Dear Pilgrims!

It is with great joy that I invite you to join me on a pilgrimage to Ireland. Ireland is so rich in our Catholic faith. We will travel to Northern Ireland - which is part of the United Kingdom, and Southern Ireland- its own country- visiting Dublin, Armagh, Belfast, Knock Shrine, Galway, Cliffs of Moher, Dingle, Killarney, Blarney, Rock of Cashel, and more. We will see so many amazing sacred and secular sites. We will walk in the footsteps of St. Patrick, St. Brigid, St. Brendan, St. Kevin, St. Malachy, and others. Daily Mass will be celebrated in beautiful churches. Pilgrimages are a wonderful time for prayer, conversion, discovering God’s will, and growing in Christian love and friendship. I believe this to be a trip of a lifetime. It will be a joy to share this journey with you, to celebrate daily Eucharist and to be inspired by your presence.

Father Brian McNavish

WHAT IS INCLUDED?

Round trip airfare on International Carrier

Breakfast daily and meals per itinerary

Specially selected hotel accommodations

Air-conditioned motor coach

Full-time tour manager

International Taxes and CURRENT fuel charges.

Day 1 | Saturday, Oct 28 - DEPART USA We depart Atlanta to connect with our overnight flight to the Emerald Isle. We enjoy in-flight movies, dinner and breakfast aloft.

Day 2 | Sunday, Oct 29|| DUBLIN/ARMAGH – This morning, we arrive in Dublin where we are met by our driver and guide who will remain with us for the duration of our pilgrimage. We journey straight to Armagh, the spiritual capital of Ireland for 1500 years, famous for its two St Patricks’ cathedrals, Catholic and Anglican. We celebrate Mass at St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cathedral in Armagh and hear the history of this impressive building. The interior looks Byzantine; covered in colored mosaics. We enjoy a walking tour of the Anglican St. Patrick’s Cathedral. We enjoy lunch together. Continue to Belfast for a brief panoramic tour of the city, dinner and overnight.

Day 3 | Monday, Oct 30| BELFAST - Today after our Irish breakfast we travel to the famous St. Malachy church where we celebrate Mass. Our tour includes a stop at Shankill and Falls roads where we will learn about past strife and view the political murals, plus a stop at the Europa Hotel, the most famous hotel in Belfast. We continue to the Titanic Museum, a salute to Belfast’s maritime heritage. We uncover the true legend of the Titanic, while exploring the shipyard where the ill-fated ship was built. After some free time for lunch, we depart for the Giant’s Causeway- one of the most spectacular natural spots in the world. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Day 4| Tuesday, Oct 31 | KNOCK/GALWAY – This morning we leave Belfast for Knock, to visit the famous Marian Shrine, internationally recognized and important pilgrimage center. Knock Shrine is renowned as a site of visions, apparitions, and miraculous cures. In August 1879, fifteen people witnessed the apparition of the Blessed Mother, St Joseph, and St John the Evangelist at the south gable of the Knock parish church. St Pope John Paul II visited Knock in 1979, during the centenary of the apparition. Pope Francis also visited during the World Meeting of Families in 2018. We celebrate Mass here and enjoy some free time for personal prayer. We continue to Galway, a city on Ireland’s west coast. We enjoy a brief panoramic tour of its delightful narrow streets, old stone and wooden shop fronts, Spanish Arch, the 19th century Eyre Square, the Latin Quarter and Lynch’s Castle. Next to the castle is the Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas, Galway’s finest medieval building. Dinner at a local restaurant in Galway. Overnight at our hotel in Galway.

Day 5| Wednesday, Nov 1 |CLIFFS OF MOHER/TRALEE Today we visit the Cliffs of Moher celebrating Mass en route at St. John the Baptist church. The Cliffs of Moher, situated in the Atlantic Ocean, boast one of the most spectacular views in Ireland. On a clear day, the Aran Islands are visible in Galway Bay as well as the valleys and hills of Connemara. We visit O’ Brien Tower, north of the Cliff’s highest point, then the Atlantic Edge, and its exciting new interpretive center. We pass the Burren National Park, a unique place with limestone pavements, myriads of wild flora, megalithic tombs, and Celtic crosses as well as a ruined Cistercian Abbey dating back to the 12th century. We stop at the Holy Well of St. Brigid where testimonies to lost loved ones fill our spirit with hope. We continue with our journey to Tralee via a ferry from Shannon. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Tralee.

Day 6 | Thursday, Nov 2 | TRALEE - This morning we wake in beautiful Tralee, in County Kerry. Saint Brendan, one of the early Irish monastic saints and one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland, hailed from this area. After morning Mass at a local church in Tralee- we head to Dingle. On route we stop and enjoy a sheepdog demonstration with tea and scones. Upon arrival in Dingle we enjoy free time to wander the streets, shop and have lunch. We sightsee some of the Dingle peninsula before we head back to Tralee. Tonight, upon returning to Tralee, we eat out at a Tralee restaurant with local flavor. Overnight at our hotel in Tralee.

Day 7 | Friday, Nov 3 | KILLARNEY/ROCK OF CASHEL – Today after breakfast, we journey to St. Mary’s Cathedral in Killarney to celebrate Mass and then enjoy a brief visit of this picturesque town. We drive down to visit Blarney Castle! Over the past several hundred years, millions of people have flocked to Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone- making it a world landmark and one of Ireland’s greatest treasures. The legendary Stone of Eloquence, found at the top of the tower, if kissed, legend says it delivers the gift of eloquence! We continue to the Rock of Cashel, known more formally as St. Patrick’s Rock, Dinner and overnight in the Kilkenny area.

Day 8 | Saturday, Nov 4| DUBLIN – Today before departing for Dublin, we visit and tour beautiful Holy cross Abbey. The church has many interesting features including a variety of fascinating windows, mural paintings, and many fine carvings. We celebrate Mass here before departing for Dublin! En route we pay homage to St. Kevin, the son of royalty and one of Ireland’s most popular saints. We visit the Glendalough Monastic site founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century which later became a famous center of learning throughout Europe. St. Kevin’s has attracted pilgrims and those with vocations to religious life for centuries. We continue to Dublin, where we will have a driving tour of her sites, including St. Mary’s Cathedral, before arriving at our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 9 | Sunday, Nov 5| DUBLIN - Today we start our day at White friar Carmelite Church to see the relics of St. Valentine and celebrate Mass. Then we tour all the sites of Dublin with a local guide, including a visit to Trinity College, to view the Book of Kells. We visit the National Museum of History which contains many of the Holy relics of Ireland. We enjoy some free time for lunch and shopping in Dublin this afternoon. You may also like to visit the Guinness factory. Tonight, we celebrate our pilgrimage with a special dinner at the Merry Ploughman’s Pub. Overnight at our hotel in Dublin.

Monday, Nov 6 | DAY 10 - RETURN TO THE USA – Today we enjoy our last hearty Irish breakfast before heading to the airport for our flight home. We will carry the stories of the Saints and the beauty of the Emerald Isle in our hearts forever and, of course, we wil1 have the gift of eloquence.