On this custom-designed program we’ll circle Ireland and learn about the cultures and history that have shaped Irish writing, and, most importantly, visit many of the places that have made Ireland fertile ground for writers and other artists.

We will walk the streets of James Joyce’s Dublin while reflecting on the places and people and sights and sounds that he immortalized. We will visit the tower where Yeats composed some of his most famous poems—and which became an emblem of his artistic vision—and Sligo, where he spent his summers as child and came to rest many decades later.

In addition, as we leave the Republic of Ireland for Northern Ireland, we will learn about the Troubles and the work of the most recent Irish writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize, Seamus Heaney.

As we follow in the footsteps of these and other writers, we will also take time to learn about the fascinating history of Ireland and experience several of its many landscapes. Our itinerary will include opportunities to explore Dublin, Belfast, and Galway, as well as visits to the Hill of Tara and Newgrange in County Meath and the Aran Islands and the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare.

See more details below and use the Register Now button to join us.

Jaw-dropping natural landscapes
You’ll enjoy green rolling hills, rugged seaside cliffs, windswept rock formations, and more.

Lively cities
Known for its stunning natural landscapes, Ireland also offers a pleasing mix of the historic and modern in its cities.

Music and festivals
The Irish are known worldwide for their many events and festivals along the year, especially in summer.

History
We’ll visit castles, forts, and archaeological sites dating back thousands of years.

Guinness and Whiskey
There are few better ways to get to know a place than through it’s food and drink. We’ll not only imbibe, we’ll learn about important cultural traditions surrounding famous Irish drinks.

The Locals
The Irish people truly make Ireland special! As a visitor to their shores, you’ll experience their fun sense of humor and warm hospitality.

adapted from nordicvisitor.com

Jonathan Naito is as an Associate Professor and Chair of the English Department. Born and raised in the Detroit area, he received his B.A. from Reed College and his Ph.D. from UCLA. His research and teaching focuses on British, Irish, and postcolonial literature since 1900. He is particularly interested in the work of Samuel Beckett, and he has delivered talks on Beckett in Ireland, South Africa, and Japan. At St. Olaf, he has led the off-campus Theater in London program and he helped to create the Race Matters learning community.

Mina Kinukawa is a scenic designer who was born and raised in Tokyo. She worked for theaters in Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver, Detroit, and Milan, Italy before moving to Minnesota. In Minnesota, she has worked with theaters such as The Jungle, Park Square, Mu Performing Arts, Full Circle Theater, Steppingstone Theatre, Penumbra Theatre, Pangea World Theater, Stages Theatre company, and Interact Center. She also worked on several film productions while living in Los Angeles. She received her BFA in Theatre Design and Production from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and her MFA in Scenic Design from the University of California, San Diego.

This program was custom designed to explore Ireland’s literature, history, and culture. This itinerary is subject to change. Travel demands flexibility. We will strive to balance adaptability with remaining on schedule. Please trust that, when it is not possible to follow the plan laid out below, your program leaders will work to find substitutions that retain the quality of this Study Travel program. Various details may be added or changed due to information obtained while making reservations, or perhaps on site, especially because of the weather. BLD indicated included group meals.

Wednesday, July 12                  Depart USA
Individual departures from your hometown.

Thursday, July 13                       Arrive Dublin (D)
Upon arrival, make your way to the group hotel. This evening we will have a short introductory meeting at the hotel followed by our group welcome dinner at the hotel. Overnight Dublin.

Friday, July 14                             Dublin (BL)
After breakfast, we’ll have a walking city tour of Dublin, including Trinity College. Group lunch at a local restaurant and then some free time. This evening we will enjoy a Literary Pub Crawl in Dublin. Overnight Dublin.

Saturday, July 15                        Dublin (BD)
Jon will lead a discussion at the hotel, and then we’ll visit the Museum of Literary Ireland for a guided tour. MoLI is a collaboration between the National Library of Ireland and University College Dublin, two great institutions with an incredible shared literary history. We will also visit the National Library of Ireland and the Chester Beatty Library. Lunch on your own and some free time. Group dinner, including a traditional Irish dance show. Overnight Dublin.

