Phil Brennan

Posted on July 12, 2018

Posted in Phils Blog |

Bright bright sun shiny days

Who would have thought we would have days like these? The landscape is tinged with a golden hue as the crimson light sets seawards each evening. We on the shoreline are lulled into a balmy calm. In the glow, the ordinary becomes magical again. Sand becomes the stuff of dreams for the curious child, the sea sparkles in azure blue enticing even the most reluctant swimmer to take that leap. There’s a buzzing fly hangin’ around the bluebells and the daisies…

Visitors on our Caminos in Waterford have loved the sunshine. There’s an extra spring in the step even under the midday sun. Light radiates energy and we all feed off it. The eclectic shades of attractions here in Waterford are all the more resplendent on a sunny day; mountains, greenway, sea, woods, gardens, cycle routes. Pool them together, add sunshine, and you have something unique.

Waterford always had spell-binding walks and trails but somehow everything seems so much more accessible now. Once separate entities are starting to see the bigger picture and work together. Collaboration is the name of the game and in everyone’s interest. There is a seismic movement at play in how tourism is evolving and all involved need to read the signs. Visitors are looking for something different, something outdoor that invigorates the spirit. Waterford does not disappoint. It has so many hidden gems waiting to be discovered.

There is something so refreshingly positive about the Waterford Greenway experience. We’ve started to blend a Greenway cycle into our Waterford Camino experience and our visitors love it. Starting from the Durrow Carpark at O’ Mahony’s, we cycle at a leisurely pace into Dungarvan and take time to absorb all that we survey along the way. Life feels good as you rest the limbs over lunch and take in all that this beautiful town has to offer.

As you cycle, you leave the world as you know it and are transported to a different space, a sphere beyond our normal consciousness. Adjusting to the radiant hues as we leave the dimmed enchantment of Durrow Tunnel behind, surveying the panoramic vista that awaits us as we free wheel towards Clonea, witnessing the feverish excitement of children as they take this magical odyssey for the first time… you feel privileged simply to be part of it all.

The trail up through Crough Woods to the Mahon Falls has left deep imprints on those who have shared the Camino with us. It’s a walk that not too many know about yet it has everything. It’s a gradual 4 km. climb from the base of the woods up to the Mahon Falls above and you know you are alive when you reach the top. Nature bares its soul as you meander your way upwards to source.

In the dark, the eye begins to see – so true of this walk, so true of life! The soothing sound of the waters rolling downstream provides the perfect backdrop to this adventure. We are shielded in the shade as the light glimmers through on occasion. It is a world apart. In the stillness, all that once defined us is left behind. The water flows by, unwavering in its course, reminding us of what is yet to come.

When we emerge, an amphitheatre of age old rock opens of before us. There’s a subliminal symmetry to it all – sheep, mountains, rocky hillsides… and the water cascades downwards to the awaiting ocean as it has done for millions of years. You sense you are enveloped in something timeless.

The arrival at the Falls completes all that we have experienced en route. The journey matters but reaching the destination is in itself spectacular. It’s great to take a seat on a rock and soak your feet in the streams below and take time to absorb the wonder of it all. No medication could have the same impact!

It’s always good to return to the shore on sunny days. It’s like a tropical oasis out in Newtown Cove at the moment. It has a magnetic draw for people of all ages. Some of our visitors have loved the swim, others prefer to stand on the headland above and take in the mesmerizing view across Tramore Bay. Once you get over the fear of taking that plunge, the thrill kicks in. Children, grandparents, lovers, friends face down their demons and jump. The rush of adrenaline on impact shocks the body back to life. Re-charged and re-booted, you’re ready for the world again!

These simple delights are what make life worth living. The light is glimmering in ways we may not have noticed before. A cycle, a walk through shaded trees, a jump in the sea, a paddle in a stream – our parents and their parents before them have been doing it for years. In a round-about way, we are returning to the ways of old in our search for something new – something free. Here beyond the narrowed walls of digital illusion, we experience the world with our own eyes rather than through the lens of others.

Moments on the Camino remind us that we are not alone, that we are part of something greater. Miniature and all as our life may appear in the universal scheme of things, what each of us do now actually matters. Starting today, learn more, laugh more and do what you truly love to do. The destination is not what matters. The point is making the most of every step in between.

Stillness is the stepping stone to peace. In the rush to compete and achieve, we can easily pass over the smaller, more incidental moments in life. Greek poet Constantine Cavafy said the following of Homer’s epic odyssey to the island of Ithaca, words that echo as much today as they did in 1911 when first penned:

“When you set out for Ithaca ask that your way may be long, full of adventure and full of instruction. Have Ithaca always in your mind. Your arrival there is what you are destined for. But do not hurry the voyage at all. It is better to let it last for years; and even to anchor at the isle when you are old, rich with all that you have gained on the way, not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches. Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage. Without her you would never have taken the road”

Since our last post, Elaine and I have enjoyed our special wedding day among family and friends. We know that wherever our path takes us, we will gravitate towards light, laughter, music, family and friends… a great combo! I’ll finish this week with the uplifting sounds of Liam O’ Maonlai who honoured us with his presence and his music on our wedding day.

For further information on Waterford Camino, contact Phil and Elaine on info@waterfordcamino.com

Special thanks to… Aisling Gordon for the wedding photos on video, Colin French for the drone footage and editing and to the Hot House Flowers for the music.

