Diocesan News10 Sep 08

Cork Pilgrimage Walk. Gougane Barra to St Fin Barre's Cathedral

Cork Pilgrimage Walk. Gougane Barra to St Fin Barre’s Cathedral
Wednesday 23rd– Friday 25th July 2008

Over three wonderful dry and sunny days, twenty-eight young people were seen walking the roads of West Cork to raise funds for Christian Aid’s clean water projects in Ethiopia.

The young walkers carried a symbolic container of water all the way from the source of the River Lee in Gougane Barra to St Fin Barre’s Cathedral in Cork City, in a gesture of solidarity with the people of Ethiopia who often have to walk 3-6 hours a day to collect water from open wells for use in their homes.

The pilgrimage was organised by the Cork Diocesan Youth Council following a visit to Ireland by Christian Aid’s country manager in Ethiopia, Abiy Hailu, back in May.

The three-day event was launched at 10am on Wednesday July 25, at Gougane Barra, by the Mayor of Cork County, Councillor Noel Harrington, in front of a large crowd of supporters and local clergy.

That first day saw the walkers leave Gougane Barra and descend down into the village of Kealkill and onwards towards the town and square of Bantry, where the Town Mayor, Cllr. Vivian O’ Callaghan, welcomed them and wished them well on their endeavour. The walkers then climbed out of Bantry and on towards Ballydehob, where they spent their first night.

On the second morning, the walkers headed towards Clonakilty, 30 miles east along the N71. Again street collections were organised en route in the towns of Skibbereen and Clonakilty itself, where the public were amazingly generous.

The group stopped in the beautiful church grounds of Kilmacabea, in the village of Leap, for a late 4pm lunch under the shade of the trees.  Clonakilty was eventually reached at 7:30pm that evening with many of the group tired and some with sore and blistered feet.

The final morning of this gruelling three-day event began with an inspiring address from the Mayor of Clonakilty, Cllr. Michael O’Regan, who expressed his appreciation and support for the goals of the walkers, and congratulated them on being such wonderful role models for other young people.

Departing at 9am, the walkers made it to Bandon by 1:30pm.  They stopped for lunch in the grounds of St. Peter’s Church, where they were joined by the collectors who had been hard at work in the town all morning. An hour later, they left Bandon for their final 20-mile stage to Cork city.  At 7pm, they reached the city outskirts.

It was an amazing sight to see these young people, still wonderfully committed to reaching St. Fin Barre’s cathedral by 7.30pm. Tired, hungry, and in many cases with extremely sore feet and legs, they were excited to be so close to reaching their destination after walking nearly 90 miles (140 km) over three wonderful days in west Cork in July.

They made it to the Cathedral in time, where they were welcomed by the Dean, Rev. Nigel Dunne, the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Brian Bermingham, and Margaret Boden, Chief Executive of Christian Aid Ireland.

The final act was a Service of the Word in celebration of the end of the Diocesan Youth Council Pilgrimage for the work of Christian Aid. It was a beautiful service of thanks for all the work of the walkers and of Christian Aid, and one of the most poignant acts was the pouring of the water that had being brought by foot all the way from Gougane Barra into the Cathedral’s baptismal font.


Along the way more than €5,000 was raised by the various street collections en route, and more money is still coming in.  For every €1 collected through sponsorship and street collections, the European Development Fund of the European Union has promised to give €3 more.

The money raised in Cork is going to Christian Aid’s partner in Ethiopia, Water Action Project, to build water pipes, construction of latrines and water distribution points as well as education on hygiene and sanitation issues.

Please support this walk
Lodgements to Christian Aid AIB Account: 07829054/Sort Code 93-10-71.
For further information, please contact the Christian Aid Cork Office on (023) 41468 or email Cork Christian Aid.