Phil Brennan

Posted on June 5, 2023

Posted in Phils Blog |

Dunmore East on a Summer’s Day – our one-day Camino

Every person needs to take one day away. A day when 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)

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 connects us to something deeper that might otherwise pass us by. Dunmore East has a mesmeric way of slowing the pulse right down. We walk in the steps of those who passed this way before – time for us to leave our footprints in the land.

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… it feels so good!

Bless to us,
The earth beneath our feet.
Bless to us,
The path whereon we go.
Bless to us,
The people whom we meet.

You see it’s the unscripted moments that 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. Our Peace Choir joined us in Dunmore East last weekend. It was great to spend time among friends on this stunning coastal path. Along the way, we met a local man, John Aylward, who stopped to chat awhile and regale us with stories of this space by the sea he had come to love so well. In the field beside us, he pointed out a Mass Rock that people once gathered around during Penal Times. We chatted away for a few minutes, John as curious about our group and where we’d come from as we were of him. We sang a wee song for him – there was something in the time we shared that deserved to be honoured. Sometimes music speaks where words fail!

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.

Peace of the ebbing tide to you,
Peace of the finest ground to you,
Peace of the gently setting sun to you,
Peace of the smiling, rising moon to you.
Peace of the night sky to you,
Peace of the morning’s hope to you.
The peace of all peace be to you,
This day, this night, and evermore.
(Gaelic traditional – Peace Prayer)

We are rolling out our Camino Day in Dunmore East over the summer months for groups of 8 or more at €100 per person, to include transfer from the carpark in Dunmore East to our starting point at Ballymacaw Cove, fresh fish and chips from ‘East Pier’ Dunmore East, boat trip with refreshments, and mindful moments led by Phil and Elaine. You gather the group and leave the rest to us. Feel free to contact us directly by email to check available dates for our Camino Day in Dunmore East on info@waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on May 5, 2023

Posted in Phils Blog |

Our Camino of Hope – to the sea and back

We had been tracking the weather all week. We knew on this day of all days we needed the sun to shine. We had invited Ukrainians living in Waterford to join us in the seaside village of Ardmore for a special ‘Camino of Hope’ in the steps of St Declan who walked this very cliff path some 1,500 years ago. 10am and the sun breaks out on cue as we gathered by the sea. Buses and cars arrived from Lismore, Cappoquin, Dungarvan and Waterford city as 125 Ukrainians of all ages descended on this beautiful outpost not quite sure what to expect from the day ahead. Gentle smiles radiated from trusting faces. Waves rolled to shore as if to assure us that all would be well.

Ardmore on a sunny morning is an amphitheatre of beauty. The receding tide left space for all to gather on the beach. We lingered awhile listening to the ebb and flow of the tide as footprints dissolved with quiet abandon into to the strands of time from whence they came. Children played as mothers stared out beyond the horizon to somewhere only they knew. Out at sea, the local fisherman and his dog checked in on the lobster pots as we watched on from the shore. So many solitary lives gathered on a faraway beach, suspended in one timeless moment, free from the noise and confusion they had left behind.

We’ve walked this same path with many over the years. This day lingered that bit longer into the night. There was something about these people. They laughed, they chatted, they sang, they joked… not in denial of all that is happening in their homeland but in the unspoken belief that one day they would return home again. Their hope is of a kind you cannot crush. You can see it in their eyes. Their focus is on their children, on giving them every chance – on helping them to keep their dreams alive no matter what. They’ve distilled life down to the essence. Family matters, people matter – being there for others matters.

The 6 hours we had together passed so quickly. None of us were in a rush for this Camino to end. We navigated our way from beach to cliff path by the Round Tower on our looped walk right back to where we started. Our team of volunteers made sure we all arrived back safely. Jeannie, our service dog, was the star attraction. She led the way. I had planned a few reflective ‘compass points’ but soon abandoned notes and went with the flow of all that was happening around me. It’s the unscripted moments you could never plan for that made the day so memorable. Just a few thoughts that struck me on my way home…

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. Take that looped walk along the shoreline wherever it may be. Here by the water’s edge, you connect to stillness, to peace.

A visit to the dimmed enchantment of an old monastic ruins on a hill has the power to draw us deeper into the vast expanse of mystery that surrounds us. The spirit of Declan is never too far away. It was to this hermitage above the bay he moved to find solace in his latter days. Listen carefully and you hear the chimed bells of ancient times by the lonely cell above the sea. There is healing in the waters for all who still seek. 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. Pick up a stone as we did. Make it your wish then cast it to the sea. The ebb and flow of the sea bears witness to the rhythm of the universe. It pays to trust the life force that makes all this possible.

In difficult times, never give up. There are moments in life when the elements turn against you in ways you could have never foreseen. Out of nowhere, a deluge descends leaving you exposed to the ravages of the elements. It can be a scary place to be. We can stumble along the way, we make mistakes, we overrule our better judgement, we invest our energy in people who are nowhere to be seen when we need them most. We become participants in a drama that takes on a life of its own.

It’s then you have to see your own value. Keep that spark lit especially when you are tested most. There is a part of you that no one can take from you. Honour that voice within. Allow it to shape the course of what is to come. No less than the trees and the stars, you have a right to be here. Do not allow the tough times crush you. Shape your destiny as only you can. Starting today, learn more, laugh more and do what you truly love to do. Do not be denied your destiny. For what lies behind you and what lies in front of you matters little when compared to what lies in you.

Choose the path you follow with care. Give the main aim of your life over to whatever it is that helps you to tap into 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. Ultimately, you and you alone can shape the course of what is to come. Real happiness is not earned cheaply. It comes from giving of yourself to others not for reward but in the knowledge that kindness is everything in life. It is all that matters.

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. Stay true to you no matter what the world might tell you. Remember the purpose of life is a life of purpose. Invest your energy wisely lest this time pass you by…

When all the walking was done, we enjoyed our lunch by the beach from where we started. It was a case of the loaves and the fishes only this time round the sandwiches and the goujons. The Ukrainian cakes prepared by the Waterford contingent went down a treat. Miraculously, there was enough for everyone. Swallows passed in telepathic streams through crimson rays as if to pay homage to the unbroken spirit of those below. The universe reaches out in ways we least expect. Our ‘Camino of Hope’ had come full circle.

We were humbled to spend time with people we’ve come to know as friends. Their appreciation for all who had made the day possible was of a kind that I have rarely seen before. They thanked us with their smiles, with their hugs and with the warmth of their goodbyes. We knew we would meet again. Many spoke of the peace they felt along the way – a little respite on a difficult road. These people have known journeys in recent times we can only imagine. Our paths crossed and we are the better for it.

It’s the circle of life and it moves us all
Through despair and hope, through faith and love
Til we find our place on the path unwinding
In the circle, the circle of life.

***Special thanks to Catherine Power and Waterford Area Partnership for their help in funding our ‘Camino of Hope’ and to Mary Kearney of Waterford County Council for helping us to rally so many to share the path with us.

Dr Phil and Elaine are looking forward to rolling out our Celtic Ways Series in 2023 aimed at connecting iconic pilgrim walks and trails in Southern Ireland with the Way of St David along the Welsh coastline. Our May, June and September St Declan’s Way are now fully booked with places available for July (16th to 21st) and August (20th to 25th). Our next St David’s Way is in September (25th to 29th). Our Camino tour offerings include coach transfers, ferry crossing, accommodation, guest guides, packed lunches, evening meals, pilgrim passports, memorable cultural experiences. We tailor everything to suit you. For further information, check out www.waterfordcamino.com or email Phil and Elaine directly on info@waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on March 24, 2023

Posted in Phils Blog |

A chance encounter with a gentle prophet

It’s the unscripted encounters we never see coming that can inspire us on our journey. One brief moment in the vast expanse of time is all it takes to elevate us to a space we may not have known before. We can never quite see what awaits around each new bend until we make the turn. Celestial light rises through broken rays along a shaded path. Faint strains descend from afar as if to guide us on our way. Sometimes we just need that gentle nudge to where we need to be on the Camino of life. We cannot always do it on our own.

