Depart the USA today on board our overnight transatlantic flights to Dublin (DUB) arriving the following day. Enjoy a full meal service as well as in-flight entertainment.

Welcome to the Emerald Isle, the “land of saints and scholars!” Upon our arrival at the Dublin Airport (DUB) we will go through passport control, gather our luggage, and continue to the arrivals hall to meet our pilgrimage guide. We will then be escorted to our deluxe motorcoach for our transfer to our hotel in the city. After storing our luggage at the hotel, we will depart for a walking orientation tour of Dublin. We will walk down the historic O’Connell street, stopping for an exterior view of the General Post Office (GPO), well known as the stronghold of the 1916 rising against British rule. We continue on to St. Teresa's Discalced Carmelite Church where we will celebrate our welcome Mass. Following Mass, we will pass by the iconic Dublin Castle and the popular Temple Bar district before arriving at Christ Church Cathedral. After exploring the Cathedral, we return back to our hotel to check in, freshen up, and relax before meeting downstairs for a delicious festive group welcome dinner. Overnight in Dublin. (D)

Following breakfast and hotel check out, we will set out on the scenic drive through the countryside to Drogheda. Here at St. Peter’s church we will visit the National Shrine of St. Oliver Plunkett in order to venerate the relics of one of Ireland’s greatest saints, a bishop and martyr canonized in 1975. Here, we will have Mass. We will continue our journey with a stop at the Newgrange prehistoric site. Built in the Neolithic Period, this incredible monument is older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. Next we will drive to Downpatrick, where we will enjoy lunch and a guided tour of the St. Patrick Centre, learning all about St. Patrick and the evangelization of Ireland. Our visit will conclude at Down Cathedral with the veneration of the graves of St. Patrick, St. Brigid, and St. Columcille. After visiting the gift shop, we make our way to Belfast where we will check into our hotel with dinner on our own. Overnight in Belfast. (B)

Following breakfast and hotel check-out, we will board our motorcoach and make our way to the charming city of Armagh. During our time here, we will visit both cathedrals dedicated to St. Patrick. The oldest cathedral currently belongs to the Church of Ireland, and stands on the very spot where a 5th century monastery was located, founded by St. Patrick. Throughout the Middle Ages, the cathedral was the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, and one of the most important churches in Europe. With the 16th-century Protestant Reformation, Ireland was divided between Protestants and Roman Catholics, with the cathedral being retained by the Church of Ireland (Protestants). Following Catholic emancipation in the 19th century, a new Catholic cathedral was built in Armagh, also called St. Patrick's Cathedral. Our visit to the Catholic Cathedral of St. Patrick will be accompanied by Mass with quiet time for prayer. Following lunch, we will board our motorcoach destined for Kilronan Castle Estate where we will spend the night in an actual 18th-century castle nestled on 50 lush acres. After check in we will enjoy a festive group dinner (included). Overnight at Kilronan Castle. (B, D)

Following breakfast, we will check out of our hotel and board our motorcoach destined for the International Shrine of Our Lady of Knock. On the evening of the 21st of August 1879, a heavenly apparition occurred at the gable wall of the local parish church when Our Lady appeared, in the company of St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist. Unique to the Knock apparition was the presence of the Eucharistic Lamb in front of a cross, standing upon an altar and surrounded by angels. The apparition lasted for about two hours. Fifteen official witnesses gave their testimonies to a commission of enquiry in October of that year. Upon our arrival, we will make our way to the Shrine's cafe for lunch. Following lunch, we will explore the Shrine Museum and enjoy a guided tour of the campus that will include the original church and the Basilica. Our tour will culminate at the very spot where the apparition took place. We will have the blessed opportunity to celebrate Sunday Mass here. Following Mass, pilgrims will be free to explore the grounds at their leisure with free time for prayer and shopping. Don’t miss the shops on main street in addition to the official book and gift shop. Hotel check in and group dinner (included). Overnight in Knock. (B, D)

Following breakfast we will make our way to Galway Cathedral for our morning Mass. This beautiful church was built with donations from Cardinal Cushing of Boston who helped collect funds from Irish Catholics living on the other side of the pond. Afterwards, we will drive along the picturesque Wild Atlantic Way down the west coast of Ireland, with views of the ocean, bays, cliffs, mountains, and the Burren National Park. This will lead us to the famous Cliffs of Moher with views of one of Ireland's most commanding landscapes. After lunch in the Cliffs View Café, we will make time to visit the gift shops before boarding our motorcoach and making our way back to Galway for free time to explore the shops, pubs, and cobbled streets. Dinner on our own. Overnight in Galway. (B)

Our final full day in Ireland will begin with breakfast and hotel check out. Next we will board our bus destined for Dublin. Along the way, we will visit the Clonmacnoise monastic ruins. Founded in the year 544 on a major east-west land route, this fascinating area is one of Ireland’s most iconic historical sites. It features prominently the ruins of an ancient monastery typical of hundreds of monastic communities that once dotted the Emerald Isle during the “Age of Faith,” the Middle-Ages. The site includes the ruins of nine churches and even a castle and towers. Afterwards, we will have lunch. Upon our arrival back in Dublin, we will check into our hotel, followed by a scheduled free afternoon. We will have the chance to pick and choose what sites interest us the most and explore Dublin at our own individual pace. Some optional ideas include a casual walk around the Temple Bar District, or a visit to the National Gallery of Ireland, the Guinness Storehouse, Trinity College Dublin (the Old Library & the Book of Kells Exhibition), the Jameson Distillery Bow St. Dublin Tour, or Dublin Castle. We will gather together one final time in the evening for a festive group farewell dinner (included), served with local cuisine. Overnight in Dublin. (B, D)

After an early breakfast, with warm memories of our time in Ireland, we will board our bus for our group transfer to the Dublin airport for our departure flights home. (B)