant isolation. We can but stand quietly now, trusting in the universe to help us rise again.

‘Oh great ocean, o great sea. Run to the ocean. Run to the sea’… I hear this soft lament seep into the deepest part of me every time I gaze out across the bay in Tramore. Early morning as the sun rises over the distant headland, a beautiful orange halo casts its magical glow against the stilling canvas of the seas. Silence prevails except for the mesmeric tones of the waves as they roll to shore. We feel the calm, the peace. All the noise and din of the world retreats momentarily as we become silent spectators to an ageless story played out before our eyes. The dawning of the day lifts us beyond the narrowed walls of solitude reminding us that we are not alone.

None of us saw this coming. One minute you’re cruising along, gliding the wave, with your coordinates well tracked on where you need to be. Next, you’re being buffeted about through perilous waters doing whatever it takes to navigate your way to safety. Yet, at this very moment, when we are most exposed to the elemental fury of the storm, we come to find out who we truly are. Times of trial challenge us to look deep into ourselves and draw on reserves we never knew we had. What lies within carries us when we’re tested most.

It’s amazing the things you miss when you no longer have them. This social distance lark ain’t no walk in the park! (No pun or attempt at rhyme intended!!) The primordial pull towards those we love roars with deafening silence in this hour of separation. We seek new ways of bridging the vast chasm that lies between us and those we miss. We feel the pain of those cocooned at home, that raw pang of separation that flows from them to us and back again. We can but stand and stare in numbed disbelief at the stories of many who have had to make their final journey without their family close by. We know that behind every statistic is someone that could have been our mother, father, brother, sister, best friend… me.

A moment on Claire Byrne Live this week really brought this home to me. Claire was chatting through Skype with a young Dublin woman, Yvonne Kinsella, who had been to the edge and back with Covid 19. Yvonne is now home and almost out the other side. Her story was not about herself, more about the woman in the bed next to hers whom she came to know as a great friend. In such a short time, a bond was forged between the two of them that would ripple out from their hospital ward to inspire us all.

A week before their hospital encounter, Kitty had fallen at home and cracked a few ribs. Not easy for anyone, let alone for a woman in her mid-80’s. Kitty was a battler and was intent on getting back home after a few days convalescence in hospital. All that changed when the virus struck! She was transferred to another hospital and thus began the battle for her life. In this her darkest hour, Kitty found something inside; a stoic refusal not to give up no matter how severe the pain, how crushing the sadness of not being able to see her daughter Mary and her grandchildren for one last time. She felt it real bad, yet she clung on to those very qualities that made her who she was – to the very end.

Their empathy was of a kind that made it possible for two patients struck down by Covid 19 to forget their own fears and worries and reach out to a person they barely knew in the Intensive Care wing of a hospital. Their kindness knew no borders. Between treatment and sleep, these two exhausted people still had a song to sing. They joked, they laughed, they shared Kitty’s favourite Lindt chocolate over a cuppa, they exchanged stories from each other’s families – offering a momentary reprieve from the horror of what they were both going through. Yvonne always read the signs and had Kitty’s slippers on her feet before she was ever asked. Kitty passed away within a few days of Yvonne going home. For all the words they shared, their faint whispers laid bare an unspoken truth… that love shines brightest against the darkest backdrop. Fragile notes of crimson beauty soar through broken skies to light the way for us all.

If this time does nothing more than make you think a little about what matters most to you, well maybe you can turn it into a positive. It’s never too late to retrieve the better version of ourselves. Old patterns of behavior can yield to something new. Wherever we are on the pathway of life, we need to re-claim our capacity to be kind. Check in on a loved one, facetime that person that you know could do with it, write that letter, Zoom that friend you could do with catching up with and pour yourself a glass, drop off some home baking to that elderly neighbour. It’s these things that remind us why we are here in the first place. So much of what we once placed our trust in does not matter one iota. Carpe Diem – so that the opportunity this time presents does not pass you by.

