Christmas time has its own magical allure. The lights, the gifts, the music, the myriad of sporting spectacles beamed live to our sitting rooms, the gatherings among family and friends, the scent of the turkey roasting in the oven, the frenzied shopping, the carnival atmosphere in town; all combine to create something uniquely festive that eases us almost unknowingly through the dreariness of the Irish winter. Now, as the year
That’s a wrap for 2023…what our visitors have to say!
It’s good to take that leap into the unknown. You’re not quite sure where you’ll land, yet you sense all will be well. Nature has a way of reassuring you when you need it most. You’ve got to trust the life force that has guided you along the way. We’re 7 years into our adventure with Waterford Camino Tours yet it feels like a new, as of yet untrodden pathway,
Stepping stones to the new… Celtic Ways Ireland
You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it. You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space. Johnny Cash Sometimes in life you’ve just got to go for it. What awaits you will not be handed to you.
When the going gets tough!
The Camino of life carries pain and joy in equal measure. One day, the sun is shining, the next a deluge. Life asks questions of you; out of nowhere it pushes you deeper into a space you may not have known before. Voices from afar remind you that the haze will lift and a whole new way will open up before you. You’ve just got to dial in on your
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)
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Sailing to pastures new – St. David’s Way
You are always calling us to follow you into the future, inviting us to new ventures, new challenges, new ways to care, new ways to touch the hearts of all… We’ve had a busy few months walking ancient paths, welcoming visitors from near and far and putting a shape on the vision we have for our business as we navigate our way into the future. Visualising where you want to
Unscripted Moments
May the blessing of light be on you, light without and light within. May the blessed sunlight shine upon you and warm your heart till it glows like a great fire and strangers may warm themselves as well as friends. And may the light shine from your eyes, like a candle set in the window of a home, bidding the wanderer to come in out of the storm. (Adapted from
’Til we find our place in the path unwinding…
There’s far too much to take in here More to find than can ever be found But the sun rolling high through the sapphire sky Keeps great and small on the endless round… On Camino, some days stay with you long after the walking is over. Saturday 30th of April was one such day. We organised a special ‘time-out’ with a group of Ukrainian families who were living in the
All around the blooming heather…
I was recently invited by renowned Pilgrim trails writer John G. O’Dwyer to launch his book ‘50 Best Irish Walks’ in his home village of Upperchurch, Co. Tipperary. The scene that greeted Elaine and myself when we arrived in Kinnane’s pub was as welcoming as you could wish for – the warm glow of the log fire, the animated tones of people chatting as they queued patiently to have their
A voyage of discovery – St. Declan’s Way
You are always calling us to follow you into the future, inviting us to new ventures, new challenges, new ways to care, new ways to touch the hearts of all. When we are fearful of the unknown, give us courage. When we worry that we are not up to the task, remind us that you would not call us if you did not believe in us. When we get tired,
In the falling of the wave
Waves are inspiring Not because they rise and fall But that each time they fall They never fail to rise again. (Josh Billings) I’ve been spending a little time in my hometown of Gorey lately. It’s has been great to connect again with people I may not have seen for years. Where you grow up never quite leaves you. It becomes part of who you are. The loop around the
Time to rise again
‘All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well… for there is a force of love moving through the universe that holds us fast and will never let us go.’ (Mother Julian, 14th Century) It is time to re-boot the system and get up and going again. We can start planning without the fear that we may have to go it alone.
Silent Night – the magic of Christmas
Christmas time has its own magical allure. The lights, the gifts, the music, the myriad of sporting spectacles beamed live to our sitting rooms, the gatherings among family and friends, the scent of the turkey roasting in the oven, the frenzied shopping, the carnival atmosphere in town; all combine to create something wonderfully festive that eases us almost unknowingly through the dreariness of the Irish winter. Now, as the year
A voyage into the unknown.
