Stay updated with the latest beauty tips, trends, and news from our salon experts. Our blog is your go-to source for all things beauty.
With Saint Patrick's Day just around the corner, we caught up with Dr Tim Campbell, the director of The St Patrick Centre in Downpatrick, Co Down, which is set to celebrate its 10th anniversary.
Home to the world's only permanent exhibition of Ireland's patron saint, the St Patrick's Centre welcomes about 2,000 pilgrims each year, with many hoping to complete the 132km (82 miles) St Patrick’s Way.
Inspired by the famous Camino de Santiago, the route was established by late artist and adventurer Alan Graham as a 'walk of many colours, feelings and memories to cherish'.
"It goes from the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland, which is Armagh, and you can walk in the footsteps of St Patrick all the way to St Patrick's grave in Downpatrick," says Dr Campbell.
We need your consent to load this Instagram contentWe use Instagram to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Of course, the whereabouts of the saint's relics has long been debated by historians, but the director insists the remains are at rest alongside St Brigid and and St Colmcille (aka Columba).
"There's an old rhyme that says: In Down, three saints one grave do fill, Patrick, Brigid and Columcille," he explains.
Thinking back to his death, Dr Campbell explains that there St Patrick was an anomaly at the time:
"Where do you bury the first Christian? There were no Christian graveyards, so he was buried in a place of Celtic worship which is right beside us, and there is now a medieval cathedral that was put there in his honour."
We need your consent to load this Instagram contentWe use Instagram to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Starting at the Navan Centre, one of the great royal sites of pre-Christian Gaelic Ireland, the scenic trail follows rolling hills, canal towpaths and majestic beaches.
As well as being a beautiful day out, Dr Campbell says that many hikers use the trail as a training route for completing the santiago de compostela - part of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route.
"And of course, walking is so good for your mental health," he adds. "Just being able to get out in the fresh air with small groups and have, what we call, sideways conversation. You can dip in and out of conversation or you might not talk at all.
"Let's face it, we all need a digital detox, so it really started to grow legs - forgive the pun - and it's really taken off."
Over the years, the expansive trail has been used by walkers to raise money for charity, as an extreme course for extreme runners, and as a place for one man to ramble with his donkey.
"I don't know why he had a donkey," laughs Dr Campbell, "but he had him for the whole thing."
We need your consent to load this Instagram contentWe use Instagram to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Going forward, Dr Campbell hopes that hikers, strollers, historians, pilgrims, tourists and locals alike will visit the area in the coming years to embrace all it has to offer.
Of course, there really is no better time than 17 March.
The St Patrick celebrations will include a cross community service, a small pilgrimage, a musical evening with legendary singer Dana, facepainting, live performances, and a screening of upcoming documentary, Patrick the Slave. You can find the full programme here.
"He's got such a great message," Dr Campbell reflects. "He's someone that can embrace all communities and he brings people together - he's still working and doing that 1,600 years later. Isn't that amazing?"
