Religious Studies: Ireland

Venture beyond Galway to experience the mystical landscapes of Connemara, where the Irish language still drifts through the air. Take in the rugged beauty of rocky beaches, rippling bogs, and heather-covered hills that seem untouched by time. Continue to Kylemore Abbey, a fairytale estate nestled along the shores of Lough Corrib. Explore its elegant rooms, meet the Benedictine nuns who maintain the property, and stroll through its fragrant Victorian gardens. As Yeats wrote of this tranquil land, “peace comes dropping slow.”

Explore Ireland’s holy mountain, Croagh Patrick, named for St. Patrick because he spent forty days fasting and praying for the Irish here. We will make the trek to the summit to visit the modern chapel and enjoy the spectacular panoramic views over Clew Bay. The Teach na Miasa Cultural Center has much to offer those who prefer to stay at the base of the mountain.

Basilica of Our Lady Shrine and museum

Today we will travel from Westport to Armagh. En route we will stop in Sligo.

Visit the Dominican Friary Sligo Abbey founded in 1253, and featuring a wonderfully carved stone high altar, the only example to survive in any monastic church.

Visit Tobernalt to see the cliff well that is known for its healing waters. This pilgrimage site dates from Celtic times and still serves today as a shrine in the Christian tradition.

Pay a visit to Saint Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral, standing proudly atop the hill from which the City of Armagh derives its name – Ard Macha; the hill of Macha. According to tradition, St Patrick built a church on this hill in 445. The plan of the Cathedral as it now stands, was designed by Archbishop O’Scanlain in 1268. Originally built as a Catholic Cathedral, this St. Patrick’s was taken over by the Church of Ireland during reformation.

Visit Saint Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, located atop an adjoining hill less than half a mile away from its sister, St. Patrick’s Church of Ireland. This somewhat imposing, twinspired, cathedral was built in the French Gothic style. Construction began in 1840, but work was suspended during the Irish Famine of 1845-48. The Cathedral was finally dedicated for worship in 1873, but the grand interior decoration was not completed until early in the 20th century. The cathedral was finally consecrated in 1904.

Visit Inch Abbey a Cistercian Monastery built by the conqueror John de Courcy around 1180. The English Monks that founded the abbey would not allow Irishmen to join their ranks thereby changing the composition of the area from Irish to English.

Get a friendly introduction to Dublin with your Tour Director. Cross the Ha’Penny Bridge, stroll through the lively Temple Bar district, and stop at the Molly Malone statue. Along the way, see Georgian squares, castles, and cathedrals that showcase the character of Ireland’s capital.

Join a licensed guide to explore Dublin’s finest sights. Walk through Phoenix Park, Europe’s largest walled city park, home to red deer and the Phoenix Column. Visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where Ireland’s patron saint once baptized converts, and see O’Connell Street and Parnell Square. At Trinity College, Ireland’s oldest university, enter the Old Library’s Long Room to view the Book of Kells, an illuminated 9th-century manuscript of the four Gospels, famed for its intricate Celtic designs.

Visit St. Patrick's Cathedral, the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland. It is said that St. Patrick baptized converts on this site. Consequently, a church has stood here since 450 CE, making it the oldest Christian site in Dublin. The cathedral's design is primarily Early English in style, and features a 300-foot-long interior. It halls houses the largest ringing peal bells in Ireland. St. Patrick's is closely associated with Jonathan Swift, who was dean from 1713 to 1745, and whose tomb lies in the south aisle.

Tour the National Museum. Established in 1890, the museum is a reflection of Ireland's heritage from 2000 B.C. to the present. It houses many of the country's greatest historical finds, including the Treasury exhibit that features the Ardagh Chalice, Tara Brooch and Cross of Cong, the Wood Quay excavations of the Old Dublin Settlements, and an extensive exhibition of Irish Bronze Age gold ornaments dating from 2200 to 700 B.C.

This evening, students make their final entries in their Reflection Journals, sharing key observations and perspectives gained throughout their travel experience and considering how these insights will remain relevant as they return home.

Throughout the program, we will set time aside time for discussion, guided reflection, and time to write reflections on self-discovery and what we have learned. "We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience" - John Dewey