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www.celtic-connection.com
JUNE 2005
Running the 25th Annual Dublin
City Marathon
Celtic Pilgrimage: Walking the Path of the Ancestors
By PAT CLEARY
VANCOUVER - After booking in at the Mespil hotel in Dublin on October 24 last year, my wife Ira, and my sister-in-law Eileen, went off to shop on Grafton Street while my brother Noel and I went to the Main Hall at the RDS to pick up my race package.
A field of 10,500 marathoners were registered and each one had at least two or three family and friends with them as support so, an already crowded city of Dublin, was busy.
Later, we met up with the girls and my niece Fiona and we ate at Gothams Bistro off Grafton Street. After the meal Fiona gave us a grand tour of Dublin on foot and of course this included the popular Temple Bar district.
Fiona took a taxi home and we headed towards our hotel. Along the way, we stopped at Toners Bar and had a few pints. I drank 7-Up. Got to bed around 11 PM. We awoke around 2 AM to hear the wind slapping rain against our hotel room window. These are the worst possible conditions a runner would want.
The rest of my night was restless and I slept intermittently and finally got up around 7 AM. The wind had subsided and the skies were clear — the gods were smiling on us. The race was to begin at 9 AM and I had arranged to meet Denis, a friend from my hometown of Doneraile, near the start line at around 8:15 AM.
People were everywhere. Streets were barricaded off. The start line was on Nassau Street at the Kildare Street junction. When 8:30 AM arrived and Denis was nowhere to be seen I made my way towards the start line.
Earn on Coghlan the great miler was only about 15 feet away from me. Of course he was with the elite seeded runners. The atmosphere was electric and we were getting packed tighter as 9 AM approached.
Finally, the start gun went off and as we passed over the brown carpet, our start times were recorded by our computer chips which we received in our registration packages. These were attached to the laces of our running shoes.
We ran around Trinity College through Westland Row, Pearse Street, College Street, Westmoreland Street, over O'Connell Bridge up O'Connell Street and past the first mile mark. Only 25.2 miles to go.
On up to the North Circular Road, to North Road and through Phoenix Park. The sun was low in the sky. A brilliant haze hung over the park and the moist grass glistened as we weaved our way between the seventh and eighth mile.
Exited the park at Chapelizod Gate. On the Crumlin Road we passed the
PATCLEARY
12th mile. Between the 15th and 16th mile, Denis caught up with me on my left. We chatted briefly and he took off at his own pace.
On Stillorgan Road we passed the 21st mile and it was here I developed severe cramps in my right leg. Dehydration had set in, so I walked, sipped some power gel and drank some water.
Rejuvenated I got into my stride but just past the 23rd mile mark on Merrion Road, my right leg seized up again.
More water, limped, got back in stride and hit the 26th mile mark at Leinster Street South. Right leg seized up again with only 200 yards to go. Both sides of the street were packed with cheering supporters. I stopped, massaged my leg, limped a lithe.
I was fatigued and dehydrated, but the encouraging words and cheering of the spectators ignited the fumes in my tank and I coasted across the finish line in three hours 42 minutes and 24 seconds. I was 10 minutes behind Denis and 19 minutes behind Eamon Coghlan. Of the 10,500 runners, I placed 1,715th.
Later as we headed south to Cork, I rested contentedly with Ira in the back seat of Noel's car. Cork had the All Ireland Hurling final and I had my Dublin Marathon Medal around my neck. Back in Doneraile, Denis and I celebrated with family, friends and neighbours at O'Donovan's pub, but that's another story.
I would like to say how absolutely wonderful the people of Dublin were as we ran the course. Families offered trays of water and food from their homes as they played music and cheered us on. "Come on lads -you're doing great - keep it up now - only a few more miles to go." These images will remain with me forever. Thank you Dublin.
P.S. This year, on March 10, my sister Geraldine was buried in Doneraile County Cork. She had received a heart transplant but the body rejected it. On April 18 I ran the Boston Marathon and dedicated it to Geraldine's memory.
IIvGRIMAGE is a growing trend, especially in Scotland, Wales, Ireland and England. Every year thousands of people, from the totally sceptical to people with a strong faith choose to travel for a spiritual purpose.
These travellers are not looking for luxury. What they seek is a journey with a meaning, something more that just the home routine in a different setting. The meaning or purpose is different for every person.
For many the motivation is to get a feel for the way of life, the mindset, and the landscape of their ancestors. Others are fascinated by the stories of the early Celtic people who lived in the British Isles, Ireland and the north-west of France, the area still called Brittany.
