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★ Hosted by Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, O.P.
Catholic Pilgrimage · 10 Days · Ireland

Saints and Spirits of Ireland with Katie McGrady and Fr. Briscoe

Join Katie McGrady and Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe on a pilgrimage to Ireland. This trip will visit Cliffs of Moher, Dublin, Our Lady of Knock and more!

Dates
July 1-10, 2025
Departs Newark
Duration
10 Days
Trip code 25RS07IEKM
From
$3,895
The Pilgrimage

Walk in the Footsteps of Faith

Katie McGrady, Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, and a local guide will meet your party at the airport and accompany you every step of the way as you visit Dublin, Our Lady of Knock, Cliffs of Moher, and more!

Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, O.P.
Your Host

Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, O.P.

Dominican friar, priest, author, communicator, and General Promoter for Social Communication

Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, O.P., is a Dominican friar, priest, author, and communicator. In September 2025, the Order of Preachers appointed him General Promoter for Social Communication, supporting the worldwide Dominican family’s work in media and evangelization. He is also a host of the Godsplaining podcast and a frequent preacher, writer, speaker, and pilgrimage chaplain. His ministry brings Dominican theology, prayer, culture, and contemporary questions into accessible conversation for Catholic audiences.

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Know Before You Go

What's included

✓ Included

  • ✓Round-trip airfare from Newark to Dublin
  • ✓Airline surcharges, fuel, and airport taxes are subject to change until the time of ticketing.
  • ✓Accommodations in first-class hotels for 8 nights
  • ✓Breakfast daily
  • ✓2 lunches
  • ✓Traditional Afternoon Tea at Ashford Castle
  • ✓Farewell dinner with music and dancing
  • ✓5 hotel dinners
  • ✓Bunratty Medieval Dinner
  • ✓Irish Coffee demonstration
  • ✓Visit to the Guinness Experience
  • ✓Visit to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells
  • ✓Sheep herding demonstration
  • ✓English-speaking tour manager
  • ✓Private air-conditioned bus
  • ✓All admission charges as per the itinerary
  • ✓Baggage handling for one suitcase per person only included at the hotels
  • ✓Parking fees for busses
  • ✓Local hotel taxes
  • ✓Whisper sets
  • ✓Daily Private Mass
  • ✓Select International Tours Travel Portfolio

× Not included

  • ×Travel protection - we recommend you consider purchasing CFAR Travel Protection
  • ×Tipping /Gratuities for the guide(s), driver, and wait staff (please refer to the suggestions we will provide for you with your final documents) Suggested budget $200- $220.00 per person
  • ×Any items not explicitly mentioned in the listed inclusions
  • ×Beverages at meals unless otherwise noted
  • ×Meals not specifically listed at the end of each day (B.L.D.)
  • ×Church donations (budget $2.00 - $5.00 per Mass)
  • ×Airport transfers for land-only passengers unless at the airport at the same time as the group
  • ×Personal expenses
  • ×ETIAS European Travel Authorization
  • ×Any airline baggage charges
  • ×Baggage handling at train stations, airports, and hotels in excess of one suitcase per person
  • ×Any charges incurred due to excessive luggage including the cost of an additional baggage vehicle or porterage charges

Tipping /Gratuities for the guide(s), driver, and wait staff (please refer to the suggestions we will provide for you with your final documents) Suggested budget $200- $220.00 per person.

Day by Day

Your pilgrimage, mapped out

Tap any day to explore. Meals: B breakfast · L lunch · D dinner.
Day 1July 1, 2025
DEPART THE USA
+

Tonight we depart the USA on an overnight flight to Dublin. Dinner and breakfast are served on the plane. Quotes for add-on flights from most major airports and for optional Premium Economy and Business class upgrades are available upon request. (Please note: specific seat assignments are not possible with group air. You may choose to book your own air if seat location is a priority and book land only with us)

Day 2July 2, 2025
WELCOME TO IRELAND: THE LAND OF SAINTS AND SPIRITS
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Upon arrival at Dublin airport, our guide greets us and assists us to our bus. The drive takes us across Ireland to Donegal, where we celebrate Mass and settle into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

D
Day 3July 3, 2025
ST. PATRICK’S PURGATORY ISLAND PILGRIMAGE
+

Following breakfast, we travel to St. Patrick’s Purgatory, Lough Derg, in County Donegal, a beautiful island of peace (TBC). Pilgrims have been traveling to this ancient site on Station Island for centuries. We take the ferry to the island and have a full-day retreat in this sacred spot. Mass will be celebrated on the island. We return to Donegal for dinner and overnight.

