The Cooley Camino Journey-Book

In September 2014, the United Nations published a report, that around 330 million people, become pilgrims each year. That’s a lot of people and there is a possibility, that you are already one of this number or are considering becoming one.

The idea of pilgrimage was not born or created on these pages and it has been a prominent feature of society since early times. The early Megalithic structures, of Newgrange and Stonehenge, were built for what we accept as contemporary spiritual celebrations and drew travellers to them, although those reasons are now unknown.

Today, in mid 2020, the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 restrictions, created for the widespread protection of our society, have created a need for us to come to terms with our own altered status and that of society around us.

The Cooley Camino is part of the wonderful stories of this country of ours. The trading route of the Armagh Diocese in the north-east, wound its way through the hills and valleys to the sea ports of the Cooley Peninsulaon the east coast. Those on a trading journey, had a wide range of spiritual focal points where travellers could spend a few hours.

Travel to a personality or place of religious or spiritual significance to each individual, is a pilgrimage.

Indeed, all the major religions of the world have pilgrimage as a central part of their beliefs and practices.

The better known pilgrimages, are familiar to us all but these are only a sprinkling of the venues, amongst a multitude located around the world.

For christians, since the early Middle Ages, the ultimate goal of pilgrimage was to visit Jerusalem. After the time of the crusades, Rome became a favoured destination, as well as the shrine of St James at Santiago.

For pilgrims, their destination is significant for all sorts of reasons, but the journey becomes the focus of their daily routine. A period when each has the opportunity to consider their own part in the larger world.

With each journey beginning from home, the spiritual dimension makes a pilgrimage different from any other long walk. The landscapes travelled through, offer their own attractions, each pilgrim has their own destination as a common goal.

As the traveller's exchange stories, the journey allows them the time to reflect on them. This combines well with the distractions of tired limbs, aching feet, and a stomach's urgent rumbles, to help narrow the focus of the task in hand.

In recent generations, the pilgrimage to the tomb of St. James at Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia, underwent a period of renewal. Pilgrims from the four corners of the world, walk at least 100 km of the many routes on the way to their destination.

At one time, walking routes from all over Europe, led towards the eventual goal of Santiago, many of which had a named connection to St. James.

St James was the son of Zebedee and Salome, he became known as ‘the Greater’ to distinguish him from the Apostle James ‘the Less’. A fisherman from the Sea of Galilee, he was the brother of John the youngest apostle. James was one of the first apostles and he was also the first apostle, martyred for his faith, executed by Herod Agrippa in 44AD. According to the Gospels, James and John were with their father, near the shore of the Sea of Galillee, when Jesus called them to walk, follow and perhaps saunter in his footsteps.

Excerpt from Albert W. Palmer’s version of a 'Parable of Sauntering', told to him, by the great wilderness explorer and conservationist, John Muir.

There are always some people in the mountains known as "hikers." They rush over the trail at high speed, taking great delight in being the first to reach camp, covering the greatest number of miles in the least possible time. They measure the trail, in terms of speed and distance.

One day as I was resting in the shade Mr. Muir overtook me on the trail and began to chat in that friendly way in which he delights to talk with everyone he meets. I said to him: "Mr. Muir, someone told me you did not approve of the word 'hike.' Is that so?" His blue eyes flashed, and with his Scotch accent he replied:

“I don’t like either the word or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains – not hike! Do you know the origin of that word ‘saunter?’ It’s a beautiful word. Away back in the Middle Ages, people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when the people in the villages through which they passed, asked where they were going, they would reply, ‘A la sainte terre,’ ‘To the Holy Land.’ And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not ‘hike’ through them.”

The Camino Society Ireland, has undertaken the task of defining authentic pilgrim routes within Ireland. The Society has declared, that a certified 25km pilgrim walk, in Ireland, combined with the certified 75k walked from A Coruna to Santiago, will be the ‘Celtic Camino’.

The ‘Cooley Camino’ is one of many such walks in Ireland.

A Coruña in Northern Galicia, has many historic links to Ireland, including, being the main port of disembarkation for Irish pilgrims since the 12th century.

The current Dean of the Cathedral in Santiago is Don Segundo Pérez. He has asked Camino Society Ireland, as an official International Camino Association, to provide the certification of pilgrims completing the required 25km in Ireland.

The Pilgrim Office in Santiago, have declared that they will accept the Celtic Camino Compostela, as proof of completion of the Celtic Camino in Ireland.

The Credential or Pilgrim’s Passport, allows access to the organised system of pilgrim accommodation in Galicia.

The stamped credential, can be presented at the Pilgrim’s Office in Santiago, as proof of the journey, to gain the Compostela. This is the certificate of completion, given to all pilgrims who walk the last 100km or cycle the last 200km to Santiago.

The route of the Cooley Camino, is a historic link with the Camino to Santiago de Compostela, from St Patrick's City of Armagh to Templetown in the Cooley Peninsula.

The certified 25km walk from the Kilnasaggart Stone to St James’ Church in Grange, qualifies as one of the routes applicable to gain a Celtic Camino Compostela.

The area has it’s own rich history, compelling traditions, outstanding scenery, with the landscapes providing clues to some of the greatest stories told in Ireland.

This combination, makes it one of those unique places in Ireland. A pilgrim can travel in the footsteps of those who travelled in earlier times, on a Camino tributary, as they moved to their ultimate destination. This assortment of locations, found at one time throughout Europe, are now reopened through public use.

One of the figures from Irish Folklore, associated with walking was the Gobán Saor.

The Gobán Saor (gabhainn-smith) was a multi-talented individual who could put his hand successfully to any task given to him. His son was not quite as gifted but he was learning from his father and was lucky in the sense that he had a very clever wife who cared dearly for him.

One time, the father and son were walking to work, quite far away, and the Gobán said to his son, ‘Come, shorten the road.’

The son said he couldn't, so the Gobán said the two of them should return home.

When the son’s wife saw them return again, she said, ‘I thought you would be at work by now’ and the son said, ‘My father asked me to shorten the road, and I couldn't, so then he made us return.’

The wife told him, when they started again the following morning, that when they got to the same place, he would ask him to shorten the road again.

When this happened, the son was to start a telling a story, a poem or the verse of a song as they walked along. He made a good job of it and the Gobán Saor said, ‘That's right now, come on, I see you know how to do it.’

That's how the son shortened the road.

The Gaelic proverb or seanfhocal tells us: 'Giorraíonn beirt bóthar'. Two people shorten the road.

Should you be lucky enough to have a companion to share your road, even for a while, then I hope you are good company for each other.

If it happens, that this offering is your choice of companion, I can only hope, it helps in some way to make your journey an enjoyable one.

The Cooley Camino connection

The soul never thinks without a picture.

This is a beautiful and inspiring part of Ireland. It’s position in modern times locates it halfway between Dublin and Belfast. The stories, legends and mythology that are a seamless part of the landscapes.