Phil Brennan

Posted on March 23, 2018

Posted in Phils Blog, Uncategorized |

An oasis of calm… Dunmore East

The space shuttle uses more fuel during its first 3 minutes after takeoff than it requires for the remainder of its orbit around the entire earth. The magnetic pull of the world takes great energy to overcome. So true of the space shuttle, so true of our lives! It’s easier sometimes to get drawn into the ways of the world than to open our eyes to what really matters. We do not need to soar to the galaxies beyond to appreciate the wonders of the universe. Star dust lies speckled in the land around us beyond the gaze of a busy mind.

Places of amazing peace and beauty draw us into the vast expanse of mystery. When we ease the rhythmic cadence of our lives, we begin to observe what we may not have noticed before. Water cascading against the rocks at high tide, the warm embrace of light as we leave the dimmed enchantment of the woods behind, flowers daring to show their face across snow-drenched headland, the shimmering glow of the ocean as the sun sets… all soothe the rumblings within and ease us into an unknown world. Dunmore East, more than anywhere I know, does it for me!

It takes time to soak in the unique charm and character of this unspoiled piece of Ireland… to become enchanted by this magical place. The spell-binding beauty of Dunmore East has a mesmeric way of slowing the pulse right down. Long before recorded history, people lived in this hallowed corner of Ireland’s Ancient East. They fished the seas and tilled the land to sustain them through the ravages of the seasons. Its name can be traced to a promontory fort built during the Iron Age referred to by local inhabitants then as Dún Mór, the Great Fort. When you take a trail in Dunmore East, you walk quite simply in the footsteps of those who have gone before.

The Dunmore East Cliff Walk lulls us unknowingly into a mystical space. This ancient 3 km. trail meanders its way from the harbour to Portally Cove across a recently cleared pathway. Many proud locals have worked hard to make this possible. Generations to come can now follow the trail of their ancestors. Below the cliff lies inlets and smugglers’ caves carved out of conglomerate red sandstone, known locally as “pudding sandstone”, which was used to construct the harbour from 1814. Here, the senses are stirred into life and are embalmed by the soothing embrace of the sea air.

It’s good on occasion to simply allow time to stand still, to ease the pace of the walk, to calm the tempest of the mind and soak it all in. 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 short trip out to sea on return to the harbour completes this experience. You’d never know what you could meet as you sail out into the Bay. Dolphins, basking sharks and even whales have been spotted. 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. We are transported beyond our normal frontiers. It feels like a homecoming.

The Dunmore East to Creadon Head walk is equally memorable. This beautiful trail was once the ancient “main road” from Cork to London. An easy to moderate 6 km. walk along beach, lane and field, the views are breath-taking. Forty hand-hewn steps, leading down to sea-level can still be found in the rocks. At the base of the peninsula is ‘Trá na Mná Gorm’ (The Strand of the Blue (negro) Women), giving credence to the legend that slaves were landed, or trans-shipped via the steps to far-away places. Their faint murmurings still linger as the sun descends on glistening waters.

It’s not easy to slow down in a world that moves at pace. The key to life is balance. Exertion without rest ultimately drains the spirit and stifles our real potential. We heave our way to our next target on the treadmill of life and rarely connect to source. You see the inner world does not reveal itself cheaply. It takes time. What is on the outside compares little to what lies within. More and more people are waking up to this reality.

The exploits of the Irish Rugby team warmed the collective hearts of a nation battling arctic conditions. They delivered a level of performance that suggested that there is even more to come from their incredible odyssey. Strength that endures is unearthed from within. We who surveyed their latest conquest knew they had gone deep into the well and retrieved all that was needed to help them achieve their common goal. Mind, body and soul in perfect synch! Such is the equilibrium we all need if we are to achieve our higher purpose.

Nature has a way of reminding us of who we are and what we are capable of. Each one of us can tap into the storehouse of energy and resilience on the inside. No one should think so little of themselves that they fail to see their own worth. When Michelangelo was asked how he carved the beautiful statue of David in Florence, he replied, “I just saw David in the block of marble without the blemish, and I just removed everything that wasn’t David.” We too are like that uncarved block of marble. There is magnificence inside of us all; something uncrushable waiting to be sculpted into life. The legacy we leave is born from within!

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. There is a life force at play in the universe that can steer us on our way. Our inner compass must do the rest!

“Go placidly amid the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence…

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should…

In the noisy confusions of life, keep peace with your soul… With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.”
(‘Desiderata’, Max Ehrmann 1927)

Dr. Phil Brennan and his fiancée Elaine are founders of Waterford Camino Tours. They will be partnering with the Strand Inn, Dunmore East to promote a series of cycling and walking trails with the Strand Inn Log Cabins as a base for the 3 to 5 Day Camino experience.

For further information, check out ‘Dunmore East-time for you’ or the ‘Leisure-Cycle Camino’, led by Michael Garland’ on waterfordcamino.com You can email Phil and Elaine directly on: info@waterfordcamino.com

Phil Brennan

Posted on January 22, 2018

Posted in Phils Blog, Uncategorized |

‘Where words fail, music speaks’

We make the road by walking it. Some pathways lead to places that leave their mark long after the journey has passed. This place was altogether different. There was something surreal about it, something intangible… beyond words.

Travelling to Auschwitz with ‘The Island of Ireland Peace Choir’ was memorable on many levels. I’ve stalled from writing my reflections ‘til now as I simply could not find the words. It has left me numb, aghast at the incomprehensible scale of what happened and sickened by the depravity of it all. We paid homage to the fallen in song. Faint notes soared tremulously into the darkened sky.

