Day 6. Friday, May 19. To County Cork: Paps of Anu;
Ballyvourney - Saint Gobnait's Holy Well & Shrine, Sheela-Na-Gig;
Knocknakilla Stone Circle; To Cork (B/L/D)

     
Left to Right: Paps of Anu, Goddess Anu, Painting - Riders of the Sidhe by John Duncan

        
Left to Right: Entrance to St. Gobnait's Sacred Well & Shrine, Sacred Well, Shrine

    
Left to Right: Sheela-Na-Gigs, Knocknakilla Stone Circle

Breakfast at your leisure. Service begans at 6:00AM.

9:00AM We check out of the hotel and bid our fond "Farewell" to Killarney and County Kerry as we drive through the lovely Irish countryside to County Cork. Along the way we stop along the highway to see the Paps of Anu, two mountains shaped like breasts, and named after Anu, the Mother Goddess of the Tuatha de Dannan (see below). Anu or Danu as She was also called, was originally a European Goddess, Her name being commemorated most famously in the River Danube. She was the ancient Celtic goddess of fertility, prosperity and comfort, a very ancient figure whose name means delight, pleasure, and melody. She was the patroness of springs and fountains. In Celtic Christianity she became known as St. Anne, to smooth the path of conversion, and many St. Anne's Wells are named for Her. Commune with the Goddess Anu and open your heart to receive Her blessings!

The Tuatha De Danann (People of the Goddess Danu/Anu), the Ancient Ones, or the Shining Ones, were one of the mythical races of deities and heroes of Irish pre-history. They were skilled in art and science, poetry and magic. Legends say they were a were a branch of the ancient seafaring Dananns of the Mediterranean, who, beginning in the 2nd millennium BCE, abandoned some of their coastal territories in the Aegean Sea and Asia Minor coast to conduct a series of migrations to the windswept regions of northern Europe. Danu's son Dagda was their most powerful leader. He came to Ireland with Arch Druids and Druidesses. Upon reaching the shores of Ireland the magical Danaan cloaked themselves in mist, appeared unexpectedly to the current residents, conquered them, and spread throughout the land. Eventually they were conquered by the Milesians from Asia Minor. They retreated to Tir na n-Og (Land of Youth) or continued to lived on the land with the Milesians. Their subterranean homes were entered solely thorough the sidh-mounds, the "hollow hills", which were hidden by magic from the eyes of mortals. Their homes were called Sidhe or the Otherworld. Another name for the Tuatha De Danann was the aes sidhe or the "People of the Sidhe". Today they are known as the "Faery People". These fairies are not the ones with tiny pixie with wings that are found in folklore and children's fairy tales. Rather they are human-like, with supernatural powers!

10:00AM We continue to nearby Ballyvourney (Town of the Beloved), a primarily Irish-speaking village. Our first stop is the local sacred well dedicated to St. Gobnait, a woman saint from the area, a longtime place of pilgrimage. Many of the sacred wells in Ireland were originally the sites of pagan shrines. The Celts believed the earth's waters were especially sacred and healing, that they issued from the realm of the Underworld Goddess who ruled both birth and death, linking her domain with the Upper World. For them, the waters represented Her eternal wisdom and Her life giving properties. They believed that the easiest way to gain access to the Otherworld was through the divine springs and wells. Every well had its own guardian spirit or local goddess who presided over it. Andrea will facilitate a sacred ritual of "doing the rounds", during which we will encircle the well a certain number of times, holding those near and dear to us, alive or departed, in our hearts and minds. We then offer water to the Mother Earth in thanksgiving, then to our ancestors, finally drinking of Her lifeblood! (Bring a small plastic bottle and you can take some of the blessed water home with you!)

Afterwards we walk to the nearby abandoned church to see one of the few remaining in-situ Irish Sheela-na-gigs, an ancient symbol of woman's freedom and creativity, and perhaps the last vestiges of what some researchers believe to be the pagan connection with Celtic Christianity. These stone carvings of a female figure consist of an old woman squatting and pulling apart her vulva. They are usually associated with "hags" or the Crone. The Sheela is situated above a window on the south wall the old church. The locals still refer to Her as the ancient Mother Goddess and regularly make their personal pilgrimages to Her, especially each year on February 11th, the feast day of St. Gobnait. Our ritual to connect with our own creativity will consist of rubbing of the image - to touch and feel Her, communing through meditation.

1:00PM After our morning visits we enjoy a group lunch at a local pub/restaurant in Ballyvourney.