The hermit Pelayo could see the magic in the ordinary as he took those first steps towards the burial place of St. James over 1,000 years ago. Just one solitary man drawn to a holy shrine that awaited his discovery. Telepathic waves of light and sound pierced through veiled skies to lead him to the sacred vault. And so began the first pilgrim journey to Santiago. Visionaries, prophets, poets and hermits alike, speak of this same mystical life force there to guide us all on our way. Stillness is the gateway to this deeper realm. The key we need to enter lies within.

The pathway we are destined for is shaped as we walk. The pace we move at can often leave us with little time to pause, breathe and recalibrate. And so the patterns we slip into as we pursue our elusive goals soon take hold and we can easily lose sight of the small things that make life worth living. The people by our side often see it before we do. Sometimes, the universe lets us know that there’s more to our journey than the narrowed spheres we walk through. Unexpected encounters of a loving kind have the power to lead us to a new place. It is then we solitary pilgrims realise we are not alone.

Picture the scene; Elaine and I waiting in the car outside the Arrivals Terminal in Dublin Airport to collect the guest speaker for a pilgrim tourism gathering in Enniscorthy. Our plan was to leave the airport by 9.30pm and have him nicely ensconced in the Riverside Park Hotel just after 11pm in time for a good night’s sleep before his keynote address at the ‘Symposium’ to launch the Wexford-Pembrokeshire Pilgrim Way the next morning. Our mystery guest, known to us as Satish, emailed to say his flight from Bristol was delayed. We braced ourselves for the wait on this cold, frosty evening happy to rest and chat after a busy week. The hours ticked by with interminable ease. We’d no choice but to sit still and wait. 1.15am the plane lands.

Satish was not as young as we expected. He smiled as he made his way into Arrivals; this small, diminutive figure whose steady steps spoke of a man who knew how to navigate his way in the world. Just himself, a folder and a small bag. This 86 year old had learned to travel light. We made our way to Enniscorthy captivated as much by his presence as by his story. The journey down the N11 was punctuated by tales from exotic lands until his eyes grew weary and he nodded off to sleep. We knew we were the privileged ones. This man had a mystique and kindness that lingered long into the night. He was refreshed and raring to go when we met him the next morning. We’d soon discover this resilience had been years in the making.

Peace-pilgrim, life-long activist and former monk, Satish Kumar has been inspiring global change for over 50 years. Aged 9, Satish renounced the world and became a wandering Jain monk. Inspired by Gandhi, he decided at 18 that he could achieve more back in the world, campaigning to turn Gandhi’s vision of a peaceful future into reality. Satish soon discovered that happiness is possible only when we are kind to others and contented within. The force and the strength for peace will come from people. And that will happen when people start to realize that all the diversity and differences we see of nationalities, of religions, of cultures, of languages, are all beautiful diversities, for they are only on the surface. And deep down we share the same humanity, the global humanity.

In his early 20s, Satish was inspired by the British peace activist, Bertrand Russell, who was arrested aged 89 at an anti-nuclear demonstration. This prompted Satish’s peace pilgrimage from India to Moscow, London, Paris, and America. Walking with no money and depending on the kindness and hospitality of strangers, Satish delivered a humble packet of ‘peace tea’ to the leaders of the four capitals of the nuclear world. Now in his 80s, he has devoted his life to campaigning for ecological regeneration, social justice, and spiritual fulfilment. 8 thousand miles over 2.5 years… this is a man with a story to tell. He spoke with such nonchalant ease, you knew his story and his message were one. I’ve rarely seen anyone command the room so effortlessly. He stirred something in us all!

Satish found his higher purpose from an early age. His simple song urges us to find ours. His gentle steps reflect his reverence for the land beneath his feet. This kind, humble man has a strength of conviction that belies his placid demeanour. His simple, unadorned truth ripples outwards from a deep place. Something intangible hovered in the room, a fleeting yet timeless brush with the divine, as his message of love was laid bare before our eyes. The prophet spoke in quiet hushed tones and led us to a new place. I took a few notes from my time with Satish, merging my own insights with his, to guide me on my journey. Deep down, Elaine and I both knew his wisdom would stay with us long after we parted at the airport the next day…

Do not rush the journey. Make time for the mystery and the magic in all you pass along the way.

Sometimes I come across a tree which seems like Buddha or Jesus: loving, compassionate, still, unambitious, enlightened, in eternal meditation, giving pleasure to a pilgrim, shade to a cow, berries to a bird, beauty to its surroundings, health to its neighbours, branches for the fire, leaves for the soil, asking nothing in return, in total harmony with the wind and the rain. How much can I learn from a tree? The tree is my church, the tree is my temple, the tree is my mantra, the tree is my poem and my prayer.

In a world that moves at pace, dare to find your own rhythm. Just be you.

Modern life can draw us away from our better selves. A conveyor belt of distractions pass before our eyes daily to entice us beyond all that really matters; iPhone, laptops, Netflix, PlayStation… whilst they can be good in themselves, if they take a hold we lose our grip on our own lives. We end up cloning into different versions of each other. Evolution favours diversity. Dare to be yourself and take a path few have chosen. Here, beyond the glare of the passer by, you will find happiness. “Pursuit of happiness” implies that we’re running after happiness and happiness is running away from us. Happiness is not out there, it is within us. Move beyond where the world leads and you will find a peace that gives life its meaning.

Be slow to impose your own expectations on others. Give them the space to map their own course.

Your children are not your children. They are lives longing for itself. They come here with their own destiny. Give them your love. They will find their own way.

Never stop believing in yourself no matter what the world may tell you. Any mistakes you have made, learn from them and hand them back to the universe with love. Find the character to rise again.

We all make mistakes. We all fall in life. The key is to summons as much energy as possible to pick ourselves up. Channel your pain to help others carry theirs. Rise above the ridicule of those who judge you from the wings without ever knowing your truth. Your slip ups do not define you. They’re the stepping stone to you finding your place in the universe. To be a pilgrim drop your expectations. Walk humbly with your God. Your experience of pain and persecution can open your pores to the pain of others. When you give in service to others, you walk to a new beat.

Make time to connect to your inner world. Here you’ll find the creative spark that changes everything.

We human beings are spiritual beings. We have soul. We have spirit. We have mind. We have consciousness. We want fulfilment, we want happiness, we want satisfaction, we want joy. We want imagination. We want art, culture, music. Quality and perfection are achieved with time. You do not create a perfect painting or a perfect poem by hurrying. Time is always coming.

Satish. Thank you for the gift of your wisdom which you carry with such courage and dignity. You blaze a trail for us to follow. You have reminded us that nothing really ever happens by chance. Your energy inspires us to find ours. Farewell fellow traveller until we meet again.

Dr Phil and Elaine are looking forward to rolling out our Celtic Ways Series in 2023 aimed at connecting iconic pilgrim walks and trails in Southern Ireland with the Way of St. David along the Welsh coastline. Our Camino tour offerings are inclusive of coach transfers, ferry crossing, accommodation, guest guides, packed lunches, evening meals, pilgrim passports, memorable cultural experiences. We tailor everything to suit you. For further information, check out www.waterfordcamino.com or email Phil and Elaine directly on info@waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on February 23, 2023

Posted in Phils Blog |

Trails of the Vales – from then to Now!

