Day 1
Day 1: Introduction to Dublin
Arrival in individual flights and transfer independently to your Dublin hotel (check in may not be available until this 3:00PM). Gather with fellow travelers for a brief overview tour of Dublin, including historic sites along O’Connell Street, Phoenix Park, and the Georgian neighborhood where Oscar Wilde once lived. Enjoy a private tour of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where Jonathan Swift served as dean, and a visit to the adjacent Marsh’s Library, Ireland’s first public library, which opened in 1707. After some time at your hotel to freshen up, dine together at a welcome dinner with an introduction to your week by expert Sony Ton-Aime.
Included Meal: Dinner
Accommodations: 4* Dublin Hotel
Day 2
Day 2: Dublin: Literary Encounters and a Renowned Book Collection
Visit the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI) including a guided tour of the museum’s historic building by Director Simon O’Connor. Participate in an exclusive book club experience with a prominent Irish author facilitated by Simon O’Connor (author to be confirmed). Take an excursion to the Farmleigh House, a private Edwardian mansion that was once home to the Guinness family. Here, join librarian Nuala Canny in the Benjamin Iveagh Library for a private viewing of some of the gems of Benjamin Guinness’s collection, including rare books, historic manuscripts, and first editions of Ulysses and Gulliver’s Travels. Enjoy dinner at a local pub.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: 4* Dublin Hotel
Day 3
Day 3: Dublin: Trinity College and Irish Theater
This morning, take a private tour of Trinity College and the Book of Kells before opening hours. Please note: that the Long Library will be closing for renovation in Fall 2023 and the Book of Kells may be housed elsewhere on campus during your visit. Then turn to the stage for a theater-themed walking tour that highlights Dublin’s ties to the lives and legacies of Irish playwrights past and present, from George Bernard Shaw and J.M. Synge to Enda Walsh. After some time at leisure, participate in a private afternoon workshop at the Abbey Theatre led by professional actors or theatre-makers that explores playwriting, acting, directing, or perhaps even puppetry. This evening, you will have the option to explore Dublin on your own or return to the Abbey for an evening performance. Performance information will be announced at a later date, and tickets will be a small supplemental cost.
Included Meal: Breakfast
Accommodations: 4* Dublin Hotel
Day 4
Day 4: Dublin to Sligo: In the Footsteps of Maria Edgeworth
Depart Dublin by motorcoach in the company of Damien Brennan, an expert in Irish literature, who will speak about Irish writers such as Patrick Kavanagh, Oliver Goldsmith, and Maria Edgeworth. En route, experience a private tour of Tullynally Castle and Gardens led by the owner, an author and horticulturalist whose family has owned the property since the 17th century. Among many prominent guests over the centuries was novelist Maria Edgeworth, whose works in the early 19th century influenced Sir Walter Scott among others. Lunch will be included as part of your visit. Visit the Maria Edgeworth Centre in Edgeworthstown, where the author spent her adult life. Tour the center, which is housed one of Ireland’s oldest schools, and learn about the life and works of this pioneering writer. Continue to Sligo to check in to your hotel. Dine as a group this evening.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: 4* Sligo Hotel
Day 5
Day 5: County Sligo: Yeats Country
Joined by Yeats enthusiast and Sligo resident Damien Brennan, embark on an interpretive tour of County Sligo’s lovely landscapes, featuring sites associated with William Butler Yeats and his family. Visits include Glencar Waterfall, immortalized in “The Stolen Child;” Lough Gill, where the Isle of Innisfree is located; and Drumcliffe Cemetery, where the poet is buried at the foot of Benbulben Mountain. Later this afternoon, join expert Sony Ton-Aime for a lecture before time on your own.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: 4* Sligo Hotel
Day 6
Day 6: Sligo to Belfast: Samuel Beckett and C.S. Lewis
Depart Sligo for Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, where Samuel Beckett and Oscar Wilde attended boarding school. Meet with director of the Enniskillen International Beckett Festival. Take an interpretive walk around town to see the haunts of the writers. Continue to Belfast for a private “Beyond the Wardrobe” tour that explores the life story and inspirations of C.S. Lewis, who was born in east Belfast in 1898. Delve into the author’s views on friendship as seen through his Narnia series. Discuss your own views on friendship as you dine as a group this evening.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Belfast 4* Hotel
Day 7
Day 7: Seamus Heaney’s Northern Ireland
Sojourn to the shores of Lough Neagh, where Seamus Heaney spent much of his life. Visit Seamus Heaney HomePlace, a literary center situated between the poet’s childhood homes and his final resting place. Enjoy a workshop on the works of Seamus Heaney led by a lecturer or local poet. Venture to “Open Ground,” important locations that link the landscape to Heaney’s literature for a private tour. Return to Belfast to toast your literary adventure during a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: 4* Belfast Hotel
Day 8
Day 8: Belfast to Dublin/Departure
Check out of your hotel this morning and transfer to Dublin Airport for individual flights home. The transfer will take approximately two hours.
Included Meal: Breakfast