2:30PM Then we're off to Knocknakilla Stone Circle! The name is derived from the Irish Cnoc na Cille, "The Hill of the Church". The megalithic complex, which is thought to be 3500 years old, is situated between nearby Macroom and Millstreet, on the northwest upper slopes of Musherabeg mountain. Knocknakilla is best known for its large phallic, now leaning, portal stone. Given the stones' relation to both the rising and setting sun, it's thought that they were aligned with purpose and functionality in mind, most likely as calendars to early farmers, relating to harvest or fertility ceremonies. We'll take some time for individual exploration and a group meditation facilitated by Andrea to connect with the ancient energies of this sacred place.

5:00PM Depart to Cork.
6:00PM Arrive and check in at the hotel.
7:00PM Group dinner at the hotel.

Overnight Cork. The Maldron Hotel Shandon. https://www.maldronhotelshandoncorkcity.com/

Day 7. Saturday, May 20. To Kildare - Sisters of Bridget Center;
Bridget's Church & Bridget's Well; To Dublin (B/BoxLunch/Dinner)

    
Left to Right: Sisters of Bridget Center - Statue of Bridget, Sister Mary with Bridget Cross, Altar with Perpetual Flame

    
Left to Right: St Bridget's Cathedral, Sheela-Na-Gig in Cathedral, Shrine for Sacred Flame

  
Left to Right: Kildare Round Tower, Bridget Statue at Bridget's Well

Breakfast at your leisure. Begins at 6:00AM

8:00AM Check out of the hotel and board our motor coach for our drive through the lovely and picturesque Irish countryside to Kildare. Today we'll be learning about and honoring Bridget/Brigit/Brigid/Brighid, the main Mother Goddess of Ireland. She is often considered the Triple Goddess. She is the goddess of poetry, healing, fertility, childbirth, and unity. Regardless of their differences, with their love and respect for Brigid, all Celtic people agreed upon Her goodness and compassion. She was also the warrior goddess, and as the goddess of fire was the patroness the forge and the hearth. Once Christianity came to the Isle, She was incorporated into it as St. Brighid. In many Irish homes today St. Brighid's Cross is used for protection, and is made from rushes as in the old days. Her main center of worship was at Kildare, where we're headed today.

11:00AM Arrive Kildare and visit the Solas Bride Center and the Sisters of Bridget. In 1992 the Brigidine Sisters came to live in Kildare to re-connect with their roots, to reclaim Brigid in a new way for a new millennium. They founded a small Christian Center for Celtic Spirituality in the spirit of Brigid of Kildare. An outreach community of women and men, who call themselves Cairde Bhride, (Friends of Brigid) has developed around the Solas Bhride Center in association with the Brigidine Sisters. Inspired by the values of Brigid, they work together to promote peace, justice, reconciliation and care of the earth. We'll meet with Sister Phil & Sister Mary, who will share their love of and teachings about Bridget, in Her many forms. (Box lunch included)

2:30PM Afterwards we'll visit the Cathedral Church of St. Brigid. The present building is a restored Norman cathedral dating from 1223. The site occupied by the cathedral is likely the site of a pagan shrine to the goddess Brigid. There was a Christian church here from the end of the 5th century, a simple thatched-roof structure, built under an oak tree, and named by St. Brigid Cill Dara, the Church of the Oak, from which the name of the city and the modern name of the country Kildare derives.

Inside the church we find a Sheela-na-gig, a carving that is an ancient symbol of woman's freedom and creativity. Sheela-na-Gigs are virtually the only surviving element of one of the most important aspects of the native Celtic tradition, with its feminine orientation or belief in the ultimate deity as symbolized in the Cailleach (Coy lech) or Hag. These stone carvings of a female figure consist of an old woman squatting and pulling apart her vulva. Take some time to sit near Her to commune and connect with your own creativity through meditation.

Outside the church is the restored foundation of St. Brigid's Fire Temple, dedicated to the most significant woman of early Christian Ireland, or perhaps her pagan namesake. While there are no contemporary texts to describe the pagan goddess, this Brigid ("Exalted one") is thought by her devotees to have been a "triple goddess" of poetry, healing and smithcrafting. One legend says that she was born at daybreak and rose into the sky with the sun, with its rays of fire beaming from her head.

Fire is a central image in the Brigidine tradition. A perpetual flame burned in Kildare in pre-Christian times and was kept alight by Brigid and her nuns, possibly up to the sixteenth century. Legend tells us that 19 priestesses representing the 19-year cycle of the Celtic year each tended the sacred fire through a 20 day rotation. On the 20th day it is said that the fire was tended by Brighid herself. To this day, the sacred flame has continued to burn, although during its lifetime it has been put out during political upheavals. It was relit in 1993 by Sister Mary Teresa Cullen, the then leader of the Brigidine Sisters, in the Market Square, Kildare at the opening of a justice and peace conference. The Ssters of the Solas Bride Center have kept it burning perpetually since that time. Take some time to viit the Shrine of the Sacred Flame for a time of blessing and meditation.