It’s not always easy to stay the course when the elements turn. The shelter we seek lies camouflaged beneath the foliage of an unforgiving world. The wind picks up as if to forewarn us of what is coming our way. There can be nowhere to hide when the storm descends. We stand and stare, as if paralysed by fear, feeling the elemental fury of it all. The path, once clear and inviting, now becomes obscure. Time stands still as we wait for the darkened veil to life. Soon, a strange stillness descends. Mystical rays rise from the shadows to light the way for the solitary pilgrims below.

I’ll be honest with you, the odyssey we’ve been on with our Waterford Camino Tours has challenged us at times. There have been days when it seemed like the elements have conspired against us; others when we feel the wind at our back. We’ve all been there. It’s in those very times when we are tested most that we come face to face with the truth about ourselves. We learn what we’re made of. We soon discover reserves of strength we never knew we had. We find what it takes to make our way home.

No matter where we travel in life, we cannot do it alone. True friends have a value beyond what the world can measure. Those who stay the course with you are of a unique kind. Some will lift you up when your energies begin to wane, some will drop you with merciless abandon when they decide you’ve nothing left to give. You can build an empire around decent people.

Our tours depend on our team who help make the magic happen; Brendan on our boat trips around the Bay in Dunmore East, John who sorts all our coach transfers along St Declan’s Way, Conor who walks the path with us every step of the way, Graham who makes sure we want for nothing when we visit Wales… the common denominator; just sound people who live by the premise that if you can be anything at all in life, just be kind.

Under our Celtic Ways Ireland Series, we’re rolling out a Celtic corridor of sorts that will connect iconic trails in Ireland’s South East with hidden gems across the Munster Vales and even along the Western Coastline of Wales. We’ve just returned from a ‘reci’ mission in the Munster Vales and are now crafting a unique #trailsofthevales experience that weaves magical outdoor trails and adventures into the stories and the culture of the places we pass along the way. Right now we’re pooling our creative energies into creating a plethora of tour offerings from Wicklow to Wexford to Waterford and on across the Munster Vales that will have domestic and international appeal. Step by step, we’re getting there!

The Munster Vales is an inland tourism destination in the heart of Munster, of domestic and international significance incorporating the Comeragh, Knockmealdown, Galtee, Ballyhoura and Nagles mountain ranges. The purpose of Munster Vales is to promote the geographical area as a unique brand, linking the counties of Waterford, Tipperary, Cork and Limerick and everything in between. The stunning landscape in the farming heartland of Ireland will take your breath away from the depths of the valleys to the tops of the mountains.

#trailsofthevales opens up a world you may not have known before; mystical landscapes, delightful towns and villages, thrilling cycling in Ballyhoura, or restful strolls along the meandering River Suir. Here pilgrim paths and heritage towns are the backdrop to rolling mountains which are brought to life through tracks and trails and engaging local folklore. Over the few days, you come to immerse yourself almost unknowingly in 5,000 years of history and culture and delve into the soul of a land and its people that has shaped us all. It pays to come off the familiar pathways and discover something new. Here’s a snapshot of what those who join us in the Munster Vales can expect…

Doneraile in North Cork is a hidden gem that is slowly finding its own unique place on the tourism landscape. Your trail through the gardens and around the park invites you to go deeper into the story of this place and its people. Here, on the outer frontiers of North Cork, you learn to slow the pulse right down and simply soak in the serenity and the calm. Doneraile leads you into a space that remains untouched by time.

(Munster Vales image)

Doneraile Park comprises approximately 166 hectares and is an outstanding example of an 18th century landscaped park in the ‘Capability Brown’ style. Mature groves of deciduous trees, several restored water features and a number of deer herds can be viewed along the many pathways within the Park. Standing proudly on Doneraile Main Street is a beautifully restored three-story Victorian building that has been there since the 1880s. It’s good to unwind here after the walking is done. We always try to mix the active with the restful. It’s all about balance.

Café Townhouse is pure luxury, with a relaxing feel. This Café exudes class. You’re drawn in by the warmth of the fireplace, the genuine welcome to match the quality of service, the stunning decor with its ebullient colour – the equilibrium between old and new. You are made feel at home from the moment you step foot inside the door. The food is so tasty. It’s the perfect ‘still zone’ from the world you have left behind.

If you would like to get a real feel for an Irish woodland and riverbank with at least forty shades of green then the Ballyhoura Mountain Loop is the perfect solution. The Keale River is a level walk of 7km fenced from start to finish with many little bridges in between and is followed by the 6km Molanna Loop. The river’s flow sets the tone for the day. It is peaceful and quiet, with very active wildlife such as otters, dippers, kingfishers, Herons and squirrels. You will also come across one of the last indigenous oak tree woodlands left in Ireland with many anemone, bluebells or mushrooms depending on the time of year. There’s a strange kind of harmony in places like this. It echoes deep long after the walking is over.

Lough Gur is an ancient place, a place where the past remains present and where the unlikely suddenly seems possible. There is a deep peace to be found at Lough Gur. It is a calm place, oftentimes shrouded in a comforting and companionable silence. It pays to rest awhile by the water’s edge and feel the pulse of the universe as it opens up before you.

(Munster Vales image)

Lough Gur is at the heart of one of Ireland’s most complex archaeological landscapes. The history of Ireland has happened along the shores of Lough Gur and the lakeside is dotted with castles, ringforts, standing stones, wedge tombs and the iconic Grange Stone Circle, the largest of its kind in Ireland whose great megaliths have stood as silent sentinels over the landscape here for almost 5,000 years. Something drew those early farmers here, all those millennia ago, and that same force continues to draw people here today.

The 8km King’s Loop Walk brings you back in time to view this home of the King’s from a whole new vantage point. The trail follows a newly created pathway off the Golden Road before leading you along a woodland path and eventually arriving at the foot of the Rock of Cashel. Though a newly created walkway, it invites you to go deeper into the story and the beauty of this town synonymous with the early Kings of Ireland.

(Munster Vales image)

Along the way, we pass the ruins of an old monastic abbey. Today it lies, shaded in antiquity, as if to nod solemnly to its sacred past. Hore Abbey (also Hoare Abbey, sometimes known as St.Mary’s) is a ruined Cistercian monastery near the Rock of Cashel. ‘Hore’ is thought to derive from ‘iubhair’ – yew tree. The former Benedictine abbey at Hore was given to the Cistercians by Archbishop David MacCearbhaill (in 1270), who later entered the monastery. He endowed the Abbey generously with land, mills and other benefices previously belonging to the town.

As our 8km loop draws to a close, we arrive at the foot of the Rock of Cashel. We become today’s travellers in a timeless odyssey that dates back many centuries. The Rock of Cashel was held by the kings of Munster for generations until Brian Boru’s brother Mahon took the throne of Cashel in 963 and when Brian crowned himself King of Munster the ceremony told place at the Rock of Cashel.

The Rock of Cashel is reputed to be the site of the baptism of King Aengus of Munster by Saint Patrick in 432. Aengus became Ireland’s first Christian king. It was at this time that St Patrick met Declan of Ardmore and the return journey of Declan forms the route of the St Declan’s Way Camino.

It was brutally sacked by English Parliamentarian troops which were part of the Cromwellian forces in 1647 which led to a massacre of over 1000 people and extensive looting. Whatever wasn’t stolen was destroyed or defaced and the town of Cashel was torched by the departing soldiers. Cashel is deserving of its status as one of Ireland’s most hallowed places.

(Munster Vales image)

We’re excited to add our #trailsofthevales to our Celtic Ways Ireland Series. We had never visited Doneraile, Ballyhoura or Lough Gur until now. Our few days across the Munster Vales have convinced us we’re on the right track. The magic of Camino lies in the discovery of new spaces. Here, somewhere beyond our normal frontiers, we leave our footprint on the land for those yet to walk this way… each a stepping stone to a world we cannot leave behind.