“We should not long to return, my friends.
We are being given the opportunity to stitch a new garment.
One that fits all of humanity.”
(Brene Brown)

It is good to anticipate how we can best position ourselves when we re-emerge on the other side of this virus. That we are doing in Waterford Camino Tours, quietly, assiduously, below the radar of the passer by. It will come good, but, for now, it is not what matters. We want to play our small part in spreading a little positivity and hope. Our monthly blogs and online Taizé evenings, along with our photos and images from times past and present, are our way of doing our little bit. There are people out there putting their lives at risk to protect the most vulnerable around us. In selfless ways, many are placing a real value on others not just themselves. We can all follow their lead. It’s time for the melodic notes of human kindness to merge into one powerful symphony of good. Our world needs it!

And People Stayed Home

“And people stayed home
and read books and listened
and rested and exercised
and made art and played
and learned new ways of being
and stopped
and listened deeper
someone meditated
someone prayed
someone danced
someone met their shadow
and people began to think differently
and people healed
and in the absence of people who lived in ignorant ways,
dangerous, meaningless and heartless,
even the earth began to heal
and when the danger ended
and people found each other
grieved for the dead people
and they made new choices
and dreamed of new visions
and created new ways of life
and healed the earth completely
just as they were healed themselves.”
(Kathleen O’Meara; written in 1869 after the great famine)

(Picture courtesy of Brendan Grogan)

I hope these reflections offer a little calm amid the storm and that we’ll get to share the path with you someday soon. For now, let’s stay safe and stay at home. For further information check out www.waterfordcamino.com or email Phil and Elaine directly at info@waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on April 8, 2020

Posted in Phils Blog |

A fragile hope

“If in the dusk of the twilight, dimmed be the region afar
Will not the deepening darkness, brighten the glimmering star.
Then when the night is upon us, why should the heart sink away,
When the dark midnight is over, watch for the break of day.
Whispering hope, O how welcome thy voice
making my heart in its sorrow rejoice.”
(Alice Hawthorne, 1868)

Hope often triumphs in those very situations that threaten its existence. Against the darkened backdrop a faint ray of light trickles through the skies to lighten our way. This time of great uncertainty opens up pathways previously unknown. We all have time now – in a way that never seemed possible before. We have no choice but to draw breath, anchor at the isle for a while, reboot our coordinates and trust in the stars above to guide us home.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve had to press the pause button and become accustomed to life without its frenzied motion. Not sure whether I’m slightly losing it, but my garden has suddenly become a place of wonder for me. I’m even checking the latest buds to bloom and surveying the movement of the robin before he lands on the ledge for his evening feed. I think we’ve bonded! It’s amazing how the small, miniscule, seemingly insignificant things have now taken on a new meaning. This time away from the routine can open our pores to a whole new world.

I’m very aware that there are a lot of people out there confined to the boundaries of their own home and wishing all could be as it was. It’s not easy for them or for us. We all have to keep our safe distance whilst they, in their isolation, try to make sense of it all. I’m missing the chats with my Mam over a cuppa, the reassuring few words that float both ways, the normality of it all. Over the last week, I’ve asked a few friends to send on reflections or poems that speak to them at this time, to help us navigate uncharted waters with a little hope in our hearts. Together, through the torrent, we can carry each other to the other side.

* It’s good to step outside from time to time and breathe in the clear air. We can become overwhelmed by the news briefings. Once a day is enough. It can consume you. It’s shocking too how negative and vitriolic social media can be. This can never become our new norm. Real warriors do not need keyboards! Those who have spread fun and laughter have lifted all our spirits. Human goodness too has been unleashed into the world in a way that inspires us all to think differently. There is new energy palpable now, a shift perhaps back to where we are meant to be. Let’s never tire of it!