Also on the grounds of the cathedral is a round tower. The original tower, possibly from the 6th centure succumbed to assault or simply fell into ruin. The present tower dates to the 12th century. At over 100 ft. tall, it's the second highest in Ireland, and the highest one that can be climbed. The impressive tower was constructed from Wicklow granite and local limestone. The doorway and entrance is built from red sandstone, with typical romanesque motifs of chevrons, marigolds and lozenges.

3:30PM On our way out of town we'll stop at Bridget's Well, a mystical place of veneration for this pagan goddess. Here you can still sense that the area has been "special" to many people for ages! The well is fed by a spring that then flows underground before appearing again under a stone archway. The stones below the archway are known as St Brigid's slippers.The stream then flows past a modern bronze statue of Saint Brigid.  We'll take some quiet time for reflection and meditation before we leave Kildare, giving Thanks for what we've received today from Bridget.

5:00PM Depart to Dublin.
6:00PMish Arrive Dublin and check into the hotel.
7:30PM Group dinner at the hotel.

Overnight Dublin. Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham. https://www.riu.com/en/hotel/ireland/dublin/hotel-riu-plaza-the-gresham-dublin/

Day 8. Sunday, May 21. Dublin, Free Time (B)

       
Left to Right: Book of Kells, National Museum of Archaeololgy, Tara Brooch, St Stephen's Green

Breakfast at your leisure. Begins at 6:00AM

You have a free day to explore Dublin on your own. Perhaps you'd like to visit Trinity College to view the Book of Kells, housed in the Old Library. Or the National Museum of Archaeology and History, with its phenomenal collection of artifacts from every period of Irish history. View the famous Sheela-na-Gigs, as well as the famed Tara Brooch, an exquisite example of Celtic gold and silver metalwork dating to the beginning of the 8th century; the early 9th-century Ardagh Chalice made of silver, gold, and bronze, found with other smaller treasures in a Limerick potato field in 1868, as well as a replica of the Gundestrup Cauldron, found in a peat bog at Gundestrup, Denmark and believed to be of Celtic art. You can also view several bodies that were recovered from bogs!

Take a leisurely stroll through St Stephen's Green, adjacent to Grafton Street, one of Dublin's main shopping streets. 

Lunch and dinner on your own.

Overnight Dublin. Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham.

Day 9. Monday, May 22. Newgrange & Knowth, Hill of Tara, Farewell Dinner (B/D)

        
Left to Right: Newgrange, Entrance to Newgrange Passage Tomb, Hill of Tara

Breakfast at your leisure. Begins at 6:00AM

9:00AM Depart to Newgrange
10:00AM Arrive at one of the world's most famous archeological valleys, the Boyne Valley, 30 miles north of Dublin. Here the development of man can be traced back over 9,000 years to Neolithic times, with many well-preserved sites, buildings and monuments. The highlight of our visit is to Newgrange, one of the world's most important sacred sites, with its spectacular world-famous passage grave containing kerb stones engraved with megalithic art. The most stunning example of this ancient art at Newgrange is the beautifully carved entrance stone with its Triple Goddess spiral. The Tuatha De Danaan, who ruled Ireland in ancient mythology, were said to have erected Newgrange as a burial place for their chief, Dagda Mor, and his three sons. According to the most reliable carbon 14 dates available, it was constructed around 3,200 BCE. Some archaeologists believe it to be the oldest engineered building in the world! In 1993, Newgrange and its sister sites Knowth and Dowth were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As we walk this hallowed ground and enter into the passage tomb, take time to focus and connect with the Ancient Ones who built this phenomenal sacred site. If Knowth is open, we will also be able to visit this site. NOTE: Due to the CoVid pandemic, please be aware that our visits to Newgrange & Knowth may be only to the exterior of the two chambers.

Lunch on your own at the Visitors Center and time to visit the gift shop for souvenirs.

1:00PM Depart to the Hill of Tara.
1:30PM Arrive and visit Hill of Tara, with a guided tour

We then visit another of Ireland's most important sacred sites, the Hill of Tara, which is said to represent the mother womb of Ireland. The Hill was the ancient seat of power in Ireland - 142 kings are said to have reigned there in prehistoric and historic times. In ancient Irish religion and mythology it was the sacred dwelling place of the Tuatha Dé Dannan, and was the entrance to the Otherworld. Sitting on top of the King's Seat is a replica of the most famous of Tara's monuments, Ireland's ancient coronation stone, known as the Lia Fail or Stone of Destiny, which was brought here according to mythology by the Dannan as one of their sacred objects. It was said to roar when touched by the rightful king of Tara.

