Ireland

Depart via scheduled air service to Shannon.

Arrive in Shannon. Meet your Faith Journeys Tour Manager who will assist the group to awaiting chartered motorcoach. Travel along the Cliffs of Moher to enjoy the spectacular views that attract over a million visitors a year. Continue to Galway via Corcomroe Abbey. The Abbey lies close to another monastic settlement, a group of three small early Christian Churches. Late afternoon check-in at the hotel. Evening Welcome Dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit the Connemara Region, famous for its scenic lakes and mountains. See Lough Corrib (the second largest lake in Ireland) then proceed through Maam Cross to the village of Leenane and Kylemore Abbey. Lunch, on own. Explore Kylemore Abbey, a monastery founded in 1920 for Benedictine Nuns who fled Belgium in World War I. A craft shop, pottery studio, restaurant, and gardens also surround the Abbey. Stop at the Celtic Crystal Factory for a guided tour and glass cutting demonstration. Return to Galway for evening dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. We will start the morning at the Shrine at Knock, often referred to the “Lourdes of Ireland”. We will also see a portrayal of the aspects of rural life in Ireland at the end of the 19th Century at Knock Museum. Lunch, on own. Visit Ballintubber Abbey, said to be the only church in Ireland founded by an Irish king that is still in regular use. Indeed, Mass has been celebrated here continually for almost 800 years even after damage during the reformation. Return to Galway for evening dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Depart Galway and journey to Kerry. En-route, enjoy a tour and tea and scones at Glenstal Abbey, a Benedictine monastery dedicated to Saint Joseph and Saint Columba. Continue to Kerry for dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning we will enjoy mountains, peat bogs, lakes, cliffs, and magnificent views of the ocean all in one drive. We will start in Killarney and pass through Killorglin, then to Glenbeigh where the cliff byway affords panoramic views of the Dingle Peninsula. Lunch, on own. Continue through Cahirciveen and Waterville to Sneem Village and the magnificent mountains to Molls Gap and Ladies View with superb views of the famous Lakes of Killarney. Return to Kerry region for time at leisure for additional sightseeing. Evening dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit Waterford, the oldest city in Ireland. We will see Mount Melleray, a Cistercian monastery founded in 1833 and still fully functional. We will also visit Reginald’s Tower and the oldest monument to retain its Viking name. Lunch, on own. Waterford is known for Waterford Crystal, a legacy of the city’s former glass making industry. Evening dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. This morning we will stop at Glendalough en route to Dublin. This glacial valley is renowned for its Early Medieval Monastic settlement founded in the 6th century by the hermit priest, St. Kevin. Lunch, on own. The extensive ruins of Glendalough include several early churches, a graceful round tower, and various sites associated with the life of St. Kevin
Continue to Dublin for evening dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a panoramic tour of vibrant, soulful Dublin. We will visit O’Connell Street, Phoenix Park, Trinity College, and Christchurch Cathedral. Lunch, on own. Visit the Guinness Brewery, Europe’s largest stout producing brewery which opened in 1904. We’ll learn about the craft and passion of brewing and enjoy perusing the retail store, gallery, and exhibition area, as well as sampling the wares at the restaurant and bars. Farewell dinner and overnight.