Tag Archives: Student Cross

In response to my quandary over whether I would have time to do the leader role, he said how when he was leader, it was also the year they changed the national curriculum so he was extra busy at work and said “well you just make time for these things”.

In 1991 I led Northern, and Damien rang me to ask if he could join us. Both of his parents had died within a month of one another, and for good reasons he needed to have a different pilgrimage that year. It would only be for that one year, but he needed it this once.

Damien was a friend to multiple generations, offering useful advice and support to so many young people, in the schools where he taught, but in so many social occasions, Christmas carols  and games nights at the Henry’s over the years.

I’m sure I’m not the first, but it happened to me just the other day. I saw something and thought, ‘Damien would like that’. And a second later, well, yes.

On Northern Leg Damien was the glue, always the person most willing to take the new person under his wing, to have conversations with hosts along our route, to attentively remember and care about everyone he met. Everyone has a Damien story, a happy memory of an act of kindness.

There is a big Damien shaped hole for so many of us, which not even the loveliest Laphroaig whisky could fill.

Damien was a true friend because he joined you in being enthusiastic about whatever it was you cared about and his passion meant that his interests always seemed fascinating to you, too.