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» Ireland » Spirit of Ireland - Power of the Myth, Beauty of the Land: June 11-22, 2011
Summer Solstice on the Hill of Tara! The journey you've always dreamed of! Join our glorious twelve-day mystical odyssey through sacred Ireland to explore some of the most beautiful and inspirational places of this enchanted isle. From ancient temples of stone to faery-haunted glens, healing springs to medieval abbeys, this is a journey to open you to the soul of an ancient and inimitable country, and perhaps also awaken long-forgotten ancestral memories of your own. Weave it together with a rich cultural experience of story, music, song, and the warmth of Irish hospitality to create a glorious tapestry of a journey that you will never forget! The tour will be led by dynamic presenter, Amantha Murphy, traditional Irish shaman, ceremonialist, storyteller and healer, along with Celtic Spirit Journeys coordinator David Watkins, who has facilitated this sacred journey since its inception seven years ago. Free travel for you! If you gather your own group together, we may be able to customize this tour for you according to your requirements - and you travel free. The Pilgrimage: Our journey starts in the magical southwest at the faery landscape of Lough Gur, and continues to the legendary Lakes of Killarney, including visits to many hidden treasures of Ireland's ancient heritage: sheela-na-gigs, holy wells, ruined abbeys, druidic groves and stone circles. We visit the Beare Peninsula, a wild and unspoilt landscape that is home to many pristine Neolithic and Bronze Age ritual sites, including the shrine of the Hag of Beare, the old goddess of this land. Then on to explore the spectacular coastal scenery of the Dingle Peninsula, where the ruins of early Celtic monasteries, ogham stones and beehive dwellings lie scattered across the moors, and the Great Blasket Island awaits, a short boat trip away. We then travel over the River Shannon to the Burren in County Clare, a unique limestone landscape filled with many rare wildflowers, and dotted with the megaliths and ringforts of a vanished civilization, including the famous Poulnabrone dolmen. A ferry ride takes us to Inishmore, an island of dramatic scenery and rich archaeological sites, including the spectacular clifftop fort of Dún Aenghus and the smallest church in the world. Over to the east of Ireland, we explore the Loughcrew Cairns on the Hill of the Hag, gateways into the womb of the Earth goddess, inscribed with extraordinary sacred symbols. Then on to the Boyne Valley, where lie the most mysterious and awe-inspiring Neolithic ceremonial sites of ancient Ireland: Brú na Bóinne, (Newgrange) and Knowth: Earth Temples filled with astonishing spiralic art. Our journey culminates with a Druidic ceremony on the Hill of Tara, the royal sacred center of Ireland. Ireland is a land richly endowed with a treasury of myth and story. Amantha is steeped in its mythical history and legends, which she will share through talks, meditations and ritual. Knowledgeable local guides will also lead us on explorations of the landscape and its lore. Tour Itinerary: Day 1: We meet at the small, friendly Shannon Airport on Ireland's west coast, and drive south to Lough Gur. This beautiful lake with its two medieval castles, Celtic ring-forts and megalithic remains is said to be an entrance into the magical realm of Tír-na-n'Óg, the 'Land of the Ever-Living.' Close by is the stone circle known as the Lios, or the Grange – the largest in Ireland – where we will have our opening circle to connect both with each other and the spirits of Ireland herself. After lunch in the heritage town of Adare, we head south to Killarney and our peaceful country guesthouse situated right inside the National Park. In the evening, there will be time to enjoy a stroll to the medieval friary with its ancient yew trees. Day 2: Today we explore the incomparable beauty of Killarney's lakes and mountains by boat. We leave from Ross Castle, spectacularly situated on the lake shore of Lough Leane, stopping off on the way for a visit to the lovely little island of Inisfallen, where we can wander among the atmospheric ruins of its 7th century abbey. After lunch at Lord Brandon’s Cottage, you will have a choice of walking or traveling by pony and trap through the mountain pass known as the Gap of Dunloe, surrounded by the magnificent mountain scenery, waterfalls and rivers of the McGillycuddy Reeks. Day 3: We start the day with a visit to the Paps of Anu, the mountains that form the breasts of the Mother Goddess of the Tuatha De Danann, and honor her with a ceremony at her sacred shrine and holy well.Then we drive eastwards for lunch in the historic Gaeltacht town of Ballyvourney,and afterwards a visit to its ancient abbey with a sheela-na-gig and lovely holy well dedicated to St. Gobnait, a local aspect of the goddess and saint, Brighid. This evening there will be an optional visit to the National Folk Theater in Tralee. Day 4: Today, we visit the Beare Peninsula, a wild and unspoilt landscape that is home