By Sarah Mac Donald - 07 September, 2017
Camino de Glendalough. Pic courtesy: www.dublin.anglican.org
Pilgrims participating in this year’s Camino de Glendalough who have a pilgrim passport will receive a stamp to mark their participation and witness.
The Camino de Glendalough is hosted by the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough and takes pilgrims through the Wicklow mountains between Hollywood and Glendalough.
The route follows the ancient pilgrim path of St Kevin’s Way from St Kevin’s Church in Hollywood to the monastic city in Glendalough.
The first Camino de Glendalough took place last November and attracted pilgrims from all over Dublin and Glendalough and beyond.
A special booklet was compiled to assist those who undertook the Camino de Glendalough last year and this is again available for this year’s Camino, providing details of the route and insights into why people undertake pilgrimage as well as information on the life of St Kevin. A brief history of the monastic city of Glendalough is also outlined.
The 2017 Camino de Glendalough takes place this Sunday, starting at 9am with a Service of Holy Communion and Pilgrim blessing in St Kevin’s Church in Hollywood.
There will be a service in St John’s Church in Laragh at 9.30am. Pilgrims will be welcome to join the Camino at any point during the day. They can choose to take the full 30 km pilgrimage following St Kevin’s Way from Hollywood in West Wicklow to Glendalough or a shorter route from the Wicklow Gap, or they may follow the many pathways around the monastic city.
The full Camino covers a distance of 30 km, but there are also many opportunities to join the path for individuals and groups wishing to make shorter journeys.
St John’s in Laragh will act as a hub during the day, with buses available to ferry people to the Wicklow Gap for the shorter 12 km walk to Glendalough. Parking will be available in Laragh. Those following the full route on foot should expect to take at least six hours.
The day will conclude with a short service at the Upper Lake in Glendalough which will begin at 5pm. There will be a bus to transport pilgrims back to Hollywood after the service.
The timetable for the Camino de Glendalough 2017 is:
9am: St Kevin’s Church, Hollywood – Pilgrims intending to complete the full St Kevin’s Way of 30 km will be sent out by the Archdeacon of Glendalough, the Ven Ricky Rountree and the Rector of Blessington Union, the Rev Leonard Ruddock, following a time of prayer and blessing and a service of Holy Communion. Please note that the walk is expected to take approximately six hours.
9:30am: St John’s Church, Laragh – Service of Holy Communion
10:30am: Pilgrims planning to walk from either the Wicklow Gap or around Glendalough are invited to make their way to St John’s Church, Laragh. A minibus will be on hand to take people to the Wicklow Gap. Also, if needed, the minibus will drop people to the Holy City.
11am, 12 midday, 1pm and 2pm: St John’s Church, Laragh – A minibus will take pilgrims to the Wicklow Gap, where they will be able to take a two-hour walk back to Glendalough along St Kevin’s way.
5pm: Upper Lake, Glendalough – Pilgrims are invited to gather for an outdoor service of thanksgiving and prayer. A minibus will be available to take pilgrims back to Hollywood after this service.
Dublin and Wicklow Mountain Rescue has advice for all venturing into the hills and mountains and urges people to do so with caution and with the correct equipment. Further information is available from their website www.dwmrt.ie/.
The special booklet on the Camino de Glendalough can be downloaded here: https://dublin.anglican.org/cmsfiles/files/2-Camino-de-Glendalough-2016-For-printing.pdf.