Dr Phil and Elaine are looking forward to rolling out our Celtic Ways Series in 2023. Our ‘Trails of the Vales’ includes 2 nights dinner, bed and breakfast in Deebert House Hotel, Kilmallock, overnight and Gala Dinner in Baileys Hotel Cashel, coach transfers, packed lunches and guest guides. For further information check out www.waterfordcamino.com or email Phil and Elaine directly on info@waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on January 12, 2023

Posted in Phils Blog |

Two pathways to one sea, the Wexford-Pembrokeshire Pilgrim Way

We shall not cease from exploration
and at the end of our exploring
will be to arrive where we started
and know that place for the first time.
(T.S. Eliot)

In a beautiful twist of fate, our latest Camino offering leads me right back to where I started. Wexford has always felt like home for me having grown up over the family business, the ‘64’, on the Main Street in Gorey. The Camino of life so often brings us the circuitous route home. So much has happened since I last walked this way… so much is yet to come!

This year marks the launch of The Wexford-Pembrokeshire Pilgrim Way as the heave towards mindful walks in the great outdoors gathers momentum. This trail offers two distinct yet equally magical pathways either side of the Irish Sea that connects Ferns in Wexford with St. David’s on the western coastline of Pembrokeshire in Wales. It’s amazing to think that places like Oulart, Boolavogue, Ferrycarrig, Forth Mountain – iconic places seeped in history in this oft’ hidden corner of Ireland – will soon find their rightful place in the Irish tourism landscape. Something tells me Wexford will not disappoint!

Forth Mountain, Co. Wexford

There’s a curious shift happening in the tourism arena. More and more visitors are looking for something a little more ‘immersive’ from their holiday on these shores, an adventure of sorts that draws them deeper into the stories and the culture of the places they pass along the way and connects them to wild therapeutic qualities of the natural world – something this unheralded stretch of Ireland and Wales offers in abundance. The Wexford-Pembrokeshire Pilgrim Way has always been here… only now the way is being cleared for a whole new generation to leave their footprint in the land.

Walking ancient pilgrim paths is fast becoming one of the tourism phenomena of the modern age. Each new trail becomes a voyage of discovery, each seeped in story and beauty, each leading us beyond the distant din of the world we have left behind. The number of people completing the Camino of St. James has risen from fewer than 500 back in 1984 to 350,000 in 2019, with the headcount this year expected to reach almost half a million. Until recently, however, almost none of these 21st-century pilgrims would have imagined Wales or Ireland as an alternative to Spain for contemplative walking.

Our Lady’s Island Peninsula, Co. Wexford

The Wexford-Pembrokeshire Pilgrim Way is a transnational pilgrim path connected with a ferry crossing between the two countries and a 140km walking route. Wales and Ireland have been traditionally linked by Celtic culture and history as Irish monk St. Aidan spent much of his youth in Wales as a pupil of St. David. The walking route will draw on the meaningful history between the two saints by mirroring the journey taken by St. Aidan when he travelled to meet his mentor. Unearthing this pilgrim path will be the principal legacy of the EU-Funded Ancient Connections Project which has been developed under a partnership between Wexford and Pembrokeshire County Councils and the British Pilgrimage Trust.

From cove to cove along St. David’s Way

Renowned Pilgrim Travel Writer John G. O’Dwyer reminds us that “the Celtic islands of Northern Europe have a dense network of mystical paths and a vibrant pilgrim tradition, with most of these routes long predating the Camino. Dormant for centuries, these paths are now experiencing a dramatic revival…

Celebrating the ancient Celtic links between Ireland and Wales, the Wexford-Pembrokeshire Pilgrim Way connects the early Christian monastic site at Ferns, County Wexford, with St. David’s City in Wales. Taking an average of nine days to walk, the path consists of five stages in Wexford and four stages in Pembrokeshire, with an Irish Sea crossing between. Expected to draw tourism outside the main hospitality centres of Ireland and Wales, the new route is projected to attract at least 4,000 pilgrim walkers within five years…

The revived path is based on a robust tradition which tells of the Irish-born St. Aidan journeying across the Irish Sea to study under St. David, patron saint of Wales. Aidan was gifted honeybees by David on his return to Ireland. These then thrived within the famous monastery he founded at Ferns, which became renowned for the quality of its honey. A special bond was thus created between two holy men and two Celtic lands, with David later journeying to Wexford and leaving his mark on the landscape in the form of a much-venerated holy well at Oylgate.”

St. David’s Well, Oylgate, Co. Wexford

At the recent launch in Ferns, County Wexford, the route of the new path was introduced before a large attendance by Iain Tweedale, the former head of online broadcasting at BBC Wales and by Rom Bates, pilgrim officer for Wexford. Mr Tweedale has in recent years dedicated himself to working with Journeying – an organisation that promotes the benefits of pilgrim walking on the ancient paths of Britain and Ireland. “We’re reviving a pilgrimage route that goes from Ferns in County Wexford, which is the ancient capital of Ireland’s Southeast, to Rosslare. The route will pass deeply historic and storied places such as Oulart, Oylgate, Ferrycarrig, and Our Lady’s Island”, said Mr Tweedale.

“People can then jump on the ferry at Rosslare and cross over to Fishguard, where they will walk down to St. Davids on a wonderful coastal path. We are confident the transnational aspect of the walk will prove attractive and that the extra visitors will boost local businesses during quieter times of the year. There is a five-year plan drawn up with Wexford County Council to make this a significant tourism project for Southeast. In five years we expect to have an annual 4,000-5,000 on the path”, he added.

St. David’s Way, Pembrokeshire

Commenting on the new path, Guy Hayward, Chairman of the British Pilgrimage Trust and team leader of the implementation group said: “The entire team is so excited about this project, creating an old route as new with all the infrastructure that a modern pilgrim needs. Although we are only in the early stage of the path development, I can already tell that we are going to create something very beautiful together that bridges both sides of the Celtic Sea, and something which so many will enjoy and find meaning through for generations to come.”

Wexford and Pembrokeshire have a world of wonder hidden in the land. The outdoors have their own peculiar magic… but it’s our shared Celtic story that adds a new layer of intrigue to this pilgrim path. This April we’ll be leading a group from Killarney along St. David’s Way. They walked St. Declan’s Way with us last year so it’ll be great to have them back again. A few weeks later we’ve a Canadian group joining us to walk St. Aidan’s Way on the Wexford side before continuing their holiday in Ireland. Some who walk St. Aidan’s Way one year may then come back to do St. David’s the next. It pays to listen… then craft that special Camino to match what the traveller is looking for. We have built our business on this principle. Every person matters – every tour unique!

Strumble Head Lighthouse, Pembrokeshire
(Photo courtesy of Celtic Routes)

Different pathways lead to the same ocean. As the sun sets along the Welsh coastline, sporadic beacons rise from the lighthouse at Strumble Head. Each ray shoots in mesmeric waves across darkening skies as if to light the way for the solitary traveller below. In the stillness we feel a deep connection to something deeper in ourselves and in our universe. Rivers on either side flow into the one vast expanse of ocean in telepathic symmetry with the life force that makes all this possible. The hum of ancient waters is never too far away offering the promise of what is yet to come. It is then the path we’re destined for becomes that one step closer.

