Page 179 - WDT MAGAZINE IRELAND ISSUE WINTER 2018
P. 179
When William John died in 2016, so did a part of
Rodgers. “I toured with tears rolling down my cheeks,”
he remembered. “I toured when I could not speak or
when I could not get a breath. I toured until I could feel
the Causeway rescue me.”
At first, only a few came to hear Rodgers’ stories.
But the more he toured, the more people came. Two
years later, twelve guides, including his son Jamie
as the twelfth guide—some connected by family, all
connected by ethos—walk the paths each day, sharing
their story with people from all over the world.
From the fisherman, the kelp harvesters, the fish
mongers, the pony and trap men came tales that were
taller than giants and more seductive than Irish whis-
key. After all, Ireland is a nation known for its storytell-
ing, expressed Eleanor McGillie of Live It. Experience
It., a tourism community in Northern Ireland. “The role
they [storytellers] play in captivating the attention of
people from around the globe is not to be underesti-
mated. We tell the story of our people, our land, our
heritage and culture, our shores, our food and drink
and our myths and legends.
“Rodgers is an ambassador for our country,” she
continued. “It’s these stories [that Mark tells] which
shape our future, so what Mark does is hugely impor-
tant. Without people like him, no one would know the
real story.
“Everyone loves a good yarn, and when you have
someone like Mark who can make a great yarn even
greater, you know you are in for a special experience.”
As we warmed our bodies and fed our souls at our
table of five, we listened to a man whose stories made
me want to sell everything and take up roots on this
emerald isle. His passion was palpable; his dedication
and duty to his homeland, deeper than any I had ever
experienced in my travels. Not only had he taken us
to the rocks but also transported us to an era when
the Causeway was bustling with the activity of bag-
gage handlers, kelp harvesters, and the pony and trap
guides. The power of a storyteller.
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