“Life is so precious; we never know the day or the hour that it will be whipped away. So, fill your days with as much happiness as you can muster. Stay away from the drains. We all know them. They’re the people who pull the good out of everything. The ones who suck the beauty from things and change colour to black and white. Leave them fester. I think they secretly enjoy being grim. Instead, gravitate towards the light and laughter – like a moth to a flame remembering not to get your pretty wings burnt. You’ll like it better there I promise. Farewell and thank you. I am taking a bow. Until we meet again, may all that is good and decent be yours.”
(Emma Hannigan, ‘Letters to my daughters’)

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the person who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory or defeat.”
(Theodore Roosevelt, April 23rd, 1910, Sorbonne, Paris)

* It’s good to create your own ‘still zone’, somewhere you can find your own peace regardless of what is happening around you. Music can help, silence too but nature often tunes us to this new frequency better than anything. Times of trial can open our eyes to what really matters. We begin to see more clearly.

“Whenever problems seem to get the better of me, whenever I feel them closing in on me, I go to a quiet place that lies somewhere in my soul. I do not reason, analyse or think. Those will come later. I simply go.
From this place of silence, I garner strength and inspiration to stand firm in the face of fire, to be calm in the midst of thunder.
When I emerge, the world has not changed, but I have. And in changing, a whole new world is born.”
(John Harricharan)

“In a world vibrating with action
We have come here to be still.
In a world of tight schedules and deadlines
We have come to absorb the present.
In a world of limits and frustrations
We have come to the brink of eternity.
At the still point of our churning world
We wait to meet the unchanging God and know his peace.”
(Iona Community)

* This is a good time to reconfigure your bearings in life before you ‘kick on’ to your true course, your ‘higher purpose’. Remember, the purpose of life is a life of purpose. 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.

“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)

“For what it’s worth, it is never too late, or in my case, too early to be whatever you want to be. There’s no time limit. Stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.”
(Eric Roth ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’)

“I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made mistakes along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger; for my long walk has not yet ended.”
(Nelson Mandela)

* Where there is peace and love, there is God also. Regardless of where you are on your own spiritual journey, there will be times in your life when you sense that you are not alone, that someone, somewhere is carrying you. There is a life force at play in the world beyond what the mind alone can fully comprehend. There are many rivers to the sea. The wider ocean awaits those who dare take the voyage.

“The man whispered, ‘God, speak to me.’ And a meadowlark sang. But, the man did not hear. So the man yelled, ‘God speak to me’ and the thunder rolled across the sky. But, the man did not listen. The man looked around and said, ‘God let me see you’ and a star shined brightly. But, the man did not see. And the man shouted, ‘God show me a miracle’ and a life was born but the Man did not notice. So the man cried out in despair, ‘Touch me God’, and let me know you’re here” whereupon God reached down and touch the man.
But the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on.”
(Steve Farmer)

“You are always calling us to follow you into the future,
inviting us to new ventures, new challenges, new ways to care,
new ways to touch the hearts of all.
When we are fearful of the unknown, give us courage.
When we worry that we are not up to the task, remind us that you would not call us
if you did not believe in us.
When we get tired, or feel disappointed with the way things are going, remind us that
you can bring change and hope out of the most difficult situations.”
(The lona Community)

* Hope will endure even when all around seems bleak. The cross can yield to the fragile hope of the empty tomb. Václav Havel, the former president of the Czech Republic, said that hope is not dependant on some particular view of the world, but is something we carry within us. Hope, he maintains, is not the same as optimism nor the conviction that all will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense regardless of how it turns out. It is an ability to work for something because it is good. He says hope ‘gives us the strength to live continually to try new things even in conditions that seem hopeless.’

May you see God’s light on the path ahead,
When the road is dark,
May you always hear, even in the hour of sorrow,
The gentle singing of the lark,
When times are hard, may hardness never turn your heart to stone,
May you always remember, when the shadows fall,
You do not walk alone.

May God give you…
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial,
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.
(Old Irish Blessing)

I hope these reflections offer a little calm amid the storm and that we’ll get to share the path with you someday soon. Thanks to all who shared their favourites. For now, let’s stay safe and stay at home secure in the knowledge that this too shall pass.