To travel a circle is to journey over the same ground time and time again.
To travel a circle wisely is to journey over the same ground for the first time.
In this way, the ordinary becomes extraordinary
and the circle, the path to where you wish to be.
And when you notice at last that the path has circled back into itself,
you realise that where you wish to be is where you have already been…
and always were.
(Neale Walsch)

Our team of guides

Dr Phil and Elaine are looking forward to rolling out our Celtic Ways Series in 2023 aimed at connecting iconic pilgrim walks in South East Ireland with the Way of St. David along the Welsh coastline. Our Camino tour offerings are inclusive of coach transfers, ferry crossing, accommodation, guest guides, packed lunches, evening meals, pilgrim passports, memorable cultural experiences… For further information, check out waterfordcamino.com/celtic-roots-series/ or email Phil and Elaine directly on info@waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on December 14, 2022

Posted in Phils Blog |

Silent Night – the magic and the meaning

Christmas time has its own magical allure. After a strange few years, it’s great to have this season back in all its wonder. 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 uniquely festive that eases us almost unknowingly through the dreariness of the Irish winter. Now, as the year rolls to a close, a faint glow makes its presence felt. The star still shines, oft’ hidden and unnoticed, to light the way.

‘Silent Night’ carries us back to where it all began. The poignant lilt of harmonies along with unadorned lyrics draw us deeper into the wonder of the Christmas story. This age-old carol has the power to stop us in our tracks. 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 by the crib transported on a musical odyssey back to the manger in Bethlehem, watched a homeless woman cradle the infant child while the warm, lingering lyrics from carol singers close by took on a meaning only she knew.

Christmas without ‘Silent Night’ would feel incomplete. Over the past 40 years, it has been the one constant for me in the build up to Christmas. From my Folk Group days in Gorey to the Folk Choir in the Sacred Heart Church, Waterford back in my teaching days, Christmas never passed without singing this beautifully simple carol. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of leading Christmas Vigils with the homeless in Derry, Northern Ireland, with children in orphanages in Sri Lanka, with communities around Ireland from Christ Church in Dublin to the Edmund Rice Chapel in Waterford. This year, the Peace Choir will be joined by friends from Ukraine for a special Christmas Truce Vigil on the eve of Christmas Eve in Waterford. ‘Silent Night’ will ripple skywards in melodic waves of solidarity to far-off lands. Sometimes music speaks where words fail!

The origin of this timeless carol 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. Revelling 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.”

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 echoes in the stillness of the night. Hidden in the silhouette, their hushed murmurings can still be heard. Echoes from afar whisper softly through veiled skies. The men of 1914 did not just remember the first Christmas; they lived out its meaning.

I was privileged to travel to Messines in December 2014 with The 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. Something timeless spilled out onto the battlefield that silent night that must never be forgotten. Sleep in heavenly peace.

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. Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore. Maybe, therein lies the message of Christmas. ‘Silent Night’ on the trenches…a lesson for us all!

Phil and Elaine would like to wish you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas. The Peace Choir will lead the ‘Christmas Truce Vigil’ on December 23rd, 2022 in the Edmund Rice Chapel, Waterford from 8-9.30pm. All are welcome! We hope our paths cross with yours in the year ahead. For more information on our Celtic Ways Ireland tour offerings for 2023, check out www.waterfordcamino.com or email us directly on info@waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on November 18, 2022

Posted in Phils Blog |

Taking the next step

There’s something about sharing the path with someone over a few days. You build up an unspoken bond of trust that lingers long after the walking is over. On Camino, it’s easy to find common ground. Conversations roll in unknowing telepathy with each passing step; a shared story, a recalling of someone precious who has passed, a treasured memory, a dream worth chasing, an imminent decision… each nudge us into a space we may not have known before. Step by step we soon come to realise that the Camino is not so much about arriving at a destination; more all that happens in-between.

No sooner is the backpack put away for another season when the real work begins. It is now we ‘fine-tune’ our tour offerings so that we can hit the ground running in Spring 2023. Assessing the viability of each tour is also an important consideration. Volatility in the world seeps right down to the pricing of our tours; higher oil prices impact on coach transfer rates, inflation has a knock-on effect on hotel and dining costs, VAT rates change in the tourism sector once you start arranging the accommodation, meals and travel arrangements for your visitor… so pricing each tour in a way that does not compromise what we offer becomes the challenge. It’s a balancing act between offering value and holding on to the ‘extras’ that make each tour all the more memorable.

The Camino tends to draw people that work off the same frequency… each with a deep connection to the outdoors, each with a ‘joie de vivre’ and sense of fun that knows no bounds, each with a courage to draw on when they need to, each receptive to the deeper flow of the universe as it rolls out before them. We like to host a Gala Dinner on the final night of our St Declan’s Way Camino to mark the achievement. They’re a happy bunch. They’ve just received their stamped Pilgrim Passport and Certificate of Completion, they’re chatting away maybe sipping a well earned gin and tonic, and they exude contentement of a kind not easily earned. Many email on their return home, some post google reviews, each one encouraging us onwards, nudging us gently to where we need to be.

In a beautiful ironic twist of fate, those we lead on Camino have led us to where we are now. Their insight, their appreciation, the tweaks they suggest are all invaluable. The pathways we walk on Camino, as in life, are not always presented to us as a fait accompli. Sometimes we’ve got to think on our feet, visualise where we want to be, then put one foot ahead of the next and go for it. We all have a creative streak in us, that capacity to see beyond what exists and to reach out for what might previously have appeared beyond our reach. It pays to trust your gut. It pays too to listen to those you’ve come to trust along the way. Here’s a snapshot of the 2022 reviews:

As a recreational cyclist I had grave reservations about undertaking this walk. Indeed, I wouldn’t have gone had my Australian mate, a hiking fanatic, not insisted. Truth to tell it wasn’t as difficult as I expected. Indeed, it was a really great experience, due in no small measure to the wonderful leadership of Phil and Elaine and the lovely dynamic they managed to create in a diverse group that included two Ukrainians and an Australian. Our leaders planned the whole experience meticulously, down to small details about the best route, the best coffee shops, advice on footwear, comfort stops etc. All done with careful attention to individual needs. They also included short, well-prepared, thought-provoking and reflective interludes with digital musical accompaniment. Very good for the soul!…And to cap it all off our Ukrainian friends treated us to a lovely lunch at their house before we undertook the scenic Cliff Walk in Ardmore. A big thank you to Phil, Elaine and their team for a truly memorable experience! (Jim, Limerick)

I completed the five-day St. Declan’s Way pilgrimage with a huge sense of personal satisfaction and triumph thanks in no small way to Phil and Elaine Brennan. The logistics were impeccably organized, freeing me to engage fully in the pilgrimage experience. Phil and Elaine were there throughout to pass along their knowledge, provide encouragement when the walking became challenging and to enjoy many a laugh with us. They are well-connected with both the local landscape and the local people, sharing these connections freely. St. Declan’s Way in itself is a spectacular walk. But it is the warmth and kindness of the Brennans that made it such an enriching experience for me. (Margaret, Canada)

Had the most amazing week completing St. David’s Way in Wales. The support, encouragement and community we built over a very short period of time was a testament to the atmosphere created by Phil, Elaine and all the amazing guest guides they arranged for us. The scenery was stunning and every element was planned to perfection. It was so lovely to go on a holiday and not have to worry about anything. Will definitely be going on more trips with Waterford Camino Tours. (Sarah, Kildare)

We completed the 5 days walk along St. Declan’s Way in August with Phil, Elaine and Conor. They did a fantastic job in organising a wonderful week and sharing with us their passion and knowledge for the local area, and really did go above and beyond to ensure that everyone had a great week. Their easy-going manner and good sense of humour really contributed to the enjoyment of the week. A highlight for me was the musical reflections, particularly on the banks of the River Blackwater in Lismore and in Mount Melleray Abbey. Their encouragement to slow life down and to live simply is certainly a message that I have tried to take away with me. I would certainly recommend the company to anyone considering joining them for one of their walks. (Anna, London)

