The Irish Camino

BEHIND THE BOOK rosamund Burton and lismore castle, county waterford, ireland. The irish Camino in recent years the pilgrim path of the camino de Santiago in Spain has become a hugely popular walking route. But not Cashel so many people are aware that ireland has its own ancient The Rock of Cashel route of pilgrimage called St declan’s way. roSaMUnd DUBLIN Cahir Castle Newinn Cashel BUrTon, author of Castles, Follies and Four-Leaf Clovers: Simey, please insert map (hereArdmore I adventures along ireland’s St declan’s Way, writes about Cahir think?) how she discovered this ancient holy path and came to write Galtee Mtns Suir a book about it. Ardﬁnnan Ta r lthough I was born in Ireland, it was in writing our diaries. Inspired by those Clogheen aEngland that I spent my childhood. But long outdoor days on the Camino I Knockmealdown Mount Mtns Melleray when I was 18 my father got a job back in was fascinated to hear about St Declan’s Grotto Comeragh Ireland and we moved to Lismore in County Way. Immediately I wanted to walk this Mtns Lismore Waterford. On one of my visits back to little-known ancient pilgrims’ route Castle Cappoquin Ireland, after I moved to Australia in 1995, that stretches from the Rock of Cashel Lismore a friend showed me a map of the pilgrim in County Tipperary to the seaside Blackwater Cappoquin St Declan’s path of St Declan’s Way. village of Ardmore in County Waterford. Tallow House Well of Toor In the early 1990s my cousin and I cycled But it wasn’t until 2008 that I had the Geosh the popular pilgrim route of the Camino de opportunity to do so. Dromana Gate Lodge and Bridge Santiago in northern Spain. This was before it Up until then I had only ever Lickey became the crowded spiritual superhighway done day walks and I’d never carried Ardmore Cathedral that it is today. For three weeks, in between a backpack. When I set off along St and Round To wer Ardmore visiting magnificent cathedrals and beautiful Declan’s Way I covered only four Youghal old village churches, we cycled along tracks kilometres on the first day before I and quiet back roads and spent much of our seriously thought that I couldn’t go on. St Declan’s Way IRISH SEA days picnicking in fields or sketching and By the time I reached Cahir, only 18km ix 14 good reading july 2011 www.goodreadingmagazine.com BEHIND THE BOOK from my starting point in Cashel, my feet owned by Sir Walter Raleigh, that favourite with rain on the day an artist friend of mine, were blistered and in agony. That was the of Queen Elizabeth I, who is credited with Wishy Martin, had decided to walk with hardest day of walking and fortunately it having brought the potato back from the me. As we settled into a steady pace she told got easier after that. Americas. Before the castle was built this me about learning to walk mindfully during As I ambled through the Irish was the site of a huge monastery that had her recent stay at Plum Village, the Buddhist countryside – along river banks and narrow been renowned as a great centre of learning centre in France run by the inspirational country lanes – I loved seeing honeysuckle throughout Europe. Intrigued, I went to Vietnamese monk and author Thich Nhat weaving its way along the top of the the local library to learn more and dreamt Hanh. Despite the wet I was captivated as hedgerows, the purple flowering heather on of writing a book about this part of Ireland. I listened to her talk about art and creativity the mountains and finding majestic foxgloves But I also wanted to be an actress so I left and her practice of Buddhism. It made me growing beside cushions of velvety moss and Lismore, went to acting school in Dublin so aware of the importance of spending time bubbling streams. and started working there in the theatre. with friends when shortly afterwards she was Before I left on the journey a friend It was only when I walked St Declan’s diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour suggested that I talk to the other pilgrims Way many years later with the idea of and died 18 months later. I met along St Declan’s Way On another day I met a and find out why they were The author and the ruined friend at the annual Tallow doing the walk. I passed many cathedral and round tower Horse Fair in the small town ruined churches and raths – at ardmore, ireland. of Tallow. It was packed with circular fortified settlements horses. Horses of every shape, that once contained huts in size and colour were being led which people lived (now they or ridden up and down the are believed to be inhabited narrow main street. Horses by fairies). But I never found and donkeys were tethered to another pilgrim. Bashing my trees or tied together while way through brambles and people huddled in groups nettles I often felt as if I was negotiating prices. the only person to have ever We ate lunch at the ventured along the route. But little Latch Restaurant and at other times, as I walked at the same table sat a man along a dirt path flanked by who worked at the donkey high stone banks on both a depiction of St declan on sanctuary. He told us that sides, it became clear that this a signboard in ardmore a donkey that smoked had was a way well trodden by recently arrived. It enjoyed many people over hundreds puffing on a cigarette and a of years. writing a book about my experience that I pipe, because apparently its owner used to Midway along St Declan’s Way lies the realised that my forgotten dream was now share them with the animal. The donkey town of Lismore. When I left school my being fulfilled. Following St Declan’s Way definitely inhaled, he recounted, because the father got a job working for the Duke of was a fascinating journey, not only through smoke came out of its nostrils. Devonshire and we moved into the east the local history of the area, but also Irish As I continued walking along St Declan’s wing of the magnificent Lismore Castle. My history as a whole. Way I met more intriguing characters and mother referred to our living quarters as St Declan, who lived in the 5th century, heard many more stories – of miraculous ‘the train’. A long corridor on the first floor is thought to have been born just outside wells and talking statues, of goddesses, ghosts ran the length of the east wing and rooms Lismore. He was one of the four saints and mischievous fairies. I got lost many led off it. The Duchess, now the 91-year-old believed to have preceded Ireland’s national times – including in the Bog of Hags on my Dowager Duchess, is the youngest of the apostle, St Patrick, in spreading Christianity way to St Declan’s Well of Tour, known six famous Mitford sisters, and the reason throughout the country. He converted for its healing water. Perhaps it was the spirit for the unusual layout of our new home the people of the surrounding area to of St Declan that guided me back from these was because her sister, Lady Diana Mosley, Christianity and founded a monastery on inadvertent sideways excursions and led me stored her furniture in the rooms below. the coast at Ardmore. Whenever my mother safely to my ultimate destination Diana married Sir Oswald Mosley, leader of and I would go to Ardmore we would walk of Ardmore. the British Union of Fascists, and the couple down to St Declan’s holy well and visit the entertained Adolf Hitler as a guest of honour ruined cathedral and the little stone oratory Castles, Follies and Four- at their wedding. beside it where the saint is believed to have Leaf Clovers: Adventures I was awestruck to be living somewhere been buried. Ardmore has always been a along St Declan’s Way so steeped in history. Prince John, the son magical place for me. by Rosamund Burton is of King Henry II, built the castle here over The summer of 2008 was the wettest in published by Allen & 800 years ago. In the 16th century it was Ireland for 150 years and it was bucketing Unwin, rrp $24.99. good reading july 2011 15.

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