For further information check out www.waterfordcamino.com or email Phil and Elaine directly at info@waterfordcamino.com

We are delighted that our friends and colleagues from Journeying, in the UK, through Iain Tweedale, will also be joining us live for our Taizé Vigil, on Friday 10th April at 8pm. You can connect via our Waterford Camino Tours Facebook page or Journeying’s Facebook page

Phil Brennan

Posted on March 20, 2020

Posted in Phils Blog |

Calm in the storm

All has changed, changed utterly. You can sing it! We never saw this coming. It’s as though the world as we knew it has been suspended in time. What started out in a far away land has morphed into something that knows no borders. Amid the haze of the unknown, our coordinates have become blurred. Alone we stand yet together we await. As a collective, we are staring in the face a challenge like no other. You, me, all of us. We are in this together. It is a time that will define us as a people; each one of us as a person.

It’s hard to know where to turn for reassurance. Uncertainty breeds fear and hysteria in equal measure. The surreal has become the new normal – Covid 19, social distancing, self-isolation… I can hear Dougal whispering from a bygone time “Isn’t it mad Ted”. Now more than ever we need to heed the warnings and minimise all social engagement. We cannot be casual on this; there is too much at stake. We know the ‘surge’ is coming – we’re just not quite sure how long it will last and how we’ll all be when it has departed our shores. This is the hour when we will be tested most. Time now to re-claim what is best in us to see us through.

Waterford Camino Tours, like so many small businesses, has been hit hard by Covid 19. Things were evolving and growing just as you would want and our first 6 Day Camino with guests from Wales, Switzerland, Australia, Canada and North America was due to commence this coming Sunday. In an instant, everything has come to a shuddering halt. We’ve had to postpone or cancel 15 group bookings for the year ahead, we’ve put on hold exciting new partnerships in the tourism arena and we’ve had no choice but to bunker down in the hope that we’re still standing when the storm has passed. It’s not easy. There are no guarantees we’ll come out the other side with our business intact. But you know what, perspective is everything. We won’t go hungry. Our priority is to make sure that the people who have made us who we are get to share the next leg of our adventure with us. We will draw on every fibre of our being to get through this. Like you, we too will rise again.

All of us have known times in our lives when the going was tough. Never as a nation can we remember arriving at this same point together. I can recall a particularly difficult time in my life with a clarity now 18 years on as if it was yesterday. It’s funny, times of adversity leave imprints that last a lifetime. We quickly learn to draw on reserves we never knew we had. We begin to see more clearly, this time with zero tolerance for the superficial and the fake. Lessons learned the hard way tend to stay with us long after the experience has passed. Songs from the soul linger into the night to guide us on our way.

Be strong. Now is not the time to lament what we can no longer do. None of us can afford the luxury of feeling sorry for ourselves. Self-pity breathes inertia. We tend to gravitate to routine and lose that ‘creative spark’ that’s vital to our spirit. Now more than ever, find something to give your day a sense of purpose. Start as you mean to continue. Discipline yourself with a schedule. There’s a book waiting to be read, even written, a story to be told, a song to be composed or sung, an instrument to be played, a painting to be unveiled to the world. Seize the opportunity this moment presents.

Search for the positive. An over-reliance on social media will numb your mind and only add to the worry. Break free from the slipstream of others and dare to be yourself. In a world of conflicting sounds, tune into the ‘inner voice’. It’s the one that guides you on your true course. Ignore the harbingers of doom. I think they secretly enjoy being grim. Daily bulletins are important, good informed sources are vital but watch for the glimmer of light before it breaks through and bring the thrill of this discovery to others. What we are experiencing now, frightening and all as it is, will pass. As I write, China and South Korea seem to be coming out the other side of the tempest. Trust in the ingenuity of humanity to find the right vaccine. The experts will crack this. Hope can rise against the bleakest of backdrops. What is good will endure.

