In search of the real John O'Donohue or at least his resting place...

I only had one task today - to visit John O'Donohue's grave and spend some time reading his words and praying a blessing.

So I set off straight after breakfast and followed Google Maps to John O'Donohue's grave in Fanore, County Clare in the Craggagh Cemetery. I found the cemetery easily but not so John's grave. An Irishman was there with his American relatives and he proclaimed that he had found the O'Donohue grave.

There was no mention of John but he was sure the dates for John's parents were right and my map point seemed to be pointing to the south west corner ( or was it the north west?). He recalled John as a shy sort of fellow so maybe he hadn't wanted his name on the stone. We allowed ourselves to be convinced we had found John's final resting place and I played a track of John talking about his beloved Burren and then they left me to say a prayer. (see below)

So there I was - my one task done and the rest of the day for leisurely exploration.

BUT, WAIT - when I got back to my accommodation all ready to post my photos of John's grave I checked Google for further information and GUESS WHAT - novice tour guide's worst nightmare - right cemetery but absolutely the wrong grave.

Thank goodness for the long Irish twilights and John O'Donohue Facebook followers I was able to retrace my steps and find the actual grave that John O'Donohue shares with his parents and his uncles.

The lettering on the grave was hard to read in the dimming light but his epitaph reads:

May I have the courage today to live the life that I would love

To postpone my dream no longer

but to do at last what I came here for

and waste my heart on fear no more.

I say Amen to that my dear Anam Cara who has taught me so much about love and friendship, darkness and light and living so as to always be a blessing.

I learnt an important message today - do my homework, do not settle for easy answers, be humble enough to laugh at my mistakes and never stop looking for my own right path.

The blessing I asked John for today was for that of a traveller:

May you travel in an awakened way,

Cathered wisely into your inner ground;

That you may not waste the invitations

which wait along the way to transform you.

Wrong grave below The actual O'Donohue headstone My introduction to J O'D