Enjoy fully guided tours & lectures on Irish history, culture & literature.
Travel to Dublin, Sligo, Leitrim, Meath, Donegal & Derry.
Tours Include Hill of Tara, Yeats County, Joyce’s Dublin, Walled City of Derry, Parkes Castle, Trinity College, Temple Bar, National Museum & Library, Traditional Irish music, dance. culture & food.
7 nights accommodation, all lectures, transfers & guided tours, evening entertainment & cultural activities is $1500 per person (Transatlantic Airfare is not included)
Open to All
Undergraduate students 18+, Graduate Student, teachers & friends are welcome.
The Schedule
Monday, July 2nd
Morning: Depart USA to Dublin. We meet arriving passengers between 7am- 9am and transfer to Dublin Hotel
Flights- Please arrange arrival at Dublin Airport. Best Value airlines- www.continental.com (from Newark) www.aerlingus.com (from many cities.) Delta, American and United also fly from USA to Dublin non-stop.
Transatlantic flights will depart from USA on the evening of July 2nd, and cross the dateline to arrive into Ireland on the morning of July 3rd. Please ensure that you book your flight to depart July 2nd. Arriving on a different date? Meet up at introductory lecture at 12 noon, JULY 3RD at the Camden Court Hotel, Dublin.
Tuesday, July 3rd
Arrive Dublin Airport. Transfer to Dublin City Centre Hotel . Hotel rooms are based on 2/3 persons sharing, B&B basis. Single rooms are available, supplement will apply
Noon: Brunch & Introduction to the Ireland Trip (and our group!) Overview of Irish History & Culture, and preview of classes and tours.
2pm-7pm Guided tour to Dublin City, Incuding the National History Museum, The W.B Yeats exhibition at The National Library, Trinity College, O’ Connell Street, The G.P.O (Site of 1916 rising) 7pm-9pm Dinner in Temple Bar.
Wednesday, July 4th
10.am-noon Morning Class: Irish Nationalism- a history of the heroes – Robert Emmet, James Connolly, Patrick Pearce, Daniel O’ Connell, Charles Stuart Parnell.
2pm-5pm Visit to Kilmainham Gaol, the infamous prison which housed many Irish heroes of the past.
8pm Reception at headquarters of National Teacher’s Organisation, Parnell Square. “James Joyce- a musical interpretation” – a fun and informative look at Joyce through the music of the novels- this will take place in the room where Joyce himself took music lessons.
Thursday, July 5th
Depart Dublin for West of Ireland. We take the scenic route across the country to the dramatic West of Ireland. Our base will be in Bundoran, on the border of counties Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo. This is the area most associated with the Celtic and traditional past of Ireland.
We will travel through the Boyne Valley, (Site of the famous battle of the Boyne ) stopping at The Hill of Tara – the ancient and famous seat of the Irish High Kings, also associated with St. Patrick and Daniel O’Connell. Stop at Eniskillen, Portora School, (Oscar Wilde)
Arrive in Bundoran, County Donegal & check into accommodation. Dinner & trad music pub night. Accommodation is self-catering apartment style, with leisure centre & pub on site. Hotel accommodation /single room upgrade available, extra charge will apply.
Friday, July 6th
10am-noon Morning Class – W.B. Yeats and the Irish Cultural Revival. Covering 1880-1925, the literary and cultural reawakening and its importance to Irish Nationalism. This will also include some work on the Gaelic Language.
2pm A tour of Yeats Country – including the poet’s resting place at Drumcliff, Glencar Waterfall and Benbulben. We visit the spectacular places that inspired both William Butler Yeats, poet, and his brother, painter John Butler Yeats.
6pm return to accommodation. Dinner & an evening of fireside story-telling & local history. Guest speaker will be Mark Geagan, author of “Dancing by the sea”, a local history of the area.
Saturday, July 7th
10am-noon Morning Class – Northern Ireland – the history of the conflict, & the Peace Process. How did the conflict arise? What were the issues. The history of the Orange Order. The IRA and Sinn Fein. The Troubles & The Peace.
1pm A trip to the great walled city of Derry. See the mural artwork of the.gable walls & the famous walls of Derry. Anyone who calls it “Londonderry” will be thrown off the bus
Derry/Donegal all-day tour. Stop for Dinner on our travels. Return to base approx 8pm. Plenty of entertainment options for the evening including music, cinema, bingo, funfair & amusements.
Sunday July 8th
Free Morning. Church Services available.
Optional adventure – Beginner surf lessons in the famous surf resort of Bundoran / or guided hillwalk. This area of Ireland is famous for quality of surf waves- so we suggest you join us for a beginner surf lesson!
Bundoran Cineplex- Special Screening of Irish Play “Philadelphia Here I Come ” by Brian Friel, with introductory discussion of post Civil War Ireland, Emigration to USA and the Irish- American Way of Life.
Monday, July 9th
Final Class: Understanding Contemporary Ireland – a discussion of the recent past of Ireland, including the Celtic Tiger and Economic matters. Ireland in the Global Economy – The future of Ireland?
A visit to the magnificent Cliffs of Sliabh League, with stops in Ballyshannon, Donegal Town & Killybegs. A little gift-shopping time in the wonderful “diamond” of Donegal.
Final Night: Traditional Irish Dinner* Menu including various dishes of potato, seafood and regional delicacies. Pub sing-song to finish up. Everyone has to have a party-piece for this!
Sunday, July 10th
Depart for Dublin Airport, return to USA.
Or…
Stay on in ireland for transatlantic links conference July 13-15, Tuam, Ireland. Please email nhamill@drew.edu for links & information about this conference.