Normality on return provides its own sanctuary. Life moves on, but, somehow, all is not the same. The residual tremors echo in broken strains within the inner vault. The unfathomable lingers; vivid, compelling… incomplete. This is my feeble attempt to make sense of it all.

We passed through the gates of Auschwitz fearful of what awaited us on the other side. The sun-soaked pavements lulled us unknowingly back in time. Just for that one fleeting moment, the rhythmic cadence of our steps merged in melodic symmetry with those who had gone before us. We were entering a sacred space, a resting place for all too many. Of the 1.3million Jews who had passed through Auschwitz-Birkenau only 200,000 made the return journey. Above us, emblazoned over the steal gates, the hauntingly ironic words “Arbeit macht frei’ (‘Work makes you free’).

Over the next few hours, the horrors of the past would flash before our eyes like splintered reels on an old film – clear lines of red bricked buildings once used as a Polish military barracks, vacant eyes on the many portraits speckled across walls, the shoes, the hair, the cases, emaciated bodies… the sombre emptiness of the gas chambers. There was nowhere to turn!

Our guide pointed to the open air auditorium where a band once entertained the inmates as they passed in and out each day – the starkest backdrop surely to a musical ensemble. The cathartic pull between spectator and performer was palpable even now over 70 years later.

The main task of the orchestra was to play during forced labour or during the march back to the camp. After their recitals, they were required to work with the other prisoners. Musicians had the advantage of being hired as on-site workers which allowed them to assemble quickly once the command came. They had no choice but to acquiesce to the cold dictates of their masters.

Helen Niwinska, violinist in the ‘Auschwitz-Birkenau Women’s Orchestra’ recalls in her memoirs:

“The view from the entrance of the gate was the most depressing. Though we tried to focus on playing, we could not avoid seeing and hearing what was going on. Exhausted by long hours, the working prisoners were brought in, or dragged on the ground for those who could not survive another day of their ordeal.”

The first concert took place in January 1941, with seven prisoner musicians. By May 1942, the brass band had over 100 members and the symphonic another 71, an eclectic mix of Europe’s finest musicians, all Jewish… all playing for their lives. From deep within, they mustered the strength. Their ethereal sounds rose from the mire. 3 years later, these same musicians were still playing on the train platform in Birkenau as passengers heaved their way to an unknown fate.

One of the hardest things for me to grasp was the weird juxtaposition between life and death, crescendo and denouement, mellowed tones and piercing cries – a strange confluence of opposites. In an odd way, the camps were beautiful; impeccable landscaping, lush greenery everywhere, blue skies, perfect reflections of sunlight, birds chirping. There was a sense of calmness, of holiness even. We were in a hallowed sanctuary and their spirit remained close by. Here, amidst the vestiges of a bygone time, you sensed you were not alone. The hushed whisperings of their mystical airs could still be heard.

The ‘final solution’ did not just happen by chance. There was a plan, a grand disguise. The shroud of subterfuge was carefully crafted. Men, women and children no longer of value to their Nazi governors were ordered to leave their possessions in carefully delineated open bays and told to remember the number assigned to them. After their shower, they were to be repatriated up the country with their own home and land. The reality; carbon monoxide poisoning on a massive scale. Young and old alike ensnared in a web they knew nothing about.

The trains arrived into Birkenau with military precision every day. An endless chain of carriages crept eerily through the misted wood and ground to a chilling halt. Human cargo, crushed with suffocating contempt, emerged bemused and broken. Up to 5,000 people spewed on to the platform in 2 daily cycles. Mothers clasped their children tightly with unswerving love. And still the band played – their faint strains barely audible amidst the mayhem. Elie Weisel recalls:

“It all happened so fast. The ghetto. The deportation. The sealed cattle car. The fiery altar upon which the history of our people and the future of mankind were meant to be sacrificed.”

Work was assigned to Jewish prisoners strong enough to withstand what was asked of them. It was their only hope of survival. The ‘Sonderkommandos’ oversaw the task of retrieving the bodies from the chambers and burning them in the adjoining ovens or in open air. Sunken heads, bowed and forlorn, doing the impossible. Incense lifted through the veil to somewhere beyond. We paused, then sang our prayer in solidarity with the persecuted:

“Sleep, sleep tonight, and may your dreams be realised. If the thunder cloud passes rain so let it rain, rain down on him… so let it be.” (‘M.L.K.’, U2)

We passed at pace from one barracks to the next, passive observers to an unspeakable truth – no words just silent sighs. Etched onto a shaded doorway, George Santayana’s one sentence said everything:

“The one who does not remember history is bound to live through it again.”

The world must talk, must continue to acknowledge the pain, the obliteration, the misguided ideologies – if we don’t we’re condemned to repeat the mistakes of the past. We need to honour not just the millions who died but the stoic courage of so many who persevered against the odds.

I always remember the powerful image of the girl in the red dress in Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List”. The vast kaleidoscope of human displacement narrowed right down to one girl’s final odyssey. Statistics overwhelm. The human story hits home. Viktor Frankl was a Jewish doctor moved to Auschwitz with his wife Tilly in 1944. His job was to build the railway lines along with hundreds of other inmates. Each morning they’d trudge through the snow bare footed, punctuated by the piercing shudder of rifle butts when least expected. Frankl stared adversity in the face and somehow made sense of it all. In his book ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ he recalls:

“We stumbled on in the darkness, over big stones and through large puddles, along the one road leading from the camp. Anyone with very sore feet supported himself on his neighbour’s arm. Hardly a word was spoken; the icy wind did not encourage talk. Hiding his mouth behind his upturned collar, the man marching next to me whispered suddenly: ‘If our wives could see us now! I do hope they are better off in their camps and don’t know what is happening to us.’