They lend themselves easily into the roads and pathways which have been trod by our ancient forbears and once more become part of the Cooley Camino.

From very early times the Slí Mídhluachra was widely used, with part of it extending through the Gap of the North to Armagh.

The eastern boundary of Cooley in earliest times was at the Slí Mídhluachra, which was the remnants of Ice Age eskers. It stretched from Wicklow, through Dublin and Tara to Faughart, then onto Armagh and Belfast, before reaching it’s most northern point near Dunseverick on the Antrim coast.

It was a travelling route for traders, farmers and armies as well as pilgrims.

Our walking journey for purposes of certification for the ‘Celtic Camino’, begins at the Kilnasaggart Stone,at the northern end of the Gap of the North. It is the oldest accurately dated, inscribed standing stone in Ireland. (Grid Ref. 3 061 149). It can be found 2 km from Jonesborough, Co. Armagh, near the junction of the Foughillotra Rd. and the Kilnasaggart Rd., in the townland of Edenappa, close to the Louth border.

The tall granite pillar marks the site of an early monastery and cemetery on one of early Christian Ireland’s ‘main roads’. The Slí Mídhluachra ran from Wicklow through the Moyry Pass to Dunseverick in Antrim.

The pillar is about eight feet high and inscribed in Gaeilge on its south-eastern face is a dedication of the place by Ternohc, son of Ceran Bic under the patronage of Peter the Apostle.

Ternohc’s death is recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters as occurring in the year 714 and in the Annals of Tighernach in 716, (thought to be the true date), so the pillar can be reasonably dated to c.700 AD.

He appears to have been a person of some importance, who dedicated himself to the service of God (Céile Dé/Culdees) and was a descendant of the Fiacha Araidhe, ancestors of the Dal Riada, from whom the descendants are numerous, including the great families of McGuinness and McCartan.

From the Kilnasaggart Stone, we return to the road, turn left and walk under the railway bridge. Continue along this road and take the second left turn, you will see Moyry Castle on the hill to your right.

The entrance is through a slip gate and up a grass track on a slight hill.

Moyry Castle, (Grid Ref. _J0576 1466),_was built during the 9 Years War by Lord Mountjoy to secure access to the Gap and beyond. It can be argued that the building of this one castle was the turning point in the O’Neill campaign and went on to change the course of Gaelic Ireland and the history of Ireland.

After leaving Moyry Castle, return to the road, turn right and south to cross the border from Co. Armagh and you will see St. Brigid’s Shrine at Faughart in Co. Louth after 1 km.

This place is a borderland in more ways than may be obvious on a map. This is the Gap O’ The North, one of two major passageways between the northern and southern parts of Ireland from earliest times. The other major crossing point from that period was Assaroe, on the River Erne at Ballyshannon in Co. Donegal.

Here, at Faughart is a place where many armies, traders, drovers, travelling craftsmen, musicians, poets all passed through with pilgrims as part of their number.

It was a place where Christianity met the system of earlier beliefs, described to us as paganism. It was a place associated with healing, learning, divination and the some of the mighty deeds from the legends of the area.

Today, we also pass through townland, County, Provincial and the debate has not finished about an international border. It is a point to ponder as the hedgerows flicker with a wildlife which knows nothing of borders.

The Hill of Faughart is north of the town of Dundalk, the views to the southeast and west from the hilltop are inspiring. All around are reminders of the numerous stories relating to the culture, traditions and history of the region.

It was here that Brigid was raised by her Druid father, Dubhach. As the ruler of a double ringed hillfort at a major passageway, he must have also had considerable influence, as a military and political figure. The druids were the bearers of a wide range of knowledge and skills. It is not unreasonable to believe that with the substantial population living in the area, that at least some of them were present for instruction in and to develop these arcane arts.

Brigid, growing up in this environment, surely benefitted by absorbing skills she could put to later use in Kildare and elsewhere. She became the patron saint of many groups. Babies and children, blacksmiths, boatmen, brewers, dairy workers, fugitives, sailors and mariners, poets, midwives, nuns, the poor, poultry workers, printers, scholars as well as Ireland, Leinster, Florida and Clan Douglas of Scotland.

From the Shrine, continue left, back up the road and take the first turn right which after another kilometre, will lead you to Faughart Graveyard. The old church is associated with St Moninna and had a very early Christian foundation. Within the boundary of the graveyard are many points of interest.

We can find St. Brigid’s well, remains of an old monastic beehive type house, the last King of Ireland, Edward de Bruce's grave. Naturally, there is a multitude of reminders of the families who have lived in the surrounding area for centuries.

From the graveyard, continue downhill to the first road junction and turn left. Follow this road for 2.5 km over the motorway bridge and turn right. The Sportmans Bar and Restaurant is along the road on the left hand side, just before it is a stonewalled laneway which the next part of the route.

Emerging from the other end of the stonewalled laneway, turn left and continue onto the next road junction and turn left. On the way, just before the junction, are the bleaching fields of a local linen mill on either side of the road. The Flurry Valley was the second most productive linen producing region after the Lagan Valley at the height of the linen industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.

At the junction after the bleaching fields, turn left and walk about 1 km to the next road on the right, the rising slope will lead onto the Cooley's proper.

Another 1.5 kilometre walk up this hill, brings you to the grassy paths and a small bridge over a mountain stream, cross it, keep to the western bank and continue the more moderate climb uphill.

This grass path leads to a number of scattered glacial boulders after a few hundred metres, one of which has a notable flat top about the size of a medium table. This is Carabán and was used as a mass rock in penal times. To the right, a path over the stream can be seen. Cross over and continue up the slope to the next stream. Stay on the near bank on way uphill towards the saddle between the Mast on Black Mountain and Carnawaddy. You are on the Cadgers Path.

Walking over the high paths of the Cooley's is one of the outstanding walks in Ireland, to describe it as being beautiful, understates what is found there. It has been recognised as a European Destination of Excellence.

The Cadgers Path was used for centuries, by fish sellers from Omeath carrying freshly caught fish from the other side of the peninsula, over the mountains to the markets in Dundalk.

Another set of users of these paths are referred to in the Annals. From around 829AD Viking raids became more intense in Ireland. In 832 for instance, there was extensive plundering in the land near the sea in Louth and Armagh was attacked at least three times.

We believe, that where the townland of Cornamucklagh now exists, there once stood the monastery of Kill na Snabha. It was celebrated in former times, for having up to three hundred monks, who may have belonged to an Order of “Watchers”. They took their name from their custom of not allowing sleep to interrupt the celebration of their divine offices, either by night or day.

In 829AD, this was desolated by Vikings and all its monks slain, with the exception of the abbot, who happened at the time to be absent in the region of Omeath. It is believed that the location of Armagh was discovered by the Vikings at that time and they established a base nearby. This allowed them to raid Killeavy near Slieve Gullion, as well as Armagh.

