Created: 26.05.2016

Wednesday, September 20 - Day 1 - DEPART TORONTO - We depart TORONTO via best routing, bound for the Emerald Isle.  Enjoy in-flight entertainment and meal service as you travel to start your pilgrimage. Thursday, September 21 - Day 2 ??? DUBLIN/ GLENDALOUGH/KILKENNY - Land at Dublin Airport early this morning.  After customs formalities and luggage reclamation, we proceed to our motor coach.  After our long flight, we stop for breakfast before we journey southwards through the Wicklow Mountains affording wonderful views of the countryside. We visit Glendalough, an ancient monastic settlement founded by St Kevin in the 6th century and since then a center for pilgrims and visitors. We visit the ruins of the settlement including the perfectly preserved 9th century round tower, stone churches and decorated crosses and St. Kevin???s kitchen. We continue to the vale of Avoca ??? a town famous for its wool weaving and enjoy shopping for beautiful woolens.   We continue to Kilkenny and tour Kilkenny Castle.  Dinner and overnight. Friday, September 22 - Day 3 ??? KILKENNY/ WATERFORD ??? Before our departure, we celebrate Mass at St. Mary???s Cathedral.  On to Tipperary and visit the iconic Rock of Cashel. One of the most spectacular tourist attractions in Ireland and one of the most visited. Our next stop is Waterford, where we visit the House of Waterford Crystal and enjoy a tour as well as time for shopping in the exquisite showroom.   We enjoy a walking tour of this lovely seaside town.  Dinner on our own and overnight at our hotel in Waterford. Saturday, September 23 - Day 4 ??? WATERFORD/ COBH/BLARNEY/KILLARNEY -   We drive southwest to Cobh (pronounced ???Cove???) in order to visit the Queenstown Heritage Center. This tells the story of the emigration of over 6 million Irish people leaving from the port at Cobh bound for the Americas from the period of famine in 1845 up until the era of the great liners of the 1950???s.  Following our visit, we celebrate Mass at St. Colman???s Cathedral in Cobh where most immigrants would have celebrated their final Ireland liturgy. We then continue to Cork to visit the charming 15th century Blarney Castle in order to climb to the battlements to kiss the famous Blarney Stone, the "stone of eloquence". Time to browse in the Blarney Woolen Mills which offers a wide range of quality Irish arts and crafts. We drive onwards into the mountainous County Kerry to Killarney. Dinner and overnight. Sunday, September 24 - Day 5 ??? KILLARNEY/RING OF KERRY/KILLARNEY ??? We attend a regularly scheduled Mass at St. Mary???s Cathedral ??? Fr. Karalus to con-celebrate.   Return to the hotel for breakfast before we embark on a full day excursion on the Ring of Kerry ??? 100 miles of marvelous scenery consisting of the highest peaks in Ireland on one side and a coastline scattered with golden beaches and rocky headlands on the other.  Enjoy plenty of stops to view the scenery and take photos.  Dinner on our own back in Killarney and overnight. Monday, September 25 - Day 6 ??? KILLARNEY /KILLIMER FERRY/CLIFFS OF MOHER/GALWAY ??? We depart this morning to Tarbert and board the Killimer Ferry for an invigorating journey across the Shannon which allows us the to experience the rugged nature of land and sea that encapsulates Ireland???s Wild Atlantic Way. Continue to the Cliffs of Moher ??? this impressive wall of rock rises to heights of almost 700 feet above the Atlantic and stretches for five miles along the coast.  On the way, we stop at Saint Brigid???s Well in Liscannor, and pray the rosary.  After we visit the Cliffs, we continue to Galway where we celebrate Mass at Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St. Nicholas.  Dinner and overnight. Tuesday, September 26 - Day 7 ??? GALWAY/KNOCK /GALWAY ??? We travel to Knock, Ireland???s National Marian Shrine.  Our Lady, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist appeared here to 15 people on August 21, 1879.  From that miraculous day onwards Knock has become an internationally recognized Marian Shrine. We celebrate Mass at the Apparition Chapel and enjoy a guided tour of the Shrine and Museum.    Afternoon visit to Kylemore Abbey and enjoy afternoon tea.   Continue through Connemara and visit the Connamara Marble gift shop where the beautiful handmade Irish Rosary beads are made.   Return to Galway and enjoy dinner on our own.    Wednesday, September 27 - Day 8 ??? VIKING CRUISE/           CLONMACNOISE/ DUBLIN ??? The itinerary today takes you     across Ireland from west coast to east coast.  Leaving Galway,     we drive to Athlone Castle to board our Viking Cruise to     Clonmacnoise, one of the largest and greatest ecclesiastical     centers ever founded in Ireland.  Set on the banks of the River     Shannon, the 5-acre site of the Clonmacnoise monastery was     founded in 548 AD by St. Kieran. The site has the remains of     nine churches and has two round towers as well as the three     famous 9th century High Crosses.  We celebrate Mass at the     outdoor altar, a modern-day Mass Rock.  After our visit to the     site we continue to Tullamore Dew Distillery for a tour and     tasting.  We continue our journey into Dublin, Ireland's capital     city.  Dinner and overnight.   Thursday, September 28 - Day 9 - DUBLIN - CITY TOUR - This morning we celebrate Mass at St. Mary???s Pro Cathedral.   Our sightseeing tour introduces us to this capital city with its many historic buildings, delightful gardens and lively shopping streets. Visit St. Patrick's Cathedral where author Jonathan Swift was once Dean and then Trinity College where the Book of Kells, an early Christian manuscript of the four gospels, is housed.  In the evening we are free to choose from the many restaurants, theaters and pubs that Dublin has to offer, as dinner is on our own. Overnight in Dublin. Friday, September 29 - Day 10 - DUBLIN - After Mass in a historic church, we visit Dublin Castle and chapel Royal.  On to the world-famous Guinness Storehouse to enjoy a tour and tasting.  The afternoon is at leisure so that we can browse shop and sightsee independently. There are a great number of department stores and boutiques.  This evening we are treated to our farewell dinner and Irish show. Saturday, September 30 - Day 11 - Return to USA

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