We have time to meditate in this powerful place to connect with the ancient and other-worldly energies. High on this hill overlooking the lovely nearby counties of the Emerald Isle, Andrea will facilitate our Closing Ceremony and Meditation.

4:00PM Depart to Dublin
5:00PM Arrive at our hotel.
7:00PM On our last evening on the Emerald Isle, during our Farewell Dinner, we share more of our sacred travel experiences, as well as hugs and our fond farewells.

Overnight Dublin. Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham.

Day 10. Tuesday, May 23. Depart Ireland (B)
Tour ends after breakfast.

Transfer to Dublin International Airport on your own to check in for your international flight.
The hotel Concierge will be able to help you with booking transportation to the airport.

Note: This itinerary is subject to change due to conditions beyond our control.




TESTIMONIALS

Let my heart fly to new beginnings and new endings, ever present knowing my soul has walked this sacred land many eons ago…Oh just tarry a bit longer to feel the magic the elementals have to offer. Music dances between the dawn and the night with the rhythm of the land and sea…..and Andrea helped to facilitate and integrate these wonderful energies of Ireland. - Pam H., OH

The meditations we did helped to centre my experience and to bring us together as a group on the journey together. I experienced an amazing reconnection with myself and I am grateful to move forward in the next phase of my life with renewed love and trust in the Goddess.  Colleen W. - Canada

Ireland is vibrant with beauty, good energy and great people. The sacred sites on this journey are awe-inspiring, interesting & peacefilled. I highly recommend this pilgrimage. Lynn M. - KS

For me the tour was nice, rather laid-back. I appreciated the fact that ceremonies were optional and could be attended if wished. I enjoyed connecting with the other travelers and understanding more about the sites. I feel that joining the tour has enriched my life. Mehera S. - Australia

The English language is ill-equipped to describe my experience on the Sacred Sites Journeys tour to Ireland. I simply cannot find the words to do the experience justice. Suffice it to say it has been life-changing, self-assuring & affirmative and has given me the opportunity to connect with the magick of my ancestors, my sacred feminine, my kindred sisters and this fabulous land of the  Mother. I can only wish for all sentient beings to have the desire and opportunity to experience a divine connection with Gaia that will perpetually sustain and nourish Her as much as it can nourish us! Lisa E. - Australia

The spiritual pilgrimage to Ireland was very rewarding. I especially enjoyed the sacred sites of Newgrange and Skellig Michael, and the sacred wells. Ireland its people are beautiful. We even had great weather! - L. Merrill - KS

My sacred journey to Ireland was a good one for me on many levels and in different aspects. First, generally it is good to get out and meet and see how other people are actually living their lives. The Irish seem to be doing quite well without the innumerable distractions we are exposed to here. I appreciated their graciousness and friendliness towards us. On a more personal level, this is the first trip I had taken where I knew absolutely no one other than corresponding with Andrea. It was fine. I even chose not to email my roommate beforehand, as I  knew it would be alright; and it was. Ireland is such a beautiful country, one where you cannot ignore the connection to nature. That was certainly reaffirming for me, especially since my work is with wildlife. But the connection is on a very deep level too. I know the country is really mother earth and just seeing those green hills felt very sheltering. - J. Cohn - AZ

We had a wonderful time in Ireland! There really wasn't a single thing about the vacation that we didn't appreciate and enjoy. We would go back in the proverbial heartbeat. We loved the beauty of the place, the fun, and the history, and heaven knows, the food (especially Bridget's brown bread and porridge, and the salmon!). But especially we loved the sacred ceremonies, which sustain us in ways we would probably never be able to articulate. - A. Joyce and J. Dennison - MD

TOUR INCLUSIONS

Your Sacred Sites Journey to IRELAND Includes:
- Accommodations in charming 3-star Irish hotels, all rooms with private bath or shower (includes taxes & service charges) and with daily breakfast
- 2 Box lunches (Days 2 & 7); 2 Lunches (Days 4 & 6)
- 8 Dinners (Days 1 - 7 & 9)
- Air-conditioned motorcoach transportation throughout
- Sightseeing as per the itinerary, including entrance fees
- Pre-Paid Gratuities for motorcoach driver
- Local Guide at Newgrange
- Local Guide at Hill of Tara
- Porterage included at hotels, one piece of luggage per person