That brought thought of my own wife to mind. And as we stumbled on for miles, slipping on icy spots, supporting each other time and again, dragging one another up and onward, nothing was said, but we both knew: each of us was thinking of his wife. Occasionally I looked at the sky, where the stars were fading and the pink light of the morning was beginning to spread behind a dark bank of clouds.

But my mind clung to my wife’s image, imagining it with an uncanny acuteness. I heard her answering me, saw her smile, her frank and encouraging look. Real or not, her look was then more luminous than the sun which was beginning to rise. A thought transfixed me: for the first time in my life I saw the truth as it is set into song by so many poets, proclaimed as the final wisdom by so many thinkers… The truth – that love is the ultimate and the highest goal to which we humans can aspire.”

In March 1945, Viktor was offered a move to the so-called rest camp, Turkheim where he worked as a physician until the 27th of April 1945 when the camp was liberated by American soldiers. He survived. His wife Tilly was moved to Bergen-Belsen from where she was never to return. Frankl’s mother Elsa and brother Walter died at Auschwitz. Years later, Frankl reflected:

“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”.

We live in this twilight time, between darkness and light. Our story ebbs and flows as a series of melodic movements in the symphony of the universe. The search for meaning is the search for the lost chord. Its discovery changes everything. Only then will discord cease and the melodic balance of the universe be restored. There is a life force out there strong enough to subdue, to liberate. It resides within each of us.

On the walls of the ‘Room of Choices’ in the Oscar Schindler Museum, we were reminded of the poignant power of music to attune us to this new frequency:

“We were terrified. All of a sudden he began to sing. We all joined him after a while. When we were singing, we forgot the fear.”

Now, 6 months on, I’m beginning to see more clearly. Auschwitz-Birkenau has awoken me from my reverie. My living is determined not so much by what life brings to me as by the attitude I bring to life; not so much by what happens to all of us as by the way our minds look at what happens. We all have a song to sing. You must choose yours carefully and direct your energies into it. Stay close to what is genuine and true. Love can overcome all that diminishes life. Love sustains us on our way.

“Only in the deepest silence of night the stars smile and whisper among themselves” (Tagore)

Dr. Phil Brennan is the founder and Musical Director of the Island of Ireland Peace Choir. The choir’s trip to Krakow will feature on Nationwide Friday 26th, January, RTE 1 at 7pm, the evening before ‘World Holocaust Remembrance Day’.

Special thanks to the following for all their help and support in making this trip memorable; Members of the Island of Ireland Peace Choir, The Edmund Rice Brothers, Mount Sion, The Packaging Hub, Causeway Properties, Harvey Travel, Cracovia Travel (Krakow), Comeragh Coaches, Hi-lite Television Productions, Damien Tiernan (RTE)

Title: Hans Christian Andersen.

Photo: Girl in Red Dress by David James for Universal Pictures.

Phil Brennan

Posted on November 1, 2017

Posted in Phils Blog, Uncategorized |

2 Comments |

The road less travelled – walking trails in Waterford

All odysseys of significance are not without their peril. We have taken our first tentative steps out on our Waterford Camino and have survived. Maybe, a little more than that! We’ve put the pieces of our business together, assembled a great team and are ready now to embark on the next leg of the journey. The vision has become a reality!

The scary bit… there’s no guarantee we’ll climb the mountain and arrive at the other side no matter how clear our focus, how great our resolve.

So much of what happens is below the radar; the contacts with hoteliers, the website design, marketing initiatives, brainstorming on Camino options, market research, tour operator contacts… yet without this preparatory time, we could not move forward with confidence.

We have our compass points, we are ready to steer our way onwards. Above all, we’ve great people close by who believe in us.

The Waterford Greenway has become a corridor for thousands of people into the heart of the countryside. The Greenway has an enchanting allure for those who share our Caminos, drawing us onwards as it meanders its way with nonchalant ease through 46km of picturesque vistas and coastline. We’ve all become privileged passengers on this old railway line, spectators to the timeless beauty we pass on our way.

The tourism landscape is evolving and the aesthetic wonders of our County have a role to play in defining what is to come. Whilst the iconic visual treats along the Waterford Greenway have been well documented, it is good to place a wee spotlight on some of the many hidden gems around the county that we feature on our Camino. Visitors are genuinely surprised by the abundance of scenic delights they have passed on their walking and cycling trails. I’ve tried to capture what people have said …

“Coumshingaun is a beautifully disguised Corrie Lake in the heart of the Comeragh Mountains within a 30 minute drive from Waterford City. The landscape is amazing with wildlife, forestry and panoramic views of the entire county that will live long in the memory. If you walk uphill to the lake, it will take you around 3 hours to touch your toe in the lake and head back down the mountain to your point of departure. This Camino should be on everyone’s bucket list.”

“We loved when our Waterford Camino led us to the Mahon Falls. Here, you feel you’re on hallowed ground, a cathedral of stillness carved out of rock that dates back over 300 million years. It takes 20 minutes to walk out to the thundering Falls. They cast a mystical spell, like a dimmed oasis in a cauldron of stone. We slowed down to soak in the vast kaleidoscope of contour and colour that opened up before us from the Falls to the sea beyond. This ‘compass point’ on the Waterford Camino is one that we want our Grandchildren to experience. Spellbinding!”

