Join the O'Donohue family and John's close friends for an intimate journey of the landscapes and people that formed him, later to deeply influence the world through his writings. We will return to the mythic lands of the Burren and venture to the pilgrim paths of the Aran Islands, tracing John’s steps and weaving his words throughout our days. From the sacred thresholds of ancient ruined chapels and holy wells to meandering the pastoral green roads, our pilgrimage together will be spent at the ‘Hearth of the Soul’ immersed in the ethereal landscape of County Clare, the ancestral home of the O'Donohue family.
Ireland is an ancient island where many worlds intermingle. For anyone awakening to the spiritual world, a visit to Ireland can be a life-transforming event. It is a land of spirit glimpsing the invisible world. The Irish spiritual tradition trusted the invisible world to harvest the wisdom to guide, shelter and nourish. The eye of the invisible world sees more deeply and clearly than we can. In these frightened and empty times of stress, anxiety, and confusion, we need to turn aside from our crowded lives and become still. We need to learn how to anchor the frenetic self in the tranquility of the invisible world. Then we will begin to discover fresh wells, new landscapes and exciting invitations of transformation of spirit. Forsaken spaces will gradually transform into new pastures. We will find new courage of hope and rekindle that which has grown cold within us. This sacred journey will long linger in the memory of the heart.
"My earliest memories are of the landscape of the Burren in the West of Ireland. The Burren is an ancient kingdom of limestone sculptures carved slowly by rain, wind and time. It is an ancient conversation between the land and the sea."
Our days will be a balanced blend of engaging the mind and body, spirit and soul, looking through the lens John came to know well as a trusted interior companion excavating the themes of Awakening, Transfiguration and Homecoming. Come join us at the edge where there is an ancient conversation between the land and the sea…we look forward to welcoming you!
Accommodations
We will stay in a cluster of lovely yet simple traditional thatched-roof cottages on the shores of Galway Bay in North County Clare. Each cottage holds 3-5 people with a spacious living room and peat fire, including a full kitchen and laundry facilities. You will have your own private bedroom with shared bathrooms. A limited number of en suite rooms (private bedroom/bathroom) are available for an additional cost.*
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The charming village of Ballyvaughan is ideally suited for an Irish pilgrimage, surrounded by the stunning Burren landscape. Opportunities abound to explore hiking paths, the local tea house and legendary pubs from the doorstep of your cottage.
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Meals
Cottage kitchens will be well-stocked for breakfasts and a total of 7 other meals (we provide either lunch or dinner each day) are included in the cost of the tour. You can look forward to locally-sourced generous buffet feasts with healthy and delicious options. For those with dietary restrictions, we will gather information to share with our caterer to accommodate. In addition, the village has excellent restaurants and a local market to supplement with preferences.
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Clothing
Irish weather has a well-deserved reputation for quickly changing from rain to blue skies and back again within the hour. Plan your clothing around the principle of layering, with a rain-proof jacket essential. Good quality, waterproof hiking boots/shoes are also a necessity in the rocky Burren terrain. Each cottage has a small washer/dryer to facilitate packing lightly. John used to say, ‘Best Dressed is not among the awards we present at the end of the trip,’ so plan accordingly to be dry and comfortable.
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Hiking
A critical aspect of our time together will be spent walking. Some of this time will be on old green roads, while other hikes will be more demanding. The cracked limestone of the Burren landscape can be challenging. Please be realistic regarding your physical ability for your own enjoyment and that of the larger group.
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Arrival/Departure
Please ensure your passport is valid before applying for the trip. We strongly encourage you to obtain travel insurance. We will gather flight information of the participants and plan to meet you at the Shannon (SNN) Airport.
April 2024 Tour:
Please plan to arrive on Saturday, April 13, 2024, making your flight arrangement for arrival in the morning or by early afternoon. Please schedule mid-late morning departure flights on Saturday, April 20, 2024. We will deliver you back to the Shannon Airport to meet your departing flight. Should you wish to arrive earlier or stay later in Ireland, you will need to make your own arrangements for transportation.
September 2024 Tour:
Please plan to arrive on Saturday, September 21 2024, making your flight arrangements for arrival in the morning or by early afternoon. Please schedule mid-late morning departure flights on Saturday, September 28, 2024. We will deliver you back to the Shannon Airport to meet your departing flight. Should you wish to arrive earlier or stay later in Ireland, you will need to make your own arrangements for transportation.
Cost/Registration
Total Cost for the Tour: $4500 (USD)
* A limited number of en suite rooms (private bedroom/bathroom) are available for an additional $500 charge, making total = $5000 (USD)
The cost may be paid in full upon acceptance or split between two equal payments. All payments will be made by credit card.
