An 11-day Catholic Pilgrimage Tour to Ireland

Day 1 – Monday
USA / IRELAND
Today we depart the USA for Ireland. Meals are served on board our transatlantic flight.

Day 2 – Tuesday
DUBLIN / GLENDALOUGH / KILKENNY
This morning we arrive in Dublin, Ireland’s capital, where we are greeted by our Pilgrimage Tours’ tour director and board our motor coach for an orientation tour of Dublin followed by a scenic drive to peaceful Glendalough, where we will meet our local guide and visit the ruins of St. Kevin’s Monastery. Following Mass at St. Kevin’s Church, we drive to the town of Kilkenny where we will where we will visit the Kilkenny Castle prior to arriving at our hotel for dinner and overnight in Kilkenny.

Day 3 – Wednesday
KILKENNY / CASHEL / COBH / BLARNEY / KILLARNEY
Today we depart for Killarney. En route we will visit the famous Rock of Cashel, which towers over the town and is one of Ireland’s great historic sites. While here we will see a magnificent group of ecclesiastical ruins, including Cormac’s Chapel. From Cashel we drive to the harbor town of Cobh where we visit and celebrate Mass at St. Colman’s Cathedral, followed by a visit to Cobh’s heritage center where we see an exhibit about the Old Queenstown Story, including its ties with the “unsinkable” Titanic. Next we arrive in picturesque Blarney and an opportunity to climb the staircase of the 15th century Blarney Castle, famous for the “Blarney Stone,” the legendary “Stone of Eloquence”. It is believed that after kissing the Blarney Stone, you will never again be lost for words. While here, we take time to shop at the famous Blarney Woolen Mill before departing for Killarney, where we will see the many quaint and colorful homes and businesses that are unique to Killarney. We arrive at our hotel in Killarney for dinner and overnight.

Day 4 – Thursday
KILLARNEY / RING OF KERRY
This morning we visit and celebrate Mass at Killarney’s great neo-Gothic St. Mary’s Cathedral built in the 19th century. Following Mass we enjoy a drive through the picturesque Ring of Kerry where we see quaint, historic villages and high mountain terrain. The highlights of our tour include Molls Gap and Ladies View which provide the best views of the Lakes of Killarney. Next we will enjoy a jaunting car ride, entering Killarney National Park and pausing for some time for pictures at Ross Castle. Dinner and overnight in Killarney.

Day 5 – Friday
KILLARNEY / ADARE / SHANNON / BUNRATTY
Today we will again visit Killarney’s Cathedral for our celebration of Mass. Following Mass and some final free time in Killarney, we drive to the quaint town of Adare where we see its characteristic thatched-roof houses and spend some time exploring its interesting shops. In the afternoon we drive to Shannon and arrive at our hotel for check-in and some time to rest and freshen up for this evening’s medieval banquet at Bunratty Castle. Overnight near Shannon.

Day 6 – Saturday
SHANNON / CLIFFS OF MOHER / GALWAY
Following breakfast we depart on a scenic drive to the dramatic Cliffs of Moher which span some five miles along the rugged coastline and reach heights of greater than 700 feet over the Atlantic Ocean. We continue north and drive through The Burren, a vast lunar-like landscape harboring some 2000 species of rare flowers and plants that live on top of unique rock formations. We continue on to Galway City, where upon our arrival, we visit and celebrate Mass in the beautifully stained-glass Galway Cathedral before embarking on a walking tour of this seaside city. Dinner and overnight near Galway.

Day 7 – Sunday
GALWAY / KNOCK
Today we will visit Knock, the single most important Marian Shrine in all of Ireland. Here we visit and celebrate Mass at the Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of Knock, “Queen of Ireland” and the Church of the Apparition where the apparition of Our Lady, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist occurred and was witnessed by more than a dozen people in 1879. The remainder of our time is free to explore the local merchants as well as the Sanctuary’s grounds, including the shrine’s folk museum and spending time in personal prayer, contemplation and walking its Stations of the Cross. Dinner and overnight in Knock.

Day 8 – Monday
KNOCK / CLONMACNOISE / DUBLIN
This morning we drive through Ireland’s countryside to Dublin. En route we will visit Clonmacnoise, a monastic site situated on the banks of the River Shannon. Here we see the ruins of a cathedral, two round towers, several churches, several high crosses as well as a large collection of early Christian grave stones. Next we arrive in Dublin for a visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which was founded in 1190. We explore this famed Cathedral’s majestic interior rich with ancient relics. En route to our hotel, we see the Christ Church Cathedral, founded by the Danes in 1030. Dinner and overnight in Dublin.

Day 9 – Tuesday
DUBLIN
Following breakfast, we will visit and celebrate Mass at St. Mary’s Pro Cathedral. Following Mass we will visit the Legion of Mary, a lay organization whose members volunteer their time in service of the Catholic Church. Here we will learn about the life’s work of Frank Duff, “Servant of God”, who founded the Legion of Mary in 1921. In the afternoon we will visit the highly renowned Guinness Brewery and its “Storehouse”, including its Hop Store and Visitor’s Centre. Here we sample the brewery’s latest batch of their famous libation from high atop their observation deck overlooking Dublin. The remainder of our day is free to explore Dublin on our own. Dinner and overnight in Dublin.

Day 10 – Wednesday
DUBLIN
Today we enjoy another day in Dublin, beginning with a visit to the Kilmainham Gaol (Jail) with our local guide, which housed many prisoners from the Irish Rebellion of 1916. Next we arrive at Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church, where we will see the Shrine of Our Lady of Dublin. Following Mass here, we will visit Trinity College, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I, and tour its historic library and view the world famous Book of Kells. Finally, we enjoy some free time exploring the shops and pubs on Dublin’s popular O’Connell Street. Dinner and overnight in Dublin.

Day 11 – Thursday
DUBLIN / USA
Following breakfast this morning, we bid Ireland farewell and drive to Dublin Airport for our return flight home. Though our pilgrimage draws to a close, its blessings will last a lifetime and its graces are certain to draw us closer to the Lord.