Feature: A glorious day spent hiking along the St Declan's Way

Stepping off the hectic treadmill of daily life to walk an ancient pilgrim trail is one of the latest tourism trends and hundreds of people have been doing just that by trekking the St Declan’s Way over the past two months.

The annual five-stage walk of the 115km way marked trail, organised by Knockmealdown Active, began under the shadow of the Rock of Cashel during St Patrick’s weekend and will finish at St Declan’s round tower in Ardmore this Sunday.

St Declan’s Way, named after the 5th century saint who brought Christianity to the south of Ireland, is being marketed as Ireland’s alternative to Spain’s famous Camino de Santiago that thousands of people from Ireland hike every year.

The Nationalist joined 300 hardy walkers, including stewards, who followed the footsteps of St Declan, Taoiseach Leo Varadker and former President Mary McAleese, on Holy Saturday, April 8 by hiking the third stage from Goatenbridge to Lismore via the breathtaking landscape of the Knockmealdown Mountains.

The 28km hike is the longest and most challenging of the St Declan’s Way stages but also it’s most picturesque and walkers were blessed with a beautiful spring day.

It began with registration at Lismore’s Bunscoil Bhóthar na Naomh National School where walkers were issued with a map and information sheet along with supplies of fruit and water. Shortly after 10am a fleet of buses supplied by local firms O’Donoghue’s of Clonmel, McCarra’s of Newcastle and Hallahan’s of Cappoquin ferried the hikers through the Knockmealdowns to the Liam Lynch Memorial high above Goatenbridge village.

The round tower monument, erected in the 1930s on the spot the anti-treaty side general was gunned down in the last days of the Civil War, was an appropriate and poignant starting point for the walk, which coincided with the local commemorations during the Easter weekend to mark the centenary of Lynch’s death.

After exploring the monument and taking pictures, the walkers assemble around the memorial to hear Knockmealdown Active volunteer Mark Rylands from Goatenbridge recount how nearly to the day 100 years ago General Lynch was fatally wounded on the hillside by Free State forces, stretchered to Nugent’s Pub in Newcastle and later died in Clonmel Hospital.

Leaving behind our troubled history, the walkers depart on the first leg of their expedition – the 14km trek around the Knockmealdowns to Mount Melleray Abbey at Scrahan, Cappoquin. St Declan’s Way Steering Committee Chairperson Grainne Moynihan and Noreen Butler from Burncourt carrying the walk's banner lead the way.

A long snake of walkers ascends along the forest track. At first progress is slow and easy as queues gathers behind a number of stiles that need to be scaled. But once we descend from the forest and turn onto the road the mass of walkers stretches out and breaks up into small groups.

The scenery is stunning. In the far distance are the Comeragh Mountains and beyond them Slievenamon, standing like ghostly sentinels. After walking 2km south we reach the county Waterford boundary and leave behind south Tipperary. The first water stop is at Byrne’s Bridge crossing the Glenafallia River and from there we head into the most challenging phase of the hike. It seems to be all uphill for several kilometres and one’s fitness and endurance is really tested.

Hikers walking on the third stage of the St Declan's Way near Byrne's Bridge. 

The only relief is the gorgeous views of the Knockmealdowns around us undisturbed by hardly any human settlement. On a clear day, Youghal, Dungarvan Harbour and Helvick Head can been seen in the distance. Stewards are on guard at every turn off to a new track or road to ensure we keep on the right path.

After more than two hours of walking, we begin to descend back into the lowlands through forest paths. Mount Melleray mustn’t be far away as we yearn for a rest and a cup of tea. We turn a corner in a lush patch of woodland and suddenly the abbey’s spire appears in the distance. The sun has pushed through the cloud and the rest of the walk into the farm and grounds of the Cistercian monastery where swathes of daffodils are blooming, is one of the highlights of the day.

The most difficult part of our walk is over as we reach the monastery's cafe shortly after 2.30pm.

Among the hikers resting their legs there are Maeve Donnelly from county Fermanagh and Cora Smith from county Down.

Both had also walked the first two stages from Cashel to Cahir and Cahir to Goatenbridge in March.

