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“Ancient and Holy in the Holy Land” October 5-18, 2008
A pilgrimage to the Holy Land will provide an opportunity to venerate the most central Holy Places of Christendom, to see famous monastic centres and to visit fascinating ancient ruins of the various Middle Eastern civilizations.
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2008 In the footsteps of Irish Fathers |
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Monday, 15 October 2007 |
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Page 2 of 3
Day 8, June 27, 2008: This morning we will travel from Sligo to Mullaghmore, where we will board a boat for a trip to Inishmurray Island which is an almost barren area of 1 mile by a ½ mile wide. The main attraction today is the island’s remarkable collection of antiquities. The great Cashel – a wall of un-cemented stones – encloses a group of ruins that are the most characteristic example of primeval Irish monastic establishment. The foundation of the monastery on the remote island is also attributed to that lover of hermitical life – St. Molaise. The repentant St. Colmcille, another famous Irish Saint came here after victory in the infamous “Battle of the Books” to confess his sins to St. Molaise. The destruction of the monastery by the Vikings in the ninth century was fatal, but the island remained a pilgrimage destination until very recent times. The last inhabitants of the island –fishermen, left for the mainland in the 1940s.Back on the mainland, we continue further south through Sligo where we visit the nearby Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery. This is the largest cemetery of megalithic tombs in Ireland and is also among the oldest in the country. Over 60 tombs have been located by archaeologists, the oldest pre-date Newgrange by some 700 years. A restored cottage houses a small exhibition relating to the site. Continue on to Westport which lies in the arm of Clew Bay, a superb expanse of island dotted sea framed by mountain ranges. Dinner and overnight in Galway.
Day 9, June 28, 2008: This morning we plan to attend a Divine Liturgy at the local Orthodox Church in Galway. The Orthodox community of the city does not have a church per se, but a priest visits here regularly, providing an opportunity for the local faithful to participate in worship and to receive the Holy mysteries. After the service we will travel eastwards to visit Clonfert Cathedral, located on the grounds of a monastery founded in 563 by St. Brendan the Navigator. This area was known as the ecclesiastical centre of Ireland, where numerous monasteries were located from as early as the 5th century. The monastery at Clonfert was a flourishing monastic settlement and a great center of learning. In the 16th century the College of St. Brendan was founded here and at one time there were as many as 3000 thousand students. According to some historical sources, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth it was proposed to found a University at Clonfert, but that idea never was realized. Onwards to nearby Clonmacnoise, founded by St. Ciaran in 548AD. The monastery was founded at an ideal location as it is situated at the junction of the major travel routes of Ancient Ireland and it is right on the border of three Irish provinces. Being an important pilgrim destination and under the patronage of various kings, Clonmacnoise became the most important of Ireland's monastic cities. Despite many attacks, it flourished until the mid 16th century when it was finally destroyed by English forces, never to be rebuilt ever again. Dinner and Overnight in Galway.
Day 10, June 29, 2008: Today we take an Aran Islands tour, travelling to the Gaelteacht area of Rossaveal to take the ferry boat to Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands. Enjoy a tour of the Island by mini-bus. We will visit the mystic fort of Dun Aengus with its imposing position overlooking the Atlantic. The Islands are still largely Gaelic speaking, and maintain many of the traditional Irish island customs which reflect the harshness of island life. Visit to the Aran Island Interpretative Centre where an excellent audio-visual display shows the history of the islands and the islanders. Time permitting and also subject to ferry crossings, we visit Inishmann, (meaning the "the middle island") where we visit the ancient Kilcanonagh Church, which is a typical 8th-9th century stone building and is complete except for the roof, which must have been wood-framed. It is surrounded by grave slabs and it was here that the island buried its people until fifty years ago. We will also visit Teampall na Seacht Mac Rí (Church of the seven sons). Very little remains of this early church. By the south door is the grave of Saint Cinndearg. Nearby is a holy well, 'Tobar Chinndeirge'. This used to be a famous place of pilgrimage for all of Connaught. "The Stations" are still held here on the 15th of August. We will return from the Aran Islands via Doolin. Time permitting we will stop at the observation deck over the Cliffs of Moher – one of the most imposing natural wonders of Ireland. Transfer to the hotel in County Clare for dinner and overnight.
Day 11, June 30, 2008: We will start our day with the exploration of another important monastic foundation at Kilmacduagh that was founded in the 7th century by Saint Colman, son of Duagh (hence the name), on a property given to him by his cousin and local king. The monastery was of such importance that it became the centre of a new diocese, the Diocese of Kilmacduagh. After venerating another Holy place, we will continue to the center at Craggaunowen, an archaeological open air museum, very unique and the only one of its kind in Ireland. It shows what an early medieval crannog – natural or artificial and often fortified island - might have looked like. At the local Craggaunowen Castle that is adjacent to the site there is a museum with various exhibits. On one of them is a replica of the currachs – the leather boat that was most probably used by St. Brandon the Navigator in his voyages across North Atlantic. The boat in the museum collection is the one that belonged to the team of the famous Tim Severin in his expedition of 1973, which attempted to repeat the journey of St. Brandon as described in the Latin text dating from the ninth century titled “Voyage of Saint Brendan the Abbot”. Passing the medieval city of Limerick and the pretty village of Adare, we continue on to Killarney located among Kerry’s spectacular mountains and lakes is famous for. Dinner and overnight in Killarney.
