Day 1 - Thursday, April 16, 2020: We fly from Atlanta to directly to Dublin on Delta Airlines. M

Day 2 - Friday, April 17: We arrive in Dublin and meet our guide and driver. Our first stop is Clonmacnoise. This sixth century monastic site, located on the banks of the River Shannon is home to three high crosses, a cathedral, seven churches, and two round towers. The strategic location of the monastery at a crossroads between the major east-west land route through the bogs of central Ireland and the River Shannon helped it become a major center of religion, learning, craftsmanship, and trade by the ninth century. We continue to Galway with a stop for lunch on the way. We arrive in the vibrant city of Galway where we have some free time to relax and explore before dinner and overnight at the Galway Hotel. D

Day 3 - Saturday, April 18: After breakfast, we take a walking tour of Galway, a harbour city on Ireland’s west coast where the River Corrib meets the Atlantic Ocean. The city’s hub is the eighteenth century Eyre Square, a popular meeting spot surrounded by shops and traditional pubs. Nearby, stone-clad cafes, boutiques, and art galleries line the winding lanes of the Latin Quarter, which retains portions of the medieval city walls. In the afternoon, we board the Corrib Princess. We sail by castles and other historical sites along the majestic River Corrib and onto Lough Corrib, the largest lake in Ireland, while enjoying Irish dancers and an Irish coffee demonstration. After, we have some time to relax and explore Galway on our own. We enjoy dinner and overnight at the Galway Hotel. BD

Day 4 - Sunday, April 19: This morning, we depart Galway for Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands. We take the ferry from Rossaveal to Kilronan where we are met by our driver who delivers us to Kilmurvey House, an eighteenth century stone house. After a delightful lunch, we meet Cyril O’Flaherty, a native and expert of the Aran Islands. He leads us on a tour of Dun Aengus, the Iron Age fort built as four concentric stone walls. The fort has been called the “most magnificent barbaric monument in Europe.” Cyril also leads us on a breathtaking hike across the rocky cliffs of the island. We return to Kilmurvey House for dinner and overnight. BLD

Day 5 - Monday, April 20: After breakfast, we meet the amazing, Pádraigín Clancy, an expert on the Aran Islands, Irish folklore and history, and Celtic spirituality. Pádraigín leads us on a spiritual tour around the island. We have the rest of the day free to explore this magnificent island, have lunch in the quaint town, and do some shopping. We enjoy dinner and overnight at Kilmurvey House. BD

Day 6 - Tuesday, April 21: We enjoy breakfast before we bid farewell to Inishmore and take the morning ferry back to Galway where we meet our driver who returns us to Dublin. We visit Trinity College to see the magnificent Old Library and the 1200-year-old Book of Kells, the beautifully illuminated version of the Gospels designed by monks in the ninth century. We also visit Christ Church Cathedral, Ireland’s oldest cathedral. We continue to the lovely Newgrange Hotel for dinner and overnight. BD

Day 7 - Wednesday, April 22: This morning, we visit the ancient and spellbinding sites of Newgrange and Knowth situated in the valley of the River Boyne. We explore the 5000-year-old main mound at Knowth, which is contemporary with the mounds at Newgrange and Dowth. The mounds are classified as Passage Tombs by archaeologists and are collectively known as of Brú Na Bóinne. We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. BD

Day 8 - Thursday, April 23: Today we cross the invisible border into Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom. We visit Navan Fort where we meet the Reverend Grace Clunie, an Anglican priest who is the director of The Centre for Celtic Spirituality in Armagh. Armagh, known as the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland, is an ancient place with both pre-Christian Celtic and Celtic Christian history. The Centre for Celtic Spirituality is an interchurch ministry involving Presbyterians, Anglicans, Catholics, Methodists, and Quakers. Reverend Clunie leads us on a guided tour of Fort Navan where we experience the living history of this Iron Age dwelling. We head to Belfast where we have a short city tour including the Peace Wall, a remnant of the “Troubles,” before checking into our hotel for dinner and overnight. BLD

Day 9 - Friday, April 24: After breakfast at our hotel, we bid farewell to our Irish driver and Ireland as we board the ferry to Cairnryan, Scotland. We meet our Scottish driver who takes us to our hotel in Edinburgh, one of the loveliest places on Earth. We have a bit of free time to get settled before dinner and overnight in Edinburgh. BD

Day 10 - Saturday, April 25: Today our coach takes us to the lively city of Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland, for a day of exploration. We have a guided tour including Glasgow Cathedral and the fascinating Provand’s Lordship, a medieval historic house museum furnished with seventeenth century furniture and royal portraits. After free time for lunch, we visit St Mungo’s Museum of Religious Life and Art. We have some time at our leisure for independent sightseeing and shopping before returning to Edinburgh in the late afternoon for dinner and overnight. BD

Day 11 - Sunday, April 26: We enjoy a leisurely Sunday morning with the opportunity to attend worship services at the church of our choice. After lunch on our own, we meet our guide and coach for a panoramic tour of this vibrant city including the Old and New Towns. We visit the imposing Edinburgh Castle and St. Giles Cathedral, the High Kirk of Edinburgh, founded in the twelfth century. We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. BD

Day 12 - Monday, April 27: We have a full day of leisure in Edinburgh to stroll the cobblestone streets and explore the Royal Mile that stretches from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the home of the Queen when she visits. Some points of interest that you may want to check out are The Writers’ Museum, Mary King’s Close, The Tron Kirk, John Knox House, and the Museum of Edinburgh. To get a real taste of the past, explore the many closes and wynds, the narrow passageways that line the Royal Mile. We have dinner on our own tonight before returning to our hotel for overnight. B

Day 13 - Tuesday, April 28: After an early breakfast, we board our coach for our transfer to the Edinburgh Airport for our flight back to Atlanta with a stop at JFK Airport. BM

B – Breakfast  L – Lunch D – Dinner  M – Meals on Aircraft

Itinerary is subject to change due to local conditions or at the discretion of the leaders.

CT20017 Adkison Ireland Scotland 

Price is based on double occupancy:

10-14 participants              $4,699.00*

15-20 participants              $4,299.00

Single supplement           $799.00 (limited space)

* Pricing includes airline taxes & fuel surcharges and are subject to change until the tickets are issued. Optional activities and sites visited during your free time are not included in the cost of the pilgrimage and are to be paid for at the time of your visit. Tips for the driver and guide are payable upon completion of services.

Deposit of $300.00 per person due by December 15, 2019, with reservation form and a copy of your passport

Final Payment Due February 28, 2020