Contents
Flight Information
Hotel Details
Itinerary
    June 20/June 21/June 22/June 23/June 24/June 25/June 26/June 27/June 28/June 29/June 30/July 1
Other Links of Interest
 
 
 
 
 

Flight information
June 20, 2002 Depart from Newark on Continentalflight 22.  Leaves Newark at 8:35 PM.  Arrives at Dubin June 21, 2002 at 8:00 AM.  Total flight time is approximately 6 hours and 25 minutes.

July 1, 2002 Depart from Shannon Airport on Continentalflight 25.  Leaves Shannon at 11:20 AM.  Arrives at Newark at 1:25 PM.  Total flight time is approximately 7 hours and 5 minutes.
 
 
 

Hotel Details
Note:  When calling or faxing from the United States to Ireland, the international code is as follows:  Dial 011 353 and drop the zero on the area code.  Ireland time is five hours "ahead" of New Jersey time.

June 21, 22, 23, 24
Lansdowne Hotel
27-29 Pembroke Road
Ballsbridge, Dublin
Tel 01-668-2522
Fax 01-558-5585
Email: lanhotel@iol.ie

June 25
Hotel Kilkenny
College Road
Kilkenny
Tel  (056) 62000
Fax (056) 65984
Email: kilkenny@griffingroup.ie

June 26, 27, 28  tour group will be split up among the following 3 bed and breakfasts:
Tir Na Nog Country Home
Dualla Cashel
County Tipperary
Tel 062-61350
Email: tnanog@indigo.ie

The Chestnuts FarmHouse
Dualla Road
Cashel
County Tipperary
Phyllis O'Halloran
Tel 062-61469

Derrynaflan
Ballinure
Cashel
County tipperary
Sheila O'Sullivan
Tel 052-56406

June 29 and 30
Jurys Inn
Lower Mallow Street
Limerick
Tel (061) 207 000
Fax (061) 400 966
Email:  limerick_inn@durysdoyle.com
 
 
 

Itinerary

June 20 - United States to Dublin
Depart Newark airport at 8:35 pm on Continental flight 22.  Dinner and continental breakfast are served en route.  Arrive Dublin June 21 8:00 am.

June 21 - Day 1 - Dublin Arrival and City Tour
Arrive Dublin, Transfer to accommodation.  Short orientation session on arrival.  Afternoon tour of the city including a visit to  the Book of Kells, the 8th century manuscript containing the four gospels of the New Testament of the Bible, in the library of Trinity College.  The College was founded by Queen Elizabeth I as a place of learning for Irish Protestants.  Its alumni include Oliver Goldsmith, Oscar Wilde, JM Synge and Samuel Beckett.  Visit also 12th century St. Patrick's Cathedral, the largest church in Ireland.  Jonathan Swift was Dean here from 1714 to 1745.  As the author of "Gulliver's Travels" and satirical pamphlets, Swift was the scourge of the political establishment of his time.
CLASS MEETING - Discussion session for all enrolled in course
EVENING FREE

June 22 - Day 2- Boyne Valley Visitor Center, Dublin and Abbey Theatre
AM - Travel north to Slane to visit the Boyne Valley Visitor Centre and the ancient Irish burial mounds at Newgrange and Knowth, Co. Meath; Hill of Tara, ancient site of High Kings of Ireland.  Tara is best known as teh seat of early Irish high kings and great open-air assemblies in the early centuries just before and after Christ.
PM - Mellifont Abbey, the first Cistercian monastery in Ireland.  It derives its name from the Latin Melli-fons meaning Honey Fountain.  It was founded in 1142 by St. Malachy and eventually became the head house of over twenty monasteries, and owned thousands of acres in Meath and Louth.  Return to Dublin, Kilmainham Gaol where many of the great figures of Irish history were imprisoned and some executed, especially after the 1916 uprising.  Tour Dublin Castle, dating from the 13th century.  The castle was built on an earlier Viking site.  Built as a Castle, it was once a prison and, as home to the viceroy, was the center of British rule in Ireland.  See the State Apartments where many state functions are held in the richly decorated chambers and the Chapel, which has a long history.
In the evening attend a performance of "That was Then,"Gerard Stembridge’s new comedy about the neverending, halting, tuneless dance between the Irish and the English both as it was, as it now is and as it may always be at the Abbey Theatre , Ireland's National Theatre.  William Butler Yeats and Lady Gregory founded this famous acting company in 1904.  Now housed in a modern building, the Abbey specializes in performances by Irish playwrights, both classical and modern.
 
 

June 23 - Day 3 - Glendalough, Avondale House and Literary Pub Crawl
Tour of Wicklow, including Glendalough, a magical place.  An ancient monastic site, settled beside two dark lakes in a deep valley.  The monastery dates from the 6th century, founded by St. Kevin.  This grew to become a monastic city attracting thousands of students and teachers from all over Europe.  Visit Avondale House, residence of Charles Stewart Parnell, one of the greatest leaders of Irish democracy.  He was leader of the Home Rule party, and, as founder of the Land League, fought for many agrarian reforms.  The scandal that erupted when he was cited in a divorce case in 1890 ruined his health and position.  He lost his party position and was dead within a year.
EVENING OPTION OF DUBLIN LITERARY PUB CRAWL, visiting the many watering holes associated with Dublin's literary greats led by two actors who will enact scenes from many of the works of Oscar Wilde, Sean O'Casey, Brendan Behan, Myles nag Copaleen (Flann O'Brien) , Patrick Kavanagh and other popular Irish writers.

