Madam, – May I commend President Mary McAleese and Peter Murtagh (Opinion, April 20th) for raising the profile of the Camino by their participation on the journey to Santiago de Compostela.
As someone who has travelled the entire route from St Jean Pied de Port, in southern France to Finisterra, a journey of nearly 850km I too can attest to the benefits the body, mind and soul can attain from this undertaking.
Along the way, I met people of many nationalities, of different faiths and indeed of no faith, from all walks of life, whose ages ranged from 15 to 75, and my greatest discovery was that the only thing that really matters are the people – for they are truly the essence of the Camino.
The body has the capacity to withstand a great deal of physical pain, but the companionship that one meets along the way soon wipes away any pilgrim’s pain. At a time when Ireland looks like a grim place to be, I, a middle-aged asthma sufferer can recommend this journey to one and all. It is the single greatest experience I have had in my lifetime. Bon Camino. – Yours, etc,