The stories that pull people to explore the past range from the tales of giants such as Fionn Mac Cumhaill to semi-historical kings, queens and warriors including "Old King Coel," Arthur, Grannia and Maeve. At the start of the Christian era are the stories of Patrick (the most famous non-Irishman), Brigit, Columba, Ninian, Melangell and a host of others who can still, 1,500 years later, arouse our curiosity and challenge our way of thinking.
The fascination of pilgrimage is being able to walk in the steps of our ancestors, to feel the earth, see the landscape and hear the sounds of sea, wind and birds that were the background to these stories. Equally rich is the "communitas" that develops in a group of pilgrims, even those who would come together in no other circumstances.
Keeping the size of the group to a maximum of 12, and spending several nights in each location are priorities for Vanessa Hammond of Island Pilgrims as she plans each pilgrimage.
Vanessa says that staying two to five nights in each retreat house, B&B or small hotel lets people become at home in the landscape. It also lets people choose to participate in every possible activity, or spend quiet days, just walking or relaxing.
Chris and Vanessa will lead an Island Pilgrims group in September. Three other members of the group will be returning pilgrims. Others are first-timers. The seven already confirmed come from Victoria, Vancouver, Montana and Ottawa.
The group will meet in Glasgow and spend three nights on the little island of Cumbrae, gaining some background understanding of the pre-historic and early Christian life of these lands.
Then they go by road and ferry for four nights on the famous and wonderful island of Iona, where Columba founded his monastery in 597, staying in the comfortable St. Columba Hotel, taking part in the island ceilidh (party), the weekly round-the-island pilgrim walk, and the life of the island and its Abbey. Some may choose to make a side-trip to "Fingal's Cave" which in 1829 inspired Felix Mendelssohn to compose Hie Hebrides Overture.
Next stop is the pre-Celtic, early
Celtic and early Christian sacred valley of Kilmartin and royal stronghold of Dunadd, and the hospitality of the family-run Kilmartin Hotel for two nights, and the fascinating Kilmartin museum.
Further south at Whithorn, Dr. Janet Butterworth, will describe Ninian's monastery, his life, and his impact as one of the first Christians in this region.
In Carlisle Reverend David Jenkins will use the beautiful stained glass windows of Carlisle Cathedral to introduce the group to St. Cuthbert and his many adventures. Going further south, the Reghed visitor centre tells the story of early Celtic Christians in the kingdom of Cumbria and gives a wider view of early Celtic and Christian life in these islands.
A high spot will be time at the "hidden" Pennant Melangell healing retreat where hosts Reverend Linda-Mary Edwards and Warden Judith Prust will lead the group in a day of worship, discussion and companionship, centred on the story and wisdom of Melangell. Although her story is little known outside Wales, this young woman gives us a wonderful example of quiet strength of character exerting influence on a whole region.
Crugeran, is a self-catering
converted farmhouse on the Lleyn Peninsula with its wonderful scenery and people, Stone Age monuments, early Celtic hill forts, ancient pilgrimage wells and churches, and glorious sandy beaches.
Here the group will be able to create feasts from the local farm produce. Appetites will be good, after clifftop walks along the early pilgrim paths towards Bardsey, "Island of 20,000 saints." If the weather is kind, host Reverend Evelyn Davis, will lead the group to the ruined Abbey on Bardsey for communion.
With the drive east and crossing the causeway to Holy Island -Lindisfarne, where St. Aidan from Iona brought Christianity to Northumbria, the pilgrims will learn another chapter in the story of Cuthbert which started in Carlisle.
Finally, having experienced the wonderful landscapes, centuries-old stories, and daily hospitality, the group will return to Cumbrae. Some will continue to the post-graduate short course in Celtic Christianity at the University of Wales at Lampeter.
But, according to Vanessa, the real pilgrimage starts when the memories, the friendships, and the new ways of seeing and thinking, affect so much of what we do back at home.
Many organizations offer travel in the Celtic lands. For information about Island Pilgrims, contact Chris or Vanessa at (250) 414-0308, islandpilgrim@canadac.com or check the website www.canadac. com/celtic/celticv.html which is a visual feast with Chris' wonderful photographs.
ANOTHER LIVELY and delicious dinner after a day exploring St. Columba's valley in County Donegal, NW Ireland, his departure point for Iona.
ON THE WEEKLY walk around Iona, pilgrims stop for lunch and to "throw all our cares away" at Columba Bay, where legend says the saint landed in 597.