June 24 - Day 4- Dublinia, Christ Church
AM - Visit Dublinia; a dramatic multimedia presentation of life in Dublin under the Vikingson developed by the Medieval Trust to recreate the formative period of the city's growth from the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in 1170 to the closure of its monasteries by Henry VIII in 1540.  It is situated in a beautifully preserved building in the heart of the old city, linked to Christ Church Cathedral by an elegant bridge.
PM - FREE AFTERNOON in Dublin.
CLASS SESSION
EVENING FREE

June 25 - Day 5 - Irish National Heritage Park
AM - Travel south to Wexford for a walking tour.  See the Westgate Heritage Center and the Bull Ring, a market square in the center of town.  Travel to the Heritage Center at Ferrycarrig, a 36 acre living history park on the banks of the River Slaney that provides an ideal introduction to life in ancient Ireland, from the stone age to the Norman invasion.  Each reconstructed glimpse into Irish history is beautifully crafted and has its own natural setting and wildlife.  Full-scale replicas of dwelling places illustrate the changes in beliefs and lifestyles.
PM/Evening - Travel to Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny.

June 26 - Day 6 - Kilkenny Castle, Abbeys & Priory
AM - Take a guided tour of Kilkenny Castle, which was first built in 1192 and was home to the Butler family from 1391 until 1967 and has been fully restored.  Visit the Kilkenny Design Workshops, which are beside the Castle, housed in the former stables of the castle.  Then visit Black Abbey (1225), one of the oldest churches in Ireland that is still standing and not in ruins.  The Abbey continues to function as a Catholic Church today.  Next, stop at Duiske Abbey (1207), a Cisternian abbey founded in 1215 by William Marshall.  Then visit Jerpoint Abbey (12th Century), founded as a Cistercian Monastery in 1160, it became a thriving town.  The highlights include original 12th century Romanesque pillars, and one of the most decorative cloister arcades of any Irish church.   Also visit Kells Priory (1193), an Augustinian priory that is one of the largest medieval monuments in Ireland.
PM - Travel to Cashel, Co. Tipperary.

June 27 - Day 7 - Cahir Castle, Athessel Abbey & Bru Boru
AM - Drive to Golden, a village built across the River Suir.  Visit the 12th century Athassel Priory, located between Cashel and Tipperary, the largest medieval priory in Ireland..  Lunch in Tipperary Town.
PM - Stop at Cahir Castle, Cahir, a medieval castle in the center of the town, still retaining much of its original walls, keep and tower.  Tour of Cahir
Evening:  Dinner and show at Bru Boru Center in Cashel, located at the foot of the historic Rock of Cashel.  It is home to the Bru Boru group, which has given Irish traditional music, song and dance renewed importance in the world of entertainment.

June 28 - Day 8 - Tipperary and Rock of Cashel
Visit Rock of Cashel;
AM/PM - CLASS SESSION; Option to visit Tipperary Crystal in Carrick-on-Suir , established in 1988 by a number of Waterford Crystal master cutters and blowers.  For those of you who don't want to go to Tipperary the coach will drop you off in Cashel so that you can spend time on your own.  Have lunch in Tipperary before going back to your accomodations where the remainder of the afternoon is at your leisure.
EVENING FREE

June 29 - Day 9 - Cashel & Knappogue Castle
AM - Tour Cashel, viewing crafts and local artworks.
PM - Explore Knappogue Castle , home of the MacNamara Clan.  Built in 1467 it housed a succession of Norman and Irish families until 1923 when it was partially destroyed by fire.  It has now been restored and demonstrates the diversity of styles characteristic of the late medieval period.
Travel to hotel site in Limerick area
CLASS SESSION

June 30 - Day 10 - Adare Village, Bunratty Castle & Folk Park
AM - Visit the ancient village of Adare , famous for its main street of thatched houses, and other important sites in the Limerick area
PM - Bunatty to visit the Castle and Folk Park where 19th century dwellings, workshops and an entire village street have been reconstructed.  The Castle dates from 1400, built upon the site of a Viking fortified settlement.  A complete restoration has been carried out on the Castle, which now holds a fine collection of 14th and 15th century furniture.  The folk park comprises a collection of farmhouses from different regions of Ireland and a 19th century village street featuring a pub, school, general store and many other buildings where traditional  lifestyles and crafts are demonstrated.
EVENING FAREWELL BANQUET IN BUNRATTY served in the Great Hall of the 15th century castle.

July 1 - Day 11
DEPART SHANNON AIRPORT TO NEWARK on Continental flight 25 at 11:20 am.  Arrive Newark at 1:35 pm.
 
 
 

Links that may tickle your fancy before we go:
Medieval Ireland Chronology 400AD - 600AD
Medieval Ireland Chronology 600AD - 800AD
A Medieval Irish Bibliography
Find a date in Medieval history - see what happened in Medieval times on any given day
Stanford's Medieval England & Ireland Studies homepage
Ireland History in Maps - Celtic Ireland
Ireland History in Maps - CE1200 - Norman Invasion
The Royal History of Ireland
Gaelic Harps and Harpers
Learning in Medieval Ireland
Celtic Costume Myths and Tips
Irish and Celtic Archaeology
Celtic Mythology
St. Patrick Biography
Drew University's Website
ORB Bibliography -- Ireland, Old/Early Christian