Special Features
- Travel in a smaller group with other spirit-centered people
- Fully escorted from Shannon by SSJ's Director, Andrea Mikana-Pinkham
- Featured Speaker author Mark Amaru Pinkham
- Sacred ceremonies and meditations facilitated by Andrea Mikana-Pinkham and Mark Amaru Pinkham
- Limerick Area: Lough Gur, Grange Stone Circle, Bunratty Castle & Folk Park and Bridget's Well
- Killarney Area: Innisfallen Island, Ross Castle, Druid's Stone Circle, Kenmare, Torc Waterfall and the Ring of Kerry
- County Cork Area: Paps of Anu, Sacred Well, Sheela-Na-Gig, Knocknakilla Stone Circle
- Kildare: Sisters of Bridget Center, Bridget's Cathedral, Kildare Round Tower and Bridget's Well
- Free Day in Dublin
- County Meath Area: Newgrange & Knowth and the Hill of Tara
- Welcome and Farewell Dinners

NOT INCLUDED:
- Roundtrip international air to Ireland (Arrive Shannon/Depart Dublin)
- Transfer hotel/airport in Dublin
- Meals not included, as indicated in the itinerary
- Cost to obtain valid passport
- Any items of a personal nature such as laundry, drinks, internet service, telephone calls.
- Any item that is not specifically detailed on the SSJ website or final trip itinerary as being part of the Land Package

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!
Our Sacred Sites Journeys are smoke-free sacred travel experiences.
All forms of tobacco, as well as e-cigarettes are not allowed at any time.
Thanks for your cooperation.

TOUR PRICING
All prices listed are in US Dollars.

This tour is LAND ONLY. You are responsible to book your international flights. IMPORTANT: ARRIVAL is in Shannon and DEPARTURE is from Dublin.
ARRIVAL: Please book your international flight to arrive in Shannon (Shannon International Airport - SNN) on Sunday, May 14, 2023 by Noonish in order to give yourself time to check in at the airport hotel and rest before our welcome dinner.
DEPARTURE: Please book your international departure on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 to depart from Dublin (Dublin International Airport - DUB) .

Price Per Person, double occupancy, land only $3,439.00 - via check

NOTE: The price posted above is for a group of 12. If the final number in the group is more than 12, the price will decrease to the following amounts:
Group of 14 - $3,199.00
Group of 16 - $3,019.00
Group of 18 - $2,889.00
Group of 20 - $2,689.00
Group of 22 - $2,609.00

OTHER PAYMENT OPTIONS:
1) If you choose not to pay by check, you can wire funds directly to our bank account from your bank account. If you live outside the USA and are wiring the funds, please send them in US dollars and add $25.00 to the amount you're sending to cover the wire fee. This is in addition to any fees charged to your account by your bank to wire the funds.
2) For those who live in the USA, you can send funds via Zelle.
3) For those who live outside the USA, you also have the option to send the funds from your bank account or using a credit card via websites such as www.TransferWise or www.xe.com or others you may choose. Any fees that are applied for using these websites are your responsibility.

IMPORTANT! The final payment requirement from the hotels, transportation company, etc. is due 8 weeks before the trip begins. *** Therefore we must have a minimum of 12 people registered by Monday, March 13th in order to be able to operate this group. If you plan on joining us, please begin your process immediately by scrolling down to the "Tour Registration" section near the botton of this page. Please follow the directions to register. Thank you!

Single Room Supplement: $735.00 - via check
This is the additional amount you will pay if you choose to have your own private room throughout the tour. The number of single rooms for our group is limited to five. NOTE: Once these fill, if we can obtain additional rooms from the various hotels, there may be an additional supplement price. So, if you want your own private room at the price listed above, please register EARLY! Thanks!

ROOMMATES: Would you like to meet and make a new friend on your journey? If you're not traveling with anyone you know, and would like for SSJ to try to match you up with a suitable roommate, we'll be happy to try to do so. Per our Terms and Conditions, we will hold the registration for the trip open until 30 days before the tour begins in order to try to match you with someone. If by that date we have not been able to do so, you will be responsible to pay for the single supplement. If you would like to be matched with a roommate, please register early.

TOUR REGISTRATION

If you haven't traveled with us, or haven't done so within the last 5 years, please request a Pre-Trip Questionnaire.
OR if you have traveled with us during the last 5 years, please request a Registration Form.
Please email Andrea Mikana-Pinkham at sacredsitesjourneys@gmail.com
OR call our office at 928 284-1429 and leave a message with your email address so we can get back to you. Thank you!





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Sacred Sites Journeys is NOT affiliated with any other sacred travel company.

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