Around 921/922AD, a party of Vikings were on the Cadgers Path, returning from a raid on Killeavy to their base on the shores of Carlingford Lough. They were intercepted by Muirchertach McNeill, Tánaiste of Ireland at Annaverna on the mountain path near this saddle. He defeated them and killed about two hundred of them in that battle.

At the saddle, follow the path of yellow painted rocks to your right which lead to the cairn.

The lines of yellow painted boulders, are markers for the 5km course of the Poc Fada. This is an annual tournament, to test the skills of Ireland’s best hurlers and camogie players. The finals are held here on the August Bank Holiday. The concept of the competition, originates in the legend of the Tain Bó Cuailgne. Cúchulainn set off from Dundalk to his uncle’s royal court at Armagh, hitting his sliotar before him and running on to catch it.

Legend has it that Fionn McCool buried his favourite hounds at Carnawaddy. Another version about the Cairn's contents is that the giant hound killed by Chú Chulainn is buried here where it is a landmark for miles around.

In the legend of the Cattle Raid of Cooley or the Tain Bo Cuailgne, Glenmore stretching out in front between the hills. This is where the mythical brown bull lived in peace and harmony with his fifty young heifers until the army of the west came to steal him away.

Beyond Glenmore and Slieve Foy is Carlingford Lough in the shadow of the Mourne Mountains. The Name Carlingford derives from the Old Norse Kerlingfjǫrðr, translated as ‘narrow sea- inlet of the hag’. The modern Norwegian word Kjerring ( pron. cherring) now translates as a hag. This may have referred to some of the rocks or shipping hazards at the entrance to the Lough. (Then again it has a passing similarity to the Cailleach.)

Looking east from the cairn, about 200 metres away is a large rock outcrop, take the left hand trail for about 100 metres. As you descend you will see the path leading right to a series of several rock defiles. Take the left hand one to descend to the paths crossing the bog.

This is where you realise the value of having a local guide. Across the bog the you aim for the left hand corner of the forestry. It is laid out like a reversed L at that point, continue around the end of the L and follow the track to the top, where it meets the Táin trail. Follow the Táin Way eastwards and downhill to the green metal stile bringing you onto the road crossing Glenmore.

On the road, turn right and continue for about 200m to a road junction, follow the road to the left and continue for about 2km. You will see the signs for the Táin Way and turn left on the first road, this leads after 1km to another left turn. After a further .5km, cross the road to the path in front leading up towards Slieve Foy. The last gate before you enter onto the mountain is the ‘whistling gate’, it depends on which way the wind is blowing for the reason behind this name to become obvious.

On the gentle walk uphill, follow the sighs for Táin Way up to the saddle of the Golym Pass. The stunning views offer choices for the walker at the crossing paths. One path leading one way upwards towards Slieve Foy, straight ahead will lead downhill to Carlingford but if you choose the path to the right this will bring you through the twin mounds of Bearnavave.

In another episode in the Táin, Queen Maeve created this new gap in the Cooley's as a keepsake for the Ulstermen. It is known as Bearnavave, to remind them of her presence.

All the paths here lead downhill towards the Village of Grange. On the way you will pass what is known as the ‘Famine Village’ or the deserted village. It is traditionally known as a ‘Clochán’ or collection of houses. Near one of them is a good example of an Irish sweathouse from a much earlier period than the houses themselves.

Grange, a traditional Irish village, with Bearnavave in the background, was once an outlying monastic farm of the Cistercian Monastery in Newry. Today it is home to the serene St James' Church, the oldest RC church in the Armagh Archdiocese and has been in continuous use since 1762.

It reminds me of the locations referred to in some Gaeltacht areas as gentle places. There is a peacefulness and serenity seldom felt in many buildings. It’s interior decoration includes many references to it’s inspiration, St James and the interior also includes stained glass windows from the Harry Clarke Stained Glass Studios. Harry Clarke’s wife Margaret was born and raised in nearby Newry.

The stamp for the Pilgrim’s passport can be obtained at the local parochial house or by arrangement with your guide.

In the area, are several places which may be of interest to walkers but are not included for reasons of additional distance.

Their locations can be seen on the map.

Kilwirra or Mary's Church. It is believed this church belonged to the Knights Templars, after whom the surrounding district, Templetown, is named.

Sometime before 1280 and after 1260, Matilda de Lacy, daughter of Hugh deLacy, the 2nd Earl of Ulster, and her daughter Matilda deButler granted lands at Templetown Cooley and at Kilsaran Co. Louth, to William, Master of the Knights of the Temple. It appears their great- grandfather Gilbert de Lacy was himself a Templar in the early Crusades.

St James' Well, is another connection with the Knights Templar who were deeply involved for many years in the crusades and had a presence on the Cooley Peninsula. Saint James was seen as a patron saint of a sort for many of the Knights Templars, named at one stage as the 'matamoros'; the Moor slayer. James is also the patron saint of pilgrims and very often his symbol is the same as that of travelling pilgrims - a scallop shell.

The Holy Trinity Church, Carlingford was founded in the 1660s and incorporates an earlier medieval tower. Today, it also incorporates the heritage centre for Carlingford.

There is a local legend in the Cooley Peninsula that St James appeared one night in medieval times at the site of what is now St James’ Well to pray for the souls of all in Cooley. The other part of the legend is that the devil himself, got to hear about the success of St James’ prayers. In response he too appeared in an effort to distract the Holy Man and spent the night dancing, playing music and singing.

Which one was more successful is not for us to know. Above the well, on the large slab can be seen what we are told are the imprints of St. James’ knees in the stone. Further over on the opposite end of the slab are what appear to be cloven hoof prints.

In any case, St James the Greater is the patron saint of all on the Cooley Peninsula. A procession is led from the well on his feast day, the 25th July to the Church of St. James, Grange.

In Mountbagnall Cemetary, again only a short distance away, there are at least four graves dated from the late 1700’s. The scallop shell of the pilgrim is inscribed on four gravestones, indicating the continuation of a pilgrimage tradition in the area.

These are;

1/ Philip McArdle, Rampark. d.Sept. 1784 aged 100y, 1/3 way in direct from gate.

2/ James Hanlon, Rampark d. April 1784 aged 74y, 2 rows further on nearer road.

3/ James McEvoy, Rockmarshall, d. June 1791 aged 66y, right hand side near the wall.

4/ Andrew Donnelly, Rockmarshall, d. June 1796 aged 62y, his son James Donnelly, d.August 1794 aged 17y, centre of back wall.

Certainly, these gravestones indicate the families wealthy enough in the area to fund an intending pilgrim, in an era when life for most in this region was still tough.

History says, Don't hope
On this side of the grave,
But then, once in a lifetime
The longed-for tidal wave
Of justice can rise up
And hope and history rhyme.

A verse adaptation, by Seamus Heaney of Sophocles' play Philoctetes.

