Walking the first 25 km of your Camino in Ireland links you to medieval traditions before you even reach Spain. You can earn your Compostela certificate through the Celtic Camino and test your walking boots at home. We organise the logistics so you can focus on the walk.
What you’ll learn:
- You need a Pilgrim Passport to collect stamps on Irish trails like St. Patrick’s Way and your final Spanish stages.
- Read the five reasons below to see why starting your walk in Ireland makes the experience more meaningful.
- We welcome walkers of all fitness levels because we arrange your daily luggage transfers, family-run stays, and 24/7 support.
- Starting at home helps you build physical fitness and learn the Camino spirit before joining the busier Spanish routes.
- Completing a certified 25 km walk in Ireland allows you to walk the final 75 km from A Coruña and still receive your Compostela.
Is the Camino de Santiago Becoming More Popular?
In recent decades, the popularity of the Camino de Santiago has grown sharply, with thousands walking the pilgrim routes across northern Spain.
Camino Routes Worth Knowing
As you probably know, there are several Camino routes that all end in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, in Spain. These snake-like routes stretch back across the country and even further, with one once extending all the way from Jerusalem.
The route you choose is entirely up to you, but for those coming from the Irish shores, there is an intriguing possibility where the walking is shared between Ireland and Spain: a Way of St. James known as the Celtic Camino.
Celtic Camino
To gain your Compostela certificate, you must walk at least the final 100 km into Santiago. While many choose to start much further back or spread their walk over time, those following the way taken by Irish and English pilgrims centuries ago, from Ferrol or A Coruña, face a problem – it’s not quite 100 km.
To be exact, you’ll probably find yourself around 25 km short when you arrive in Santiago, which unfortunately means you’ll be denied a Compostela.
The Tradition of Irish Pilgrims
800 years ago, long before Ryanair flights into A Coruña, Irish pilgrims would begin from their own front door before making their way to ports in the south, where boats would take them to the North coast of Spain.
From there, they would continue south to Santiago, where their pilgrimage was considered complete, no matter where they had begun.
The Modern Celtic Camino
The modern Celtic Camino routes try to follow this blueprint wherever possible, minus the rickety sea voyage across the Irish Sea.
Today, Irish pilgrims are encouraged to begin their 25 km journey in Ireland, walking on Irish Camino routes such as St. Patrick’s Way (Tochar Phadraig), Declan’s Way, and Kevin’s Way before continuing to northern Spain.
A memorable starting point might include Tipperary, which offers a scenic introduction to the journey. But for now, let’s crack on to the five reasons to start the Camino in Ireland.
1. Embrace the True Spirit of Pilgrimage
The idea of jetting across to a land that would take you days to reach by land or sea in just a couple of hours is a very modern interpretation of travel and pilgrimage.
If anything, it’s exactly the opposite of what a pilgrimage was designed for – a long, arduous, yet meditative journey to a place of extraordinary relevance.
Reconnecting with Pilgrim Roots
In the past, those walking the Camino had no choice but to begin at home and travel by foot or sea. For these pilgrims, the journey was as important as the destination, but sadly, this is a notion that is gradually disappearing from our collective consciousness.
Today, we often want to arrive quickly and have fun along the way. Walking part of the Camino in Ireland allows us to reconnect with the lost beauty of the true essence of pilgrimage.
It always starts at home, and even if you only walk 25 km in Ireland, it’s a great start to the walk to Santiago. Starting in Ireland also gives you the chance to learn Camino traditions early, including the warmth behind the greeting “Buen Camino”, before you reach the busier trails in Spain.
2. Deepen Your Connection with the Road
Everything is moving so fast these days. We rush through our lives and rarely take the opportunity to stop and gaze in awe at the beauty all around us.
Ireland is a country of staggering natural charm, yet it’s easy to overlook when focusing on distant destinations. Walking a section of your Camino in Ireland forces you to slow down. It grants you the chance to wander through your homeland and love every minute of it.
It can be easy to think of other destinations as better, more alluring, and more exciting, but your connection to a specific place should never be overlooked.
Irish Walking as Camino Training
The Irish stretch also serves as ideal training for the Camino, giving you the opportunity to break in your walking boots and build fitness before the longer stages in Galicia.
3. Achieve the Compostela
This is the most practical point on this list and one which may or may not resonate with would-be walkers.
If you have your heart set on a Compostela, you’ll either need to begin from another part of Spain or find 25 km to walk in Ireland. To collect your certificate, you’ll also need an official Pilgrim Passport, or Credencial, to gather stamps along the way.
Starting in places like Sarria to Santiago, you’ll experience the classic journey and visit the pilgrim’s office in Santiago to collect your Compostela. Unfortunately, there is no real way around this, but why start in a random Spanish town when you can walk a day or two in Ireland first?
4. Follow the Centuries of Tradition
One aspect of the Camino is the sense of connection with past pilgrims. You walked the same route, stayed in the same accommodations, ate in the same squares, and likely shared the same thoughts, worries, and dreams.
While many imagine themselves as trailblazers, the Camino is far from the case, but that’s also part of the magic. It’s a path steeped in history and tradition where you can enjoy peaceful walking on the Camino, time for reflection, and space to reconnect.
Ireland’s Pilgrimage Heritage
Walking the Camino lets you reconnect with age-old history and culture that still shape pilgrimage today.
All across Ireland, there are pilgrimage routes that see a fraction of the footfall they once did, but they still carry the same memory and tradition.
Hiking up Croagh Patrick on a misty Irish day, you can still feel the pull of a route that has drawn pilgrims for centuries.
5. Begin and End Your Journey at Home
People walk the Camino de Santiago for a wide variety of reasons, from religious, spiritual, or physical goals to the need for space and perspective.
Self-Discovery on the Camino
It’s common to be asked about your motivations along the way. Some people want time to think, some want a physical challenge, and some simply need space away from daily life.
For some, an answer might come quickly, but for others, it’s still elusive, and that’s okay. Many walkers say the Camino is about seeking something deeper in life or finding space to think clearly about what comes next.
The Camino often brings a sense of self-reflection. A long day of walking gives you quiet time to work through your thoughts and return home with a clearer sense of what matters.
The Journey Back Home
The Camino ends back at home, but many people also return with a clearer sense of themselves.
Starting in Ireland adds to that feeling because your first steps and your final return are both rooted in home.
Walk the Celtic Camino with U Walk
Starting the Camino de Santiago in Ireland with U Walk combines the beauty of both Ireland and Spain.
With U Walk, you can enjoy a day’s walk on the Boyne Valley, explore A Coruña’s beaches and culture, and enjoy scenic views and quaint villages in Galicia. Talk to our team about planning your Camino.