to many pristine Neolithic and Bronze Age sites. We will make a pilgrimage to the rock shrine of the Hag of Beare, the old goddess of this land, and also stop to view the tallest ogham stone in Ireland. After a visit to a little-known stone circle in a spectacular setting, there will be time to wander through the charming market town of Kenmare, which has its own stone circle, as well as some fine woolen shops and craft galleries. Then it will be time to make our way home over the breathtaking mountain pass known as Moll’s Gap where you can see some wonderful views over the mountains. Day 5: We journey to the Dingle Peninsula, a part of the Gaeltacht, or Irish-speaking region. Here we meet up with Bernie Gogan, our inimitable guide, a Dingle native and authority on archaeology, natural history and much more! We take the road to Slea Head, with its breathtaking panoramas of mountains, sea and sky, and after lunch at a cliff-top cottage and weavers’ studio, visit some of Dingle's extraordinary array of 2,000 ancient sites, dating from the Neolithic through early Christian times, including bee-hive huts, carved Celtic crosses and the 8th century Gallarus' Oratory, one of the finest examples of an early Christian church to be found in Ireland. Circling back to Dingle Town, we arrive at our award-winning guesthouse and restaurant with its fine harbor views, from where you may also wish to walk into town to catch some traditional music. Day 6: In this spectacular area, we provide a day of options for you to choose from: You may wish to take a short ferry ride to the Great Blasket Islands, the most westerly point in Europe, once home to many literary geniuses; stride out along the cliffs to the lighthouse; take a boat trip from Dingle pier to see Fungi, the wild Bottlenose Dolphin who has made his home in the harbor, or simply enjoy the unique little harbor town with its many shops, galleries, craft centers, cafés, pubs and street musicians. Whichever you choose, we will help you get there! Day 7: Today we journey north to County Clare over the River Shannon. We visit Brighid’s Well at Liscannor, where for centuries pilgrims have come for healing. Then to the Burren Centre in Kilfenora, where there are a number of beautiful high crosses. From there we enter the unique rocky landscape of the Burren, and visit the Poulnabrone portal dolmen before arriving at our oceanfront guesthouse in the coastal village of Doolin, where the best of traditional music can be heard. Day 8: This morning we catch the ferry to Inis Mór, (Inishmore) one of the Aran Islands – a place of dramatic scenery and rich archaeological sites, including the smallest church in the world. We will go by bicycle or mini-bus to the spectacular cliff-top Iron Age fort of Dún Aenghus and explore the rugged beauty of the island, which is accentuated by the thatched roofs of the traditional Irish stone cottages that dot the countryside. You may hear the Irish language spoken by the island's residents who still adhere to the old ways of generations gone by, keeping the spirit of Gaelic Ireland alive. Day 9: We take the road east to County Meath for a visit to the Loughcrew mountains, where we walk up the Hill of the Cailleach, the ancestral goddess of Ireland. We will join together in ritual, and there will be time for individual attunement and meditation within the cairns themselves, which are filled with exquisite Stone Age rock art, and are portals into the mysteries of the Underworld. We'll relax this evening at our fine country manor hotel in the Boyne River Valley. Day 10: Today we visit the World Heritage Centre of the Brú na Bóinne, or Newgrange, the largest earth-chamber in Europe. Over 5,000 years old, it predates both the Great Pyramid and Stonehenge. It was once a ceremonial center and burial place, while the Celts believed it to be the palace of the gods. Afterwards, we visit its sister temple, Knowth, which is equally impressive, bearing a splendid array of mysterious decorated stones. This evening we will have a special presentation and intensive drumming journey led by Martin Duffy, director of the Ireland Centre for Shamanic Studies at his home in beautiful Dunderry Park. Day 11: This morning there will be an optional trip into the historical town of Trim, then it's off to Tara to end our pilgrimage of Ireland's sacred sites on a high point - literally! - as we walk up the Hill of Tara, seat of the High Kings of Ireland. We'll form a circle around the Stone of Destiny for our Summer Solstice ceremony. In the evening we celebrate our journey with a special farewell dinner. Day 12: We take a short trip to the airport, and bid farewell to each other and to Ireland! Please note: While we make every effort to keep to the above itinerary, it may be subject to change due to weather or other unforeseen conditions. Notes: - For the EU and UK, the price is €2590 and £2265. 
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Also see tour packages in: Europe Ireland Spiritual Odyssey Pilgrimage/Spirituality Cultural Journey |
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