We humans were never meant to live our lives in the safe sanctuary of the harbour. It pays to dream big, to set your bearings on a course that is unique to you and those who sail with you. Once you abandon yourself to the tumult of the seas, you hand over the reins of your destiny to a higher force. The ocean, for all its vastness, is the very
The Camino of life
‘Path-walker, your footprints and nothing else are the Camino; Path-walker, there is no path, the Camino is formed as you move.’ (Antonio Machado) We create our own path in life. Others can guide us on our way, but, ultimately you and you alone can shape the course of what is yet to come. The compass to your future lies within. It takes courage to stay true to your course. Dare
Steps along the Irish Camino – from Wales with love
Celtic Blessing May you learn to be yourself To be happy in your skin To know where you are going And learn from where you’ve been. May your guide show you the true path May your feet find solid ground May your journey be eventful And your way home be finally found. (Iain Tweedale) After several false starts due to Covid restrictions I finally managed to make my way over
Scribbles of a curious wanderer along the way of St Declan
Setting out is not covering miles of land or sea or travelling faster than the speed of light. It is first and foremost opening ourselves to other people, trying to get to know them, going out to meet them…It is possible to travel alone, but the good traveller knows that the journey is human life and life needs company. (Dom Helder Camara) Make a pact with yourself to walk a
The day has come…
When someone encourages you, that person helps you over a threshold you might otherwise never have crossed on your own. There are times of great uncertainty in every life. Left alone at such a time, you feel dishevelment and confusion like gravity… (John O’ Donohue) We can’t wait to lead our first group along St Declan’s Way at the end of August. Our voyage in business has taken a circuitous
The wellbeing way – Waterford
“With room to breathe and room to think, we can live a more meaningful life. And this type of ‘room’ is not necessarily physical space; rather, it is the absence of all that is extraneous alongside the sweet feeling of liberation that comes with realising that you have enough, and that you are enough, just as you are.” (Michelle Ogundehin) The day breaks as the sun casts its crimson glow
The long walk home
If one has courage, nothing can dim the light which shines within… Since a price will be exacted from us for everything we do or leave undone, we should pluck up the courage to win, to win back our finer and kinder and healthier selves. There is no failure as long as you learn from your experience, continue to work, and continue to press on for success. (Maya Angelou) I
The day time stood still
Matara, Sri Lanka, December 26th, 2004, 9am. Charles Hewawasam looked out through the front door of the church. One large wave was rising just beyond the shoreline and moving swiftly towards the island. The people had their backs to the onslaught oblivious to what was coming their way. In all his years looking out on the Indian Ocean, this Sri Lankan priest had never seen anything like it. The sound
There comes a time…
The last goodbye is never easy. There’s a deep emptiness that no words can fill. You stand and stare and feel the aching loss. The finality of it all does not seem fair. In the numbness, you search for answers that lie out there, somewhere, beyond your reach. The rawest pain of all is when you lose someone close to you, someone you’ve come to know and love, someone whose
Stepping out into new frontiers
We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time… It’s almost a year now since we bid farewell to our last international group. We led a family of American visitors on our ‘Greenway to the Falls’ experience. They were due to stay in Lismore Castle for 7 days but had to
Before you know kindness…
“Before you know what kindness really is you must lose things, feel the future dissolve in a moment Like salt in a weakened broth. What you held in your hand, what you counted and carefully saved, All this must go so you know how desolate the landscape can be between the regions of kindness. How you ride and ride thinking the bus will never stop, the passengers eating maize and
A light flickers… Christmas on no man’s land
Christmas time has its own magical allure. The lights, the gifts, the music, the myriad of sporting spectacles beamed live to our sitting rooms, the gatherings among family and friends, the scent of the turkey roasting in the oven, the frenzied shopping, the carnival atmosphere in town; all combine to create something wonderfully festive that eases us almost unknowingly through the dreariness of the Irish winter. This year, after the
This Is The Time To Be Slow
This is the time to be slow, Lie low to the wall Until the bitter weather passes. Try as best you can, not to let The wire brush of doubt Scrape from your heart All sense of yourself And your hesitant light. If you remain generous, Time will come good; And you will find your feet again On fresh pastures of promise, Where the air will be kind And blushed
Voices on the Camino – 2020
It has been the strangest of years for all of us. We’ve steered a gentle course over the past few months opting to take the safe route until we come out the other side. Our policy has been to work with existing ‘pods’ of people rather than create groups from individual inquiries as we would have done in the past. What we lost in out on in numbers, we more
Dare to dance the tide
There’s nowhere to turn when the storm picks up. The sea rages with ferocious intent as crested sails struggle to withstand the tumult. Waves crash against the brow as if to test our defiance. Out here in the wildness of the ocean, we find ourselves tossed about by forces we are powerless to control. It can be quite scary staring into the unknown. You’ve got to trust your gut, your
St. Declan’s Way – where old meets now!
