Experience Ireland
Significant Feast Days
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9-Day Itinerary
Day 1 Depart your city for Dublin
Day 2 Arrive in Dublin, travel to County Meath to explore the prehistoric monuments of Newgrange and the medieval ruins on the Hill of
Slane, then continue to Galway for dinner
Day 3 Take an optional visit to Kylemore Abbey in the morning, travel to Croagh Patrick and hike to the summit where St. Patrick fasted
for 40 days, pray at St. Patrick's Oratory, then continue on to Castlebar or a nearby village for dinner
Day 4 Travel to and spend the day at the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock, take time for personal prayer and explore the Basilica
Day 5 Celebrate mass at the ancient Shantalla Mass Rock (pending approval), take a scenic drive through Galway, explore the monastic
ruins at Clonmacnoise, marvel at the Cliffs of Moher, then head to Limerick for dinner
Day 6 Take an optional visit to Blarney Castle in the morning, day trip to the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, and visit the 7th century
monastery on Skellig Michael (weather permitting)
Day 7 Travel to the East Coast of Ireland and enjoy the scenery of Counties Tipperary, Wicklow, and more, tour Glendalough and the
monastic settlement founded by St. Kevin, arrive in Dublin for dinner
Day 8 Take a panoramic tour of Dublin including O'Connell Street, Grafton Street, and Phoenix Park, visit Trinity College (time
permitting), and enjoy a free afternoon to explore independently
Day 9 Depart Dublin for home
Mass will be celebrated daily within the itinerary.
Specific locations and events within the daily itinerary are subject to change depending on actual dates of travel.
Day 2 Arrive in Dublin, travel to County Meath to explore the prehistoric monuments of Newgrange and the medieval ruins on the Hill of
Slane, then continue to Galway for dinner
Day 3 Take an optional visit to Kylemore Abbey in the morning, travel to Croagh Patrick and hike to the summit where St. Patrick fasted
for 40 days, pray at St. Patrick's Oratory, then continue on to Castlebar or a nearby village for dinner
Day 4 Travel to and spend the day at the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock, take time for personal prayer and explore the Basilica
Day 5 Celebrate mass at the ancient Shantalla Mass Rock (pending approval), take a scenic drive through Galway, explore the monastic
ruins at Clonmacnoise, marvel at the Cliffs of Moher, then head to Limerick for dinner
Day 6 Take an optional visit to Blarney Castle in the morning, day trip to the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, and visit the 7th century
monastery on Skellig Michael (weather permitting)
Day 7 Travel to the East Coast of Ireland and enjoy the scenery of Counties Tipperary, Wicklow, and more, tour Glendalough and the
monastic settlement founded by St. Kevin, arrive in Dublin for dinner
Day 8 Take a panoramic tour of Dublin including O'Connell Street, Grafton Street, and Phoenix Park, visit Trinity College (time
permitting), and enjoy a free afternoon to explore independently
Day 9 Depart Dublin for home
Mass will be celebrated daily within the itinerary.
Specific locations and events within the daily itinerary are subject to change depending on actual dates of travel.
About Ireland
The Hill of Slane in County Meath is home to the ruins of a Franciscan Monastery that dates back to 1512. This monastery was built on the site of an even older monastery that was founded by a follower of St. Patrick, St. Erc.
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Kylemore Abbey in the heart of Connemara was originally built as a private estate in 1868, and since 1920 has been owned and run by a Benedictine community of Nuns.
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Croagh Patrick in County Mayo, nicknamed the Reek, is Ireland's holiest mountain. It stands at a height of 764 meters and overlooks a beautiful bay. St. Patrick himself once climbed this mountain and then fasted for 40 days. Every year on the last Sunday of July, pilgrims gather for the Reek Pilgrimage where they climb to the top and celebrate mass at St. Patrick's Oratory on the peak. This pilgrimage has been made annually in Ireland for at least 1500 years.
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The Knock Shrine is one of the most famous Marian shrines in the world. Our Lady appeared at this site on August 21st, 1879 along with St. Joseph, St. John the Evangelist, and the Lamb of God upon an altar. In March 2021, Pope Francis officially recognized Knock as an international Eucharistic and Marian Shrine.
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Clonmacnoise is a monastery founded by Saint Ciarán along the banks of the River Shannon in the 6th century. Its ruins include two towers, nine churches, and a Cathedral.
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The Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland's most well-known landscapes on the Wild Atlantic Way. They reach a height of over 700ft at their tallest point, run along the coast for about 8 miles, and are a UNESCO Global Geopark.
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Blarney Castle is a world-famous medieval stronghold that is now partially in ruins. It is home to the legendary stone of Eloquence, or Blarney stone, and beautiful gardens.
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The Ring of Kerry is a scenic route around the Iveragh Peninsula. Take in 10,000 years of history as you drive through the rugged landscape and charming seaside towns.
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Skellig Michael, named after St. Michael the Archangel, is a rocky island just west of the Iveragh Peninsula. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to a the remains of a Gaelic monastery dating back to the 7th-century.
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Glendalough is home to a 6th-century monastic settlement founded by Saint Kevin. Its ruins include a gateway, tower, cathedral, and churches.
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St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral in Dublin, affectionately called "the Pro" by locals, has served as the temporary Catholic cathedral in Dublin for nearly 200 years. It was built on the ruins of the Cistercian Abbey of St. Mary, is steeped in the political and religious history of Ireland, and is known for its beautiful sung liturgies.
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The library of Trinity College in Dublin is home to more than 20,000 manuscripts, many of which are more than 1,000 years old. It also houses the Book of Kells, a beautiful illuminated manuscript of the four Gospels dating back to the 9th Century.
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