A great week walking the St. Declan’s Way Camino and a much-needed recharge of batteries! A heartfelt thanks to Phil, Elaine, and Iain (Journeying) who put so much into making this pilgrimage journey work – their kindness, thoughtfulness, easy charm, knowledge, and humour shines through. The local guides along the way were also great and added to the success of the week. The Irish countryside never disappoints but it had an added charm during the walk where there was time for talking, listening, reflecting, sharing and laughter! I loved staying at Mount Melleray such a wonderful spot and who can forget Brother Seamus who was so pleased to have us there and made us so welcome. I would highly recommend this ‘journey’, you will not regret it and you will want to come back again! I look forward to returning in the not too distant future. (Theresa, London)

St. Declan’s walk August 2022. This was a unique and wonderful experience made all the more enjoyable by the personal care, understanding, attention to detail and flexibility shown by hosts Phil and Elaine. The guides Mark, John G and Conor were brilliant. Their local knowledge and good humour contributed to the group’s enjoyment and we benefited from other local expertise organised (and occasionally spontaneous) along our way. We enjoyed the company of our fellow travellers, a diverse, friendly and interesting group and the accommodation and food were excellent. We came home physically and mentally refreshed. This break is the perfect antidote to our fast paced, device-controlled lives and we look forward to meeting again with the Camino team. Conor’s maxim of “keep it simple” included by Phil and Elaine in the beautiful photo album kindly given to us as a memento, will resonate for a long while. (Jim and Gráinne, Belfast)

Phil and Elaine (& Conor!) animated a memorable St. Declan’s Way 5-Day Camino along the hills, farmlands and river walks of Waterford and Tipperary. Every element of the trip was overseen so well, from the accommodation in Cahir House and it’s beautiful heritage town, to the peace-filled environment of Mount Melleray Abbey. The walks were so well paced that even in the more challenging moments we felt carried along by the warmth, wisdom and laughter of our group, buoyed up by cups of tea and coffee and homemade treats provided from cafes and bakeries along the way. Input and stories from local guides added immeasurably to our experience. The musical talents of Phil and Elaine and others in our group were the icing on the cake and the sense of wellbeing and accomplishment as we completed the journey was felt by us all! A huge thanks… we will return! (Pat and Mary, Dublin)

Enjoyed an incredible 5-day Camino with excellent attention to detail, care and attention to the whole group. The experience was enhanced by incredible views, daily tasty fresh lunches, scrumptious dinners, great stories, informative guests/guides, visits to historic sites, mindfulness moments, nice easy pace of walking, spontaneous singing and even some comedy! Elaine and Phil are an incredible couple full of enthusiasm and passion. They went above and beyond to ensure everyone enjoyed their time on this historic walk. I look forward to booking another trip with them. (Anne, Dublin)

Those 5 days were magical. I saw beautiful places, my wish came true, I met wonderful people. It was all very emotional. Thank you for such an opportunity. (Katcha, Ukraine)

Encouraging words go a long way. We all need them from time to time. Positivity breathes confidence. We listened, honed in on what has worked well, adapted where we felt change was needed and have mapped out a new and exciting way ahead. We have recently formed our own company, Waterford Camino Tours Limited, and have bought the trading name Celtic Ways Ireland, each small but significant steps in widening our scope beyond Waterford to include iconic places in Southern Ireland from Glendalough in County Wicklow, to Gougane Barra in West Cork, to the mesmeric delights of Dingle in County Kerry.

Our goal is clear; to create unique ‘tailor-made’ tours for small groups seeking a more mindful adventure in Ireland with a blend of stunning walks, local guides, cultural experiences and fine cuisine tailored to suit everyone. We offer a premium product that we believe will have particular appeal to the Irish diaspora around the world. We pride ourselves in our attention to detail, listening to what the visitor wants before crafting that special ‘time-out’ for them in Ireland. If they want hurling, we source the tickets or take them to the local training session. If their ancestors are from Kilkenny, we try to re-connect them to source during their time with us. We love the challenge this presents. There are no guarantees in this life. It’s a leap of faith. Not quite sure where we’ll land but sure if we don’t jump we’ll never know!

The invite we extend to our visitors we must now extend to ourselves… ‘Time to experience the fun, the adventure, the music, the cuisine that this magical stretch of Southern Ireland offers in abundance. Time to go deeper into the story of our people and re-discover our shared Celtic past. Time to leave our footprints in the land of our ancestors. Let the journey begin!’

See our website www.waterfordcamino.com for more details or email Phil and Elaine directly on info@waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on October 29, 2022

Posted in Phils Blog |

Echoes back and fore through time – along St. David’s Way

Brighid of the sunrise
Rising in the morning
Rising with the springtime
Greening all the land
See you in the soft cloud
See you in the raindrop
See you in the winds of change
Blowing through the land

These words are spoken of Saint Brigid (in a song by Iontach) and it seems appropriate to bring her with us along St. David’s Way. After all, Brigid as the ‘mother saint of Ireland’ and David, the patron saint of Wales, lived at the same time in the 5th and 6th Centuries. Keeping both in our presence is a perfect symbol for the meeting of the Irish and the Welsh on pilgrimage.

Travelling St. David’s Way with Irish visitors is a rich possibility for the weaving, meeting and re-membering of the relationship of Irish and Welsh culture across time from the Bronze Age to the present day. There is so much to explore through deeply personal, historical and cultural conversations and stories. My take on things is as a Welsh multi-disciplinary artist, dancer/mindful coach and outdoor workshop leader who grew up in North Pembrokeshire. I have been assisting Phil and Elaine as a local guide this Autumn and they have asked me to share some reflections of my experiences on this path.

As within, so without

This saying dates from the 2nd Century and I feel these words echoing through time as if they have been with me for much of my life. Walking through landscape, in this case my home patch, I often consciously carry with me a question that is relevant for me at the time. In the process of giving it back to the land, sea and surroundings, I pay attention to how the environment speaks back to me, not necessarily in a voice, but through my perception and sensation of the qualities in the natural world as it opens up before me.

One afternoon between lockdowns in 2020 I was walking the section of the St. David’s Way between Strumble Head and St. David’s. I was ‘walking with a question’ – I was asking about how I should approach the guardianship of my parents’ house and large garden which I had recently inherited. Whilst grateful for the security this had given me on the one hand, on the other I was a bit overwhelmed by the responsibility for the upkeep and care of the property and how to share the space with others. This was what I observed and recorded at the time:

Lightness softness on the wind, seeds floating lightly out seaward from thistle stems.
Grasping the prickly nature in order to giveaway lightly the seeds that lead to new growth

Independently from this experience, a few weeks ago, I received a piece of artwork through the post from a very close friend – an image of waves on water and a pocketful of soft white feathers and sycamore seeds… sea   softness   seeds

So, I am reminded that I am still walking in life with this question – some questions take time and it is necessary to live and walk with them for a long time. And these messages are now part of the process of resolution. I practice staying light and soft with the dilemma, grasping that the prickly nature of the process is necessary.

To continue with the theme of ‘As within, so without’, the names and places in the landscape can also be particularly resonant for us at any particular time. When we repeat a walking route, these resonances and qualities can get overlaid with further significance and story. Strumble Head (Pencaer) Lighthouse is one such place. I grew up as a child seeing the 3-4 sequence of flashes and spaces from the lighthouse on the bedroom ceiling at night. It is still a constant 24/7 presence in the landscape and along this section of path it comes in and out of sight at intervals. I recently learnt that the top of Mount Leinster mast is visible from high ground on this part of the coast but looking back from Ireland it would be necessary to move some way out into the Irish sea before Strumble Head appeared on the horizon as it sits relatively low on the rocky peninsular.