Sunday, July 16                           Dublin – Navan (BL)
After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll depart Dublin for County Meath in Ireland’s ancient east. Here we will visit Newgrange & Knowth, followed by the Hill of Tara and Hill of Slane. We’ll find time for a discussion led by Jon, and for group lunch. Dinner on your own. Overnight Navan.

Monday, July 17                         Navan – Belfast (BL)
Today we head north to Belfast, where a Republican ex-political prisoner will take us on a guided walk along the Falls Road and share their personal story. We’ll also have lunch on a walking city food tour. Late afternoon free, with dinner on your own. Overnight Belfast.

Tuesday, July 18                         Belfast – Derry (BLD)
We’ll depart in our private motor coach for Derry, first visiting the Seamus Heaney Museum and St. Columba Cathedral. After group lunch, we’ll have a guided walking tour of Derry. Group dinner. Overnight Derry.

Wednesday, July 19                  Derry – Sligo (BLD)
Today we’ll head to Sligo to visit Drumcliff Cemetetry and the WB Yeats Society. After a group lunch there’ll be free time. Group dinner at the hotel. Overnight Sligo.

Thursday, July 20                       Sligo – Galway (B)
After a discussion led by Jon, we’ll depart for Galway, where we’ll have a guided walking tour of this medieval city, including a visit to the home of Nora Barnacle, wife of James Joyce, and the Galway City Museum. Free time with lunch and dinner on your own. Overnight Galway.

Friday, July 21                             Galway/Excursion to the Aran Islands (BLD)
This morning we’ll take the ferry to Inis Mor, the second largest of the Aran Islands. There are two spectacular Stone Forts on the island dating back to between the 1^st and 7^th centuries AD: Dun Fearbhai and Dun Chonchuir or “Conor’s Fort” (also known as “The Black Fort”). We’ll also visit the cottage of John M. Synge, famous Irish playwright. Group lunch at an appropriate point. Dinner on your own after this full day. Overnight Galway.

Saturday, July 22                        Galway (BL)/Day Excursion to Gort (BL)
This morning we’ll start with a discussion led by Jon, and then we’ll visit the town of Gort for a guided tour of Lady Gregory and Yeats Heritage Trail, Kiltartan Gregory Museum, and Thoor Balleylee. Remainder of the day free with lunch and dinner on your own. Overnight Galway.

Sunday, July 23                           Galway – Shannon Airport Hotel (BD)
Today we’ll visit the Cliffs of Moher and Dunguire Castle, and the Burren, a region of County Clare in the southwest of Ireland. It’s a karst landscape of bedrock incorporating a vast cracked pavement of glacial-era limestone, with cliffs and caves, fossils, rock formations and archaeological sites. On the Atlantic coast, the precipitous Cliffs of Moher are home to thousands of seabirds, including puffins. We’ll stop in nearby Doolin village, a renowned center for traditional Irish music, for lunch on your own. Farewell group dinner. Overnight at a Shannon Airport Hotel.

Monday, July 24                         Depart Ireland (B)
Individual departures.

This program requires you to be able to walk a great deal each day, at a moderate pace. Excursions include walking on unpaved surfaces, uneven pavement, stairs, and hills, and a great deal of standing. Good balance is required. The program is not recommended for travelers with difficulties walking. For all excursions and transfers where coaches are involved, travelers have to board coaches with 3-6 steep steps.

• Walking tours are at least 1½ to 2 hours, often over uneven pavement or on unpaved paths.
• Many cities/villages have small sidewalks, uneven surfaces and rail tracks.
• The program is not appropriate for very slow walkers or travelers who use canes or walkers or who need any wheelchair assistance.

You should plan on seeing your family physician or a travel doctor at least four to six weeks prior to departure, preferably earlier, to talk about routine vaccinations. For more information on travel health, visit cdc.gov or who.int.