Find your own ‘still zone’. The great outdoors have a way of soothing the tempest of the mind. I love my sport on TV. Normally, as Spring approaches, I’d be glued to the Masters from Augusta, or to the last few games in the Premier League, or to Aintree, roaring home my fancy if he’s made it beyond Beecher’s Brook for the second time. Sport on TV has always been our one constant. One press of the remote and we’re there, following each move as if our lives depended on it. Strange as it may sound, the auburn glow of the setting sun as it slips below the headland in Tramore seems all that bit more real and reassuring for me right now. Solitude in a frenzied world tunes us to something deeper and reminds us that we are not alone.

Have your favourite walks, your quiet seat by the river or the sea, your woodland trail or cliff path. Keep a safe distance from people you meet along the way. Your garden too can become your sanctuary especially if you’ve been asked to ‘cocoon’ at home for a few weeks. Soon the sun will shine, flowers will bloom, birds will chirp – all in ways you may not have noticed before. Our summer rituals may need to take on a new complexion. Time to be innovative and try out new trails off the beaten track. Pack your picnic, make an occasion of it. Once you set out, you will want to come back for more.

Gravitate towards the right people. It’s in times of trial that you see your true friends for who they are. I’ve been reminded of this in recent weeks. It’s hard sometimes to escape the clutches of those who drain the energy from you,even to the point of doubting yourself and your true worth. Now is the time to ‘detox’ from the negative. Let them go and leave room for those who matter most to come in. Being true to you is the source of your liberation. So if there’s anything burdening you from your past, reconcile yourself with it before you let go of it, not to prove yourself to others, but to be at peace within yourself.

Great friends are priceless. Be there for them as they have been there for you. ‘Facetime’ bridges the divide between people in this time of social isolation. It’s good to keep the link with friends near and far, to listen, to share stories, to laugh, to cry, to sing, to pray… whatever it takes to see us through. A call, a text, an email, a letter can lift someone way beyond words.

It’s time now to re-connect – to the universe and to our better selves – then find ways to align both so that we come out of this all the more grounded for our experience. We need to think differently about our world and our place in it so that the legacy we leave behind is rooted in kindness. This above all else matters. In our darkest hour, good is bursting through like never before. Medical teams on the frontline exude bravery and selfless abandon in their quest to save lives,strangers nod in unspoken solidarity as they pass by, neighbours make sure that the elderly in their midst want for nothing, music is echoing from balconies and gardens across the globe in a spontaneous overflow of love that we havn’t seen before. All of us have a role to play. There’s a life force at play here that will see us through. We have strayed from source. Maybe it’s time to return.

Slow me down

“Ease the pounding of my heart
By the quieting of my mind.
Steady my hurried pace
With a vision of the eternal reach of time.

Give me amidst the confusion of my day
The calmness of the everlasting hills.
Break the tensions of my nerves and muscles
With the soothing music of the singing streams

Teach me the art of taking minute vacations
Of slowing down to look at a flower
To chat with a friend, to pat a dog
To read a few lines from a book.

Remind me each day of the fable of the hare and the tortoise
That I may know that the race is not always to be swift
That there is more to life
Than measuring speed.

Let me look upward
Into the branches of the towering oak
And know that it grew great and strong
Because it grew steady and well.

Slow me down Lord
And inspire me to send my roots
Deep into the soil
Of life’s enduring values
That I may grow towards the stars
Of my enduring destiny.”

Excerpts from ‘Slow me down’ (Sandra Wylie, sourced by Mossie and Helen Scanlon, Dingle)

************************************************************************

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 February 11, 2020

Posted in Phils Blog |

In a world where you can be anything be kind

“We should remind ourselves that we are not saviors. We are simply a tiny sign among thousands that love is possible… I am struck by how sharing our weaknesses and difficulties is more nourishing to others than sharing our qualities and successes.” 

