Celtic Pilgrimage

 

 

 

 

 The Celts left a legacy of:

• a deep love of nature,
• markers for compassionate soul friendship, and
• spiritual practices to live into being present through intimacy with God.  

As we walk the land to discover Celtic heritage, we also traverse the contours of our inner landscape to discover wisdom relevant for today.

Schedule

Sunday, 18 October: Celtic High Crosses and Orientation
14:30 Depart from Spiritual Directors International in Europe Conference
Monasterboice High Cross and Hill of Slane
18:00 Welcome, Orientation, Introduction to Pilgrimage and Noble Silence
Evening Meal and Evening Prayer
Overnight: Glendalough Hotel, County Wicklow

Monday, 19 October: Glendalough - The Monastic City
7:30 Morning Prayer and Breakfast
9:00 Glendalough Visitor’s Center, Guided Pilgrimage Walk through the ancient and famous Monastic City of Glendalough, St. Kevin’s Well, Kevin’s Church, St. Kieran’s Church, Cathedral, Round Tower and St. Mary’s Church.
Midday Meal and Afternoon free to rest, contemplate, and explore
17:30 Presentation on Wisdom of the Ancestors
19:00 Evening Meal followed by Noble Silence and Evening Prayer
Overnight: Glendalough Hotel, County Wicklow

Tuesday, 20 October: Glendalough - St. Kevin’s Desert
7:30 Morning Prayer and Breakfast
9:00 Presentation on Desert Spirituality and the Celtic Tradition
Guided and reflective pilgrimage walk to Diseart Chaoimhin (St. Kevin’s Desert), St. Kevin’s Cell, Reefert Church and overview of St. Kevin’s Bed (a sacred cave where St. Kevin fasted for Lent)
Midday Meal and Afternoon free to rest, contemplate, and explore
17:30 Oral Tradition as a narrative method for Spiritual Listening
19:00 Evening Meal, Noble Silence and Evening Prayer
Overnight: Glendalough Hotel, County Wicklow

Wednesday, 21 October: Glendalough, Quiet Day - Wisdom of the Heart
7:30 Morning Prayer and Breakfast
9:00 Guided meditation on the ancient Wisdom of the Heart Spiritual Practice Free Day for quiet, reflection, contemplation, and rest
16:00 St. Mary’s Church for Celtic Communion Celebration
19:00 Evening Meal followed by Noble Silence and Evening Prayer
Overnight: Glendalough Hotel, County Wicklow

Thursday, 22October: Dublin - National Treasures
7:30 Morning Prayer and Breakfast
9:00 Depart for Dublin
10:00 Celtic treasures at the National Museum and the Book of Kells at Trinity College
Midday Meal and Free Afternoon to explore Dublin
19:00 Evening Meal
21:00 Noble Silence and Evening Prayer
Overnight: Glendalough Hotel, County Wicklow

Friday, 23 October: St. Brigid of Kildare - Mary of the Gael
7:30 Morning Prayer and Breakfast
9:00 Depart for Kildare, St. Brigid’s Well, St. Brigid’s Cathedral
Midday Meal and Afternoon free to rest, contemplate, and explore
19:00 Evening Meal, Noble Silence and Evening Prayer
Overnight: Dowdstown House Retreat Center, near the Hill of Tara

Saturday, 24 October: Celtic Spirituality and the Wisdom of the Ancestors
7:30 Morning Prayer and Breakfast
Newgrange, Hill of Tara
Midday Meal and Afternoon free to rest, contemplate, and explore
17:00 Noble Silence
18:00 Evening Meal followed by Evening Prayer and Pilgrimage Closure Celebration
20:00 Celtic Music Celebration with Claire Roche - Harpist
Overnight: Dowdstown House Retreat Center, near the Hill of Tara

Sunday, 25 October: Departures and the Journey Home
Breakfast and bus transfer to airport

Guides
For more than a decade, Marcus Losack and Regina Roman have been leading pilgrimages. They specialize in pilgrimages that encounter and explore the Celtic and Desert spiritual traditions.

Marcus Losack, Anglican priest and
author of Glendalough – A Celtic Pilgrimage

 

 

 

Regina Roman, spiritual director and
author of Journey with Purpose, a Guided Journal.






Testimonials from Past Pilgrims of Spiritual Directors International Pilgrimages
“I imagine God was pleased to see the love and support that we showed one another. Also, I think God must have been pleased to see the wonder on our faces when we saw the beauties of His [God’s] creation.” Anonymous Pilgrim
 
“I saw with the eyes of my heart a world larger and greater than the space in which I live.” Anonymous Pilgrim
 
 
Pilgrimage, Study, and Tour Cost:

USD$1489* (plus USD$500 non-refundable registration fee ) per person land cost that includes:

• Seven nights accommodation double occupancy (single supplement USD$400)
• Daily hearty Irish breakfast
• Hotel and meal gratuities
• Daily served evening meals, and one midday meal included in Kildare
• Ground transportation aboard deluxe coach with dedicated driver for the journey. Bus  pick-up at the Spiritual Directors International in Europe conference and transfer to Dublin airport for departures
• All museum and archeological site entrance fees
• Guided meditative tour of Glendalough with the author of the book, Glendalough, a Celtic Pilgrimage
• Celtic music celebration
• All pre- and post-pilgrimage materials including a suggested reading list
• Prayer book, guided meditations, and reflections for spiritual formation
• Insightful presentations on Celtic spirituality and spiritual direction
• Expert master guides in pilgrimage dedicated to the group for the entire program

 
*Cost does not include:

• midday meals (except for Kildare)
• beverages (except breakfast beverages)
• personal travel insurance (required)

 
 
Please note:

• Due to the volatility of the global economy, the cost of the pilgrimage is subject to change. Should the Euro (EUR) rise above the USD-to-EUR ratio        of 1.3, balances due will be adjusted accordingly, but not to exceed USD$200 per person.
• A Release from Liability Waiver and Travel Insurance is required before your registration is complete.

 
 
Group Size: 36 maximum
 
 
Accommodations:
Dowdstown House Retreat Center is situated on the banks of the Boyne River in the grounds of Dalgan Park. It is a peaceful haven to soothe body, mind and spirit. The area is rich in wild life, with scenic woodland and river walks. Pilgrims commune with nature strolling along the banks of the Skane and the Boyne rivers that flow through the property. Chapel and prayer rooms are available for reflection and sanctuary. 
 
The Glendalough Hotel is a family-run hotel situated in the picturesque wooded valley of Glendalough, County Wicklow, Ireland. Glendalough is famous for possessing some of the most interesting ecclesiastical remains in Ireland, and the hotel is situated next to the Monastic City of St. Kevin. It is surrounded by the peaceful Wicklow Mountains and the soothing waters of the Upper and Lower Lakes.