Itinerary 2012

For eleven days (ten nights), Mindie Burgoyne will guide tour guests across eleven counties in Ireland  – Dublin, Meath, Westmeath, Longoford, Leitrim, Sligo, Roscommon, Fermanagh, Mayo, Galway and Clare – exploring thin places, sites with mystical qualities.

Mindie will share information on the history of the sites, its mystical charism and the local lore associated with the site.   There will also be three additional guides in the Boyne Valley, Roscommon and Inis Mor (Aran Islands).  Guests will stay in premier town-center hotels with all breakfasts and some dinners included.

DAY 1 – Saturday, May 12 – Welcome to Ireland !
Free day in Dublin City Centre
Most transatlantic flights arrive in the early morning hours to Dublin.  Get some rest and enjoy the day in one of Europe’s most popular big city Destinations.  Your hotel is the Trinity Capital Hotel located in the heart of the City Centre within walking distance of Trinity College, Grafton Street and St. Stephens Green.  Meet the rest of the tour group for drinks in the hotel lobby that first evening.  Full Irish breakfast in your hotel the next morning.

DAY 2 – Sunday, May 13 – Bru na Boinne
Newgrange and Hill of Tara and drive through the Boyne Valley
Tour ancient passage tombs of Newgrange and Knowth, built in 3200 BC making these sites older than Stonehenge. Other optional Dublin excursion / attractions available for purchase.  Then get to know your travel mates for the tour at a celebratory dinner (included) with at an Irish House party to be held that first night in or near the hotel.  Stay that night at Trinity Capital Hotel in Dublin.  Full Irish breakfast in your hotel the next morning.

DAY 3 – Monday – May 14 – Dublin to Sligo
Hill of Uisneach and Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery.
After a full Irish breakfast (included) Visit the Hill of Uisneach, in County Westmeath, also known as the geographic center of Ireland.  Many believe all lines of earth energy in Ireland intersect at this point.  Next a stop at Fore Abbey to take in “the Seven Wonders of Fore” which include water that flows uphill and a tree that won’t burn. Then travel to Sligo and explore the Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, a landscape scattered with dolmens and standing stones in the shadow of Benbulben and Knocknarae – the legendary burial site of Queen Maeve.  Possible tour of Drumcliffe church and cemetery for those interested in seeing W.B. Yeats’ grave.  Rest of afternoon and evening guests are free to explore Sligo town and find dinner (on your own) somewhere in town.

DAY 4 – Tuesday – May 15 – Rathcroghan, ancient royal site
After breakfast at your hotel, venture with the group to Tulsk in County Roscommon for a tour of Rathcroghan with guide, Mike Croghan.  See the mounds where the ancient kings and queens of Connaught were crowned and buried.  This is the largest complex of Celtic Royal sites in Europe, and also includes a cave.  After the tour, return to Sligo for a group dinner and relaxing evening.

DAY 5 – Wednesday – May 18 – Free Day in Sligo 
Optional tour …Boa Island, Caldragh Cemetery, Drumskinny Stone Circle
After a full Irish breakfast spend the day relaxing or exploring Sligo town.  Or take the optional tour to County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland.  Boa Island has magnificent light and sits in scenic Lough Erne connected to the mainland with causeways.  Caldragh Cemetery is ancient and houses two Janus figures and a remarkable Hawthorne tree.  Nearby is Drumskinny Stone Circle.  The landscape in Fermanagh is positively enchanting.  No charge for this optional tour.  Dinner is on your own.

DAY 6 – Thursday – May 17 – Sligo to Westport
Knock and Ballintubber Abbey
After a full Irish breakfast, guest will leave County Sligo and travel to the town of Westport in County Mayo.  Tour stops with be the Knock Shrine where in 1879, villagers between the ages of five and seventy-five witnessed an apparition of the Virgin Mary, Sts. John and Joseph, and a lamb on an altar.  This apparition was outside the gable wall of the town church and lasted over 2 hours during a rain storm.  Knock is the most traveled to pilgrimage site in all of Ireland and one of the top ten in Europe.  Aftern Knock we’ll visit Ballintubber Abbey, a restored monastic church resting in the shadow of Croagh Patrick (the holy mountain).  Then on to Westport Town to check into the Clew Bay Hotel.  Evening in Westport.  Dinner on your own.

DAY 7 – Friday – May 18 -  Croagh Patrick and Connemara
Visit the Holy Mountain and take scenic drive along the Sky Road to Clifden
After a full Irish breakfast the group will set out for Croagh Patrick and have a chance to explore the lower regions of the mountain known to have been made holy by St. Patrick himself.  Take in scenic views of Clew Bay and the 365 islands scattered in its waters.  Visit the National Famine Memorial and the ruins of Murrisk Abbey.  Then enjoy one of the most scenic drives in Ireland through Connemara, where the light (even in a rain storm) is like no other.  Travel along the Sky Road to the seaside town of Clifden and enjoy a group dinner in town.  Then back to hotel in Westport.

DAY 8 – Saturday – May 19 – Free day in Galway
Arrive in Galway City and enjoy the day at your leisure.
Galway is a very walkable town with some of the best restaurants and shops in Ireland.  Visit the Spanish Arch, book a cruise on Galway Bay, go fishing, take one of the historic walking tours through the medieval part of the city.  This is a day to take a break from rigorous touring and just relax in a beautiful European city.

DAY 9 – Sunday – May 20 – Aran Islands
Tour of Inis Mor with private guide, Dara Molloy
After a full Irish breakfast, guests will take a ferry to the Inis Mor, one of the three Aran Islands off the coast of Galway.  There the group will be met by a Dara Molloy, a Celtic monk who lives with his family on the island.  Dara will give a tour that will include Dun Angeus, the Church of the Four Comely Saints, and the bed of Darmuit and Grainne.  Dara, who is well known for his knowledge of Celtic spirituality will discuss “places of resurrection” and give his take on thin places.  This one day will be worth the cost of the trip (in my opinion).  Guests will return to the hotel in Galway and get dinner on their own.

Day 10 – Monday – May 21 – Galway to Ennis
The Burren, Thoor Ballylee, Coole Park
After a full Irish breakfast in guest will take a morning tour of the Burren, a mystical landscape in County Clare resembling a moonscape for all its rock and lack of vegetation.  There are several monastic ruins and megalithic tombs in the Burren, most famous being the Poulnabrone Dolmen and Corcomroe Abbey.  From the Burren the group will visit Thoor Ballylee, the tower once owned by William Butler Yeats and the setting for his work “The Tower” compilation.  Then on to Coole Park, the former estate of Lady Gregory, one of the leaders in Ireland’s literary revival.  We’ll explore how a sense of place impacts creativity and art.  That evening the group will enjoy a farewell dinner (included) at the hotel in Ennis.

DAY 11 – Tuesday – May 22 – Depart Shannon or Dublin Airport for the U.S.
After a full breakfast at the hotel, guests will depart for home from Shannon Airport.  Transfers to airport will be provided.

*Hotels and tours listed above are subject to availability and may be substituted for a hotel or tour of similar price and rating.

*Itinerary is subject to change.

For booking information contact Mindie Burgoyne at mindieburgoyne@gmail.com or Kathy Harrigan at Harrigan Holidays 717.818.3024  or kathy@harriganholidays.com