Pictures from the Ireland

Resurrection Fire

The Spirit and Faith of the Irish People

Led by:

The Rev. Gene Wise

June 7 - 18, 2007

Trip map

DAY 1, Thursday, June 7, 2007 - Depart the United States on a wide-body jet for your trans-Atlantic flight. D

DAY 2, Friday, June 8, 2007 - Arrive Dublin. Meet our guide and driver Tnd transfer to our Dublin hotel for check-in.  This afternoon we take a sightseeing tour of Dublin seeing the statue lined O’Connell St., Georgian Squares, and Phoenix Park.  We will visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral which contains the largest and most interesting collection of church monuments in Ireland.  Tonight we will enjoy a “welcome to Ireland” dinner in our hotel.  Overnight Dublin. BD

DAY 3, Saturday, June 9, 2007 - We will depart for Brú na Bóinne, the cradle of Irish civilization.  We will visit Knoth to see the partially excavated passage tomb there.  We will visit the Hill of Tara where disputes between clans were settled, new laws were passed, and eventually Christianity was proclaimed from the summit by St. Patrick.  Later there will be a visit to Mellifont Abbey, founded in 1142 and the first Cistercian monastery in Ireland.  Overnight Dublin. BD

DAY 4, Sunday, June 10, 2007 - Today we will tour Dublin city with visits to Trinity College where we will see the Book of Kells, the 8th century illuminated manuscript.  We will visit the magnificent National Museum, home to priceless items such as the Cross of Cong and the Crucifixion Plaque, the oldest depiction of the crucifixion found in Ireland.  We will see the Kilmainham Jail, the monument and shrine to independence where the heroes of the 1916 Easter Uprising were martyred.  You might consider a visit to the Abbey Theater, founded by Yeats and Lady Gregory or take a Dublin Literary/Musical Pub Crawl and lift a pint while you enjoy the best Irish traditional music.  There is a Sunday Choral Service in Christchurch Cathedral at 11:00 am or Evensong at 5:00 pm.  Even if you don’t go to any of the services offered here, it is still worth a visit to this magnificent old church.  Overnight Dublin. B

DAY 5, Monday, June 11, 2007 - We leave Dublin and travel through Glendalough, the “valley between the two lakes,” where we will visit St. Kevin’s Monastery which, although often sacked by the Vikings, flourished for over 600 years.  We will see St. Kevin’s Cross, dating from the 12th century, it is one of the best preserved of Glendalough’s various High Crosses.  We will continue to Waterford for a visit to the Waterford Heritage Museum, the crystal factory and overnight.  Overnight Waterford. BD

DAY 6, Tuesday, June 12, 2007 - We depart Waterford and travel along the scenic coastal road via Dungarven toward Cobh and the Cobh Visitor’s Center, formerly known as Queenstown and sight of the Irish Diaspora.  Between 1848 and 1950, 6 million Irish disembarked from this port town to seek a better life.  They were driven away by famine and poverty. Cobh was also the last port of call of the doomed ship, Titanic.  We will continue to Cork City and St. Finbarr’s Cathedral.  There is a service daily in the Dean’s Chapel at 12:30 pm and afterwards we can stop for lunch at Cork and then depart for Killarney.  Overnight Killarney. BD

DAY 7, Wednesday, June 13, 2007 - Today we visit the Ring of Kerry, the route around the Iveragh Peninsula.  We will see Sneem, a charming little town comprised of brightly painted cottages and a quaint village green.  We will see Muckross House, the imposing Victorian mansion built in 1843 which contains a museum of Kerry Life.  We will also visit Muckross Farm, a working farm which still uses traditional farming methods.  Overnight Killarney. B

DAY 8, Thursday, June 14, 2007 - We head for Limerick, the third largest town in the Irish Republic, which was founded by the Vikings.  We will visit the home of Frank McCourt, famous author of Angela’s Ashes.  Other sites of interest in Limerick are King John’s Castle, St. Mary’s Cathedral, the Hunt Museum, Limerick Museum and Bunratty Castle.  Overnight Limerick. BD

DAY 9, Friday, June 15, 2007 - We head for Galway, stopping on the way to visit Bunratty Folk Park and Castle.  We will arrive in Galway in the afternoon with enough free time to take a stroll through the city of the Tribes.  We will see Spanish Arch, which is the remainder of a 16th century bastion, added to the town walls to protect merchant ships from looting.  A must to see is St. Nicholas Church, built in 1320 on the ruins of an older church.  The first important transformation came in 1485 and many of its finest features date from that time.  It contains one of only two smiling angels in Europe.  The other is in France.  It is also said that Christopher Columbus prayed here before his trip to the New World.  Overnight Galway. BD

DAY 10, Saturday, June 16, 2007 - We will take a ferry over to Inishmore, one of the three Aran Islands.  We will tour the austere landscape and marvel at the coastal views.  There are several large stone forts here, one Dun Eoghanachta dates from the 1st century BC.  In the 5th century, St. Edna brought Christianity to the islands which started their monastic traditions.  We will return to Galway for our overnight. BD

DAY 11, Sunday, June 17, 2007 - Today we will have some free time to explore and shop.  This evening we will have a gala farewell dinner cruise aboard the Corrib Princess with entertainment and an Irish dancer. BD

DAY 12, Monday, June 18, 2007 – Depart from Shannon for our return to the United States arriving home this afternoon. BL

Price: $3,599.00.  Price is based on double occupancy without airline taxes and fuel surcharges.  Air from Nashville, Tennessee.  Air transportation available from other cities.  Single supplement costs available on request.

An application for travel insurance will be included with the receipt for your deposit.  We strongly recommend that you seriously consider this coverage.

Meals: B Breakfast, L Lunch, D Dinner S Snack

The itinerary is subject to change due to local conditions or at the discretion and direction of the leader or guide.