WE’RE ALL IRISH ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY – WHY NOT VISIT IRELAND AND SEE WHAT YOU’RE MISSING!
We all like to say we’re Irish on St. Patrick’s Day – so instead of raising a pint of green beer and toasting the emerald isle – why not plan a visit?
It must be the luck o’ the Irish, because the Divine Destination Collection has a luxuriously curated trip to Ireland just waiting for you. With a minimum of 15 friends and family you can book a five-day private group trip that mixes music, food and history with some incredible one-of-a-kind adventures.
It all starts off with two days in Dublin, the home of James Joyce, Oscar Wilde and the band members of U2.
You and your group will stay at the elegant and historic Shelbourne Dublin Hotel, where the Irish Constitution was drafted in 1922 by Michael Collins and his colleagues.
Overlooking beautiful St. Stephens Green, Ireland’s best known Victorian public park, the Shelbourne is close to the great shopping of Grafton Street, as well as the vibrant nightlife found along the banks of the River Liffey, which flows through the city. There is also a genealogist on call at the Shelbourne to help you find out if you have Irish blood!
RAISING A PINT
How can you visit Dublin without dropping into a pub or two for a pint of Guinness?
To make sure you get an authentic pub experience you’ll join in on a pub crawl where musicians playing traditional Irish instruments such as the bodhrán accompany you while you venture from pub to pub.
The next night your group will descend into the 12th Century Crypt of Christ Church Cathedral for a private cocktail reception, complete with a haunting performance of medieval music and a chance to ring the church bells.
After Dublin you’re off to spend two nights in Ballyvaughan, County Clare, where you can expect some delightful surprises awaiting you as you check in to the Gregans Castle Hotel, a stunning 18th century manor house.
During your visit you’ll also enjoy a truly unique way to experience the kindness, hospitality and good humour of the Irish by dining with a local family for a wonderful, home-cooked meal and some good “craic” – the term the Irish use to describe fun conversation and storytelling.
THE SPIRITUAL SIDE
Another great adventure awaits with a ferry ride to Inis Mor (Inishmore), the largest of the Aran Islands and full of windswept beauty and Christian, pre-Christian and Celtic monuments and artifacts. To make sure you get the most out of this experience your group will be accompanied by a knowledgeable guide who can point out the historical as well as the mystical.
In fact, the opportunity to learn about the spiritual and the mystical is what makes a trip with the Divine Destination Collection truly different from any other journey, and Ireland won’t disappoint.
Ireland has many “thin places,” where it is said that the distance between this world and the next is paper thin and you can catch a glimpse of the divine and forever see the world in a new light.
Some of these thin places include ancient sites such as the Hill of Tara where Gods once lived, St. Brigid’s Well, which is known for its healing powers, and Newgrange, a Stone Age monument and tomb that is older than Stonehenge and the pyramids of Egypt.
A DEDICATION TO LUXURY
The other feature which makes a Divine Destination Collection trip remarkable is the dedication to the most luxurious accommodations and amenities.
Throughout this Irish adventure you will stay at some of the most beautiful and unique hotels Ireland has to offer, which includes the Shelbourne in Dublin, the Gregans Castle Hotel in Ballyvaughan, and the regal 5th Century Dromoland Castle Hotel and Country Estate in Shannon, the ancestral home of Gaelic Royalty. That is where you’ll spend your final night after an enchanting private garden party, complete with Irish sing-along, held beneath the stars in the castle’s walled garden.
This trip is a great way to bring a group of people together to celebrate a milestone anniversary or a special event such as a 50th birthday. If you are travelling alone or in a smaller group, the Divine Destination Collection plans to offer this trip again in the near future.
In the meantime, if the Celtic fascinates you, learn about the Divine Destination Collection’s upcoming trip to Scotland this October. Bagpipes and a nip of great Scottish whisky might just be in your future!
Have a look at our Ireland itinerary. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.