“The Crough Woods trail is memorable on so many levels. All the senses come alive. The sounds of the cascading waters, the birds chirping, the autumnal light seeping through the trees, all combine to carry you through this mystical forest trail as you take the 6km Camino uphill to the Mahon Falls. Certainly gives you plenty to chat about as the sun sets over a creamy pint of stout.”

“Tramore was a particular highlight on our Camino. This seaside resort is renowned for its long beach walks, popular cafes and the many surfing schools that have sprung up here in recent years. We did both the 7km walk around the Sandunes and the 2 km Doneraile to Newtown Cove walk. Both were amazing. We even had time for a quick swim in the renowned Guillame Cove. Some of the swimmers we met take the plunge all year round! We made time between trails to have an icecream on the prom as tourists for centuries have done in this beautiful coastal town and then enjoyed a gentle stroll around the stunning Lafcadio Hearn Gardens. A day to remember!”

“Dunmore East… where have you been all my life? We love you! The trail from the harbour to the picturesque Portally Cove and back will stay with us forever. It is simply breathtaking in its beauty. We even spotted the occasional seal basking in the sun. Hook Head lighthouse simmered against the sparkling waters on the horizon. The descent into the photogenic fishing harbour of Dunmore East reminds you of something from times past. The Camino by land extended to the sea as Brendan brought us out to the Bay after lunch. We caught mackerel and lobster, no mean feat over a few hours. We had to celebrate when we got back to dry land. Dunmore East from the cliff to the sea is a sight to behold.”

“We feel honoured to have been part of the Waterford Camino tour. What can we say; fabulous, fun, scenic, breathtaking, inspiring, generous, kind, loving. Everyone needs to experience this amazing tour through Ireland’s Ancient East in this hidden corner of this beautiful country.” (Jo, Wexford)

“Was it the beauty of Mahon falls or the water rushing through Crough Woods or the walk in Durrow Tunnel on the Waterford Greenway or the lovely boat ride in Dunmore East? I’m not sure but something on this unique Camino changed me that day…. Somehow the dark cloud lifted, if not completely, enough to see the beauty around me, enough to revive my hope. The people I walked the Camino with had become my wounded healers who shared their light with me. Nature inspired me to see that all need not necessarily stay the same. Somehow I am not scared to go the hard route to climb my mountain. I have started to dream again.” (Jas, Kilkenny)

“Mother Nature shows off in full force along the Waterford Greenway. Easy nearby jaunts include the fishing village of Dungarvan, the stunning beaches of Tramore, the peaks and waterfalls of the Comeragh Mountains, and the crown jewel of Dunmore East. The scenery here rivals any vista of the renowned West Coast. Whatever type of holiday you dream of, I highly recommend making a pilgrimage with Waterford Camino Tours.” (Stephanie Santagada Wells, Travel Designer with The Destination Company, New York)

A thought struck me on a recent Camino through Crough Woods. The waters we had experienced upstream at the Falls were the same waters that surged past beneath our gaze. What has gone before us, sometimes shaded in regret and misfortune as you look back, paves the way for all that lies ahead downstream. The river rolls unrelentingly to the wider ocean below. All that is behind us does not define us! Einstein reminds us to “look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better”. Think he knew a thing or two!

I’ve learned that to move forward in life, to wade through the waters of uncertainty, you need to create your own current rather than be buffeted about by the dictates of others. So often in life, people can let you down. You have to believe in yourself, map out your own course and have people close by who genuinely want you to succeed. Popularity can be feigned with ease. Close companions on the journey… earned!

“Your soul knows the geography of your destiny. Your soul alone has the map of your future.” (John O’ Donoghue)

Waterford Camino Tours offer a wide range of 1 Day to 5 Day options. All you have to do is get here. Leave the rest to us! For further information check out www.waterfordcamino.com or contact Phil or Elaine at waterfordcaminotours@gmail.com

Cover photograph, Dunmore East and Tramore photographs are all courtesy of Mailo Power, Athenaeum House Hotel. Thank you to Brendan Butler and Hayley Crosbie for Crough Woods and Mahon Falls photographs.

Phil Brennan

Posted on October 2, 2017

Posted in Phils Blog, Uncategorized |

Something inside so strong

Never let a stumble be the end of your journey. Dreams can come true but not always as easily as you would like! We all know how it feels to reach the edge of the precipice and see our hopes dashed before us. We stand and stare and do not always understand. We feel the pain and momentarily become suspended in time. Our coordinates become dimmed, our future obscure.

Our next step, possibly after months of impasse, will determine who we are to become.

“By every usual standard, I was the biggest failure I knew.”

Those are the words of J.K. Rowling, the author whose book series has been translated into 73 languages, sold millions of copies and accumulated over $20 billion through movie adaptations and sponsorships.

Rowling’s story is one of perseverance, a stoic resolve to overcome the disappointments and the knocks spewed up by life until she got her first break. Through it all, she offers us a perspective on failure that is all the more humbling and inspiring given her subsequent success.

Soon after conceiving the idea for Harry Potter, Rowling began writing, but was immediately pulled away from her work by the devastating death of her mother. Rowling ceased working on the book and sank into a deep, grieving depression, getting little to nothing accomplished in that time.

In the hopes of digging herself out of grievance, she took a job teaching English in Portugal for a year. Her goal in venturing abroad was to get away from her troubles, and, more importantly, use her time off to continue working on her book. She set the goal of having the first Harry Potter book done by the time she returned from Portugal.

Things did not go as planned. Not only did Rowling fail to make progress on her first book, but after falling in, and then out of, love, she ended up with a failed marriage and a baby daughter she now had to raise alone. She came back to nothing. She had no job, no finished product and two mouths to feed.