It is based on the objective, of making the spectator question what morality means to each man. In addition, the play raises the question about what is right for the individual versus what is right for the group.

Seanfhocal: “Glacann fear críonna comhairle.”A wise man accepts advice.

The Compostela, accreditation of the pilgrimage to the Tomb of St James

"Know thyself," - nosce te ipsum

Since the earliest days of the Camino pilgrimage, it had certain social and religious considerations which meant it was necessary to document its completion.

Initially, the Galician scallop shell was used as proof of completion until it became apparent, that some were willing to falsify and provide shells to pilgrims at venues other than the Cathedral in Santiago.

By the 13th century, letters of evidence began to be used, which in turn led to the establishment of the ‘Compostela’.

In modern times, the appearance of the motor car and the popularity of tourism, meant that the pilgrimage authorities feared those on the route would do so only for an enjoyable jaunt in what is generally a very pleasant climate.

Currently the award of the ‘Compostela’ is limited to those who make their way to the tomb of St James for religious and/or spiritual reasons or at least an attitude of change and have followed the Way of St James on foot, bicycle or on horseback. The requirement is that they have travelled at least the last 100 kilometres on foot or on horseback or the last 200 kilomtres by bicycle.

This is demonstrated by a duly stamped ‘Credencial del Peregrino’ otherwise known as the pilgrims passport.

Stamps on the ‘Credencial’ are collected from the places passed through to certify that you have been there.

Stamps from cathedrals, churches, monasteries, hostels and all places related to the Way are preferred but they can also be stamped in town halls and cafés and such along the route.

On the last 100km, the ‘Credencial’ has to be stamped twice a day.

The Way can be completed in stages, provided they are in chronological and geographical sequence. You must always get the ‘Credencial’ stamped at the beginning and end of each travelling stage, including the corresponding date to show you have resumed, in the same place where you had previously stopped.

Almost all Galician signposts are bi-lingual, one in Spanish and the other in Galego. The name differnce show that A Coruña is Galego and La Coruñna is Spanish. Galego is the regional language, influenced by both Spanish and Portuguese, with many place-names having their roots in a Celtic language similar to Gaeilge.

Therefore, some familiarity with Spanish or Portuguese will be of benefit in reading maps and timetables. As in Ireland, the whole language mix can be intriguing.

e CompostelThe way can be The Route. The modern pilgrim can start from the royal sea-gate in A Coruña now, following land reclamation, left high and dry in a car park below the church of Santiago or the church itself which is also a recognised starting-point for the Celtic Camino.

Length. From A Coruña, it is about 75km (too short to earn the compostela) and can be walked in three days.

Please note that as of December 2016 the Cathedral authorities in Santiago have indicated that they are prepared to issue a compostela to pilgrims who can evidence a walk of at least 25 – 30km in Ireland.

Waymarking. A mixture of yellow arrows and, since 2000, shell tiles and marker stones bearing shells. The way-marking is generally good.

Terrain. This is Galicia and the countryside is reminiscent of the west of Ireland and other Celtic regions.

Weather. An Atlantic climate, just like Ireland. Essential to carry a waterproof but you might just be lucky and have sun. Some paths can be muddy.

When to go. Walkable throughout the year, although winter (late November to late February) is not really recommended.

Getting there. There are flights from Dublin to Santiago and A Coruña.

What to see. In the city, the Tower of Hercules (Roman lighthouse), churches, especially that of Santiago, and museums. Culleredo: Romanesque church of Santiago de Burgo.

Cambre: Romanesque churches, Santa Maria del Temple and Santa Maria de Cambre. Hospital de Bruma: medieval chapel of San Lourenzo, remains of medieval hospital next door.

Where to stay. Variety of cheap and medium-priced hotel accommodation along the route from A Coruña.

Six albergues all usually open, at Miño, Presedo and Bruma. On the Coruña arm there is an albergue at Sergude and south of Mesón do Vento hotels can be found on the N550 road to Santiago, which runs parallel to the camino.

Distinctive features of the route. More suitable for walkers than cyclists. Not crowded and not too expensive. In rural Galicia local people often speak Galician rather than (Castilian) Spanish.

Galicia itself, is sometimes described poetically as the "Home" or "Nation" of Breogán. A large statue of Breogán stands near the Tower of Hercules in A Coruña. Breogán is a character in the Lebor Gabála Érenn, a medieval Christian history of Ireland and the Gaels. He is supposedly the son of Brath and is described as an ancestor of the Gaels. The Lebor Gabála purports to be an account of how the Gaels descend from Adam through the sons of Noah and how they came to Ireland.

Eventually, they travel to Iberia and conquer it. There, one of their leaders, Breogán, founds a city called Brigantia and builds a great tower. From the top of the tower, his son Íth glimpses Ireland. The Gaels, including some of Breogán's sons, (Mil Éspaine) sail to Ireland from Brigantia and take it from the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Irish magical people. Brigantia likely refers to A Coruña in present-day Galicia.

Sean fhocal: Bíonn dhá insint ar scéal agus dhá leagan déag ar amhrain.There are two versions to a story and twelve arrangements to a song.

Pilgrimages In Ireland

Life is short, art long, opportunity fleeting, experience deceptive, judgment difficult. Hippocrates.

Atoning for past deeds, seeking miracles or cures, honouring the lives of the saints, exploring the spiritual realm, fulfilling a vow or simply for adventure, all form some but not all of the reasons people travelled on pilgrimages in the past and continue to do so today.

Places of pilgrimage in Ireland are in a plentiful supply with the better known ones, becoming something of a tourist attraction in modern times.

Lough Derg, Croagh Patrick and Downpatrick are places associated with St. Patrick, Faughart and Kildare are associated with St. Brigid and Glencolmcille, Kells and Durrow are amongst those associated with St. Colmcille as he is known in Ireland or St. Columba as he is known in Scotland. These are besides the multitude of local places found throughout Ireland such as wells, rocks or notable points on the landscape named after these or other slightly less well known saints.

Traditionally, walking from their own front door, often in bare feet at whatever hour it required to arrive at the destination for daybreak. That was how my grandparents made their journey over 25km to Lough Derg, for their annual pilgrimage while they were still physically able to do so, it was a road familiar to them, having walked it from when they were teenagers, continuing until they were pensioners at a time when most paths or roads were unpaved, this was not considered an undue hardship in it’s time but in the modern era, walking barefoot is now considered an exception.

Lough Derg's pilgrimage, is still one of those exceptions where all pilgrims remove their footwear from the moment they arrive on the island until they are ready to leave again on the morning of the third day.

During their stay on 'Station Island', each person completes a set number of walks around the penitential 'beds' and this includes reciting quietly a set number of prayers while kneeling on the stones of each station which the centuries have not made any smoother. All this, while remaining awake for the first 24 hours, also includes fasting over the three days, with light sustenance on the island being one daily meal of dry toast and black tea or coffee. It can be exacerbated with a plentiful supply of midges, rain, wind and cold, no wonder then, that the place is known as St. Patrick's Purgatory.

