Local woman setting off on six-day walk from Waterford to Dublin

A local woman is setting off on a six-day pilgrimage from Waterford to Dublin next week, raising awareness of the climate crisis, and is encouraging others to join her for a few steps of the journey.

Cecily Maher, a volunteer with the B Corridor Waterford and the Eco-Action Group of St Joseph's, St Benildus' and St Mary's Parish, will set off on her 220km journey across five counties from The Clock Tower at 9am on Monday, November 9 for a six-day walk through greenways and river walks.

People can join Cecily at any stage of her walk, which follows the South East Greenway to New Ross, the Barrow north through Carlow and Kildare, joins the Grand Canal near Monasterevin and Rathangan, and ends at the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square, before the walk becomes part of the National Climate March on Saturday, November 14.

The idea, Cecily told this reporter, stems from her love of walking and being in nature.

"It's really important to me," she said, "It's not just something I do in my spare time, it's something that I find kind of central to my life, to helping me to slow down, to listen to the earth and to help me make decisions that put the earth at the centre of my decision making."

When she heard of the national climate action demonstration happening in Dublin next week, on Saturday, November 14, she thought a more intentional method of getting there would be better suited to the occasion.

"I could do it more conveniently by train and be there in two hours and 15 minutes, or perhaps I could walk it and take time to listen and reflect and take that week to really consider how I live, how I am in a relationship with others and with the more than human world."

"And perhaps others might like to do that too," she said, adding that we don't often get the chance to slow down and listen to the world around us when we're living in society so structured around productivity and staying busy.

"So I thought this way of traveling to the climate march would give myself, and if anyone else wanted to join me, the opportunity to just reflect a little bit more, and be together.

"[To] take action around climate change, to talk with each other about maybe how we inspire each other on how we take action, how we live, and share that with each other to know you're not on your own."

In true Camino spirit, Cecily is hoping for a phoneless, reflective experience, allowing for quiet moments in nature.

"It's great to be with people, it's great to walk together, it's great to have conversation, to inspire each other, but I think it's also really important to listen to the world around us and to take that in.

"So, I would hope that we'll have periods of quiet along the walk as well to help us just settle into listening to the cry of the earth. That's part of the call of the walk as well.

"And people can walk at their own pace. They can walk ahead, walk by themselves or walk with others. So, I think that's a similar vein to the Caminos in Spain and other parts of the world."

So far the support has been brilliant, Cecily said, adding that it seems to speak to something on a deep level for people, the idea of pilgrimage or Camino.

"I'm delighted that people will join me at different stages of the route. For one it'll be for a few steps, for others it'll be maybe some kilometres and others for a full stage."

On day six of the walk, when Cecily reaches the Gardens of Remembrance in Dublin's Parnell Square, she will join the gathering of The Faith of the Earth group ahead of the large national march in the city centre.

Given the record-breaking heat this summer, and the stormy skies in recent weeks, Cecily says the climate crisis is undeniable, and people need to find a way to respond to it.

"We all know the signs and symptoms of climate change are with us now. We're in the midst of it [...] if we could encourage anyone to take any action that they can and to respond to the cry of the earth, that would be wonderful.

"And if they would like to join the walk, they'd be very welcome," she finished, adding that even if people can't walk with her she would be delighted for them to gather by The Clock Tower and see her off.