She had hit rock bottom. As she struggled with depression, raising a child on her own and living off mere unemployment benefits, she resumed work on her book in cafes while her daughter was asleep.

“Failure taught me things about myself that I could have learned no other way. I discovered that I had a strong will, and more discipline than I had suspected; I also found out that I have friends whose value was truly above rubies… I was set free, because my greatest fear had already been realised, and I was still alive… And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” (J.K. Rowling)

You can be cruising along at low altitude unaffected by turbulence and uncertainty, yet, in an instant, all can change. It is here, in our darkest hour, when we are tossed and buffeted about by the unforgiving winds of time … that we come to know ourselves for who we are.

Despite numerous setbacks, she found solace in doing what she loved -writing. In fact, she found that the little she had was enough to make her moderately happy. She had ended up in exactly the position she had feared most and found that it wasn’t that bad. There wasn’t anything left to be afraid of and her work showcased that mindset.

When Rowling finally finished the first 3 chapters, she sent the manuscript off to a publisher-they quickly passed on the project. She sent it to another publisher. Again, the answer was ‘No’. Her mailbox filled up with rejection letters, but she didn’t let it stop her.

After sending her manuscript to 12 different publishers and getting rejected by every single one, Rowling began losing confidence in her book. Finally, the editor of Bloomsbury Publishing Company sat down to read the manuscript and so did the editor’s 8 year old daughter. The little girl loved the opening chapters, and begged to read the whole thing. This made the publisher agree to publish Rowling’s novel. But Rowling was left with a warning that she should get a day job, because she wouldn’t make any money writing children’s books. Once’ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ was published, though, she proved everyone wrong.

“I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me… Failure meant a stripping away of the inessential.” (J.K. Rowling)

J.K. Rowling went from being a jobless single mother living off unemployment benefits to one of the bestselling authors of all time. Looking back, the Harry Potter Series has earned over $400 million in book sales, and the last movie alone earned $476 million in ticket sales… on opening weekend. Failure had been an important stimulus on the road to her success. What was it that sustained her on her way? Something indefinable, something real, something inside so strong…

“The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive. You will never truly know yourself, or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity.” (J.K. Rowling)

We all have the reserves within to withstand the storms of life. Wading through the torrent builds character and makes you more appreciative of what is waiting for you when you reach the other side. We cannot allow our deepest fears and misgivings sabotage our future. If you have a dream or a passion and you keep getting rejected or running into failure, don’t let that stop you… don’t give up! If you do, you will never know what could have been.

“One thing is for sure. If you give up too soon, you’ll never know what you’ll be missing. Keep going and never quit.” (J.K. Rowling)

The purpose of life is a life of purpose. When you passionately believe in something that doesn’t exist, create it. Nothing worth achieving is handed to us. Find out what you truly want and direct your energies towards it. Be true to you rather than drift anonymously into the slipstream of others. People on the sidelines do not matter only those close to you. Each one of us has a life to live. It is ours and ours alone.

That first step, that venturing out into the unknown, can lead you onwards to where you are meant to be.

“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)

If you fancy a reflective break away, join us on one of our Waterford Caminos. For further information check out waterfordcamino.com or email Phil at waterfordcaminotours@gmail.com

(Thanks to Morgan Ostrowsky at ‘The Uncollege Blog’ for the research)

(Thanks to Brendan St John’s photography for featured image of Tramore)

Phil Brennan

Posted on September 12, 2017

Posted in Phils Blog, Uncategorized |

High Hopes – takes me back to where we started

The High Hopes Choir has a unique story to tell. A spark was lit by renowned conductor David Brophy 4 years ago rippling out from its humble origins in the Edmund Rice Centre to include homeless people from Cork, Dublin and Waterford. Something irrepressible has started… a movement of sorts that has transformed the lives of those involved. People once silenced are beginning to find their voice.

As Musical Director of the Waterford choir, I have been privileged to walk the road with them over the past 2 years. They remind me of what matters most in life. They have made me stare into the inner depths of my own soul and discover anew the power of the ‘flawed note’ to guide me in life to where I want to be. Something flickers within each of them to lighten the darkened path!

“At times our own light goes out and is re-kindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” (Albert Schweitzer)

On a recent Waterford Camino, our group of visitors retreated from the wildness of the cliff walk in Dunmore East to the relative sanctuary of the Edmund Rice Chapel for a reflective workshop with the High Hopes. With spontaneous ease, members of the choir shared their story, handing over the baton between songs from one to the next in common solidarity. We who listened were jolted to the core. There was a stunned silence, a deep empathy, an aching realisation that those before us could just so easily have been my son, my daughter… me!

In recent years, the High Hopes have performed at a myriad of high-profile events from the European Parliament to the Aviva Stadium to Electric Picnic, they have shared their song and their story from Bellaghy to Villierstown, yet, here, in this most intimate of settings beyond the cameras and the lights, they had really come into their own. Their unfiltered notes resonate deeply precisely because they articulate a raw truth, a glorious truth – an awakening of sorts to the reality that their mistakes and their failings do not define them as people. A fragile light still radiates from within.

“Circumstances do not make the person, they reveal the person. We’re not responsible for the cards we are dealt but we are responsible for how we play them. It’s not how you start. It’s how you finish” (Cathy McCarthy)

The Waterford High Hopes Choir recently journeyed up the Waterford Greenway for some ‘time-out’ together. We wanted to share our first Camino with them. They blazed their trail in their own inimitable style. We rambled at a leisurely pace oblivious to the world around us yet enraptured by it! We visited Durrow Tunnel, reflected on the struggle to find light when all around seems bleak, sang, laughed, had silent times then laughed again. We had opened our pores to the rhythm of the universe as it danced before us.