COVID INFORMATION

As a condition of participation in this program all attendees must have received a COVID-19 vaccine and received a booster shot at least 2 weeks prior to attending the program. (A 2^nd booster is recommended by the CDC for individuals over 50 years of age.] Because changing conditions may result in additional or different participation restrictions, we will strive to keep you promptly informed of any changes resulting from the ongoing pandemic.

What happens if you develop symptoms or test positive for covid while traveling on the St. Olaf program?

• We will expect everyone to follow the isolation and other protocols of the host country and will provide those to you, to the best of our knowledge, closer to departure, as they may be updated frequently in the next several months
• our itinerary cannot be altered, so if it calls for the group to move to a new city/hotel, we will do so
• group leaders cannot stay back with sick or covid-positive individuals
• the injury and illness coverage provided with your program fee includes covid-related illness

Here is the language from the latest FAQs:

Is there coverage for COVID-19? (new as of 5/1/21)
Yes, participants diagnosed with COVID-19 would have the same coverage as if they had any other illness.

Is there coverage for pandemic quarantine? (new as of 5/1/21)
Yes, if the participant is required to quarantine while on a covered trip due to exposure to, or a confirmed case of a virus/illness due to epidemic/pandemic not requiring hospitalization, the policy would provide up to $5,000 of benefits for food and lodging. If the participant requires hospitalization, the basic emergency medical coverage would apply.

You can read more, including the full FAQ and a Summary document, on our Travel Insurance page.

Inclusions and exclusions vary from program to program. Please read the following information carefully.

The program fee is $4,898 per person and includes discussions led by Jon Naito and assistance by Mina Kinukawa • a full-time tour manager/national guide • accommodations, meals, entrance fees, and activities listed in itinerary • private vehicle transportation, except airport transfers on arrival and departure in Ireland • guide audio headset throughout the program • tips/gratuities to drivers, guides, and at group meals • some limited medical coverage while overseas. There is no supplement for single occupancy, but only 4 single rooms are available.

Exclusions: Airfare to and from Ireland is not included. Participants are solely responsible for all expenses not specifically included in the program fee. Examples of excluded expenses are: Airfare between your home town and Ireland • Airport transfers in the US and Ireland • Any passport fees • Any recommended immunizations or vaccinations • Baggage insurance • Trip cancellation insurance above $2,000 lifetime coverage • Housekeeping tips • Porter tips, if you choose to engage them at hotels • Laundry • Dry cleaning • Phone charges • Room service or other items of a personal nature • Expenses incurred during free time or non-group activities • Meals not specifically included on program itinerary • Items not specifically listed above as included.

A $500 per person deposit is required upon registration. See the full Payment and Refund Schedule below.

Because of ongoing uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, it is possible that a program could be postponed. In such a case, while we will strive to make full refunds when we can, there are certain expenses that may not be refunded to either St. Olaf or the participant.

This schedule is based on payments St. Olaf College must make to program vendors to guarantee group rates. We highly recommend that you purchase additional trip cancellation insurance at the time of registration to recover your payments should you need to withdraw from the program.

Deposit due:                          $500 upon registration
Refund if you cancel:          Full refund ($500) until October 14, 2022. If the deposit is made after October 14, 2022, there is no refund.

Interim payment due:        $2,000 by October 15, 2022
Refund if you cancel:          $1,000 until April 30, 2023

Final payment due:             May 1, 2023
Refund if you cancel:          None, unless the program is full and your place can be resold

Cancellations must be in writing.

Read the Terms & Conditions and Release & Waiver.

Review the latest information on recommended immunizations, visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Check your passport: no entry visa is required for Ireland or the UK. However, you should look at your passport now and ensure that it has at least 6 months’ validity past the program return date. Should you need to renew, visit the U.S. Department of State for instructions.

Prepare for your adventure by checking out a variety of resources, including frequently asked questions, general health information, included travel insurance, safety overview, and more.

Peruse our Booking Your Flights page for tips, but do not book your flights until we announce the program is a go.