This is widely regarded as being the most challenging pilgrimage in Ireland, nevertheless it has endured a healthy popularity, due to the 'spiritual high' gained in the days after completion and has a huge number of returnees.

Reek Sunday is held on the last Sunday of July, when tens of thousands walk to the top of Croagh Patrick. Many still complete this barefoot. Harking back back to a more traditional period, local walkers have reinstated a 35km night walk beginning at Ballintubber Abbey around midnight on the Saturday, meaning the pilgrim’s goal is to climb to the top of the Reek for dawn on Sunday morning, hoping for a clear view of the 365 islands in Clew Bay below them.

Turas Colmcille is held on the 9th June which is the feast day of St. Colmcille or on the nearest Sunday. The village of Glencolmcille and it's surrounding area becomes the route of the pilgrimage stations around a series of upright slab crosses, dating back to at least the early christian period and it's length of approximately 5km, belies the ease of progress as it takes around three hours to complete. Historically, the Turas was performed barefoot, with pilgrims beginning at midnight on the eve of June the 9th.

The stations consist of megalithic tombs, natural landscape features and cross pillars which number 15 in total, the turas or 'journey' in Irish Gaelic is very popular especially with those native to Glencolmcille making a special return for the day.

Another important aspect of pilgrimages in Ireland in the medieval period was that, should it happen you were wealthy enough, powerful enough or vain enough to believe your presence could not be done without but nevertheless, were given a Church penance of a pilgrimage for your misdeeds or believed that for the benefit of your eternal soul that such a journey would enhance your outcome in the afterlife, then you could always hire or command another to carry out the journey on your behalf.

There is no reason for us to believe that the everlasting benefits were not transferred on completion to the person who caused the pilgrimage to be carried out under those circumstances.

The custom today, of volunteers, completing a task of some difficulty including pilgrimages while fundraising for some worthwhile cause is something we are all familiar with and maybe a continuation or a memory of an old tradition, to physically exert ourselves for the benefit of another.

Indeed, the picture of the Irish parent, Grandparent or relative, climbing the Reek, walking the barefoot pattern on Lough Derg, to seek spiritual help in the illness of another or an improvement in school or college exams, is a familiar extension to the quiet prayer or tying of cloth segments to the Rag-tree found beside the occasional Holy Well.

SeanFhocal: “Doras feasa fiafraí” The door to wisdom is to ask questions.

The European Connection

To know what to ask is already to know half.

When the earliest Christian pilgrims wished to see places associated with where Jesus and the apostles had lived, in the Holy Land, or around the Mediterranean coastlines, this was a relatively easier journey when the Roman Empirecontrolled that part of the world. Pilgrimage was equated to the monastic way of life, where those seeking a deeper spiritual experience removed themselves from civilisation for a period of time.

Sacred architecture complemented the experience of visitors and Constantine , the Roman emperor who embraced Christianity, constructed buildings at locations which had become popular destinations for pilgrims. In Jerusalem, Constantine built a basilica at Calvary and a rotunda at the Holy Sepulchre, the site of Jesus’ tomb and resurrection. The features of these buildings were widely publicised and inspired other buildings throughout Europe, sometimes with specific references to the Holy Land in their names.

The city of Rome became another major destination for pilgrims. Somewhat easier to access for European pilgrims than the Holy Land, Rome had been the home of many early saints and martyrs, including the apostles Peter and Paul, and the places where they were buried attracted travellers from the earliest times.

Rome was particularly rich in relics , but as the Middle Ages progressed, other places also acquired relics and became centres of pilgrimage themselves. In the eleventh and twelfth centuries, huge numbers of pilgrims flocked to Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain, where the relics of the apostle Saint James the Greater were believed to have been discovered around 830. Canterbury was a popular destination for English pilgrims, who travelled to the tomb of St. Thomas a’ Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

As well as attracting religious travellers, the veneration of relics provided inspiration for the creation of works of art. The movement of relics from one place to another, was a cause for celebration and then depicted in art. Artistic objects allowed pilgrims to commemorate their journey, ranging from simple badges to more elaborate works of art. It was customary for pilgrims to bring offerings to the shrines they visited, and sometimes these too, were works of art, decorated liturgies, expensive vestments, and other precious objects which enriched the pilgrimage churches.

Monasteries located along the pilgrimage roads provided food and lodging as well as masses and prayers.

The concept and experience of pilgrimage was so strong in medieval Europe that it fired the imagination of the age and set the tone for travel of all kinds.

The Crusades were a type of pilgrimage, yet are remembered more as a series of religious wars , sanctioned by theChurch in the medieval period , with the aim of recovering the Holy Land from Islamic rule .

The First Crusade arose after a call to arms in a 1095 sermon by Pope Urban II . Urban urged military support for the Byzantine Empire and its Emperor, Alexios I , who needed reinforcements for his conflict with westward migrating Turks in Anatolia . One of Urban's stated aims was to guarantee pilgrims access to the holy sites in the Eastern Mediterranean that were under Muslim control.

One of the outcomes of the crusades was the creation of a number of monastic warrior orders including the Knights Templar.

In literature, the idea of pilgrimage lies at the heart of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, which features a diverse band of pilgrims telling lively popular stories. The concept of the sacred journey also structures Dante’s Divine Comedy, which recounts the author’s own transformative course through the realms of hell and purgatory to the heights of heaven.

Sir Walter Raleigh

His Pilgrimage

Give me my scallop-shell of quiet, My staff of faith to walk upon,My scrip of joy, immortal diet, My bottle of salvation,My gown of glory, hope’s true gage;And thus I’ll take my pilgrimage.

Blood must be my body’s balmer; No other balm will there be given:Whilst my soul, like quiet palmer, Travelleth towards the land of heaven;Over the silver mountains,Where spring the nectar fountains; There will I kiss The bowl of bliss;And drink mine everlasting fillUpon every milken hill.My soul will be a-dry before;But, after, it will thirst no more.

The Knights Templar

“A Templar Knight is truly a fearless knight, and secure on every side, for his soul is protected by the armour of faith, just as his body is protected by the armour of steel. He is thus doubly armed, and need fear neither demons nor men."

Bernard de Clairvaux, c. 1135,

The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, also known as the Knights Templar, or simply as Templars, was a monastic military order recognised in 1139 by Pope Innocent II .

After Europeans in the First Crusade recovered Jerusalem in 1099, many Christians made pilgrimages to various sacred sites in the Holy Land . Although the city of Jerusalem was under Christian control, the rest of the Middle East was not secure. Bandits and marauding highwaymen preyed upon pilgrims, as they attempted to make the journey from the coast into the interior of the Holy Land.

