Vale David Barrett

[Saint Mike II]

This morning (Thursday 27 Feb) the Sydney Pilgrims and Central Coast Camino Groups received the very sad news that one of their most esteemed colleagues had died. David Barrett was a man who was greatly admired not only for his achievements but also for the way he quietly offered advice to virgin pilgrims.
David had walked 4 caminos and had also been a hospitalero.
He had been a member of the Sydney Pilgrims since 2012 and just over 3 years ago he formed the Central Coast Camino Group and it will come as not surprise for others to discover that it is now one of the most successful camino groups.
In addition to his camino's David had travelled extensively including to Pakistan, Nepal, Iraq, Kurdistan and parts of Africa. He had also sailed the SW Pacific.
He had had an amazing life and we will very sadly miss his smile and charming nature. Vale oh good and faithful servant of the Camino and St James.

 

[Kanga]

This is very sad news and will be a shock to many of us. David was one of nature's gentlemen, and a wonderful addition to our pilgrim community. We will miss him very much.

 

[ivar]

This morning (Thursday 27 Feb) the Sydney Pilgrims and Central Coast Camino Groups received the very sad news that one of their most esteemed colleagues had died. David Barrett was a man who was greatly admired not only for his achievements but also for the way he quietly offered advice to virgin pilgrims.
David had walked 4 caminos and had also been a hospitalero.
He had been a member of the Sydney Pilgrims since 2012 and just over 3 years ago he formed the Central Coast Camino Group and it will come as not surprise for others to discover that it is now one of the most successful camino groups.
In addition to his camino's David had travelled extensively including to Pakistan, Nepal, Iraq, Kurdistan and parts of Africa. He had also sailed the SW Pacific.
He had had an amazing life and we will very sadly miss his smile and charming nature. Vale oh good and faithful servant of the Camino and St James.

Ohh.. no.. so sad to hear this. Rest in peace @camino-david

 

[wayfarer]

Rest in Peace David, our condolences to his family and friends.

 

[dougfitz]

May he rest in peace.

 

[mspath]

May he be at peace.

 

[David]

Oh dear .. David Barrett .. how sad .. thank you for letting us know, Mike.
How sad.

 

[Tincatinker]

Buen Camino David

 

[OzAnnie]

It was a real shock to see the central coast group post this morning Mike.

David was a wonderful human being and I feel fortunate to have met him. He inspired many of us.
May he Rest In Peace

 

[JennyH94]

As has been posted above, David gave a great deal to the Australian Camino community. He had many Camino friends here and across the globe. He has been a Camino angel to pilgrims far and wide.

He was generous with his knowledge and his “What’s in the backpack” demonstrations at pilgrim meetings and the Blue Mountains Camino Festival a few years back were much appreciated by new and veteran pilgrims alike. His 22L Deuter pack weighed 6 kg fully-packed including water and snacks. Everything in the pack had its place and sure earned its spot in the pack. His luxury items were taking a fair few pairs of socks - six pairs to be exact!

Here are a couple of photos:




My condolences to his family and all his friends. He will be much missed.

Jenny

 

[camino07]

I was privileged to have a big hug from David when he was hospitalero at the Parroqial in Estelle.
Lovely man. RIP David .

 

[Former member 49149]

He has to be resting in peace, else what’s it all about? I hope he knows of the sore hearts that miss him.

 

[VNwalking]

One more brightly shining star shines tonight over Santiago. Condolences to his family and many camino friends...

 

[Kanga]

I have received this beautiful memory from Tony Jacques (@Blaster) about David. Well worth reading. It shows the profound effect the camino can have, and the depth of camino ties. Such an interesting man, such a life. So much we don't know about our fellows, and what a rich harvest when we open ourselves up to each other and the companionship of the road.

Farewell my friend – David Barrett

With David’s recent and not unexpected passing a few days ago, I wanted to remember our friend and share a few things with our wider Camino Family.

David was one of the first to join our Blue Mountains Australia Supporters of the Camino (BMASotC) when we had our first Camino meal in 2015 in the front sitting area of Glenella in Blackheath.

