There is a thread that runs through our lives… a line that ties us to those who came before. It is woven not just in the names in our family trees, but in the land beneath our feet, in the silent passing of generations and in the stories they carried. This journey is not merely about tracing those names, but about stepping into a history where the ground is familiar, even if it’s foreign.

This is not just a tour through Ireland. This is a journey through the layers of history that shaped your ancestors. It’s more than walking the streets of Dublin or gazing at the cliffs of Northern Ireland. It is realizing that the story is still being written. You are a part of it, as much as they are.

It’s about understanding your family's place in the world and the stories that have shaped you. On this tour, your personal journey will be deepened, as you process and reflect on your family’s migration and origin stories. You will not only visit historical sites but also connect emotionally to the histories that live within you.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

• Visit EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum to explore the story of Irish migration and its impact on Irish-American identity.

• Explore Strokestown Park House and Famine Museum, learning about the Great Famine and the Irish emigration it triggered.

• Visit Londonderry, connecting you to the history of Irish and Ulster-Scots migration. Learn about the Ulster-Scots migration and its influence on Irish-American communities.

• Marvel at the geological wonder of the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• Explore the historic Dunluce Castle, tied to Irish clan history and migration.

• Participate in private genealogy workshops to trace your ancestral roots and understand your family’s migration story.

• Enjoy live Irish music sessions and traditional storytelling, connecting you to the cultural tapestry of Ireland.

• Experience the breathtaking landscapes of the Mourne Mountains and the Irish countryside, with guided visits to key historical sites.

• Spend time at leisure in Dublin, Belfast, and Newcastle, revisiting your favorite sites or enjoying personal exploration.

Kyle, a seasoned travel guide with over two decades of industry experience, has dedicated her life to creating enriching and inspiring travel experiences for diverse groups. With a repertoire of leading thousands of travelers (yes thousands!), she possesses an intimate understanding of the transformative power of travel. Her journeys span across the picturesque locales of Europe and the US, underlining her vast travel experience and knowledge. Yet, with every tour, Kyle's heart for her guests remains the same: to ensure every individual returns home with a revitalized spirit, a broadened worldview, and cherished memories of newfound friendships.

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DAY ONE SAT OCTOBER 10 Arrival Day | Dublin

Welcome, traveler. You’ve arrived in Dublin! Your home for the next two nights is centrally located, perfectly placed for wandering, watching, and easing into the rhythm of the city. After settling in, we’ll take a leisure walk through central Dublin, orienting ourselves to place and pace. This first afternoon is intentionally unhurried, time to breathe, notice, and arrive fully. In the evening, we’ll gather for our first shared table: a welcome dinner at a traditional Dublin restaurant. Over good food and conversation, we’ll introduce the journey ahead as we get to know once another.

INCLUDES:
• Leisure walk through central Dublin
• Welcome dinner

MODERATE WALKING: 3-5 MILES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. NO BUS. SLEEP IN DUBLIN.

DAY TWO SUN OCTOBER 11 Dublin | The Roots of Migration

Today we explore the forces that shaped Irish identity far beyond its shores. Our morning begins at EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum, where personal stories, letters, and artifacts trace the journeys of those who left Ireland for America, for Scotland, and for places unknown. This is not abstract history; it is intimate, human, and often familiar. The afternoon is yours. Wander, journal, café-hop, or return to a place that caught your attention yesterday. Dinner on your own this evening.

INCLUDES:
• EPIC Irish Emigration Museum
• Free afternoon in Dublin
• Dinner on your own

MODERATE WALKING: 3-5 MILES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. NO BUS. SLEEP IN DUBLIN.

DAY THREE MON OCTOBER 12 Irish Countryside & Strokestown

We leave the city behind and head into the Irish countryside, passing through villages and gorgeous landscape. By afternoon, we arrive at Strokestown Park House and Famine Museum, one of the most powerful places in Ireland to understand the Great Famine. Here, the story becomes painfully clear: eviction notices, ship manifests, and the quiet devastation that pushed families onto roads, boats, and into exile. We continue through nearby famine memorials and villages, learning how land, policy, and survival reshaped entire family lines. The day ends not in heaviness, but in shared humanity, with dinner and live music at beloved gathering place, a local pub where story and song bring warmth back into the day.

INCLUDES:
• Countryside drive & village stops
• Strokestown Park House & Famine Museum
• Famine memorial sites
• Dinner & live music at local pub

MODERATE WALKING: 3-5 MILES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. BUS 3 HRS. SLEEP IN DUBLIN.

DAY FOUR TUES OCTOBER 13 Mourne Mountains & Newcastle

This morning we cross into Northern Ireland, following historic migration routes north. Our first stop is Newry, where we visit the Newry & Mourne Museum to explore the Ulster-Scots story, a distinct migration narrative shaped by land, religion, and opportunity, and one deeply woven into American history. Walk in Tollymore Forest Park. By afternoon, we arrive in Newcastle, set between the sea and the Mourne Mountains. We check into the elegant seaside hotel. Enjoy a walk along the coast, take in the views, or simply rest. Local guides and storytellers help us understand how geography shaped family decisions: who stayed, who left, and why. The evening brings us together again for a storytelling session: music, memory, and spoken word.. reflecting how migration reshaped culture as much as people. Dinner together.

INCLUDES:
• Newry & Mourne Museum
• Tollymore Forest Park
• Storytelling evening

MODERATE WALKING: 2-4 MILES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. BUS 2 HRS. SLEEP IN NEWCASTLE.

DAY SIX WED OCTOBER 14 Belfast | Industry, Identity & Song

We travel north to Belfast, checking into the beautifully restored hotel in the historic shipyards. The afternoon offers an optional visit to the Ulster-American Folk Park, deepening our understanding of the Ulster-Scots journey to America. In the evening, we gather for dinner, followed by traditional music night,

INCLUDES:
• Transfer to Belfast
• Optional Ulster-American Folk Park
• Dinner & music

MODERATE WALKING: 2-4 MILES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. BUS 2 HRS. SLEEP IN BELFAST.

DAY SEVEN THUS OCTOBER 15 | Derry & The North Coast

Today is a sweeping journey through layered history. We travel west to Derry/Londonderry for a special conversation and walk. More details to come. Late, we continue along the coast to the Giant’s Causeway, before visiting the dramatic ruins of Dunluce Castle, once home to powerful clans whose descendants now live across the world. We return to Belfast in the evening for reflection and rest.

INCLUDES:
• Londonderry Visit - special event
• Visit Giant’s Causeway
• View Dunluce Castle

MODERATE WALKING: 3-5 MILES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. BUS 3 HRS. SLEEP IN BELFAST.

DAY EIGHT FRI OCTOBER 16 Belfast | A Day to Make It Yours

A free day to follow your curiosity. Revisit meaningful sites, explore the murals, walk the River Lagan, or spend quiet time reflecting and writing. In the evening, we come together one final time for a farewell dinner — a night to name what’s shifted, what’s surfaced, and what we’ll carry forward.

INCLUDES:
• Free afternoon
• Farewell Feast

MODERATE WALKING: 2-4 MILES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. NO BUS. SLEEP IN BELFAST.

DAY NINE SAT OCTOBER 17 Departure | Carrying the Story Home

Depart for home with a deeper understanding of your family’s past, and a clearer sense of how it shapes your present and future.