A Sacred Celtic Journey in Ireland with Dr. Petra Weldes

Day 1: May 1, 2023

Arrive in Ireland, check-in at Camden Court Hotel, and have time to rest and enjoy Dublin a little on our own.

Day 2:  May 2, 2023

After breakfast, our morning begins our first group spiritual practice and gathering. Then you have the entire day free to explore Dublin. The “hop on – hop off” bus tour of Dublin is a convenient way to take in the sites of this Capital City. The tour has 23 stops including: The Book of Kells in Trinity College, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, the Guinness Factory, and many other points of interest. Hop on and off wherever you’d like! You can also decide to take a Dublin Bay cruise, visit some galleries, or walk around. We end the day with a Welcome Dinner.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 3: May 3, 2023

Our Celtic adventure begins as we traverse Ireland. We stop at Bunratty Castle (built in 1425 and restored in 1954) to visit the castle and choose your spot for lunch on your own. Our journey continues to the beautiful west coast to Liscannor, a magnificent coastal village situated at the end of Liscannor Bay.

We stay at the gorgeous Cliffs of Moher Hotel. Enjoy dinner/music in one of the restaurants/pubs in the village.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 4: May 4, 2023

This morning we have an introduction to Brigid, the beloved ancient Goddess and Irish Saint, and prepare to immerse ourselves in a blessing at one of Brigid’s wells. The Celts aligned themselves with nature, invoking the primal energy that governed their lives. Through ritual and symbol, they sought to bring balance to their world.

We’ll travel to Doolin and have a nice walk, then lunch, and depart for Brigid’s Well. Brigid is the Lady of Healing Waters; many wells in Ireland are dedicated to Brigid and the waters are believed to be blessed with her healing grace. At Brigid’s well, you’ll get to take part in a special, sacred ritual.

We’ll travel back towards our hotel and have dinner on our own in one of the restaurants or pubs in the village. You’ll not want to miss the opportunity to enjoy traditional Irish music, a pint of Guinness, and a congenial crowd at one of the cozy pubs for which Doolin is famous.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 5: May 5, 2023

Our morning spiritual practice prepares us for the journey from Doolin to Galway (our lunch spot) and the crossing of the waters to the island of Inis Mór. During our ferry ride, you may want to consider if there is anything that you would like to symbolically leave behind so that you can be open to the silence and beauty of Inis Mór with its ancient stones and dramatic landscape.

We will have dinner together at the Aran Island Hotel before checking into the exceptionally rated, family-run Kilmurvey Guest House.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 6: May 6, 2023

Inis Mór is wild, majestic, and peaceful. You’ve been transported back in time to a place where horse-drawn carriages are a normal form of transport, where most people still speak Irish Gaelic, and where you’ll find miles upon miles of ancient stone walls. This is the perfect setting to cultivate silence and solitude in the soul.

After breakfast, we take a soulful silent walk to visit Dún Aonghasa, a World Heritage site, perched spectacularly on a cliff

overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Dún Aonghasa is a semicircular stone fort over 3000 years old. The beauty of the cliffs offers a totally multi-faceted experience of Ireland’s incredible west coast.

You’ll have free time to hire a bike, walk to a nearby beach, or have lunch at a nearby café. The Aran Islands are renowned for their wool products, so you may want time to shop. In the afternoon, we gather again and visit some of the other historic sites on the island.

We’ll dine together at the Pier House in town and afterwards take a magical half-light walk in the evening, along the coast back to our guesthouse.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Day 7: May 7, 2023

Our morning begins with group spiritual practice and then time to visit craft shops, walk to the beach, or return to Dún Aonghasa before the ferry take us back to the mainland.  Our next destination will be Dingle. From the mainland, we will Ferry Across the Shannon River. The name Shannon is attributed to Sionna, the goddess of Irish mythology, whose name means, “possessor or wisdom”. We arrive in Dingle, the heart of West Kerry on the Dingle Peninsula, at Dingle Benners Hotel which lies in the center of town. Dinner will be on your own at one of our suggested restaurants in town.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Crossing the River Shannon by Seamus O’Sullivan McCarthy

We crossed the river Shannon today
It’s waters so calm and still
The gentle winds that touched my soul whispered in my ear,
Of days  and ways gone by of people’s hopes and fear
Of friends who passed along the way and those that are still here

The blue skies spoke of wonder and the green land told tales of yore
The white clouds spoke of passing times and of those still in store
The river’s words were silent like kisses in the night, like a knowing glance between two friends or early morning light
                    

Day 8: May 8, 2023

Today is a free day – enjoy the spaciousness, tune inward, take a breath, and reflect in a Celtic way upon this time of traveling on a sacred journey in Ireland. You’ll have time to enjoy this little harbor town or take a walk along the bay to an ancient Tower. In Dingle, there are also opportunities to take a boat out to Dingle Harbor or enjoy Inch Beach, a 3-mile-long beach of uninterrupted golden sand. Dingle is arguably one of Ireland’s more charming towns. Eclectic little fashion and jewelry shops on Green Street give way to intimate and cozy pubs. In the evening, there’s another opportunity to take in the traditional Irish music.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 9: May 9, 2023

Today, we visit Saint Govenath’s holy well and have lunch in a local artist gallery with stunning views. We also visit the Blasket Center is a fascinating heritage and cultural center that honors the unique community who lived on the remote Blasket Islands until their evacuation in 1953. The center has stunning views of the wild Atlantic coast and that’s where we will have our final morning gathering before lunch at the center. Afterwards, we walk the pilgrim’s path to St. Bandon’s house to celebrate the tradition of journeying in the Irish Culture. An important feature of a sacred pilgrimage is walking the path. It is an important part of the experience in Ireland to walk the pilgrim’s path. We return to Dingle where we will have our farewell dinner at Dingle Benner’s Hotel.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 10: May 10, 2023

We rise early today for our transfer to Dublin for our flight home; taking all that we’ve experienced on this sacred journey forever with us.