Walking the long way home can help us find perspective and frees us from the clutches of all the world can throw at us. It’s hard to go through life unscathed. Sometimes you just need to draw breath and take a ‘time-out’ to help you make sense of it all. People can let you down when you least expect. On the Camino of life, the elements can conspire to ridicule you and lash torment on you making the journey home all the more testing. The way appears blurred and our own coordinates become dimmed. A voice cries out in the wilderness reminding us that we are not alone.

The key to life is to keep your head regardless of what is happening around you. Composure in the face of adversity is hard earned. You nearly have to go through the storm to come out the other side. I remember at one time in my life when things were particularly scary, staring out the window in search of a sign to help me move beyond my deepest fears. I could see a small bird on a ledge not too far from my humble abode surveying its surrounds before it took flight. 4am, as a faint hue of light creeped slowly across the shaded canvas above, there we were just me and this bird.

I began to visualise the bird leaving the sanctuary of its lofty perch, its fragile wings yielding to the vagaries of the wind as it soared through the skies. At that moment, it felt so real. A once captive creature was free once again to re-claim its place in the universe. The reverie lingered and lulled me back to sleep. When I awoke, the bird was still there. It had stayed exactly where it was. As if aware of my curiosity from afar, the bird nodded gracefully before descending at pace into the darkened space below. Minutes later, it reappeared, and rose steadily to embrace the freedom beyond the narrowed walls it had left behind. This dive into the underworld took me by surprise. It gave me hope when I needed it most. I too would rise but not without first navigating my way through the depths.

A small, miniscule creature had unearthed something in me I never knew existed. Its mystery echoed deep within and appeased the simmering pain of a broken man. Light seeped through the once dimmed skies opening up horizons previously unseen. A fragile hope stirred in my veins. Nature had reached me in a way that the world at that time could not. It was strangely liberating!

“When the light around you lessens and your world is a cloud of darkness, steady yourself and see that it is your own thinking that darkens your world. Search and you will find a diamond thought of light. All you need is one spark to nourish the flame and take away the fear.” (John O’ Donoghue)

We’ve all had moments in life when we’ve been tossed about by forces we have very little control over. Yes, fate and misfortune can deal a savage hand at times that makes you wonder. We question a life force that seems to stand idly by in blind indifference to our plight. Life is a mystery that can bestow moments of great happiness and tragedy in equal measure. I’m always intrigued by people who somehow find hope when all around seems bleak. To be circumspect in times of great suffering takes real character. It’s as though these people can step outside the immediacy of their own pain, no matter how crushing, and allow their brokenness to become a gateway to truth. Etty Hillesum, a Dutch Jewish woman who died in Auschwitz wrote in her book ‘An Interrupted Life: The Diaries, 1941-1943’,

“I no longer shut myself away in my room, God. I try to look things straight in the face, even the worst crimes, and to discover the small naked human being amidst the monstrous wreckage caused by man’s senseless deeds…After this war two torrents will be unleashed on the world: a torrent of loving kindness and a torrent of hatred. I know that I should struggle against hatred.”

Etty’s voice rises from the mire challenging us to heed her cry. Listen carefully and her soft lament can still be heard. Against the savagery of the camps, her stoic courage shines like a beacon to inspire us all. At a time when we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of the Holocaust, it is good to remind ourselves that there comes a time in all our lives when we have to decide between hate and kindness. There’s a world of difference between people who genuinely care about others and those who cannot see beyond their own vested interest. Your life is very much determined by your outlook. Choose the right people to have around you. Let the others go. Simple as! To quote Auschwitz survivor Viktor Frankl,

“They could torture me but could not take away my power to choose… Everything can be taken away except ONE – to choose one’s attitude, one’s own way.”

Ultimately, you and you alone can shape the course of what is to come. Believe in yourself even when storm clouds gather and the way is not so clear. Strive to be the best version of you, complete with all your strengths and limitations. For always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. The peace we seek along the way doesn’t come from superiority and might. It flows from the deepest, most vulnerable part of our being, that unmistakable core within that makes us unique. So do not be denied your rightful place in the universe.

