An Irish Pilgrimage:
To the Island
of Saints and Scholars
Group
Leaders:
The Rev. Canon Stephen
N. Brannon &
Dr. James J. Rawls
ACIS Group
ID: 20372
U.S. Gateway: San Francisco
Departure Date: 14 May 2008
Return Date: 25 May 2008
Length of Trip: 12 Days
Countries Visited:
Ireland and Great Britain
Overnights:
5 Dublin, 3 Tralee, 2 London
Highlights: Hill of Tara, St Kevin’s Glendalough monastery, St Brigid’s holy well and cathedral
in Kildare, Dublin’s Trinity College and Book of Kells, Dublin city tour, Choral Evensong in Christ Church Cathedral
(Anglican), Choral Eucharist in St Patrick’s Cathedral (Anglican), Newgrange megalithic passage tomb, Clonmacnoise monastery,
journey aboard narrow-gauge bog railway, Rock of Cashel, historic Dingle
Peninsula, spectacular Ring of Kerry, boat excursion to Skellig Michael, two free evenings and free day in London
Program Fee:* $3239
+ $95 US:
ACIS Registration Fee
+ $335
US: Tax/Inspection/Supplement Fee
*(Note: Discount
of $200 if registered by August 1, 2007)
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1. Wednesday,
May 14, 2008....................................... Overnight Flight
Departure from the United States.
Day 2. Thursday, May 15, 2008..........................................Dublin
Arrival in Dublin. Transfer to our hotel located in a serene setting just outside of Dublin. Reception and Welcome Dinner.
Day
3. Friday, May 16, 2008..........................................................Dublin
Excursion to Hill of Tara, center of
Celtic Ireland until arrival of St Patrick in fifth century. Tour Glendalough, founded by St Kevin
in sixth century.
Day 4. Saturday, May 17, 2008......................................................Dublin
Visit St Brigid’s well & cathedral
in Kildare. Dublin city tour including
Trinity College & Book of Kells. Attend Choral Evensong at Christ Church Cathedral.
Day
5. Sunday, May 18, 2008.........................................................Dublin
Worship at Choral Eucharist at St Patrick’s Cathedral
followed by tour of cathedral. Afternoon excursion to Newgrange (c. 3000 BC), the most important
megalithic passage tomb in Europe.
Day
6. Monday, May 19, 2008........................................................Dublin
Journey westward to monastic settlement at Clonmacnoise, founded
by St Ciarán in sixth century. Climb aboard narrow gauge railway for a bog tour in Offaly.
Day
7. Tuesday, May 20, 2008......................................................Tralee
Today’s journey brings you first to the Rock of Cashel to visit the imposing ruins of Cormac’s
chapel. Continue to our hotel in County
Kerry. Dinner included.
Day
8. Wednesday, May 21, 2008................................................Tralee
Hop on board a Jaunting Tour to Muckross House, a stately Victorian home, and Ross
Castle. Afternoon tour of historic Dingle Peninsula, including remote Reask Monastery, Kilmalkedar
Church, and Gallarus Oratory. Dinner included.
Day 9. Thursday, May 22, 2008.....................................................Tralee
Discover Ireland
at its most beautiful as you travel around the spectacular Ring of Kerry. Visit heritage centre
and cruise around the Skelligs to view seabirds and ancient monastic dwellings perched on craggy outcroppings.
Farewell Dinner.
Day 10. Friday, May 23, 2008.......................................................London
We travel today to Shannon for our short
flight over the Irish Sea to London.
Relax, unpack, and enjoy a free evening in one of the world’s liveliest cities.
Day
11. Saturday, May 24, 2008...............................................London
Experience a full free day and evening
in London. Ideal opportunity to
visit St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower
of London, and British Library to see its unrivaled treasures.
Consider attending Choral Evensong at 3:00 at Westminster Abbey.
Day 12. Sunday, May 25,
2008..............................................Departure
Time permitting,
opportunity to attend morning service at St Mary Abbots Church in Kensington before transferring to the airport for return
flight.
An Irish Pilgrimage: To the Island of Saints and Scholars will be an outward journey
through some of the most beautiful countryside in the Republic
of Ireland. Our pilgrimage together will be a journey inward as
well, a time of spiritual enrichment and renewal. Our pace will be leisurely with time for prayer
and reflection as we consider the unique world of Celtic Christian spirituality. Our icons into
this fascinating world include St Patrick, St Kevin, and St Brigid.
Along our
pilgrim's way we'll explore the major sacred sites in Ireland, visiting
such magnificent reminders of our spiritual heritage as the Anglican cathedrals in Dublin
and Kildare, and the ancient monastic settlements at Glendalough and Clonmacnoise. We'll also
explore some out-of-the-way gems, such as the great passage tomb at Newgrange, the rarely visited Christian beehive huts and
dry-stone churches on the Dingle Peninsula, and the spectacular offshore Skellig islands where a community of monks lived
in isolation for six hundred years. Not to be missed is the breath-taking natural beauty of the
Ring of Kerry! For fun, we'll board a narrow-gauge railway to try our hands at cutting turf and
ride “jaunting carts” to visit stately Muckross House and nearby Ross Castle. Most
evenings will be free for you to experience Irish life (and pubs?) as you wish.
Registration will
be limited to 30 participants. Please visit our web site at www.OnPilgrimage.com for further information.
You may contact us at snbrannon@aol.com or (707) 938-3367.
You also are
invited to an Irish tea and informational meeting at 166 France Street,
Sonoma, California at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon,
July 22, 2007.
Completed registration forms should be returned
to ACIS with the $95 registration fee. Credit-card registration also may be made online at www.ACIS.com/registration. If registered by August 1, 2007, you will receive a $200 discount.
