Spirit of Ireland itinerary

		June 13th - June 24th, 2009 September 25th - October 6th, 2009
Day One		We meet at Shannon Airport on Ireland's west coast, and drive south to Lough Gur, a beautiful lake said to be an entrance into the magical realm of Tír-na-n'Óg, the 'Land of the Ever-Living.' Close by is the stone circle known as the Lios or the Grange – the largest in Ireland – where we will have our opening circle to connect both with each other and the spirits of Ireland herself. After lunch in the heritage town of Adare, we head south to Killarney and our peaceful country guesthouse situated right inside the National Park. In the evening, there will be time to enjoy a stroll to the medieval friary with its ancient yew trees.
Day Two		Today we explore the incomparable beauty of Killarney's lakes and mountains by boat. We leave from Ross Castle, spectacularly situated on the lake shore of Lough Leane, stopping off on the way for a visit to the lovely little island of Inisfallen, where we can wander among the atmospheric ruins of its 7^th century abbey. After lunch at Lord Brandon’s Cottage, you will have a choice of walking or traveling by pony and trap through the mountain pass known as the Gap of Dunloe, surrounded by the magnificent mountain scenery, waterfalls and rivers of the McGillycuddy Reeks, the highest mountains in Ireland.
Day Three		We start the day at the Seven Sisters, mysterious stones known for their healing properties. Then we drive eastwards to view the Paps of Anu, the mountains that form the breasts of the Mother Goddess of Kerry. Our destination is the picturesque ruined abbey of Ballyvourney, with its sheela-na-gig and lovely holy well dedicated to St. Gobnait, a local aspect of the goddess and saint, Brighid. Next we head for Killarney Town and an afternoon of your choice: Stroll around the town, visit the lovely house and gardens of Muckross House in the National Park, or take a Druid tree walk with Mara among the groves by the lakeshore.
Day Four		Today, we visit the Beare Peninsula, a wild and unspoilt landscape that is home to many pristine Neolithic and Bronze Age sites. We will make a pilgrimage to the rock shrine of the Hag of Beare, the old goddess of this land, and also stop to view the tallest ogham stone in Ireland. After a visit to a little-known stone circle in a spectacular setting, there will be time to wander through the charming market town of Kenmare, which has its own stone circle, as well as some fine woolen shops and craft galleries. Then it will be time to make our way home over the breathtaking mountain pass known as Moll’s Gap where you can see some wonderful views of the Killarney Lakes.
Day Five		We journey to the Dingle Peninsula, a part of the Gaeltacht, or Irish-speaking region and meet up with our local guide, an authority on archaeology and natural history. We take the road to Slea Head, with its breathtaking panoramas of mountains, sea and sky, and after lunch at a cliff-top cottage and weavers’ studio, visit some of Dingle's extraordinary array of 2,000 ancient sites, dating from the Neolithic through early Christian times. In the evening, we settle into our award-winning guesthouse which overlooks Dingle Bay, and you may also wish to walk into town to catch some traditional music.
open documentDay Six		In this spectacular area, we provide a day of options for you to choose from: You may wish to take a short ferry ride to the Great Blasket Islands, the most westerly point in Europe, once home to many literary geniuses; stride out along the cliffs to the lighthouse; take a boat trip from Dingle pier to see Fungi, the wild Bottlenose Dolphin who has made his home in the harbor, or simply enjoy the unique little harbor town with its many shops, galleries, craft centers, cafés, pubs and street musicians. Whichever you choose, we will help you get there!
Day Seven		Today we journey north to County Clare over the River Shannon. We visit Brighid’s Well at Liscannor, where for centuries pilgrims have come for healing. Lunch will be at the Burren Centre in Kilfenora, where there are a number of beautiful high crosses, and then it’s on to the unique rocky landscape of the Burren, where we pay a visit to the Poulnabrone portal dolmen before arriving at our comfortable guesthouse in the picturesque fishing village of Ballyvaughan.
Day Eight		This morning we catch the ferry to Inis Mór, (Inishmore) one of the Aran Islands – a place of dramatic scenery and rich archaeological sites, including the smallest church in the world. We will go by bicycle or minibus to the spectacular cliff-top Iron Age fort of Dún Aenghus and explore the rugged beauty of the island, which is accentuated by the thatched roofs of the traditional Irish stone cottages that dot the countryside. You may hear the Irish language spoken by the island's residents who still adhere to the old ways of generations gone by, keeping the spirit of Gaelic Ireland alive.
Day Nine		We explore some of the ancient sacred sites of the Burren, starting with a walking pilgrimage to a mediaeval hermit’s cave, ruined chapel and beautiful holy well tucked away in an old-growth hazel wood. At this time of the year you may see rare wild flowers in bloom all over this rocky landscape as we walk. In the afternoon, we will visit as many sacred sites as time will allow, including the sheela-na-gig at Killinaboy, and some hidden Celtic settlements where there is often a strong presence of both ancestral and faery spirits. Explore the traditional music pubs of this area tonight.
Day Ten		We take the road east to County Meath for a visit to the Loughcrew mountains, where we walk up the Hill of the Cailleach, the ancestral goddess of Ireland. Here, in clear weather, we can see stunning views over 14 counties. In these ancient cairns lie remarkable examples of decorated stones. We will join together in ritual, and there will be time for individual attunement and meditation within the cairns themselves, which are gateways into the mysteries of the Earth Goddess. We'll relax this evening at our beautiful country house hotel in the green and rolling landscape of County Meath.
Day Eleven		Our pilgrimage culminates today with a visit to Brú na Bóinne, or Newgrange, the largest earth-chamber in Europe. Over 5,000 years old, the Celts believed it to be the palace of the gods. Its sister temple, Knowth, is equally impressive, with a splendid array of stones covered with megalithic art. We end our pilgrimage of Ireland's sacred sites on a high point - literally! - as we walk up the Hill of Tara, seat of the High Kings of Ireland. Our guide will be Michael Slavin, author of "The Book of Tara." Then we'll form a circle around the Stone of Destiny for our closing ceremony. In the evening we celebrate our journey with a special farewell dinner.
Day Twelve From USA, call toll-free: 1 800 657 1520 From UK or worldwide: +44 (0)1239 858 830 or send email		We take a short trip to the airport, and bid farewell to each other and to Ireland! Back to Spirit of Ireland: Power of the Myth, Beauty of the Land Home © Chalice Productions, 2005. All rights reserved. No part or parts of this website may be used without permission