“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)

In his book ‘Live While You Can’, Fr Tony Coote reflects on how he felt in the immediate aftermath of being with diagnosed with MND. He returned home to the relative sanctuary of his sitting room, and, somewhat numbed by the news he had just received, watched kids at play as it snowed outside. Their laughter was all the more striking against the backdrop of his inner turmoil. In this, his darkest hour, Tony unravelled the layers of mystery and arrived at a key truth. When you’re stripped of everything, you have to find something.

“I don’t know how long I spent praying but eventually those sounds of laughter and screams of delight penetrated my consciousness and stirred in me a strong desire that I have still not lost – the desire to live, no matter what the illness will bring.”

Tony lived out his final days as he’d lived his life in quiet obedience to the life force that sent him into this world. He had every reason to give up, to become embittered, to hide away. His firesome crusade to raise awareness and funds for Motor Neuron research culminated with the epic ‘Walk While You Can’ odyssey from Donegal to West Cork, a feat rendered all the more amazing given his deteriorating condition at the time. His legacy ripples out beyond the €800,000 raised over those few days. Anyone who knew Tony speaks of his boundless compassion and unwavering belief in all that is good. His song echoes out into the universe long after the last note was sung.

“I realise now that I have been able to transform some of the more difficult times of my early life into a positive way of living… I’ve always looked at situations and seen a way to accomplish what I wanted to do; therefore my earlier life and sometimes sad events have not the final word. Rather they are the means through which I have learned that I always had a choice – either to allow what others had done to me to crush me, or to decide that they would not determine how my life would be, that only I would do that.” (Tony Coote)

When you show vulnerability, you give others permission to do the same. Vulnerability is not weakness; it is our most accurate measurement of courage. This truth once discovered changes everything. Your hour of uncertainty creates an opening for the light to shine through. The storm clouds part and the landscape, though somewhat tinged by pain, glows with a hue you may have never noticed before. No bird soars too high if she soars with her own wings, no matter how broken they may be.

We have recently updated our website to reflect our new range of Waterford Camino options for 2020. Hope we get to share the path with you in the months ahead. For further information check out www.waterfordcamino.com or email Phil and Elaine directly at info@waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on January 15, 2020

Posted in Phils Blog |

A new dawn – a new way

Some days, you just wish you could wipe the slate clean and start afresh. There’s something about a New Year that makes us want to re-boot and get our lives back on track. Light lingers that bit longer with each passing day nudging us to take that first step down a path we may not have travelled before. Something stirs us to seek out new frontiers, to dare to take that leap into the unknown. What awaits, only you can discover. That first step starts with you!

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” (Lao Tzu)

Time out off the beaten track leads to places you could never have imagined. It’s strangely liberating to leave the mobile on silent and simply abandon ourselves to the power of the universe. The Waterford Greenway invites us to do just that. 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. Our coordinates, once dimmed, become more focused. What has gone before yields to the opportunities this moment presents. It’s like we learn to see again, this time more clearly.

Early morning by the River Suir lulls us gently beyond the fretful stir of the city. Nature’s soothing balm seeps through the pores, unannounced, as swallows soar homeward in telepathic waves above the river’s flow. If you don’t slow down, stop even, you’ll miss it. So graceful, so disarming, challenging us to step outside what once defined us and attune our lives to a new frequency. Here, by the water’s edge, we come face to face with the mystery of it all. Stillness quietens the tempest of the mind and offers safe sanctuary from the passing storm.

“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’s good to go outdoors, to re-charge the batteries, to feel the freedom. Once we venture beyond our normal boundaries, we leave the world as we know it behind. Psychologists call this a state of ‘flow’ where you are in a state of concentration or complete absorption with the activity at hand for its own sake, leading to great engagement and fulfilment as the normal concerns of self and time are forgotten. You become so engaged with your surroundings, you hardly notice your movement. The rhythm takes over, that subliminal part of our being that roots us in the universe. Light breaks through in ways once unseen. You sense you are not alone.