Maeve said her sister walked St Declan’s Way last year and recommended it to her. She was thoroughly enjoying seeing this part of the country and tracing the ancient pilgrim path. She also planned to do the final two stages ending in Ardmore.

The lovely spring weather had made the day for them and she was very impressed with the organisation of this series of way walks.

“It’s very well marshalled. They are great people and great fun keeping you jizzed up all the way. It’s lovely to see the fantastic countryside and certainly well worth doing,” she said.

Also taking a well earned break was Leo Kielty from Abbey Knockmoy in county Galway. He heard about St Declan’s Way from his wife, who has an interest in Ireland’s pilgrim paths. Hiking through the Knockmealdowns to Lismore via Mount Melleray sounded nice so he travelled down to give it a try

“There are so many great things on our doorstep and we don’t avail of them. What better way to spend an afternoon. The €45 cost was well worth it. I'm delighted I came, despite the fact I took paracetamol,” he quipped pointing to a strapped up knee, which thankfully was holding up well.

The walk was one of those events you can easily do on your own as there is plenty of opportunity out on the road and forest trail to chat with walkers around you. Leo was one of those solo walkers and was enjoying the banter with fellow hikers.

Like Maeve and Cora from Northern Ireland, he was very impressed with the amount of stewards and overall organisation of the event.

“I take my hat off to them. They are a great group. A lot of work has gone into this. When you have 300 people, we have aches, pains in joints, bones and hips. We feel they are there for us to help if we have blisters or sores.”

Chatting to Leo was Aine Hennessy from Two-Mile-Borris, who was particularly enjoying this stage of St Declan’s Way because of the variety of the hills and variety of the terrain and good weather.

Our bellies full and legs rested, we set off on the final leg of our expedition – approximately 12km over roads and lanes to Lismore.

Caption: Eilish O’Grady leads walkers along the forest track to Mount Melleray

After the tough upland gradients of the Knockmealdown Mountains tracks and roads, it’s a welcome relief to be walking on the flat. We pass the time pleasantly, chatting with fellow walkers as we pass back and forth between groups on the road.

Three enterprising children sell water and chocolate bars to hikers at a table outside their house. Two of them provide some musical entertainment, playing Roddy McCorley on button concertinas as we pass.

Shortly before 5.30pm we descend into Lismore, walking along the banks of River Blackwater, passing under the imposing Lismore Castle and through the town’s historic streets to our finish point back at Bunscoil Bhóthar na Naomh where welcome refreshments await. We arrive exhausted but proud of our achievement.

Knockmealdown Active Chairman Joe Byrne from Ardfinnan is delighted with how the walk has gone.

“The weather is everything. We got a right start with it and there are no injuries yet. To get everyone home in one piece is a bonus.”

Edwin Fitzgerald from Mountain Road, Clonmel completed the walk just ahead of us at the grand age of 93.

He was enjoying a well earned cup of tea in the school hall and doesn’t appear overly fatigued by the exertions of the day.

Edwin has hiked the St Declan’s Way every year since the five-stage walk was set up about seven years ago and already walked the first two stages before embarking on the Goatenbridge to Lismore trek. He takes part in Siul Eile social walking events when not exploring the St Declan’s Way.

“I thought it was tough, no doubt about it, it was tough. I wouldn’t be the first back home but I get there eventually,” he said modestly.

“I have walked all my life. What I like about it is the social aspect. It’s so important to me.”

Army of volunteers keep walkers on the right path

Running the St Declan’s Way series of walks wouldn’t have been possible without an army of volunteers from a variety community groups along its route.

Close to 50 volunteers worked on the third stage from Goatenbridge to Lismore manning registration tables, providing refreshments, acting as walking and cycling stewards and standing at turn off points to keep walkers on the right path. They also manned water break stops, the health & safety van and Red Cross ambulance.

St Declan’s Way Steering Committee Chairperson Grainne Moynihan said volunteers from Knockmealdown Active, Mount Mellerary and groups like Lismore Men’s Shed and Lismore’s Ballysaggart Community Centre all worked on the walk.

Check out the two page feature on Aileen Hahesy's hike of the third stage of the St Declan's Way including more photos in this week's edition of The Nationalist now on sale in local shops.