Body of the Morrigan- A Spiritual Journey of Ireland
September 7-16, 2015, Presented by Coru Cathubodua Priesthood
Experience the living power of the Morrigan and the poetic magic of the people and landscape of Ireland. By day we’ll visit Her most sacred sites. By night, you’ll enjoy moving ritual that will take you deep in to the heart of the Morrigan. Won’t you join us?
Tour Price* (includes tour, breakfast, dinner, and roundtrip airfare from SFO): $2,847
Land Only: $1,897
Single Room Supplement: $480
Airfare to Ireland Only (No tour, taxes included): $950
Non-refundable Deposit: $175
To sign up, find out how to make a payment, or for general information, contact Monica at Globetrotter Traveler today: celtictraveler @ gmail (dot) com. *Prices are per person, based on double occupancy, & in U.S. dollars. Itinerary & prices are subject to change without notice.
PILGRIMAGE ITINERARY*
Day 1 – UNITED STATES TO DUBLIN
Depart your hometown and take an overnight flight across the Atlantic. Enjoy in-flight entertainment and meal service as you travel to start your vacation.
Day 2 – DUBLIN ARRIVAL & WELCOME
After landing at Dublin Airport, complete customs and immigration formalities. Then your CIE Tours driver/guide will welcome you to Ireland and escort you and your luggage to the coach. Stop for breakfast at the Man O’ War restaurant and pub which has been standing on a hill on original Dublin to Belfast Road since 1595. Take an orientation drive around Dublin city center. Dublin is one of the liveliest capitals in Europe but there are plenty of historical places also. Pass the Death of Cuchulainn Statue on O’Connell Street, the Tain Mural on Nassau Street & The Charioteer on Talbot Street. Visit the National Museum in Kildare Street. Collections of many types of Irish artifacts are housed here but the most important are the early Christian items in gold and precious stones. See the display of Iron Age bog bodies at the Sacrifice & Kings exhibit. Next stop to visit the Guinness Storehouse to see exhibits on how this world famous stout was first created and why it is so popular today. Finish your visit in the roof-top bar, Gravity, overlooking the city center where you can sample a draft Guinness and enjoy the view of the city. Continue on to the Garden of Remembrance, located in Dublin City at Parnell Square. A place of quiet remembrance and reflection, the garden is dedicated to the memory of all who gave their lives in the cause of Irish freedom. The beautiful garden was designed by Daithí Hanly and the large sculpture by Oisin Kelly is based on the theme of the “Children of Lir.” Then drive to your hotel and check in. After you settle into your room you may like to rest or explore some of the city on your own before dinner.
DINNER & OVERNIGHT: ASHLING HOTEL, DUBLIN
Day 3 – HILL OF TARA, LIA FÁIL & MOUND OF THE HOSTAGES
Depart Dublin this morning and drive north to visit the Hill of Tara, seat of the High Kings of Ireland. It is also the site of a passage-tomb dating from the late Stone Age. All that remains today are huge circles of earthworks which are impressive by their size and age. Also view the The Lia Fáil, a stone at the Inauguration Mound on the Hill of Tara in County Meath, Ireland, which served as the coronation stone for the High Kings of Ireland. It is also known as the Coronation Stone of Tara. Next visit the Mound of the Hostages is an ancient passage tomb used for burials from the early Neolithic period. There are an estimated 250 – 500 bodies buried in the mound, organised into layers under the passage. Continue your drive to Ballyfarnon and check into your hotel. Spend the balance of the day free to relax and settle in before dinner.
DINNER & OVERNIGHT: KILRONAN CASTLE HOTEL, BALLYFARNON
Day 4 – CARROWKEEL & COUNTY ROSCOMMON
This morning set out to visit Carrowkeel with your group. Set high in the Bricklieve Mountains, projecting from the jagged edges of the hillside gorges, the Carrowkeel passage tombs have spectacular surroundings. Most of the graves are round and built from limestone, and date from 2500 to 2000BC. Continue on and view Lough Arrow located at the foot of the Curlew mountains on the Sligo/Roscommon border. It has some of the finest wild trout fishing in Europe. The lake’s waters are fed by natural spring wells and set in an area of great scenic beauty. Next stop to view the Mag Tuired located near the lake where the second battle of the Tuatha Dé Danann was fought against the Fomorians. Then you will view the Unshin River which joins the Ballysadare River at Collooney. It is overgrown immediately downstream of Lough Arrow and has a lot of deep water. Further down, the banks are more open, and here it holds good stocks of brown trout. Finish your sightseeing at the Labby Rock which sits tucked in a shallow valley on the north end of the ridge of Moytura. The Labby is an impressively massive portal dolmen: with a capstone weighing an estimated 70 tons, it is among the largest of such monuments in Ireland. Return to Ballyfarnon and relax before dinner.
DINNER & OVERNIGHT: KILRONAN CASTLE HOTEL, BALLYFARNON
Day 5 – BALLYFARNON TO CONG & FREE TIME
This morning travel southwest to the attractive village of Cong. View the Mag Tuired where the first battle of the Tuatha Dé Danann was fought against the Fir Bolg. Also visit the Black Hill, which is called Sliabh Belgadain, nearby. Enjoy some free in the town of Cong to explore and dine independently. Drive through the midlands of Ireland where you can see how many Irish people make their living from agriculture. In County Meath, check into your hotel and enjoy some free time to relax and freshen up before dinner this evening.
