It all began with a visit from a stranger in mid-December 2013. Maybe it began as far back as January 10th, 1952. Gavin, the then “stranger” of December 2013, was doing research on an event that happened in North Wales many years previously and thought I might be able to help. The more he spoke, the more interested I became and the seed of an idea for a pilgrimage/holiday took root in my mind. Having travelled on pilgrimage with Ann Lenihan and Pauline Murphy a number of times I discussed my idea with them and they were enthusiastic to visit Wales and follow some of the North Wales Pilgrim’s Way. North Wales is a landscape charged with a history of faith, and this particular pilgrim route goes from Basingwerk Abbey near Holywell across North Wales and then down the Llyn Peninsula to Bardsey Island via a beautiful coastal path.
Coastal Path
The former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams is the patron of the North Wales Pilgrim’s Way and according to him “More than at any time since the sixteenth century, pilgrimage today is a vehicle for discovering something about God and about yourself… The discipline of physically covering the ground is a way of reconnecting with the time it takes to grow in love and understanding. And when that ground is already soaked through with the prayers and witness of generations of others seeking love and understanding, the journey is all the more challenging and all the more fruitful”.
First Four Days: Tuesday To Friday
St. Beuno’s Church
Our first day’s walking took us from Trefor to Nefyn, a lot of ascending and descending on the mountains before arriving at sea level to Nant Gwrtheyrn, originally a quarrying village and now a thriving centre, which includes a Welsh language school. (Throughout our sojourn in Wales we were highly impressed by the love the people have for their language, which we heard being used constantly in all sorts of places by people of all ages). At Nant Gwrtheyrn we were able see the Wicklow mountains across the sea. Visibility was excellent each day. Towards the end of our walk we came across a little church, called St. Bueno’s, where we were happy to spend a little time.
The second day we did a loop walk around Nefyn – we walked from beach to beach for a few hours and in the evening we walked back high over the beaches on a very well-marked cliff walk. There were joyful summer scenes along the beaches of people swimming and relaxing in the sunshine with high-spirited children engaging in the age-old beach activities of sand-castle building, splashing, jumping and running in and out of the water. Day three we started a loop walk in Aberdaron. This was a day I’ll remember! We arrived early in the morning at the car park and set out to do our cliff walk. It was great at the beginning before the temperature rose. We enjoyed the scenes on land and out to sea. Bardsey Island came into view. We encountered several sheep along the way and the variety of wild flowers was breath-taking. There was little shelter from the strong sun, however. In situations like this a swim was most welcome at the end of the day and we were glad to avail of the lovely clean beaches on this route.
Flora
Fauna
On the fourth day, we decided we would drive around the Snowdonia National Park. On arrival in Llanberis, we found that a train ascends regularly to the top of Snowdon itself. As we ascended, the views unfolding on all sides were spectacular – so many beautiful lakes and mountain peaks, displayed at their best in the glorious sunshine. We could also see groups of people walking on the numerous tracks leading to the summit. On top there was a large metal disc with pointers to the various mountains surrounding us, including Moel Siabod, which we would visit on the following day.
Shortly after we arrived back to our base for the night (Friday), Gavin arrived from Ireland and literally filled the next 24 hours for us in a way that blew our minds.
Gavin Walsh comes from Sligo and he is a man on a mission. When he was about 8 years old, his teacher told his class the story of the St. Kevin, the first Aer Lingus plane to crash. He was fascinated by this because the Tuskar Rock crash and others are often mentioned but very few people recall the St. Kevin. He began to research the event by endeavouring to meet anyone who could shed light on the crash that happened on Cwn Edno on January 10th, 1952.
Shortly after 7 pm on that Thursday night in January 1952 the St. Kevin, en route from London to Dublin, crashed into the mountain, Moel Siabod or more specifically on Cwm Edno, and burned out with the loss of twenty passengers and a crew of three. The weather was bad and as the plane approached the Welsh coast there was torrential rain and the winds were close to gale force. Accident investigators concluded that the plane was forced by a down current of air into an area of great turbulence and went out of control.
Local people are reported to have heard the plane circling the mountain twice at a very low level and then there was a crash, when it was said that the mountain was felt to shudder and a bright glow was seen in the sky. One local man, still living, was the one who ran to a local telephone kiosk to call the emergency services. At first light next morning, rescuers came upon a scene of utter devastation.
John Roberts was a former Head Warden of Snowdonia National Park. He had a thorough knowledge of the area and knew Snowdonia like the back of his hand and had a great love for the mountains. He was very involved in Mountain Rescue, both as a member and as a trainer. He too had a tremendous interest in the event of January 10th, 1952. At the time of the crash he was an eight-year old schoolboy. Every year, on that date, he climbed to the site of the fatal crash to honour those who had died there. It is through this shared interest that Gavin came to know him and they became friends.
