While many associate Celtic culture and history with Ireland, Scotland, and other regions in north-western Europe, roots of Celtic origin also exist strongly in the Galicia region of Spain, considered by many to be the seventh Celtic nation. Galicia’s Celtic roots are tangible in culture, architecture, and other historical influences throughout the region.
Marking the long-standing tradition of Pilgrimage from Ireland to Spain, a Celtic Camino has now been initiated. The Cathedral of Santiago has agreed to grant a Compostela to pilgrims who complete the 75km Camino Inglés route from A Coruña to Santiago, as long as they have already completed a certified 25km pilgrimage in their country of origin.
Camino Society Ireland CLG (“The Society”) has undertaken the task of defining authentic pilgrim routes within Ireland. The Society has named the 25 km walked in Ireland with the 75k walked from A Coruña, the “Celtic Camino”.
A Coruña has many historical links to Ireland, including being the main port of disembarkation for Irish pilgrims since the 12th century. This provides Irish pilgrims with a great opportunity to do part of the Camino at home before starting Camino Ingles in A Coruña.
How to receive a Camino de Santiago Compostela for walking from 75 km from A Coruña.
Decide on the route in Ireland you plan to walk:
- It must be a minimum of 25 km.
- It should have Stamp/Sellos system in place to allow for verification, if possible.
- Preferably linked to a Pilgrimage, of which there are many in Ireland.
Note: We are not specifying or recommending any particular routes at this time, but we intend to so in the near future. In the meantime, this will operate as a “trust system”!
Acquire your official Camino de Santiago Pilgrims Passport / Credentials.
- We can only accept official Camino de Santiago passports (issued by the Camino Society Ireland or international equivalent).
- Check our Camino Society website here for more information.
- Complete your Celtic Camino stage (etapa), Stamp at the start and finish, where available. This is a “trust system”!
Bring your Pilgrims Passport to the Information Centre in Dublin for verification and we will certify your walk with a “Celtic Camino Compostela”.
If you cannot visit the Information Centre contact us via email or at one of our Information days email: info@caminosociety.ie
Recommence your Pilgrimage in A Coruña, from there to Santiago the normal rules apply if you wish to obtain a Compostela, 2 x sello/stamps per day.
- In Santiago you submit your Pilgrims Passport with your stamps for the A Corúna route along with your Celtic Camino Compostela (or a copy) and you will be granted a Camino de Santiago Compostela.
- You can also request a Cathedral stamp for you Celtic Compostela in the Pilgrims office. These arrangements have been discussed and approved by the Pilgrim Office in Santiago.
Remember to bring the Celtic Camino Compostela (or a copy) with you to Spain.
The Celtic Camino Compostela will be issued in the Information Centre and at Society events. It will be stamped with the Society and the St James’ Church stamps, as well as with the signature of our chairperson, Turlough O’Donnell.
There will be no charge for the Compostela for pilgrims with our Camino Society passport or for our members. Pilgrims with other official passports will be asked for a small donativo, €1 or €2, to cover our printing costs.
Note: Pilgrims with other evidence of 25km completed on a Irish Pilgrim Path can get a Celtic Camino Compostela if they purchase the Society’s Passport.
We are endeavouring to make this process as simple as possible for pilgrims.
Important note about the Celtic Camino Certification:
The Dean of the Cathedral in Santiago, Don Segundo Pérez, has asked the Camino Society Ireland, as an official International Camino Association, to provide certification of pilgrims completing the required 25km in Ireland. The Pilgrim Office has assured us that they will accepted our Celtic Camino Compostela as proof of completion of the first stage of the Celtic Camino in Ireland.
Helping pilgrims to make the connection between Ireland and the Camino from A Coruña is the society …
“Giving something Back”.
The Society has registered “Celtic Camino”© and “The Celtic Camino”© as business names of the Society.
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