Walking in the steps of St. Declan from Cashel in Co. Tipperary to Ardmore in Co. Waterford lingers with you long after your odyssey is complete. Here on this ancient ‘Rian Bó Padraigh’ once trodden by the saints of old, we pass castles and forts, holy wells and hallowed vaults, breathtaking views and barren places – an eclectic collage of visual sensations that seep deep into the prism of the
Coming out the other side – the inside story
“Each of us has the right and the responsibility to assess the roads which lie ahead, and those over which we have travelled, and if the future road looms ominous and unpromising, and the roads back uninviting, then we need to gather our resolve and, carrying only the necessary baggage, step off that road into another direction.” (Maya Angelou) It will be strange looking back on 2020. Life can throw
How can I keep from singing?
“You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star.” (Frederich Nietzsche) When dreams are shattered, we search for meaning in the rubble. 10 years ago this week, my hope of one day bringing a state of the art cinema to my hometown was realised. So many painstaking hours had led to this moment – meetings with planners, architects, potential cinema operators, builders, engineers… Movies@Gorey opened on
And we will rise up
“I have a feeling that my boat has struck, down there in the depths, against a great thing. And nothing happens! Nothing… Silence… Waves… Nothing happens? Or has everything happened, and we are standing now, quietly, in this new life?” (Juan Ramon Jimenez, translated by Robert Bly) Emails come and go from far off places reminding us that these are scary times. We were due to host a family of
A fragile hope
“If in the dusk of the twilight, dimmed be the region afar Will not the deepening darkness, brighten the glimmering star. Then when the night is upon us, why should the heart sink away, When the dark midnight is over, watch for the break of day. Whispering hope, O how welcome thy voice making my heart in its sorrow rejoice.” (Alice Hawthorne, 1868) Hope often triumphs in those very situations
Calm in the storm
All has changed, changed utterly. You can sing it! We never saw this coming. It’s as though the world as we knew it has been suspended in time. What started out in a far away land has morphed into something that knows no borders. Amid the haze of the unknown, our coordinates have become blurred. Alone we stand yet together we await. As a collective, we are staring in the
In a world where you can be anything be kind
“We should remind ourselves that we are not saviors. We are simply a tiny sign among thousands that love is possible… I am struck by how sharing our weaknesses and difficulties is more nourishing to others than sharing our qualities and successes.” Walking the long way home can help us find perspective and frees us from the clutches of all the world can throw at us. It’s hard to go
A new dawn – a new way
Some days, you just wish you could wipe the slate clean and start afresh. There’s something about a New Year that makes us want to re-boot and get our lives back on track. Light lingers that bit longer with each passing day nudging us to take that first step down a path we may not have travelled before. Something stirs us to seek out new frontiers, to dare to take
‘Silent Night’ – echoes from afar.