He came to most of the early monthly Camino Dinners and on one of the associated early Camino walks I got taking to him, as you do on the Camino.

I was surprised when he told me ”straight up” that he didn’t much like people in the past and credited the Camino with restoring his faith in others…that snippet would have to wait for many months to get further unpacked.

He discussed that he was an old (actually ancient!) member of the military elite squad that I am proud to have served with – Ammunition (Bomb Disposal) experts.

In fact, he was an esteemed member of a group that started our trade – An Ammunition Examiner or AE. I was an Ammunition Technical Officer or ato.

This gave us a great and instant, deep bond and a new found respect for each other as we swopped stories and laughs about the different decades and the risky or downright naughty and dangerous things that we did – it was great fun hearing about our trade’s history and bringing him up to date.

I gleaned that, after leaving the army, due to his dislike generally of people, he had become a yacht captain and had worked in that capacity around the world.

Then his gift was given to us all.

A number of months later, I had put up with his jibes about my weight and his minimalistic approach to the camino with taking a very light pack - less than 4 kgs (an unattainable goal for me!).

During that time, my wife Ce and I had walked a number of Caminos and we had been working on building the BMASotC group in Blackheath.

I asked him to be a speaker at a Camino Dinner and he agreed and moved us to tears with his frank and brave talk.

I remember bits of the talk, but especially him courageously mentioning an event in his past when he was a child at Boarding School. I have the impression he was a victim of the order running the school.

The gut wrencher was him explaining that his dad committed suicide and on returning to the school, since that was considered a mortal sin (they could not even be buried on consecrated ground), the school staff officially had the school “send him to Coventry” and forbade the school to interact with him at all.

I could not imagine the guilt, grief, pain and suffering he went through and it is no wonder he shunned people and relationships.

Then he told me that after many years as a loner, he completed his first Camino and it re-awakened his faith and interest in humanity.

I have never heard or understood such a wonderful endorsement and validation of why we love the Camino so much and with his history it was a magnificent gift to us all.

We will never forget it.

After a year or two, David started chatting about opening up a Camino Group on the Central Coast and we helped him every way we could.

We went up and stayed with him, did a walk with the Group, saw a Camino film at the beach side cinema and had fun and last year were all together in Blackheath for a weekend and completed a couple of local walks and had a very convivial dinner together. He also stayed with us often.

A kind, sensitive and lovely man with a great and wicked sense of humour.

We talked with him over the years about his battle and journey with cancer.

My one regret is that he called a few weeks ago from hospital, out of the blue, for a chat.

I told Ce that I was worried that he seemed to be making his farewells…We immediately planned to drive up a few days later to see him but a family crisis got in the way and we were forced to cancel the trip at the last minute.

I deeply regret not seeing him face to face for the last time but I know he will be fine about that – we’ll all meet again soon and I should at least have lost weight and we can do long walks together!

He is at peace now – Vale David

 

[Sue Blue Mountains]

David will be sorely missed. But I see him striding forth with his super light pack on the big Camino in the sky. Buen Camino David.

 

[susanawee]

One more brightly shining star shines tonight over Santiago. Condolences to his family and many camino friends...

And I would like to add a small piece to this one....There is also one more Very Brightly Shining Star over Australia this week and more particularly, it Shines brightly over the Central Coast Area and The Blue Mountains of New South Wales. David, I know that you will be forever walking your beloved Caminos....my Condolences to his family and all his Camino Family both here in Australia and in Spain. Go in Peace David.

 

[Bala]

Deepest condolences to all who knew him. Rest in peace, David.

 

[nonami]

A special walk and picnic to celebrate David's life will be held on Saturday 21st March. Meet at Point Cafe at Avoca Beach at 9am. More details on Central Coast Camino Group Facebook page

 

[Kanga]

@nonami I would definitely be there but for a prior unbreakable commitment. Please tell the group I am with them in spirit, and will take the time on the day to think about David, and try to walk a little somewhere nice.

 

[nonami]

@nonami I would definitely be there but for a prior unbreakable commitment. Please tell the group I am with them in spirit, and will take the time on the day to think about David, and try to walk a little somewhere nice.

I will pass this message on.