“The man whispered, “God, speak to me” and a meadowlark sang.
But, the man did not hear.
So, the man yelled, “God speak to me” and the thunder rolled across the sky.
But, the man did not listen.
The man looked around and said, “God let me see you” and a star shone brightly.
But, the man did not see.
And the man shouted, “God show me a miracle” and a life was born.
But, the man did not notice.
So the man cried out in despair, “Touch me God”, and let me know you’re
here” whereupon God reached down and touched the man.
But the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on.”
(Author unknown)

The veil lifts and our tempo quickens again in anticipation of what lies ahead. There’s no need for fancy temples or ornate rituals to navigate the unknown. As you walk out to the Mahon Falls in the heart of the Comeragh Mountains, you instinctively know that you are part of something greater than yourself; sheep, mountains, rocky hillsides, rolling waters – all chiselled from the same creative hand. Widen the lens a little and you see all the parts converge in one timeless kaleidoscope of vista and colour millions of years in the making. Everything is different, yet everything has its place. The waters roll from source above to the ocean below in unspoken obedience to the life force that makes it all possible. The mystical is oft’ closer than we realise.

Here by this amphitheatre of rock beneath the skies, the story of the universe is laid bare before us. The sun gleams from afar some 93 million miles away paying homage to our microscopic presence within a wider stratosphere of galaxies light years from where we stand and stare. Yet the world in its miniature, barest form has a significance too far beyond what the eye can see. The grazing of the sheep, the secluded sanctuary of the woods, the flowers and fruits, the tranquil tones of the river’s flow, birds singing, tiny insects, us; an eclectic overflow of creative energy that has been there since time began. And to think that it all started with some 13.8 billion years ago.

“Whenever I begin to question whether God exists, I look up to the sky and surely there, right there, between the sun and the moon, stands my grandmother, singing a long meter hymn, a song somewhere between a moan and a lullabye and I know faith is the evidence of things unseen.” (Maya Angelou)

Hold onto your dreams and hopes for the year ahead with a very loose grip. Once you take that first step, abandon the illusion of control. Do your best. Let life do the rest. Learn more, laugh more and seize on the opportunities that each new day presents. Often the universe will speak to you in ways you least expect. We are a tiny yet significant melodic movement in a wider symphony. We soon come to know that the key to life is to make time for others we pass along the way. It is then the pieces fall into place. Trust yourself as you venture off the beaten track and trust in the universe to lead you home.

“We think that we are more intelligent than the universe. This universe that created the sunsets and the rainbows. This universe that created the stars and the moon. We think that we know more about what’s in our best interests than the source that created all that exists…Life does not listen to your logic. It goes on its own way. The way you think it’s going to unfold is not the way it’s going to unfold. There’s a higher order running the show.” (Robin Sharma)

We have recently updated our website to reflect our new range of Waterford Camino options for 2020. Hope we get to share the path with you in the months ahead. For further information check out www.waterfordcamino.com or email Phil and Elaine directly at info@waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on December 18, 2019

Posted in Phils Blog |

‘Silent Night’ – echoes from afar.

“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 ground, 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.” Echoes from afar gently soared through grey skies.

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.

“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)

Over the past 5 years, the Island of Ireland Peace Choir have taken the story of the Christmas Truce home and have remembered the story in song in Christ Church, Dublin, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin and more recently in the Sacred Heart Church, Waterford. Something timeless spilled out onto the battlefield that silent night that must never be forgotten. Sleep in heavenly peace.

A video of the “Island of Ireland Peace Choir” performing in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, can be found by CLICKING THE VIDEO LINK BELOW. 

Elaine and I would like to wish you all a peaceful and happy Christmas and everything you wish for in 2020.

For further information on our unique Caminos experiences that we’re rolling out in 2020, check out our website on waterfordcamino.com or email directly at info@waterfordcamino.com

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.