Some decades (!) ago, Pat gave me a present of a CD (remember those tremendously expensive round shiny discs?) of the Brendan Voyage by Shaun Davey with Liam O’Flynn playing the most magical and enchanting pipes, re-counting the voyage of this most enterprising Irish monk who discovered America long before Columbus was even born.

We’re going to walk in the footsteps of St Brendan on our Camino to Santiago! Can you believe it???

Earlier this evening I had a conversation with a gentleman, a new friend, who is helping us to get our walk on the Camino to Santiago organised.

Not sure whether I mentioned this before, but just some weeks ago, the Cathedral of Santiago announced that it will award the “Compostela” to pilgrims who walk the 75 km of the Camino Inglés from A Coruña to Santiago AND the ‘missing’ 25km in their country of origin prior to arriving in Spain, as reported in some Spanish Newspapers.

While we would probably have had problems walking the last 100km with Pádraig in a week on the French Camino, I’d say 75km are doable. In addition, walking 25+ km here in Ireland before we do the longer leg in Spain will give us great practice and opportunity to ‘fix’ what needs to get fixed in relation to equipment. (And we might get a few Irish friend to join us!!!)

Here is where Kerry comes in and the idea our new friend had: It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the good people of Kerry already have a well signposted and supported ‘Kerry Camino‘ in place – where one can “walk in the footsteps of St. Brendan (the Irishman who ‘discovered’ America long before Columbus:) along the Dingle Way through 6,000 years of Irish History along the Wild Atlantic Way”, from Saint John’s Church in Tralee to the Church of Saint James in Dingle – from where many Irish pilgrims departed for A Coruña and on to Santiago de Compostela.

It’s all almost too good to be true (though we will most likely just walk the last 25 km of this way). And there’s a few (!) things that we will have to sort out – like new wheels for Pádraig’s wheelchair, some clothing, dates, routes, accommodation, ….  But nothing we couldn’t fix and then – we’ll be off on the Camino! Who would have thought….?