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Spirit of Ireland Itinerary
September 18th - 29th, 2010

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 7th 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 among the groves by the lakeshore. This evening there will be an optional visit to the National Folk Theater in Tralee.

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 over the mountains.

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, natural history and much more! 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.

Day 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 oceanfront guesthouse in the coastal village of Doolin, where the best of traditional music can be heard.

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 take the road eastwards to County Meath and 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 fine country manor hotel in the Boyne River Valley.

Day Ten

Today we visit the World Heritage Centre of the Brú na Bóinne, or Newgrange, where we will enter this spectacular passage mound. The largest earth-chamber in Europe, it is over 5,000 years old, and was thought by the Celts to be the palace of the gods. Its sister temple, Knowth, is equally impressive, with a splendid array of decorated stones. This evening we will have a special presentation and intensive drumming journey led by Martin Duffy, director of the Ireland Centre for Shamanic Studies at his home in beautiful Dunderry Park.

Day Eleven

This morning, there will be an optional trip into the historical town of Trim, then it's off to Tara to 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. 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

We take a short trip to the airport, and bid farewell to each other and to Ireland!