| Experience Ireland with the Lederachs |
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and the Oberammergau Passion Play
September 16-29, 2010 
with tour leaders John and Naomi Lederach
John and Naomi Lederach from Goshen, Indiana, who have lived and worked in Ireland and have led a number of TourMagination tours there, invite you to join them for this experience in 2010. Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle because of its many beautiful shades of green. The scenery of this island is fantastic and varied. John and Naomi will share with you the history of Ireland, including the Protestant/Catholic unrest and how the church is working for peace in this country. They will tell of their experiences and how things have changed since the time they lived there. This is a journey that you will remember for years to come and this year’s tour has an added dimension of going to Oberammergau, Germany, at the end of the tour to see the world-famous passion play which is performed by the villagers of Oberammergau every ten years because of a promise made to God in 1634. Don’t miss out on this opportunity in 2010. Thursday & Friday, September 16 & 17 Depart from Liberty International Airport, Newark, New Jersey, on an overnight flight to Belfast, Northern Ireland. Morning arrival in Belfast. If possible, we will check into our hotel and rest before having a brief walking tour of the city center. We will stay three nights in Belfast. Saturday, September 18 Travel north via winding coastal roads through the picturesque nine Glens of Antrim and explore the Giant’s Causeway, massive columns of volcanic basalt and learn how they were created. At Dunluce Castle, built in the late 16th to early 17th century, we will see a film on its history before exploring it. We will visit Corrymeela, a faith community, working many years for peace and reconciliation through the very difficult time of “The Troubles.” Sunday, September 19 Worship this morning with City Church in Belfast, who has worked in many creative ways with university students and others in the community, and are very interested in Christian community, discipleship and alternatives to violence. A city tour will include the Titanic Museum and a sculpture honoring C.S. Lewis and his Narnia Tales, Springfield Road Methodist Church and “peace wall” where Lederachs lived for three years. Monday, September 20  Sculpture of Famine Boat near Sligo Tuesday, September 21 Kylemore Abbey is a beautiful stop. It has a neo-Gothic mansion occupied by an Irish Benedictine community of nuns. The chapel and gardens are open to the public. You will enjoy lovely landscapes in all directions as we travel to Galway and the famous Galway Bay. There is a seaside promenade in Salthill where we will be staying, inviting walks along the water. Wednesday, September 22 More beautiful scenery as we travel to the Cliffs of Moher, six miles of rough-hewn cliffs that plunge into the Atlantic from heights up to 668 feet. Crossing the River Shannon by ferry at Killmer, we continue through Co. Clare to Tralee, famous for its International Festival, which any woman with even remote Irish connections may enter in hopes of becoming “The Rose of Tralee.” Thursday, September 23 Travel through Co. Limerick on way to Dingle, a thriving, colorful fishing port. We will travel around the westernmost part of Ireland where we can see the Blasket Islands, scene of many shipwrecks over the centuries. We will also see oratories, common monastic sites that look like upturned boats or “beehives” and many other prehistoric and early Christian ruins. Friday, September 24  Round Tower at Glendalough Saturday, September 25 In Dublin today, we will visit Trinity College where we will see the Book of Kells, the most priceless manuscript, which is a Latin text of the Four Gospels with illuminated pages dating from about AD 800. A bus tour of the city includes Phoenix Park which covers 1752 acres and has the US Embassy and President’s home. There will be time for shopping on O’Connell and Grafton Streets. Two nights in Dublin. Sunday, September 26 Worship with Lucan Presbyterian Church which is pastored by Trevor Morrow who has visited the Lederachs in Goshen, Indiana. Travel to Brú na Bóinne (Newgrange) where we will see a film before visiting this impressive Stone Age tomb which is surrounded by large stones engraved with geometric patterns and is older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids. We will return to Dublin for the night. Monday, September 27 This morning we will depart Ireland and fly to Munich, Germany, where we will be met and transferred to the charming village of Oberammergau, known world-wide for its passion play performed every ten years because of a vow made in 1634. Two nights’ lodging in Oberammergau. Tuesday, September 28 Tuesday morning you will have free time to rest or explore the village of Oberammergau with its beautifully painted houses and many flowers. Then in the afternoon and evening will be the performance of the passion of Christ, an event to be long-remembered, particularly at Easter time when you meditate on Christ’s passion and resurrection. There will be a break for dinner. Wednesday, September 29 It’s time to return home so we will drive to Munich to get our flight back to North America. You will have many new memories and stories to take home with you, as well as new friendships made. For further information regarding the complete tour fare, please This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it . We would be happy to be of assistance. |