The Templars were founded in 1119, after the French knight Hugues de Payens together with another eight knights, approached King Baldwin II of Jerusalem and proposed creating a monastic order for the protection of pilgrims. He agreed to the request, and the king granted the Templars a headquarters, on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which the Crusaders called the Temple of Solomon and it is from this location their name derived.

Although the primary mission of the order was military and Templars were often the advance shock troops in key battles of the Crusades, relatively few members were combatants.

The others assisted the knights and managed their financial infrastructure. The Templar Order, though its members were sworn to individual poverty, gained control of wealth beyond direct donations. Those who were interested in participating in the Crusades could place all their assets under Templar management for safekeeping while they were away. Accumulating wealth in this manner, the order began generating letters of credit for pilgrims journeying to the Holy Land: pilgrims deposited their valuables with a local Templar preceptory before embarking, received an encrypted document indicating the value of their deposit, then used that document along their route to retrieve funds of equal value. This innovative arrangement was an early form of banking , it improved the safety of pilgrims by making them less attractive targets for thieves, and also contributed to the Templar coffers. It may also have been the first form of passport used, evolving into the present-day pilgrim’s passport.

The order, became one of the wealthiest and most powerful charities throughout the Christian world and grew rapidly in membership and power, receiving money, land, businesses, buildings and noble-born sons eager to help with the fight in the Holy Land . Based on this mix of donations and business dealing, the Templars established financial networks across the whole of Christendom. They acquired large tracts of land, both in Europe and the Middle East, they built cathedrals and castles, they became involved in manufacturing, import and export, they had their own fleet of ships. Some claim, that besides the mathematical advancements re-introduced to Europe by these Crusaders, that the origins of modern day distilling were another legacy of the Templars. The Knights Templar arguably qualify as the world's first multinational corporation .

Another major benefit came in 1139, when Pope Innocent II 's papal bull meant that the Templars could pass freely through all borders, were not required to pay any taxes, and were exempt from all authority except that of the pope.

In the mid-12th century, the tide began to turn in the Crusades. The Knights Templar were occasionally at odds with the two other Christian military orders , the Knights Hospitaller and the Teutonic Knights , and after the Templars were involved in several unsuccessful campaigns, including the pivotal Battle of Hattin , Jerusalem was recaptured by Muslim forces under Saladin in 1187.

With the order's military mission now less important, support for the organization began to dwindle. The situation was complex, however, since during the two hundred years of their existence, the Templars had become a part of daily life throughout Christendom.

The Templars close ties to the Crusades however meant that when the Holy Land was lost, support for the order faded. Medieval peoples’ place in the history of the world needs to be kept in mind here too. They believed the world was in decline and the End of the World was nigh. From the time of the Crusades onwards, people spent a large part of their income on expressing their devotion, and a large portion of that became religious tourism, or pilgrimage. It was substantial business, people constantly criss-crossed Europe, often in groups, collecting souvenirs from the places they’d been. The big three were a scallop shell from the shrine of St James of Compostella in Spain, a set of keys from Rome, and a palm leaf from Jerusalem.

So, when the Holy Land was lost as a secure destination, the Knights Templar and the other monastic orders, still had the organisational infrastructure to protect pilgrims on their journey to Rome and Santiago de Compostela. As the order was not subject to local government, making it everywhere a "state within a state" its standing army , though it no longer had a well-defined mission, could pass freely through all borders. This situation heightened tensions with some European nobility, especially as the Templars were indicating an interest in founding their own monastic state , just as the Teutonic Knights had done in Prussia and the Knights Hospitallier did in Rhodes .

Stories and rumours about the Templars' secret initiation ceremony and questionable personal practices created distrust and it became a vacuum for conspiracy theories. King Philip, who was already deeply in debt to the Templars from his war with the English , decided to seize upon the rumours for his own purposes. He began pressuring the church to deal with the order, as a way of freeing himself from his debts.

At dawn on Friday, 13 October 1307 (a date sometimes linked with the origin of the Friday the 13th superstition) King Philip IV ordered the head of the Order, Jacques de Molay and scores of other French Templars to be simultaneously arrested. Claims were made that during Templar admission ceremonies, recruits were forced to spit on the Cross, deny Christ, and engage in heretical practices. The Templars were also charged with numerous other offences such as financial corruption, fraud, and secrecy.

Relenting to Phillip's demands, Pope Clement then instructed all Christian monarchs in Europe to arrest all Templars and seize their assets. Pope Clement called for papal hearings to determine the Templars' guilt or innocence. With Philip threatening military action unless the pope complied with his wishes, Pope Clement finally agreed to disband the order and turned over most Templar assets to the Hospitallers.

As for the leaders of the order, the elderly Grand Master Jacques de Molay, who had confessed under torture, retracted his confession. Geoffroi de Charney , Preceptor of Normandy , also retracted his confession and insisted on his innocence. Both men were declared guilty of being relapsed heretics, and they were sentenced to burn alive at the stake in Paris on 18 March 1314. Pope Clement died only a month later, and King Philip died in a hunting accident before the end of the year. Between these co-incidences and the date of the original arrests on Friday 13th, we had the stage set for some of the greatest conspiracy theories of the ages recently brought up to date with Dan Brown’s book ‘The Da Vinci Code’. All as convincing as the original allegations but fascinating all the same.

The current position of the Roman Catholic Church is that the medieval persecution of the Knights Templar was unjust, that nothing was inherently wrong with the order or its rule, and that Pope Clement was pressed into his actions by the magnitude of the public scandal and by the dominating influence of King Philip IV, who was Clement's relative.

No precise numbers exist, but it is estimated that at the order's peak there were between 15,000 and 20,000 Templars, of whom about a tenth were actual knights.

All but two of the Grand Masters died in office, and several died during military campaigns.

Templetown nearby, received its name from the presence of the Knights Templar. Their presence in this area is thought to have been for the purposes of protection of the northern extremity of the Pale, but there is little or no evidence of the heavily fortified preceptories that would normally be associated with their presence for this purpose. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that the lands at Templetown and Kilsaran were each at the opposite and most extreme end of Matilda de Lacy’s land in Louth.

Eleven major preceptories and manors of the Order have been identified in Ireland, which, by 1308, were the third most valuable farmland of all Templar holdings, worth £400.00 per annum with Kilsaran and Templetown, Cooley in County Louth (the most wealthy of these).

Templars in Ireland did not see themselves as colonisers but members of a monastic/warrior order whose role was to generate income from the resources they had been given to support the relief of the Holy Land. They would have been generally past their fighting best whose function was to administer the Order's Estates and collect the rents from the tenants who were mainly Irish.

As part of their commercial enterprises the Templars formed an institution many regard as the origins of modern banking. With Templar preceptories all across Europe they created a facility where it was possible to deposit money in one preceptory in return for a letter of receipt. This letter could be produced in any other preceptory where the money would be reimbursed.