DINNER & OVERNIGHT: NEWGRANGE LODGE HOTEL, NEWGRANGE
Day 6 – CAVE OF CATS, REILIG NA RI & KINGSCOURT
After breakfast this morning set out to visit Oweynagat, Cave of the Cats. Located at Rath Croghan / Cruachan in the great archaeological complex in north Co. Roscommon, this small cave has huge mythic importance. This is the ancient capital of the goddess-queen MEDB, often pronounced and spelt as Meave. Inside are two ogham slabs that when translated mean ‘the pillar of Fraech son of Madb’. The cave is referred to as the birth place of Medb. Continue on to visit the burial place of the pagan kings of Connaught, called Reilig na Riogh or The Cemetery of the kings. Here Dathi, the last pagan Monarch of Ireland, was buried; and a large red pillar-stone erected over his grave remains to this day. Return to your hotel for free time and dinner this evening.
DINNER & OVERNIGHT: NEWGRANGE LODGE HOTEL, NEWGRANGE
Day 7 – BOYNE VALLEY CENTRE, NEWGRANGE & CLONTARF BATTLEFIELD
Drive southeast to the Boyne Valley Visitor Centre where you can learn about the nearby underground burial sights, exhibits and audio-visual presentations. Walk through a full-size replica of the largest tumulus, Newgrange, before visiting the actual site. The Megalithic Passage Tomb at Newgrange was built about 3200 BC. The kidney-shaped mound covers an area of over one acre and is surrounded by 97 kerbstones, some of which are richly decorated with megalithic art. It is estimated that the construction of the Passage Tomb at Newgrange would have taken a work force of 300 at least 20 years. Continue on to visit Clontarf Battlefield where the Battle of Clontarf took place on April 23, 1014 between the forces of Brian Boru and the forces led by the King of Leinster, Máel Mórda mac Murchada. The reason behind the battle was Dublin and its site with the control of this economic powerhouse being the prize. The main protagonists – Brian, Murchad and Male Morda all died on the battlefield. Travel onto County Offaly in the beautiful Irish Midlands for a tour of the site of the original Tullamore Dew distillery. Learn about the area’s history of canals, merchant classes and of course the making of the legendary Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey. Enjoy a sample before returning to Kingscourt. In the evening join your fellow travelers for dinner in the hotel restaurant.
DINNER & OVERNIGHT: NEWGRANGE LODGE HOTEL, NEWGRANGE
Day 8 – ARMAGH & NAVAN FORT
This morning drive to Armagh which has been the spiritual capital of Ireland for over 1,500 years and the seat of both Catholic and Protestant archbishops. Enjoy some free time to browse the area on your own. Visit Navan Fort, an ancient monument in County Armagh. According to Irish mythology, it was one of the great royal sites of pre-Christian Gaelic Ireland and the capital of the Ulaidh. It is a large circular enclosure—marked by a bank and ditch—with a circular mound and the remains of a ring barrow in the middle. Archeological investigations show that there were once buildings on the site, including a huge roundhouse-like structure. The site is believed to have had a pagan ceremonial purpose. Return to Newgrange and relax before joining your group for dinner in the hotel restaurant.
DINNER & OVERNIGHT: NEWGRANGE LODGE HOTEL, NEWGRANGE
Day 9 – CLOCHAFARMORE, FAUGHART & PROLEEK TOMB
This morning visit Clochafarmore, an impressive stone which stands on a slight hill overlooking the surrounding fields, standing at over 3 meters high and about 1.3 meters wide this standing stone is traditionally associated with CuChullain the legendary hero of “The Tain Bo Cuailgne” an old Irish saga. According to legend, CuChullain was mortally wounded when single handedly fighting off the army of Queen Maeve of Connach. He tied himself to the stone to stay upright and face his enemies, who would not approach him. After a few days Morrigan, the Celtic goddess of War and Death, appeared in the form of a raven, landed on him and they realized he was dead. Travel on to visit Faughart Graveyard which has a commanding position overlooking Dundalk bay, the Cooley Mountains and South Armagh. It is associated with some of Ireland’s great mythical and historical battles. Legend has it that several clashes involving Cúchulainn took place there during the Táin. Other features of interest in the graveyard include the ruins of a medieval church and a holy well that is said to have been used by Saint Brigid. Also visit the magnificent Proleek Portal Tomb, is situated in the grounds of Ballymascanlon Hotel on the legendary Cooley Peninsula in County Louth. It is one of the finest examples of its
kind in Ireland. Directly down the pathway you will ha ve a chance to view the reputed burial site of the legendary figure Fin McCool. Return to your hotel and join your group for a farewell dinner in the hotel restaurant.
DINNER & OVERNIGHT: NEWGRANGE LODGE HOTEL, NEWGRANGE
Day 10 – RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES
All too soon, your vacation in Ireland has come to the end. Transfer to Dublin Airport in plenty of time to check in for your flight, clear security and claim your VAT refund. You may do some last minute shopping at the duty free stores. Then clear U.S. Immigration before boarding your aircraft and fly west across the Atlantic Ocean back to the United States.
*Prices are per person, based on double occupancy, & in U.S. dollars. Itinerary & prices are subject to change without notice. Contact Monica for information.