Adding another layer of poignancy to its constant presence, came a story from Iain Tweedale (Journeying UK) about how the Cistercian monks on Caldey Island in South Wales liken their seven times a day sequence of prayer to a lighthouse. They are sending out prayer as a beacon and a lighting of the way to those who are lonely, lost and in distress. Their prayers at 3.30am are particularly important in reaching out to people in the loneliest and darkest hours of the night. Not only is my awareness now of the lighthouse as a physical and constant presence, but also as a symbol of a belief in the power of prayer shining out into the darkest places, and of not being alone.

On another recent walking tour a participant asked me what the words were in Cymraeg (the Welsh language) for ‘lighthouse’ and for ‘moon’ (we had been sharing the Welsh and Irish words for a variety of things we saw and discussed along the way). I later joined these words in a fragment of poetry : Goleudy fel llety lloer (a lighthouse like the moon’s lodgings). I love the ways in which this joining of words gives a relationship between the moon, the lighthouse, the contrast between them and maybe some qualities they share. There is also the suggestion of a story… of the moon taking up residence in the lighthouse, resting awhile and breaking with the usual rhythm of its phases and pathways across the sky.

Pwll Strodur is another one of my favorite coves along the stretch between Abermawr and Abereiddi. The name means Packsaddle Pool and there is a field above called Pant y pwll strodyr – ‘the valley of packsaddle pool’, recorded on maps of 1840. I guess that it was a watering place for horses, possibly carrying goods from the cove inland or up and down the coast. It is a place where we often stop and sit on the bridge to have a snack. In late summer and autumn, seals often come in close, dragonflies fly up and down the stream below and Choughs dive and glide past with their telltale call, shorter higher and with more resonance than the Jackdaw.

Imagining travellers walking paths along the coast and down to the cove makes this a place to remind ourselves that we walk in the footsteps of those who have gone before us and that we are treading the way for those who come after us:

All who have gone before
I feel them behind me
On my heels
A great crowd gathering
Not clamouring
Simply walking in my wake
Calmly
….

Carrying me
As one
Walking me
Into being
the best ancestor I can become

The essence of these pilgrimage tours is that we walk together, as a collective, listening to each other and to the landscape around us. If we ask and listen, we find a resonance between the vastness of our hearts and the vastness of the surrounding landscape, so full of echoes back and fore through time. See you in the winds of change blowing through the land. Ailsa

Ailsa Richardson is a valued member of our team of guides in Wales leading our tours along St. David’s Way. Ailsa runs an outdoor programme called ‘Wildfeet’ and will be offering some Creative Pilgrimage Days with other artists/musicians along The Wexford and Pembrokeshire Pilgrim Way in Spring next year. If you are interested to hear about these please contact Ailsa by email ailsajr@btinternet.com

We look forward to rolling out our Celtic Way Series in 2023 aimed at connecting iconic pilgrim walks in South East Ireland with the ancient way of St. David along the Welsh coastline. For further information, email us on info@waterfordcamino.com or check out www.waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on September 16, 2022

Posted in Phils Blog |

The long and winding road… our story

The Camino of life isn’t always easy to navigate. There are times when the momentum carries you and you arrive into base each evening invigorated by all that has gone before. Times too when the elements conspire to make you doubt yourself and the path you’ve chosen. It pays to seek refuge from time to time when the way ahead seems blurred and give yourself the space to re-set your bearings. Stillness is priceless in a world that tends to move at pace. It connects you to something deeper in yourself, to what matters most to you when all else is stripped away. In this space, enlightenment echoes from within. When you emerge, a new way, previously unimagined, opens up before you.

6 years down the line and Waterford Camino Tours is still alive to tell the tale. Our journey started with those first tentative steps out into the unknown. Sometimes you’ve just got to trust your deepest instincts and go for it. You never quite know what awaits around each new bend. Life teaches us to stay grounded, to weigh up what we could do better without being too hard on ourselves and to vary our route accordingly. This capacity to adjust our course has been absolutely vital to our survival in an ever-evolving and changing tourism landscape.

I guess we’ve taken the circuitous route to arrive at where we are now. The unexpected detours have led us to new and exciting places. Some we chose, some were forced on us. We could never have foreseen the pandemic and the havoc it wrought. Like so many others, all we could do was batten down the hatches and wait for the storm to pass. We availed of the time to learn; to acquire a whole new skill set when it came to packaging our tours. There were days when it was a real struggle. We found a courage when we needed to most, revised our coordinates and kicked on!

It’s only when you look back and survey the distance you have covered that you come to appreciate the strides you’ve made. It is not the monumental feats that matter in life. Small ‘triumphs’ beyond the glare of the passing world matter most in this business – and nothing beats the satisfaction of knowing that a tour has gone well. Happy visitors spread the word and we build from there. In the early days, our groups arrived into Waterford from around Ireland, some Active Retirement groups, some walking groups, some friends who wanted to lend their support as we started out. They believed in us before we had proven ourselves to the world. Referrals have been key to our growth. This October, we’ll be walking St David’s Way in Wales with a group from Celbridge who have joined us every year since our launch in April 2017. Loyalty of this kind you cannot beat!

What propels us onwards is our belief in our vision for Waterford Camino Tours. No matter what the world has thrown at us, we’ve tried to remain true to who we are. This we will never compromise! It takes patience and solid graft in equal measure to translate a good idea into a viable business reality. The support we have received from the Waterford Local Enterprise Office has been invaluable, co-financing the digital design for our website and providing specialist consultants to help us ‘pitch’ our tourism offering to meet the demands of the discerning traveller. Failte Ireland too have been a massive help, introducing us to tourism partners, guiding us in terms of packaging our product and broadening our reach into the wider International tourism arena. We’ve learned to set goals and take the steps necessary to reach them. Our passion for what we do drives us on. Regardless of the destination, we just want to enjoy the journey.

You soon learn to distinguish between what is real and what is illusory. The tourism world can promise more than it delivers on occasion. I remember in the early days, we were very keen to have an ‘anchor’ tour operator who would send their tours in South East Ireland our way. It takes time to reel the fish in. You can’t force it or you lose it. So, after a series of emails back and forth over a few months, we met them in Dublin, presented our tour offerings and invited them to come experience Waterford and its surrounds for themselves. We wined and dined them, put them up for a weekend in a local hotel, let them enjoy everything from cycling on the Waterford Greenway to taking a boat trip out into the bay at Dunmore East. My father always said; “you have to throw the sprat to catch the salmon”. Let’s just say, this particular sprat was not cheap and the salmon never landed. They got their photos to go with their reconnaissance of the South East and we never saw them again. The only ‘follow-on’ afterwards was a call from the hotel asking us to sort their drinks tab for the weekend. We can laugh now but we felt the pain then. Sometimes the hard lessons teach us most.

The pendulum swings both ways. You’ve got to take the rough with the smooth. St Declan’s Way has been immense to us. We’re indebted to Knockmealdown Active, especially Kevin, Mark, Conor, Veronica and Grainne, for their guidance from the outset. We’d have been lost without them… quite literally! The timing too of St Declan’s Way being ratified by Sport’s Ireland just as we were ready to welcome our first tour in early 2021 could not have been better. We’ve shared this age-old pilgrim path with over 10 groups since then, with visitors from North America, Canada, France, Spain, Wales, England and Ireland, North and South, each bringing their own unique brand of wisdom and humour to make the way seem that bit shorter. They know that when they turn up, everything is in place – from coach transfers to guest guides, accommodation, lunches, evening meals, their pilgrim passport… it leaves them free to put their energies into walking the 115km from Cashel to Ardmore. We are simply custodians of something timeless in our midst, leading people on this ancient trail, before, we, in turn, pass it over to future generations. This is our time to leave our footprint in the land!