Day 12, June 31, 2008: This morning, we embark on a tour of one of Ireland's most popular scenic drives, the Ring of Kerry. Starting in Killarney which is set beside the picturesque lakes at the foot of the Kerry mountains, we continue on to Killorglin, a pretty riverside village famous for the annual horse fair. There will be plenty of stops along the route to admire the views and take photos. Continue through Glenbeigh, with its spectacular views and long sandy beaches and on to Valencia Island where we visit the Skellig Experience Visitor Centre. Surrounded by breathtaking scenery, the Interpretative Centre blends into the landscape and offers superb views of the fishing port of Portmagee. The centre illustrates four main themes associated with the Skelligs UNESCO World Heritage site using graphics, models, exhibition items and reconstruction. The Centre has an 80 seat auditorium with a 16 minute audio-visual presentation which explains the background of the monastic occupation of the island, as well as the life of the monks that live there. For the more adventurous among the group and subject to suitable weather conditions, we travel 12km by boat to the Skellig Islands. From a distance the islands look like floating pyramids of sandstone. Up close they look rugged and uninviting and after a cold and often rough boat trip, there are almost seven hundred steep steps to greet you on your arrival. The tiring climb up the steps is not for the faint hearted. The largest of the Skelligs is Skellig Michael (Sceilg Mhichil) and was home to one of the earliest monastic settlements in Ireland that is preserved practically intact since the seventh century. The monks of St. Fionan's monastery led simple lives and lived in stone, beehive shaped huts. They would spend most of the day praying in the church, tending to their gardens and studying. These huts, which were round on the outside and rectangular on the inside, were carefully built so that no drop of rain ever entered between the stones. The monks were forced to leave the island in the thirteenth century but it remained a place of pilgrimage for a long time. Returning to the mainland, we travel through Sneem, voted Ireland's tidiest town and certainly one of the prettiest villages, with colourful houses and shops set around a village green and continue on to Killarney. Dinner and overnight in Killarney.
Day 13, July 1, 2008: Today a breathtaking landscape will unfold in front of our eyes today as we drive around the Dingle Peninsula before arriving in Dunquin, on the westernmost tip of the peninsula, to visit the Blasket Centre. Here you will discover what life was like on the remote Blasket Islands. This living history museum explores all the dimensions of island-living, from the land, the sea, and the language, to the weather and the seasons, as well as the distinctive character of the Blasket Islanders. Leaving Dunquin, we arrive at Gallarus Oratory, one of the best-preserved Early Christian church buildings in Ireland that dates approximately to the seventh century. The building suggests, in outline, an inverted boat.Time permitting we will stop at Dunbeag Promontory Fort, one of the most impressive archaeological sites of the Peninsula, that is also believed to be a part of the Christian and possibly monastic settlement. Return to Killarney for dinner and overnight.
Day 14, July 2, 2008: Leaving Killarney we travel northwards through the rich agricultural lands known as the “Golden Vale” before arriving at Cashel where we visit one of the most important ecclesiastical sites in Ireland - The Rock of Cashel which rises dramatically from the flat countryside. This site has the best set of varied monuments in any Irish site. The rock is crowned by a group of buildings, both ecclesiastical and royal, including a round tower, a 13th century Romanesque chapel and the beautifully restored Hall of the Vicar Choral.We also visit nearby Holycross Abbey. Holycross Abbey was founded in 1168 for the Benedictines by Donal O'Brien, King of Munster and transferred about 1182 to the Cistercians. The precious Relic of the True Cross, given by Pope Paschal II to Murtagh O'Brien II, King of Munster in 1110 was magnificently enshrined in the Abbey and Holycross became one of the most frequented places of pilgrimage in Ireland. Much rebuilding work was carried out in the first three centuries of the Abbey's existence so that little of the original Romanesque work remains. The Abbey was restored and is now used as a Parish Church. Continuing our journey towards Dublin we arrive in Kildare, where we visit St Brigid's Cathedral. The present restored Norman cathedral most likely occupies the site of the original pagan shrine to the goddess Brigid and the later early Christian foundation and church of St. Brigid. As the eighth century document states, St. Brigid was born into a Christian family in 453AD. At age sixteen she was tonsured a nun and started her monastery at Celldare. St. Brigid is second only to St Patrick in the esteem of the Irish people. She is specially associated with Kildare and the whole area of Magh Life (The Liffey Plain). The present Cathedral was built by the Norman Bishop Ralph of Bristol in 1223 and continued to serve the people of Kildare through the centuries, though after the Reformation it gradually fell into disrepair and by 1641 it was totally ruined following the Confederate Wars. It was restored to its present glory in the 19th century and has in recent years undergone further restoration. From Kildare we will travel the short distance to Dublin. Dinner and overnight in Dublin.
Day 15, July 4, 2008: This morning, we travel into Wicklow, “the garden of Ireland” and visit Glendalough, where in the 6th century the Monastery founded by St Kevin became a centre of learning renowned in Europe. Its many early remains are of particular interest, especially the stone-roofed St Kevin's Kitchen, actually St Kevin's Church, so called because of its unusual construction. It appears to combine church, cell and belfry and is a notable example of the early development of Irish church architecture. Also of interest are The Fine Round Tower, The Great High Cross (St Kevin's Cross) and the remains of the "Seven Churches". An excellent interpretative centre combines an interesting audio visual film with artefacts and information on the site. We return to Dublin through the scenic Wicklow Gap. The remainder of the day is free for some personal sightseeing. Dinner and overnight in Dublin.
Day 16, July 5, 2008: This morning we travel to Dublin Airport for the return flight to the US.
Important: the itinerary may be adjusted to satisfy the interests of the group to the best extent possible; i.e. services, rest, additional time spent in the most significant places Accessibility of some of the monuments is also subject to weather conditions and restoration works.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 31 January 2008 )
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