Ireland Christian Saints Tour: An 8-Day Journey

• Start with lunch at the Brazen Head Pub (Ireland’s oldest pub).

• Journey to Trinity College to tour the Book of Kells, an ancient illuminated manuscript, to understand how the ancient Celts first encountered the Scriptures.

• After your tour, meander into Dublin’s Temple Bar area. Most of the pubs and restaurants don’t take reservations. So, you may have to try a few places before you get a table. I would recommend starting with “Quays Irish Restaurant”.

• On your way back to the Hyatt, stop in to Darkey Kelly’s Pub for live music and your last Guinness of the night.

• Begin your day by touring St. Patrick's Cathedral. Take note of the mix of religion and politics, even in the church. If you plan ahead, you can catch a eucharist service. After service, grab a quick lunch at the Tram Cafe.

• Rent a car out of Dublin, and drive north to the “Hill of Slane.” This spot is off the beaten path but is crucial to St. Patrick’s story. This is the site where Patrick lit an Easter fire in defiance of the druid king. It was a turning point in Ireland’s openness to Christianity. Spend an hour here in silent reflection of the church and monastery ruins.

• Drive to Enniskillen and check into the Westville Hotel. We enjoyed an excellent dinner at Horseshoe and Saddlers, which is just a short walk from the hotel. We had a private dining experience upstairs in their wine bar.

• Don’t miss the fact that you are now in Northern Ireland. Take note of the difference between the north and the south. Be sure to brush up on your history of the Troubles. Why has faith been used as a dividing line in Ireland's history?

• Waking up in Enniskillen, you have to get down to see the river. I would recommend booking a tour with Erne Water Taxi. They work to make private boat rides easy!

• Start your journey west towards the Atlantic. Today’s journey centers on the story of St. Columba. Think back to seeing the Book of Kells in Dublin. Much of the spreading of the Christian Scriptures in Ireland is due to him. He fought for the right for everyone to have access to the Bible.

• Stop at the Glencar TeaSHED outside of Sligo. Have a panini lunch and be sure to walk up the short path to see the Glencar Waterfall. Pause here to pray and find peace in the calming sounds of the waters.

• Journey on to Drumcliffe Church. There is a small fee to walk around the grounds. This is St. Columba’s church. It also happens to be the resting place of the famous Irish poet, W. B. Yeats. Walk toward the main highway to the left to find the best view of the Celtic Cross. See if you can decipher the pictographs.

• The last stop of the day is at the Tobernalt Holy Well. This mystical Catholic well was a place where many Catholics had to worship when the threat of persecution was high. The British Protestants were out to hunt and kill Catholic priests. Take a minute here to do the stations of the cross and contemplate what it means to worship freely.

• End the day with a drive into Westport. Check in at the Westport Coast Hotel. Maybe even relax at their indoor pool. If you walk down a few blocks to the right, you can find a lively scene at The Helm for dinner. For late-night authentic Irish pub music, visit Matt Malloy’s famous pub in the city center at about 9 pm (you will want to take a taxi).

• The pinnacle of this week will be day four in Westport. Here lies St. Patrick’s Mountain, Croagh Patrick. You should be able to see it on a clear day from the Westport Coast Hotel’s rooftop breakfast room. Embark on this epic hike to experience part of Patrick’s journey. The legend is that he climbed the mountain barefoot and spent 40 days on the summit. This hike is not for the faint of heart. It takes me about six hours, and often I am sore for the next few days. When you finish and return to the hotel. You definitely will want to spend some time in the hot tub and steam room. I would suggest dinner in the hotel’s restaurant tonight. You will be too tired to walk anywhere else.

• Now we turn our attention to a new Irish Saint, St. Brendan. Brendan is known for a missionary mindset and sailing off towards America in a small boat.

• Begin your day with a drive to Doolin. Grab a quick lunch at Gus O’Connor’s Pub. This pub is great because you order at the counter and they are very fast. Lots of seats, too!

• The main activity of today is walking the Cliffs of Moher. When people think of Ireland, they often think of these Cliffs. The views are breathtaking. I have never seen anything like it. While you walk around the visitors area, think about St. Brendan’s bravery sailing into the unknown. How can you be brave like Brendan?

• After you are done with the cliffs, it is time to head to Limerick. When you arrive, check in at the Savoy Hotel. Walk a few blocks to have dinner at the Cornstore. You will likely need a reservation. I still drool thinking about the food there. Weirdly enough, the potatoes au gratin were my favorite.

• Departing from Limerick, head straight to Kildare. Today is all about St. Brigid. Brigid is both a Christian figure and a mystical figure. I suggest spending the day at Solas Bhride Center, where you can learn about Brigid from the nuns who attend the facility.

• Before you leave, you must take a walk down to St. Brigid’s Well. There you will find five stones in which you can pray for the 5 values of Brigid: Hospitality, Ecological Awareness, Social Justice, Contemplation and Compassion. Be sure to spend some time in silent reflection at this site. If you plan your visit in advanced, you can have a simple lunch prepared for you at the center

• From here, journey on to Glendalough. When you check in to the Glendalough Hotel, be sure to order a drink from the bar and sip it by the rolling brook in the back. Dinner is easiest to do at their pub on-site, Casey’s.

• This is your last full day of the journey, and is designed to be slow and restful. Take a walk down the green path to the Glendalough Lakes. This is where St. Kevin spent most of his life. Kevin was a pure man who was very much in tune with nature. Hidden around this area are various nods to him.

• There are many food trucks by the lake that are perfect for a picnic lunch.

• Take your time wandering back to the hotel in the afternoon. Do not rush today. Make sure you take extra time for reflection and prayer.

• My best dinner recommendation is the Wicklow Heather. It is a quick drive or about a 30 minute walk from the hotel. It has the best food and atmosphere in Glendalough. Be sure to get dessert!

Today is designed as a travel day to return to Dublin, turn in your rental car and catch your flight home.