BD
Day 4July 4, 2025
A VISIT TO OUR LADY OF KNOCK
+

This morning, we enjoy a fantastic Irish breakfast at our hotel. Then travel to Knock, Ireland’s national Marian Shrine. On the 21st of August, 1879, Our Lady, St. Joseph, and St. John the Evangelist appeared at the south gable of Knock Parish Church. Fifteen people, young and old, witnessed this apparition. From this miraculous occurrence, Knock has grown to an internationally recognized Marian Shrine. The personal pilgrimage of Pope John Paul II in 1979, commemorating the centenary of the apparition, inspired an even greater devotion to the Shrine and endorsed the indelible seal of Vatican approval. Mass will be celebrated. Dinner and overnight in Co Mayo.

BD
Day 5July 5, 2025
CROAGH PATRICK HIKE IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ST. PATRICK
+

Following a delightful Irish breakfast, we drive to Croagh Patrick, the Holy Mountain St. Patrick climbed, where he spent 40 days praying and fasting. Today we follow in the footsteps of St. Patrick, hiking to the top of the mountain. On the mountain’s slopes, we enjoy a picnic lunch our hotel has packed for us. In the afternoon, we travel toward Galway, the City of Tribes and Music, to our hotel in Oranmore. Tonight we can explore on our own, visit a pub or two for dinner, and meet some new friends. Mass will be celebrated. Overnight in Oranmore.

BL
Day 6July 6, 2025
IRISH TRADITIONS
+

This morning, the drive takes us through the beautiful Connemara region to Lough Na Fooey Lake for a farm visit and to meet the Joyce Country Sheepdogs, who keep a watchful eye on over 200 ewes spread out over a large farm area. We have time to wander through the Village of Cong, the setting for John Wayne’s movie “The Quiet Man,” before we go to the historic Ashford Castle for the long-established tradition of afternoon tea. Wonderfully preserved at Ashford Castle since 1868, afternoon tea includes finger sandwiches, homemade jam, and tasty pastries. It’s the perfect way to spend a leisurely afternoon with new friends. Mass will be celebrated. Dinner and overnight in Oranmore. (B. Afternoon tea. D)

BD
Day 7July 7, 2025
MEET THE IRISH
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This morning, we visit the incredible Cliffs of Moher and enjoy the spectacular vistas over the Atlantic Ocean and the Aran Islands. Next, the magnificent landscape of the Burren awaits us. A local, Oliver Connell, welcomes us to his home for home-baked treats, poetry, storytelling, and, most importantly, live music in his family kitchen (TBC). Oliver’s home is in the very heart of the Burren at Rockforest Tubber. Tonight, enjoy an Irish coffee-making demonstration at the famous Durty Nelly’s Pub with an expert who talks about the history of Irish Coffee. Tonight we participate in the Bunratty Medieval Dinner. (TBC) Mass will be celebrated. Overnight in Limerick. (B. L. Special dinner)

BLD
Day 8July 8, 2025
CASTLES, KINGS, AND SAINTS
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This morning, we drive to see the magnificent Rock of Cashel, which was the seat of kings and bishops for 900 years and flourished until the early 17th century. Our next stop is Glendalough, a monastic site founded by St. Kevin. Famed for its beautiful scenery and historical monuments, Glendalough has been a center for pilgrims and visitors since the founding of its monastery by St. Kevin in the 6th Century. St. Kevin is the subject of many legends, and he is often compared to St. Francis of Assisi. We learn about the history of the monastic community through an exhibition showing us the Golden Age of early Christian Ireland. Then, enjoy a guided tour of the site, including a Round Tower, the Cathedral’s ruins, and “St. Kevin’s Kitchen,” surrounded by an old cemetery. Mass will be celebrated. Dinner and overnight in Dublin.

BD
Day 9July 9, 2025
IRISH DRINK AND DANCE
+

This morning, we drive to the Storehouse, originally built in 1904, to house the Guinness fermentation process. The core of the building is modeled on a giant pint glass. The tour takes us step by step through the brewing process, finishing at the Gravity Bar, where we can taste a pint of Guinness while enjoying panoramic views over Dublin City. We visit Trinity College to see the Book of Kells. The afternoon is free to explore the city on your own. Be sure to stop at Brazen Head Pub, the oldest in Dublin, for another great Irish experience. Our farewell dinner is accompanied by music and dancing. Mass will be celebrated. Overnight in Dublin. (B. Special dinner)

BD
Day 10July 10, 2025
RETURN TO THE USA
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Following breakfast at the hotel, we are transferred to the airport for our flights back to the United States.

B
Pricing

Choose how you travel

Land and Air
$4,695per person

Land and Air. Main trip package.

Most popular
Land Only
$3,895per person

Land Only. Main trip package.

Single Room Supplement
$945additional

Single Room Supplement. Additional supplement.

ETA Required
Confirm requirements with Select for this destination.
Deposit
A deposit of $500.00 per person and a copy of your passport picture page should be sent by March 19, 2025.
Final Payment
Final payment is due by May 2, 2025.
Passport Validity
Your passport must be valid through January 10, 2026.
Payment Fee
A non-refundable 4% credit card convenience fee applies to all credit card transactions.
Pilgrimage Information

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This pilgrimage has ended

Completed

This departure has ended. Registration is closed.