April 13-20, 2024 Tour:
First payment due immediately upon acceptance. The second payment is due December 15, 2023.
September 21-28, 2024 Tour:
First payment due immediately upon acceptance. The second payment is due on March 5, 2024.
Trip cost covers:
- 7 nights of accommodation beginning on April 13, 2024 OR September 21, 2024,
- All breakfasts and 7 other meals,
- All in-country transportation, including to/from the Shannon Airport during the time parameters listed (Arrival/Departures) on April 13 - 20, 2024 OR September 21-28, 2024,
- All seminar leader services.
- Airfare is not included.
Cancellation Policy: Should you need to cancel after your first payment has been made, your refund will depend on our ability to find a replacement however regardless will incur a $500 (USD) administrative fee. We strongly recommend travel insurance to protect your investment.
Registration
Both 2024 O'Donohue Tours are full. Please submit an application to be placed on the waiting list and we will be in touch as an opening would become available.
Click here for the Tour Application.
COVID POLICY:
For the health and safety of all involved, we encourage everyone who attends our tours to comply with public health guidance in relation to Covid-19 when travelling to Ireland and throughout the duration of the tour. We encourage you to wear a mask and practice good hand hygiene during your travels. We encourage the use of rapid Covid-19 antigen tests throughout the duration of the tour.
18. POLICY ON COVID-19 (from our Terms and Conditions)
18.1 To the extent permitted by law or public health guidance, Customers may need to provide evidence of full vaccination against Covid-19 prior to the start of the Tour. Vaccination and testing requirements will be based on the policy in effect in Ireland at the relevant time and will be confirmed with Customer prior to the start of the Tour. This policy is subject to change based on new and evolving data and changes in the legal and regulatory requirements of Ireland and relevant public advice. Any Customer who cannot comply with the relevant policies in place from time to time will not be able to attend the Tour.
18.2 Any Customer that tests positive for Covid-19 during their Tour will be required to self-isolate in line with public health guidance in effect in Ireland at the relevant time. Whilst the Company may use reasonable endeavours to assist the Customer in finding a suitable self-isolation location, any costs, incurred during the self-isolation period, will be at the Customer’s own expense. We would strongly advise travel insurance for all Customers.
Please contact Ann Cahill with any questions: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Upon acceptance, additional registration materials and the first payment will be due immediately.
Praise for the Journey
Forever touched by the sacred memories of this pilgrimage shared so generously by John O’Donohue's family and close friends through the exquisite curation of the landscape, people and culture so dear to him.
My experience with the O'Donohue Tour was nothing short of outstanding at every turn. John’s family and dear friends are a stunning group individually, collectively they are magical. The spectacular landscape, the magnificent places we visited and the intertwining of John's ethereal writing made this an absolutely unforgettable trip.
The tour was carefully curated to provide pilgrims a chance to steep themselves deeply in John’s work, the landscape he called home, and their own internal journeys. I left renewed spiritually and most importantly, I left knowing that there is hope and beauty in the world even in its bleakest moments. It is our work to notice the beauty, and to help others to take a moment to notice it when we are able. If you are considering applying, I can only tell you that this will be one of the best investments of time and money you will make this year, and perhaps ever.
Walking the mystical Celtic land that inspired the words of John O'Donohue was deeply resonant and personally transformative. I found the experience prompted both intimacy, allowing time to reflect inward, and detachment, enabling as John so eloquently wrote, your soul to know the geography of your destiny and to map your future. Perhaps the greatest gift of all was finding so many wonderful kindred spirits, people for whom there was an instant recognition where you said, "what? me too!" I returned home with a happy heart.
This was not a trip, it was a journey and one that has deeply influenced me and continues to. John's beautiful family and close friends generously shared an epic experience, far off the beaten path and immersed with brilliantly curated content at every turn with a lovely circle of fellow travelers...now friends.
I felt deeply blessed by the generosity of the O’Donohue family. They led us into the landscape and magic of the Burren, introducing us to remarkable individuals who shared John’s vision and passion. I treasure the memories of the stories and songs, the tears and laughter, connecting us all with the eternal wisdom woven through John’s work.
I've had the pleasure to travel to more than 40 countries over the course of my life, and no trip was as memorable or as meaningful as this one. Every aspect of it -- each daily excursion following John's footprints and integrating his work, the food, the company -- was absolutely sensational.
Our stay in traditional thatched Irish cottages epitomized the character of this tour. It was in every way authentic to the spirit of John O’Donohue: grounded in traversing the Burren landscape that shaped him, and in the music and people that gave him joy. There is a level of intimacy in every aspect of this tour that seems like a pearl of great prize in a world that so often seems crassly commercialized. Every detail of the tour is curated to provide the warmth and camaraderie of the man himself.