Just spending time together was enough. Yes, we had little treats along the way; ice-cream at O’ Mahony’s pub and a meal out when we got back to Waterford – yet their gratitude was like no other. Maybe, in that fleeting moment, they felt valued, they felt surrounded by warmth, they felt that their individual story actually mattered in the universal scheme of things. Either way, it was a moment in time. They disappeared into the night knowing that they were not alone.

I am slowly realising that we cannot come to know the people on the margins from a safe distance. Walking alongside the homeless has led me to a new place. Here I have discovered the indivisible union between me and those singing before me. We are one. Maybe it’s that I know only too well what it feels like to be broken, to lose everything, to slip up, to fall short… only when we come to know the homeless as friends, when we share the most precious gift of all, our time, with them, do we come to see in them the reflection of our truest selves.

You see each member of the choir is unique. No two stories are the same, yet, together, they become a tidal wave of honesty challenging a world that can walk idly by. From somewhere deep within, they have found their song – a prophetic song. We all need to walk into unknown spaces and listen. Here, on the underside, we move beyond our perceptions and come to know these people for who they really are. One of the members, Alice, captures the cold reality for all too many who linger silently in the shadows:

When you’re out during the night,
It gets so dark one forgets the light.
When you walk for hours alone,
Time lingers, hours unshown.
All is glooming in the night,
Al l shadows still and quiet.
Until you see the light of day,
The fear of night will forever stay.
(Alice)

A thought struck me as I stood on the lower Cusack Stand at the end of a pulsating All Ireland hurling final and felt the sheer agony of defeat etched on the faces of those in blue and white. Light shines most brightly against a darkened backdrop. Fans and players alike had been participants in an amazing symphony that had reached its tragic denouement. A strange catharsis was evolving around me, an emptying of raw emotion in shared desolation. Yet hope simmered on the horizon. A terrible beauty was born!

Everyone needs heroes, even those who have fallen. If anything, we can relate better to those who do not reach their holy grail because we’ve all been there ourselves. The glory rests with the victors who take the crown when the game is done, yet the many disconsolate figures viewing from below have their own kind of grandeur. Today’s pain may well herald a new tomorrow.

The odyssey of life will take many twists and turns, yet, with a resilient spirit, anything is possible. The High Hopes are living proof! Their song soars long after the last note has been sung. They are our beacon, guiding us home.

“Lights will guide you home and ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you” (Cold Play)

For further information on Waterford Camino Tours, email Phil at waterfordcaminotours@gmail.com

(Guitar picture, thanks to Brendan St John’s photography 2017)

Phil Brennan

Posted on August 21, 2017

Posted in Phils Blog, Uncategorized |

2 Comments |

The first Waterford Camino

Well, the day finally arrived.

After months of planning, it was time to set out on our adventure towards horizons new. No matter how meticulously you prepare, it is only in the doing that you really come to know the worth of something. Only then do you begin to see if the pathway you have mapped out leads to where you want to be. We welcomed our visitors from Kildare on the steps of Athenaeum House Hotel, collected our packed lunches and were ready to take our first tentative steps on the Waterford Camino.

The Waterford Greenway opens up our beautiful county like never before. We couldn’t get over the multitudes availing of this stunning natural amenity in our midst. The vision behind the Greenway and the investment that has gone into it over the past few years provides a gateway to the Waterford countryside that will enrich the lives of so many for generations to come. We’re privileged to have it on our doorstep here in Waterford.

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

You see the aesthetic wonders of nature need to be experienced up close and personal not through the cold, obscure eye of a laptop or phone. It is estimated that most of us check our mobile phones at least 46 times a day and with the ever-expanding market for connected watches and wristbands, this trend looks set to continue. Whilst it’s hard to resist the lure of digital advancements, (mea ‘big-time’ culpa!), I can’t help but wonder has civilisation morphed into something it was never meant to be?

We do not need new landscapes, just new eyes to see what is already there. The Greenway and the many majestic trails that lead off it draw us back to where we belong. Seeing the eclectic colours of the skyline at sunrise over the River Suir, sensing the life force rolling through the Mahon River as it cascades downstream through Crough Woods, hearing the soothing sounds of the waves as they roll to the shore at Clonea Beach, adjusting to the beautiful shades of light as we leave the dimmed enchantment of Durrow Tunnel behind – all awaken something deep within us and attune us to a new frequency.

“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)

We arrived at Mahon Falls high up the Comeragh Mountains in the early afternoon. Here, you feel you’re on hallowed ground, a cathedral of stillness carved out of rock that dates back over 300 million years. The Falls have an enchanting allure, like an oasis in a cauldron of stone that appears teasingly beyond our reach no matter how fast the pace. In life, just as in this walk, it is easy to become so preoccupied with the destination that we forget the journey. We slowed down to soak in the vast kaleidoscope of contour and colour that opened up before us from the Falls to the sea beyond. We had become miniscule spectators to something timeless in this mystical amphitheatre beneath the skies. Moments like this remind us that we are not alone.