In the world of Medieval Europe where travel was dangerous this was very attractive to the rich. This early banking system soon grew to enormous proportions. As their wealth increased they began to loan money to monarchs across Europe, a practice that led to their downfall.

As a somewhat neutral force in Ireland’s turbulent history, yet with the prestige of being part of one the known world’s finest fighting forces meant that they could travel to places with full freedom of movement. It also meant that contact with Gaelic Ireland was part and parcel of living in Cooley.

A short distance away were the lands of the O’Hanlon’s, O’Neill’s, McGuinness’s, McArdle’s and O’Hanratty’s amongst others. A little further away was access to the lands of the O’Neills, O’Donnells, Maguires, Kanes, O’Reillys and the MacDonnells. The wealthy members of these families were just as likely to travel on pilgrimage as were members of the Norman families. There were several obstacles for them to travel, security was one concern, cash in a cashless economy was another and guarantees of both created solutions for those with pilgrimage in mind.

The Templars had their own fleet of ships, their own banking system, together with contacts and access into international markets. During their heyday the Templars, encouraged, facilitated and protected pilgrims on their journey to the major European pilgrimage sites. That this created income for the order was a not unwelcome by-product of their enterprise.

On February 2nd 1308 the Templars forces, in Ireland were arrested and placed in Dublin castle. Meanwhile their estates were seized by King Edward II after which he either leased them to close allies and associates or gave them to the Knights Hospitallier.

Carlingford on the Cooley Peninsula, had been the diocesan port of Armagh Archdiocese for hundreds of years by the time the Templars arrived, and Armagh was the religious centre of Ireland. From it’s early Christian, monastic roots it had grown like other monastic centres to be a driving force of the Gaelic economy.

Trading meant driving goods such as livestock and pack animals to the market, the route to Cooley was well worn and the Templars were in the right place adjacent to the trade route.

There were two major routes from Armagh to Cooley and the majority of the journey in medieval times was through the Fews Forest which extended from Armagh to Faughart itself, the majority of which was cut down in the 1600’s in the aftermath of the 9 Year’s War and the Flight of the Earls.

Anyone from Gaelic Ulster in medieval times, intending travelling to Santiago, travelled the trade route leading from Armagh, along the ancient road of the Sli Miluachra, to the Gap of the North near to the Hill of Faughart, over into Annaverna, continuing across the high paths of the Cooley’s then through Bearnavave and the Grange/Templetown area, before progressing to Carlingford.

An alternative path was through the eastern border of the O’Neill lands which now form the Newry Canal Towpath, as a medieval garrison town Newry was avoided to skirt around Slieve Gullion, before connecting with the paths over the Cooley’s.

From Carlingford, pilgrims travelled by boat to France or Spain to join with the nearest set of paths bringing them to their destination.One of the reasons those from Gaelic Ulster would have used the high paths was that up to 1600, all of Cooley was within the ancient province of Ulster, therefore these paths were already familiar to them.

Additionally, for their own security the lower paths out through Ballymascanlon and Lordship were not as secure from Norman times onwards, these were controlled as part of the English ‘Pale’.

Séamus Dall Mac Cuarta was a poet of the late 1600’s in this area and regularly visited Strandfield House, near Ballymascanlon, often in company with Carolan the Harper.

Fáilte don Éan (Welcome to the bird)

Fáilte don éan is binne ar chraoibhLabhras ar caoin na dtor le gréin;Domsa is fada tuirse an tsaoilNach bhfeiceann í le teacht an fhéir.

Cluinim, cé nach bhfeicim a gné,Seinnm an éan darb ainm cuach;Amharc uirthi i mbarra géagMo thuirse ghéar nach mise fuair.

Gach neach dá bhfeiceann cruth an éin,Amharc Éireann deas is tuaidh,Blátha na dtulca ar gach taoibh,Dóibh is aoibhinn bheith dá lua.

An tAmhránMo thuirse nach bhfuaireas bua ar m’amharc d’fháilGo bhfeicim ar uaigneas uaisle an duilliúir ag fás!Cuid de mo ghruaim – ní ghluaisim chun cruinnithe le cáchAr amharc na gcuach ar bhruach na coille go sámh.

Welcome to the Bird

Welcome to the bird, the sweetest in the treesWho sings the beauty of the shrubs to the sun;For so long a time I’ve been tired of lifeFor I cannot see her when the grass is new.

I can hear it, though I cannot see her,The chant of the bird they call cuckoo;To look on her in the branches above‘Tis my bitter grief that I don’t have that gift.

Each one may behold the charm of the bird,For all Ireland is gazing, north and south,With all of the flowers on the hills around,And everyone can speak of such things with delight.

RefrainMy sorrow that I did not receive the gift of sightSo that in my loneliness I could watch the beauty of the leaves as they grow!Part of my sadness – I’m not along with all those peopleAs they go at their leisure to watch the cuckoos at the forest’s rim.

Seanfhocal: “Gach dalta mar oiltear.” Every pupil is as he is trained.

Armagh

The first point of departure is from Armagh, a city of two cathedrals, a city of legends. It can be argued that it is the oldest city in Ireland, Armagh has played the part of host, as a destination to multitudes from the first Celtic high kings of Ireland, to the druids, to St. Patrick, Brian Ború and Jonathan Swift, amongst others.

Armagh has space for the spirits of two Christian faiths, in two commanding cathedrals situated on twin hilltops. It is a place of compromise in many ways, from the time of the earliest civilisations, mixing their myths and legends into those of the Celtic/Gaelic world which continued here into the early 17th century. It has seen military campaigns from the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, from regional raiders in Ireland, to the Vikings, the Normans, Gaelic clansmen, Elizabethan Tudor armies and Williamite campaigners, each adding something to the story of the development of the city.

Leading uphill from Armagh is Gosford Forest Park which is located near the village of Markethill. Gosford Forest Park, is now owned by the Forestry Service and has some excellent facilities. It also houses one of Northern Ireland's premier collections of rare breeds. The mock Norman castle and grounds have featured in the TV series ‘Game of Thrones’, are also associated with Jonathan Swift and may be the site of a planned ‘Gulliver’s World’ amusement Theme Park in future years.

Many place-names in Ireland are Gaelic in origin and are descriptive of the topography. The interpretation of Tanderagee, Gaoth is an Irish word meaning wind and features often in place- names in reference to their exposure. In Tanderagee, which is Ton re Gaoith, meaning ‘backside to the wind’, as if suggesting that is the right stance to adopt in the area.

Overlooking the village is Tandragee Castle. Originally the seat of the Ó hAnluain clan, it was taken over by the English during the Plantation of Ulster and rebuilt in about 1837 by George Montagu, 6th Duke of Manchester. Today, its grounds are home to the Tayto potato-crisp factory.

Scarva is a small village and townland in County Down, at the boundary with County Armagh, which is marked by the Newry Canal.