Each new year has eased out beyond our normal boundaries. What started out in Waterford has now extended to include iconic walking trails around Southern Ireland from Gougane Barra to Dingle to Glendalough, St Mullins and across to St David’s in Wales. In business you cannot afford to stand still. You need to refine your tour offerings so that they match what the consumer is looking for. Our visitors have loved their Camino experience in Waterford and they’ve asked for more. We love the challenge this presents; doing ‘reci’ missions on new trails, assessing what could work best in terms of accommodation, coach transfers, local cuisine and cultural experiences before shaping the itinerary into our final tour offering. It’s all about balance, getting the blend of adventure, fun, music and a little mindful reflection, that makes each crafted ‘time-out’ with us all the more memorable. You know you’re right on track when the pieces fall into place. If it’s forced, better to move on!

We co-write the script of our destiny. 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. How strange that the nature of life is change, yet the nature of human beings is to resist change. And how ironic that the difficult times we fear might ruin us are the very ones that can break us open and help us to move closer to where we are meant to be. Keep believing in you, especially when you’re tested most, and you will reach what you are destined for. You get one chance at this Camino we call life. It pays to be brave and dare to take that road few have chosen.

Dr. Phil Brennan and Elaine are looking forward to leading our next ‘Celtic Camino in the steps of St Declan’ in early October 2022 and our first group along St David’s Way in Wales in the coming weeks. We have exciting plans for 2023 that widen our range of offerings to include iconic locations around Ireland and along the Western coastline of Wales. We are updating our website www.waterfordcamino.com over the coming weeks to reflect these new tours. You can contact us directly on info@waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on August 16, 2022

Posted in Phils Blog |

Waterford at the dawning of the day

Warm crimson rays stream across once raging waters to nudge us gently towards the promise of a new day. In the stillness, you hear the ebb and flow of the waves as they surrender in timeless homage to the creative power that makes all this possible. We on the shoreline become curious observers to the mystery of it all. Wave after wave land in soft melodic movements, each one suspended momentarily in time, before it recedes into the infinity from which it came. Light dances in broken reels on the rise and fall of breaking surf. There’s a rhythm to it all that draws us in. Dawn by the sea is yours and yours alone.

With high temperatures over the last few weeks, we’ve tended to start our walks that bit earlier. There’s so few around, we have these spaces to ourselves. The extended cliff walk from Ballymacaw Cove into Dunmore East (8km) is quite simply stunning in the early morning glow. It’s good to stand still and soak in the beauty that stretches out from the headland seawards. Energy ripples in mesmeric curves to calm the stirrings of the mind. It’s there for all to see and hear; the soft lilt of rolling waters as incoming waves break across 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. We’ve led visitors from the States and Canada across this headland in recent weeks. They want to come back; this time to spend more time in this hidden corner of Ireland. Dunmore East weaves a magic spell that leaves you wanting more!

There’s something about the Waterford Greenway too in the solitude of the early morning. Dawn is that time of day when nothing breathes, the hour of silence. Our odyssey from Killoteran to Kilmeadan (3km) takes us out along the River Suir beyond the fretful stir of the distant city. Mount Congreve Gardens adorn our trails in exotic hues as the veil of mist slowly lifts from the passing river. Beneath the foliage a sign reads; “Here lies the place where the fishermen had their cuppa before heading back to Ballygorey”. In the quiet, you can still hear their hushed murmurings. They have paved the way we pass.

A heron swoops in to land, unannounced, and finds its sanctuary by the water’s edge. The rushes provide the perfect camouflage. Alone it stands in furtive disguise; statuesque and silent, concealing its intent from the world below. We cannot stay to see the drama unfold. The intrigue lingers long after we leave the scene behind. We move further down the line to take a leisurely spin from Durrow into Dungarvan. (11km) Our eyes adjust to dazzling light as we leave the dimmed enchantment of Durrow Tunnel behind and enter the exotic wildness that awaits on the other side. It’s one stunning vista after another as we freewheel by, Comeragh Mountains, Clonea Beach, Helvic Head… leading us from land to sea and beyond in seamless steps to the infinite. It’s good to leave the world as we know it behind for a while. We the voyagers feel the better for the journey.

We were joined recently by a group from Kells, Co. Meath. For some it was their first time on a bike for over 40 years. They may never cycle the Tour de France but if there was a prize for laughter they’d have won hands down. For the first kilometer they had convinced themselves there was something wrong with their bikes. Before they knew it, they were cruising along, chatting, stopping for ‘selfies’, proud of their new found confidence on the bike. Our ever reliable Greenway Man, Garvan Cummins, who had set us on our way further up the track, met us on the viaduct over Ballyvoile 100 years to the week from the day it was blown up during the Civil War. His photos and anecdotes breathe new life into old places. Dungarvan on arrival was heaving with life. The harbour dazzled in the evening glow. We all had a 99 to mark the feat. It felt good to be alive!

The trail from the Mahon Falls down through Crough Woods (5km) parachutes you into a world you can scarcely believe is only a 40-minute drive from the city. Here on the outer frontiers, nature bares its soul at dawn with primordial abandon. 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. We appear miniscule against such a towering backdrop. Yet, here, in this amphitheatre of stillness, we sense that our lives, though small and microscopic, have a worth. The universe has a way of reminding us that we have more to give, more to do. The river rolls by, yet to run its course. So too our lives.

Day 3 along St. Declan’s Way brings us over the Knockmealdown Mountains. The veil lifts as morning breaks to reveal the universe in all its splendor. This is wilderness; bleak, barren, remote yet compelling in its simplicity and in the honesty it asks of you. The vantage point we arrive at is like no other. The lens widens to reveal a pattern that can be lost in the minutiae of life below. The panorama opens up as one vast kaleidoscope of vista and colour that rolls out gracefully to the seas beyond. Our eye gravitates to the River Blackwater as it navigates its mystical course through shimmering light en route to Youghal. There’s something reassuring about it all. It leaves imprints that linger long after the walking is done.

As the dew lifts on the banks of the River Blackwater at Lismore, we continue our journey along this age-old pilgrim path. Just 2 kilometers of exquisite beauty and peace before we take the back road to Cappoquin. The Castle we leave behind still beats to the pulse of a bygone time. It retains its mystique, its lofty walls privy to stories the passing world may never hear. In the distance, silent shadows emerge from shades of dawn as anglers take their place along the river bank. They stand there; still, focused, shrouded in the mystery that surrounds them. Invisible lines are cast into misty waters as we enter this sacred space. We pass this way but once, yet it stays with us. You’ve got to be there to sense it!

In the stillness of dawn, you come face to face with the wonder of it all. Silence of this kind is rare in a world that moves at pace. As the sun casts it’s golden glow across land and sea, you find peace in every step. Worries yield to a deeper wisdom. Swallows descend in telepathic streams to remind you of all that lies ahead. Time to get a move on! The mist lifts and a pathway, once obscured, becomes clear again.

Dr. Phil Brennan and Elaine are looking forward to leading groups from around Ireland and beyond on our signature ‘Celtic Camino in the steps of St Declan’ later this August and in October in association with Mount Melleray Abbey and Cahir House Hotel. (August is full but we have a few spaces left for our October St Declan’s Way, 3rd to the 7th) We will also be teaming up with Original Irish Hotels to roll out unique Camino experiences going into 2023 to include Glendalough, St. Mullins, Ardmore, Gougane Barra, Dingle and St. Davids.You can check availability on www.waterfordcamino.com or contact us directly on info@waterfordcamino.com