oin us in the land where minstrels set the heather afire with their rhetoric, barristers led farmers into combat and mothers used battle songs as lullabies. Journey with Landmark Events this June as we immerse ourselves in the history and culture of a nation legendary for its poetic passions and enduring love of heritage. Ireland, endowed with a staunch framework of familial loyalty, has undergone centuries of oppression and revisionism: only to counter it repeatedly by some of the most remarkable cultural rebirths Europe has ever seen. Their seemingly unflagging optimism in their own futures and destinies has touched every country where their diaspora has banished them, causing George Washington to refer to them as “that ever enduring land.” Ireland’s heroes and villains are as fantastical and pertinent as could be wished for; St. Patrick, Columba, James Ussher, Daniel O’Connell, Thomas Meagher and Michael Collins just to name a few. The history of their struggles is deeply personal and their legacy of immortalizing the past, searing in its dramatic unfolding over the last century.

You are invited to tour the Emerald Isle with a small group of fellow Christians exploring the vibrant scenery and tumultuous history of this unique land.  You will hike to forts built a thousand years before Christ’s birth, explore the remarkable cathedrals built in St. Patrick’s day, tour the Titanic’s last port of call and traverse the streets where Irish independence was won just 100 years ago. The Irish are a resilient people that are familiar with suffering, yet they have always kept a sense of joy and optimism amidst very trying circumstances throughout their history. You’ll be encouraged and amazed as we reveal the remarkable ways God has used these fiery-spirited people to change the world.

Ticket Information

Tour Highlights

t really is the Emerald Isle, overwhelmed with shades of green, beautiful to behold, fascinating to visit, and imbued with a history of Celtic tribalism and warfare, full of tragedy, struggle and hardship mixed with irresistible humor, good cheer, superstition, and trust in God. We will travel from the “stone age” of Druidic paganism, through the conversion to Christ of most of the island, to the long and bloody attempts to maintain independence while resisting foreign control. We will clamber over ancient castles, abbeys and churches and visit quaint historic towns that connect the past and present in music, dance, and cuisine. Our tour will include sites vital to the story of the RMS Titanic, battlefields, museums, and living history, as well as ample free time to shop and explore your Irish roots, helping personalize the experience even more. “Unforgettable” hardly describes what’s ahead with Landmark Events.

(July 29 – 31, August 7)

Founded as a Viking settlement, Dublin emerged as Ireland’s principal city following the Norman invasion in the 1200. The city expanded rapidly from the 17th century and was briefly the second largest city in the British Empire before the Acts of Union in 1800. Following the partition of Ireland in 1922, Dublin became the capital of the Irish Free State, later renamed Ireland.

We will make our headquarters in the heart of Dublin, just steps from the grand Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin Castle, Trinity College and a host of great restaurants and shops.  Historic Dublin is at your doorstep, just waiting to be explored!

(August 1)

This is the only remaining completely walled city in Ireland and one of the finest examples of Walled Cities in Europe. The Walls were built during the period 1613-1618 by the honorable, the Irish Society as defenses for early seventeenth century settlers from England and Scotland. The city claims Europe’s largest collection of cannon whose origins are known precisely. Many of them thundered in anger over the two seventeenth century sieges.

(August 2-4)

Galway might be Ireland’s most charming city: compact, walkable and filled to the brim with independent shops and restaurants.  Called “The City of the Tribes”, Galway was originally founded as a fishing village where the Corrib River flows into beautiful Galway Bay. A charter was granted in 1396 by Richard II which transferred governing powers to 14 merchant families, known locally as the 14 tribes of Galway, and the names of these fourteen tribes are now represented on roundabouts in Galway City.

(August 5-6)

Cobh, or Queenstown as it was once called, was the port where almost 3 million people from every corner of Ireland emigrated and scattered throughout the globe, including Annie Moore, the first immigrant ever to be processed in Ellis Island. Today Cobh is a charming seaside town filled with shops, cafes and historic treasures.

Accommodations

Image Credits: 1. Dublin Castle; 2. Rock of Cashel; 3. GPO (General Post Office); 4. Battle of the Boyne; 5. The Book of Kells; 6. Kilmainham Gaol; 7. Trinity College; 8. Dun Aonghasa, Iron Age Fortress; 9. Breathtaking scenery; 10. Tempull Breccain; 11. Aran Sweater Market; 12. Giant’s Causeway; 13. Riverdance; 14. Collins Barracks Museum; 15. Gaiety Theatre; 16. Collins Barracks; 17. Dublinia; 18. Carrick-a-Rede Bridge; 19. Walls of Derry, Photo by K. Mitch Hodge on Unsplash.com; 20. Lynch Castle; 21. Rathbaun Farm; 22. Trad on Prom; 23. Inis Mór; 24. Cobh Heritage Centre; 25. Cobh Musuem; 26. Cliffs of Moher by weareaway on Pixabay