Spirit of Ireland Tour

'       ' I am of Ireland,
        And the Holy Land
        of Ireland,
        And time runs on,'
        cried she.
'       'Come out of charity
        And dance with me
        in Ireland.'
                            W. B. Yeats

September 1st - 13th, 2006

Join Mara Freeman on a 12-day odyssey through Ireland to explore some of the most beautiful and inspirational sacred landscapes of this enchanted isle. From prehistoric temples of stone to faery-haunted glens, healing springs to medieval abbeys, this is a journey to open us to the soul of an ancient and inimitable country, and perhaps also awaken long-forgotten ancestral memories of our own.

The Pilgrimage
Our journey starts in the magical southwest, and includes the legendary lakes of Killarney, sheela-na-gigs and holy wells, the stone circles of the remote Beare Peninsula, and the spectacular coastal scenery of the Dingle Peninsula, where the ruins of early Celtic Christian monasteries lie scattered across the moors.

We then journey over the mountains to the Burren in County Clare, a unique area of limestone rock dotted with the megaliths and faery forts of a vanished civilization, including the famous Poulnabrone dolmen.

Next day, we take a ferry ride 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.

The fabled 'Land of Heart's Desire' is next: the county of Sligo, home to Carrowmore and Carrowkeel, two of the oldest and finest archaeological megalithic sites in Ireland. This is the country of poet W. B. Yeats, and we will be following in his footsteps to some of the most evocative places he wrote about in his faery poetry. We climb Knocknarea, the hill of the legendary Queen Maeve, and sail to the Lake Isle of Innisfree, immortalized in his poem of the same name.

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. By way of the early settlement of Monasterboice, with its ornately decorated high crosses, we reach the Boyne Valley to witness the most mysterious and awe-inspiring Neolithic monument in Ireland: Brú na Bóinne, or Newgrange, an ancient earth temple and astronomical observatory encrusted with white quartz and filled with extraordinary carvings in stone. We will also be spending time at Knowth with its unique megalithic art, and our journey culminates at the Hill of Tara, the royal sacred center of Ireland.

Other Activities
Ireland is a land richly endowed with a treasury of myth and story. Mara has been coming to Ireland for over 30 years and is steeped in its rich 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. There will be time to enjoy walks over heathery moorland and sandy beaches, stroll around bustling harbors and down lanes edged with foxgloves and fuchsia, listen to traditional music on fiddle and pipes, and, of course, meet Ireland's wonderful people!

Accommodations
We will be staying in a fabulous selection of award-winning 3 or 4 Star Irish Country Houses and small friendly hotels, hand-picked for their comfort, charm, excellent food, and beautiful locations. Irish hospitality, warmth and personal attention come with the territory!

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