Scarva on the Newry Canal Towpath, is famous as the location of the "Sham Fight" Pageant on 13 July every year. The Pageant attracts thousands of members of the Royal Black Preceptory, a group related to the Orange Order, who come to march and stage a symbolic (sham) re-enactment of the 1690 Battle of the Boyne.

In June 1690, a Williamite army of 30,000 men camped in the Scarva area for training before marching on to meet the forces of King James II at the Battle of the Boyne on 1 July 1690.

Whilst training his army, King William is said to have camped under a magnificent Spanish chestnut tree. The tree still flourishes to this day and measures over 25 feet in circumference at the base.

The Newry Canal, was built in 1741, to link the Tyrone coalfields (Coalisland)(via Lough Neagh and the River Bann) to the Irish Sea at Carlingford Lough. It was the first summit level canal to be built in Ireland or Britain.

With the coming of the railways in the 1850s, the canal went into decline, and finally closed to commercial traffic in the late 1930s.

Although most of the lock gates have fallen into a state of disrepair, many of the locks themselves are in excellent condition, being constructed from local granite.

It is now a haven for wildlife, and with the construction of broad paths, is enjoying a renaissance, with many families and individuals using these for walking and cycling. The towpath has been incorporated into the National Cycle Network.

Newry,

The Craigmore Viaduct is a railway bridge near Bessbrook. It spans the Valley of Camlough River. The viaduct consists of 18 arches of 60 ft span, the highest being 126 ft, making Craigmore the highest viaduct in Ireland.

Derrymore House is a National Trust property in Bessbrook. It is open to the public and is described by the National Trust as a "late 18th- century thatched house in gentrified vernacular style”.

Built in the style of a cottage orné, house is set in over 100 acres of beautiful parkland and woodland. It features unique local thatching using Shannon reeds.

It was built between 1776 and 1787 by Isaac Corry, MP for Newry for thirty years, on land he inherited from his father. The Act of Union of 1800, was drafted in the drawing room of the house. The surrounding parkland was laid out by John Sutherland, one of the most celebrated disciples of Capability Brown.

The quaint town of Bessbrook is a very early Quaker settlement and model village. It was built around the linen industry in 1845 by the Richardson family to house their workers.

The layout remains as it was in that time with the local granite stone, of which it is made, and the original streets, terraces and squares.

Along the road from the village which bears it's name, Camlough Lake (the crooked lake), stretches for two kilometres along the Camlough Valley running between Camlough Mountain to the west and Sturgan Mountain to the east. It is also an important recreational resource for a range of water based activities including coarse angling, water- skiing, swimming and triathlon. Camlough Lake is situated within the Ring of Gullion Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The beautiful, wooded area around Killeavy Old Churches, on the slopes of Slieve Gullion, is in an area which has numerous prehistoric cairns testifying to the presence of people dwelling here, devoting time, thought and prayer to a higher being, in a tradition going back many thousands of years. The sense of mystery and legend is without parallel and the feeling which drew St Moninna to the place can be understood.

From there, the road leads to Dromintee and from there to the Kilnasaggart Stone as described earlier.

Ways to travel the Cooley Camino

There are as many ways to travel the Camino as there are Camino trails. On each section of the Cooley Camino, whether they are travelled in sequence or otherwise, with a guide or without, there is enough information here for everyone to find navigating the route possible.

With ourselves, guiding any group, we provide transport to the start of each day's travelling and share the stories along the way as travelers did in times past.

If bicycle hire is required, we can arrange that, in a similar way if travelers prefer a small sandwich on the journey or prefer the thought of a substantial culinary discovery along the way, we will discuss whatever you prefer to do.

By Coach

To satisfy the curiosity of anyone wishing to know the highlights of the route, with a view to walking or cycling at another time, travelling with a group on a coach could be the ideal introduction to the Cooley Camino.

Beginning in Armagh, you get to hear the stories associated with these places throughout the ages, you will understand what the Camino is about, with questions and answer sessions along the way, until we reach our destination in Cooley.

Walking

Walking, Hill Walking, Rambling or Hiking, call it what you will, it still means putting one foot in front of another, out in the open air with the goal of covering a set distance or reaching another place.

Every section of the Cooley Camino is suitable for walking. There is a mixture of roads, boreens, grassy lanes and hill paths all along the way.On a guided walk, the guide will act as the group leader while recalling the stories of the section you happen to travel at the time.

Cycling

Cycling the Cooley Camino will certainly cover the ground faster than walking but not every section is ideal for bicycles.

On some sections the paths are not suitable for an average bicycle and a certain amount of pushing uphill is to be expected.

If bicycle hire is required for a group, we can arrange that as well as transport of the bicycles to the group starting point. For individuals wishing to cycle alone we can still make the arrangements for you to hire a suitable bicycle at a reasonable cost.

Leave No Trace

Please adhere to the principles of 'leave no trace' as part of the Outdoor Ethics Campaign. The program strives to build awareness, appreciation and respect for Ireland's natural and cultural heritage and is dedicated to creating a nationally recognized and accepted outdoor ethic that promotes personal responsibility.

Public Transport

The Cooley Camino Trail has public transport connections at the start and finish, and there are numerous transport links on the way.

Suitability

The Cooley Camino is suitable for walkers of all ages and abilities, but there are some steep slopes, patches of uneven ground and some stiles. Parts of the trail are therefore unsuitable for wheelchairs and buggies. Some areas may be slippery or muddy underfoot, so stout walking boots or trainers with good treads are recommended.

In one story I was told, that in medieval times, a student poet was required to stand by a river, absorbing his surroundings, until he could describe the scene in detail, to the extent of describing what fish and types of fish were in the river, where they rested, what type of trees were found on the banks, their sounds and how they moved.

If others were present, he was required to be observant enough to describe their unspoken moods or intentions from their pose and body language.

In some way, connecting with his surroundings to the extent that he became one with them. Surely part of the reason many of us take part in a pilgrimage, is to allow ourselves the time and space to become more self aware, to allow us take a fresh look at our surrounding and reconnect.

Seanfhocal: “Éist le fuaim na habhann agus gheobhair breac.”

Listen to the sound of the river and you will catch a trout.

Contact;

Liam McCauley

M.087 204 9263

E/m liammccauley@me.com

F/b Louth Tour Guides

The Cooley Camino is a 25km walk in the North East of Ireland which has connections to the Camino in Spain.

It is located about halfway between Dublin and Belfast, with public transport available to bring you, near to and from the starting or finishing points.

For a moderately fit walker it can be done in one day and for those choosing a more leisurely pace, it is not difficult to complete over two days.

Combining stories with the walking means the journey is conducted at a slower than normal pace, in about 8 hours total.

Accommodation and refreshments are available at either end but in the trek over the Cooley Mountains, it is advisable to bring a packed lunch with both hot and cold drinks.

It will bring the walker into a connection with the local geography, history, folklore, mythology, fauna and flora, with plenty of outstanding scenery amid the refreshing Cooley air.