“My father played the melodeon Outside at our gate; There were stars in the morning east And they danced to his music” (‘A Christmas Childhood’, Patrick Kavanagh) Christmas carols have the power to trigger memories buried in the archives of our past. The simplest of carols can stir something deep within. I’ve seen an elderly woman in a coma in a nursing home momentarily re-awaken and join us in song,
Voices on the Camino
“Setting out is not covering miles of land or sea or travelling faster than the speed of light. It is first and foremost opening ourselves to other people, trying to get to know them, going out to meet them… It is possible to travel alone, but the good traveler knows that the journey is human life and life needs company.” (Dom Helder Camara) To wrap up our Camino season for
In the steps of our ancestors – our Camino in Ireland’s South East
What’s worth achieving does not just happen overnight. Often the harder the pathway, the greater the satisfaction when you reach the summit and breathe in all that opens up before you. Somewhere along the way, we sense the spirit of those who have gone before. Nature has a way of reminding us that we are not alone… that we’re one tiny melodic note in a wider symphony that echoes from
A world without borders
You cannot beat the exhilaration of reaching the mountain top and surveying the vastness you’ve left behind from your very own sanctuary in the skies. One deep breath and you feel you belong. The ecstasy of the conquest quickly yields to a silent disbelief at the timeless beauty that opens up before you. There are no borders in the great outdoors – just an intricate mosaic of light and contour
To the waters and the wild – Dunmore East
“Stillness is vital to the world of the soul. If, as you age, you become more still, you will discover that stillness can be a great companion. The fragments of your life will have time to unify, the place where your soul shelter is wounded or broken will have time to knit and heal. You will be able to return to your self. In this stillness, you will engage your
The Cycle of Life – a unique ‘time-out’
“If one has courage, nothing can dim the light which shines within… Since a price will be exacted from us for everything we do or leave undone, we should pluck up the courage to win, to win back our finer and kinder and healthier selves. There is no failure as long as you learn from your experience, continue to work, and continue to press on for success.” (Maya Angelou) We
Escape to the great outdoors
“Go placidly amid the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence… You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.” (Max Ehrmann 1927) We all live life at a pace these days. It can be hard to slow down. We have become so programmed, we tend to operate on autopilot and move
Arriving at a new place – the story of our Camino
“Your life is so fluid. Everything’s always changing. The way you think it’s going to unfold is not the way it’s going to unfold. That’s the fun of the whole exercise, and the gift!” (Robin Sharma) It’s hard to believe that 2 years have passed since we took our first tentative steps along the road of Waterford Camino Tours. We could never have imagined the craziness of all that would
Bridge Over Troubled Water
“Learn to light a candle in the darkest moments of someone’s life. Be the light that helps others see: it is what gives life its deepest significance.” (Roy Bennett) I will never forget the day. Smoke billowed from the smouldering ruins with savage intent. Screams rose from the mire shrouded in crimson ashes that fell from the sky. We looked on aghast through the lens on the bridge, silent witnesses
Time for what matters
This time of year, we hear a lot about resolutions. Diets, treadmills, nutrition… it’s frenzied. The gyms are shaking to excess with the new recruits each January brings. We become fixated. If you’re not on the ‘bang’, somehow you feel left behind. I use the gym, place a value on personal fitness but veer towards the casual chats among my fellow Olympians than the rigours of pounding in rhythm with
‘Silent Night – 200 years on’
“My father played the melodeon Outside at our gate; There were stars in the morning east And they danced to his music” (‘A Christmas Childhood’, Patrick Kavanagh) Christmas carols have the power to trigger memories buried in the archives of our past. The simplest of carols can stir something deep within. I’ve seen an elderly woman in a coma in a nursing home momentarily re-awaken and join us in song,
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”
“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 blossom into who we were meant to be.” (Elizabeth Kubler-Ross) The road less travelled can never be mapped out in advance. You cannot be sure what
Through the Storm
“What will matter is not what you bought but what you built, not what you got but what you gave… What will matter is not success but significance. What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.” (Michael Josephson) I can still see her face as she gazed adoringly at her 4 year old child. There were
Dear Pope Francis
3rd September 2018 Dear Pope Francis, I am writing to you as someone who is struggling to make sense of it all. Over the past decade, I’ve stepped back a little from the Church and find myself very much on the outside looking in. I’m equally aware of the widening gap between my own spiritual journey and the glaring anomalies of an institution that has betrayed its own people so
Let your light shine
“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 journey of life takes many twists and turns. We never quite know what’s around the corner. One minute you’re free-wheeling downhill without a care in the world. The next, you