Back to the sequence of events of 25th – 26th July, 2014 – Gavin came off the ferry at Holyhead on Friday night. Switching on the mobile phone which he uses in England, he found a string of texts telling him that John Roberts had been killed on Snowdon the previous week on 17th July. He had plunged 25ft on to a ledge at Dinas Cromlech near Llanberis. Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team paid tribute to him, saying the “accident on one of the cliffs where he had diligently, over so many years, helped to save hundreds of lives, is so tragic and poignant”.
When Gavin arrived at the “Fisherman’s Cottage” which he was renting – and which he graciously allowed us to use for the week – he was in shock. He had actually arranged that John Roberts would accompany us up the mountain on the following morning (Saturday) to the site of the crash– as he had done for many people during his life. Instead that morning we accompanied Gavin to Bangor for the burial ceremony of John Roberts, RIP.
After the ceremony Gavin brought us to the Catholic church in Llanrwst, where he had business with the priest. We met a very genial and hospitable Parish Priest there, who regaled us with stories of his years as a missionary in Uganda, including encounters with Idi Amin. Following this we went to the hotel in Capel Curig, where we met John Roberts’ grieving sister and chatted with her for a while as she recounted his kindness in so many situations to so many people.
Ena O’Donovan rsm & Gavin Walsh
We journeyed on to Nant Gwynant and began our climb through woods to open countryside and the lonely place where the tragic event occurred 62 years ago. We first encountered a stone with the simple statement: “ON THE NIGHT OF THE 10th OF JANUARY, 1952, CLOSE TO THIS VICINITY A C-47 DAKOTA E1-AFL THE ST. KEVIN CRASHED. ALL ON BOARD PERISHED. RIP”. Due mostly to the untiring efforts of John Roberts R.I.P. this stone was placed here several years after the event. Gavin lingered for a while at the stone, remembering his dear departed friend, John. A short distance away Gavin pointed out a lone little tree, planted by the widow of the St. Kevin’s captain – the only thing that survived there after several attempts had been made to grow plants/shrubs. This little tree grows right beside the crash site.
Tree
As we stood there we prayed and reflected in silence at first and later we prayed aloud for the victims, their bereaved relatives, the people who had tried to help in any way in the aftermath of the disaster. Here too my companions and I prayed very specially for my own uncle, Dan O’Donovan, who was one of the twenty-three who died here. And that was my reason for being here. It was a moving and sombre period on our journey.
The recent Malaysian airline disasters had a deeper meaning for us now also as we thought of the thousands bereaved – having to live with the uncertainty of the fate and location of their loved ones in the first instance and in the case of the Ukraine situation, the cruelty of being deprived of a proper search.
We descended from the mountain in a thoughtful manner wondering what it must have been like for the emergency services and other volunteers, who had to bring bodies and body parts down on stretchers in very inclement January weather. Before we left the area, Gavin had one person he wanted us to meet. It was the man who had alerted the emergency services on the night in question. We met his wife and daughter – the latter was visiting her parents. Though in poor health, he was happy to meet us and he greeted us warmly.
From here we drove to the burial ground of twelve of the victims at Llanbelig cemetery, near Caernarfon. The twelve are buried in a grave with a simple headstone, headed R.I.P. followed by two columns with six names in each and underneath the statement “Died on the 10th January, 1952.” My uncle’s name is the third in the second column. Another poignant and sombre moment and it even began to rain too.
Gavin Walsh & Ena O’Donovan rsm at grave
The next place Gavin wanted to show us was a little chapel called St. Cwyfan’s (Kevin in Welsh) Church in the Sea on Anglesey Island. It was once attached to the mainland but erosion caused it to be separated. Thankfully it has been fortified in recent years against further erosion. We had intended having a celebratory meal with Gavin but in the end we had to opt for a McDonald’s in Caernarfon. So much to do and so little time! It was getting late but the indomitable Gavin had one more mission to fulfil. He needed to check something with a woman near Portmadog so we ended up near where we had visited 24 hours previously!
Yes we covered a lot of ground on that last day in more ways than one and it will be a subject for reflection for a long time as we continue “to seek love and understanding.” It was another kind of pilgrimage – a journey to a sacred place – as I thought of the many who have climbed that mountain in sorrow and sadness endeavouring to honour their beloved dead. I thought also about so many people who had willingly given assistance and guided those who were searching for the place and who saw it as a privilege to guide them during these past 60 years. John Roberts was one who had such a special strong desire to keep the memory of January 10th, 1952 alive. I know that Gavin will continue to do the same with similar passion.
The whole week, but that final day in particular, was a time of rich experience. We were blessed with glorious sunshine, beautiful countryside, rich variety of flora and fauna, loving and understanding companions on the journey. The local people we met were most helpful and gracious. Our experience made us deeply aware that pilgrimage is in some way a symbol of our journey through life.
I’m not sure how much help I gave to Gavin from that first meeting in December 2013 but he certainly was a wonderful guide and his enthusiasm was infectious. Without Gavin’s interest in the story, none of this journey would have happened for us. During the first days, there was a sense of connection with those who had walked these paths over the centuries. On the last day that sense of connection was more immediate and personal.
For such a memorable and privileged experience míle buíochas le Dia.
Ena O’Donovan rsm
Southern Province