It is in the journey we find meaning not just in the dimmed hues on the distant horizon. The steps in between matter! In the rush to arrive at where we want to be, we can easily whiz by the smaller, often incidental, moments that make life worth living. We glide in perpetual motion and miss out on the ‘bits n’ pieces’ that make sense of it all in the process. Stillness is the stepping stone to peace. All this running needs to stop on occasion so that we can simply standstill. The Greek poet Constantine reminds us that as we pursue our dreams and goals in life and aspire to reach the utopian island of ‘Ithaca’, we must be sure to enjoy all that we encounter along the way.

Here’s what some of our visitors had to say about their experience of the Waterford Camino: “We had a wonderful time and feel privileged to be part of your first Camino. The sights were breathtaking. Everyone should put it on their bucket list… 3 wonderful days of reflective walks, cycling and fishing. I would highly recommend for mind, body and soul – memorable on so many levels… The highlight for me was fishing in Brendan’s boat off Dunmore East, the thrill of catching mackerel and seeing the lobster in the pots as we raised them from the sea… The hotel was so homely, friendly staff to match the exquisite food. The ‘catch and cook’ experience from the lobster pots in the bay to the table in Athenaeum House Hotel was unreal. Another unique ingredient to what was an already magical Camino.”

To finish, a thought struck me as we wondered though Crough Woods at the base of the Mahon Falls on the first afternoon. Here we experienced the powerful contrast between the roaring waters of the gorge and the woodland tranquility that surrounds it. The very waters that we’d left behind at the top of the Falls were possibly rolling on by as we sat in quiet reflection. Nature moves with an unswerving calm. The streams continue to flow, resolute, unbowed.

We need to return to the well, replenish ourselves, open our pores to the mystical that is all around us and kick on in life. In such moments of awakening, our souls are laid bare. We are made to face our shortcomings and our strengths, those very aspects of ourselves that we have yet to fully accept. The journey of life is ultimately a journey of finding our true selves and accepting ourselves as we are.

“Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” (Marianne Williamson)

Phil Brennan

Posted on August 15, 2017

Posted in Phils Blog, Uncategorized |

Cycle Waterford, in Ireland’s Ancient East

Waterford, Ireland’s oldest City, boasts a very proud heritage when it comes to cycling. There’s something about the air in this place, not to mention the arduous mountain climbs and undulating roads, that produces great champions. Home to former World No. 1 cyclist and current Eurosport commentator Sean Kelly, up and coming future champion Sam Bennett and Olympian and Giro d’Italia rider Ciaran Power, there really is a depth to road and leisure cycling in and around Waterford.

Why do we not hear and read more about “Cycle Waterford, in Ireland’s Ancient East?” In a county where excitement for the approaching All Ireland final is reaching fever pitch, it has to be said that these last few months have become a defining time in showcasing the best of what Waterford has to offer to the world. The Waterford Greenway is a game-changer, a vast meandering outdoor amenity that opens up the County like never before. There is a buzz in the county and sport is at the heart of it!

The Waterford Greenway, in a very few short months since opening, has given added impetus to cycle touring and cycling holidays. This, the newest of Ireland’s Greenway cycle tracks, has attracted literally tens of thousands of visitors. The 46km old railway line bisects the County, East to West, linking Waterford City and Dungarvan Town. It has been a colossal success to date and will continue to be so.

There is of course much, much more to discover in this most ancient of Ireland’s counties. Ireland’s oldest city can become a sporting hub for the region, with the W.I.T. Sports Arena considered to be one of the country’s most advanced centres of sporting excellence. Cycling tours can start from the city and take us on magical journeys within the county and beyond.

Cycling out of Dunmore East, you’ll be pedalling “by Hook or by Crooke”, as you head towards the Passage East car before taking the ferry across the mighty River Suir. Once in Ballyhack, County Wexford, all points on the compass will steer you South, along the coastal road towards Hook Lighthouse. On the way, you’ll pass many of Ireland’s Ancient East’s historical attractions; Duncannon Fort, Loftus Hall, Dunbrody Abbey and Tintern Abbey, even mystical connections with the Knights Templar, before arriving at Hook Lighthouse for a coffee and a scone.

A leisurely route, mapping Waterford’s Copper Coast, a UNSECO Global Geopark, will take you and your bike on a touring cycle with stunning seascape vistas. This stretch of coast line, which runs East-West along the Irish Celtic Sea, offers views from ancient rugged high cliff tops. Kilometres upon kilometre of amazing rock faces, precipices and sea stacks. Idyllic “private” golden sandy beaches await you around ever turn and corner. You may even catch a glimpse of schools of dolphin or porpoise playing in the surf.

Alternative cycle routes can take you past some of Ireland’s most ancient sites here in Waterford; the copper ore mines at Tankardstown, the acid fen peat environment of Fenor’s Ice Age bog, or Stage Cove/Knockmahon beach where the rock face resembles that of the Giant’s Causeway, although much older.

Newer more modern sites to visit, whilst cycle touring, include the John F Kennedy Memorial Park and Arboretum, only a stone’s throw away from the actual Kennedy homestead, where the US political dynasty all began and The Dunbrody famine ship with the eternal “Emigrants Flame”, burning warmly 365 days of the year, in remembrance of those who had to leave these shores throughout the generations.

For those with more cycling experience and energy there are, let us say, more challenging cycles available. Following in the footsteps of Sean Kelly, you can take on the demanding climbs of Mahon Fall, Tickincor, Powers The Pot and if you are brave enough, Mount Leinster – “All the way to the mast”, some 800m of climbing!

As a new leisure and road cycling destination, Waterford has so much to offer. Routes and trails will take you through the very heart of Ireland’s Ancient East. Here is the county where sport and history collide…beautifully!

(Copper Coast photograph by the brilliant David O’Sullivan)