Final stages of St Declan's Way were hiked by hundreds of walkers from all over Ireland
The six stage walk of the 115km pilgrim route from Cashel to Ardmore concluded last week
Hundreds of walkers trekked from the Knockmealdown Mountains near Goatenbridge to the Waterford coast in the final four stages of the St Declan’s Way that concluded last week with hikers reaching Ardmore’s beautiful sandy beach.
More than 300 pilgrims walked the final two stages of the 115km trail that brought them from Lismore to Ardmore – a distance of almost 45km over two days on Saturday and Sunday, May 24 and 25.
The walkers were from all over Ireland, with many walking St Declan’s Way for the first time.
On Saturday, May 24, the St Declan’s Way walkers met Dean Paul Draper in St Carthage’s Cathedral, Lismore for a pilgrim blessing before beginning their hikes onwards to Cappoquin along grassy paths by the River Blackwater.
They enjoyed a glorious walk through native Irish woodland to see panoramic views from Dromana Rock, followed by a visit to Dromana House and Gardens where Nicholas and Barbara Grubb told them the history of the house and about the Fitzgeralds of Desmond and the Villiers Stuart family.
Filled with all this rich historic information, the walkers continued on through the blossoming azaleas and rhododendrons in the gardens of Dromana towards Villierstown and Aglish.
The final stage brought walkers from Aglish to Ardmore via a visit to St Declan’s Well in Toor, Clashmore where the local parish team explained the history of the healing waters of the Well.
As they left the Well, the pilgrims walked to Ballycurrane NS, with the Parents’ Association providing food to all.
A further 10km hiking in super sunshine was to follow through the Lickey Valley, the boreens of Grange and onwards to the beach at Ardmore.
The third and fourth stages of St Declan’s Way from Goatenbridge to Lismore were trekked by more than 350 pilgrims two weeks previously during superb summer weather.
Fr Denis Luke sprinkling holy water on pilgrims at Mount Melleray before their departure on the fourth stage of the St Declan's Way from Mount Melleray to Lismore. Photo Cahir Media
On Sunday May 11, they continued from Mount Melleray Abbey through Crowhill, following woodland tracks, old field boundaries and an ancient Mass path to reach the Grotto at Mount Melleray.
From there, the pilgrims continued on towards Lismore, passing by the beautiful Strand and Lismore Castle before reaching their journey’s end.
Fr Denis Luke O’Hanlon OCSO and Fr John Nally of Ballylooby brought great spiritual depth to both days, blessing the pilgrims before they set out.
Fr Denis Luke advised the walkers: “If you want to walk fast, walk alone but if you want to walk far, walk together”.
Knockmealdown Active, which organised the six-day St Declan’s Way walking event, honoured the great work of Eileen Condon of Newcastle and her team to mark Eileen’s upcoming retirement from catering later this year.
The community group presented Eileen and Nora Duggan, her chief of staff, with St Declan’s Way cast iron distance plates and beautiful flowers.
“Eileen has catered for the St Declan’s Way walks every year since 2016 so her retirement is a milestone which Knockmealdown Active was keen to mark,” said a Knockmealdown Active spokesperson.
The St Declan’s Way and Knockmealdown Active teams thank all involved in making the 2025 pilgrimage event such a great success, especially the community groups from communities along the route from Cashel to Ardmore that supported the stage walks.
The organisers also thanked Cahir Media for the great video and photographic work. “It has been the strongest year yet for the event, with the number of landowners and community groups involved increasing every year. Roll on 2026!
St Declan's Way walkers on Ardmore Beach after completing the final stage on Sunday, May 25. Photo Cahir Media
Check out more photos from the final stages of the St Declan's Way Walk in this week's edition of The Nationalist now on sale in local shops.