Welcome to our Northern Retreat
8 days in the Land of Heart’s Desire
It is said that eight days in the mythical Tír na n’Óg — the Land of the Ever-Young — is like eight hundred years in the land of mortal men.
In the ancient Irish imagination, Tír na n’Óg was not a place apart, but an otherworld that exists alongside our own, touching this world in moments of beauty, stillness, and deep connection.
This retreat is an invitation to step into that living landscape — to slow down, to listen, and to rediscover a sense of wonder, belonging, and renewal through land, story, music, and shared journey.
So come with me and ride,
To shores by the wash of the tremulous tide,
Where men have heaped no burial-mound,
And the days pass like a wayward tune,
Where broken faith is never knownAnd the first blush of love has never flownThere we dance in joy unboundIn the pale light of a Faerie moon.
What to Expect
Duration
8 Days
location
Northern Ireland
Base
Temple House
Activity Level
Moderate
The Journey, Day-by-Day
Day 1: The Gathering of the Fellowship
“Ní neart go chur le chéile”
There is no strength without fellowship
- 8:30am: Meet Samuel, your driver and Shanakee (Seanchaí: Keeper of Lore) for the coming week at Dublin Airport.
- 8:45am: Depart for the Hill of Tara
- 10:00am: Hill of Tara
We spend the morning before the day trippers arrive from Dublin enjoying Ireland’s ancient royal capital. The Royal site at Tara was the seat of the High Kings of Ireland for millenia up to the very end of the Viking age in the year 1014ad. - 12:00 Lunch: Hill of Tara
From Tara we head north for the province of Ulster and the bustling streets of Belfast, Ireland’s vibrant northern capital. - 4pm: (Overnight Belfast City) Belfast to allow us to explore her Victorian streets. There are options to take a black cab tour of Belfast’s fascinating Political history. The Titanic experience located in the dry dock at the Harland and Wolfe shipyards where the world’s most famous ship was built. Or stroll the grounds of Queen’s university and visit the beautiful Victorian botanical gardens.
Day 2: Introduction to the Living Landscape of Tír na n’Óg
“Tír gan teanga, Tír gan anam”
Land without a voice, land without a soul.
Today we introduce you to the Causeway Coast, sculpted by GIANTS!!, alive with myth and legend. Where the Irish sea and the Atlantic collide. The drama of this gigantic landscape unfolds as we hug the shore north and west along the north Antrim coast.
- 8am – 9am: Breakfast
- 9am: Depart Belfast
We head north out of Belfast through the haunting glens of Antrim with views across the channel to the Mull of Kintyre and Island of Islay in Scotland before veering west toward the Uesco world heritage site at the Giant’s Causeway. “The giant’s road” “The pillars of Hercules” “Finn McCools’s stepping stones” call them what you may, this unique landform has fascinated visitors for millenia.
Lunch: Giant’s Causeway
- After lunch: We continue west to Ulster’s second city, the walled city of Derry/Londonderry. Once a city under siege and ravaged by war, today Derry is Ireland’s capital of Peace. Derry’s inspirational story of hope, struggle and salvation is carried by the proud people of this historic town, the only remaining medieval walled city on the island of Ireland.
- 5:30pm: Arrive Derry/Londonderry (Overnight Derry town).
Day 3: Riders to the Sea
Tír na n’Óg is an island, as such it’s singularly defining feature is that it is entirely surrounded by water. So no visit to Tír na n’Óg would be complete without feeling the healing waters of the mighty Atlantic blown into us by the west wind. That divine west wind crosses 4000 miles of open Atlantic ocean. Standing on the shore and allowing that wind to impact you has the ability to change your very way of being and drive away any restless thoughts.
- 8am – 9am: Breakfast
- 9:00am: Depart the walled city and head to explore The Wild Atlantic Way, driving south to County Donegal and the Cliffs at Slieve League; the highest sea cliffs in Europe (200ft higher than the cliffs of Moher).
- Lunch: Donegal Town. We stop at Donegal market town, home of Donegal tweed. We visit the local Donegal craft market for lunch before venturing on to Sligo and Temple House.
- 6:00 pm: Arrive Temple House
- 7:00 pm: Dinner
- 8:30pm: Story and Song with Joanna Sweeney and friends.
Day 4: Introduction to the Art of Living in Tír na n’Óg
- 7:45-8:45am: Morning meditation/Yoga
- 9:00am: Breakfast
- 10:30: Day of Leisure
Today we take the opportunity to enjoy the many activities (or inactivities) available at Temple House. Bake some bread, weave a basket, go fishing or just hang out with the Good People. - Options:
Lakeside sauna, baking lessons, falconry, fishing, massage, kayaking…
…..whatever your heart may desire - 5:30pm: Depart for Sligo town
- 7:00pm: Dinner at the Coachman’s pub or Eala Bhan
Restaurant - 8:30pm: Return to Temple House or remain in town pubbing, live music and taxi home
Day 5: Introduction to the other world and the ‘Good People’ of Tír na n’Óg
“Where the wandering water gushes from the hills above Glencar,
In pools among the rushes that scarce would bathe a star.”
– W.B. Yeats
From this point onward, Temple House becomes our home — a place of stillness, hospitality, and deep connection to land and lineage.
- 7:00 – 8:00am: Morning meditation/Yoga
- 8:00am: Breakfast
- 9:00am: Depart for Counties Sligo and Leitrim and “The Land of Heart’s Desire”. Driving tour of Sligo “The Land of Heart’s Desire”, Lough Gill and Glencar Lough. Driving towards Sligo town, we visit Tobernealt, an ancient sacred spring well/Christian pilgrimage site. From there to Slish wood for a 1 hour lakeside walk to Inishfree Island, immortalised in the poetry of William Butler Yeats. From lakeside to lakeside and the Glencar tearooms for lunch.
- 1:30pm – 2.30pm: Lunch Glencar
- 3:30pm – 4.00pm: We visit the waterfall at Glencar believed to conceal the door to a vast Faerie palace and once again immortalised in Yeats’ poem, “The stolen child”.
- 6:00pm: We arrive home in time for dinner and a relaxing evening by the fireside with the Faerie Queen Claire Roche, world-renowned Celtic harpist and storyteller.
Day 6: In Search of the Holy Grail
““Lig an draoíacht a tharlú”
Let the magic happen.
- 7:45-8:45am: Morning meditation/Yoga
- 9:00am: Breakfast
- 10:30 am Depart for a mythical mystical afternoon.
Visit Carrowmore megalithic tomb complex, the largest megalithic site in Ireland.
Hike 1hr 30mins (moderate strenuous) to the hilltop burial site of Maeve Demi-Goddess Iron age Warrior Queen of the western Gael. - Lunch: The Strand pub, Strandhill seaside village
- 3:30pm: Return to Temple House
- 6:00pm: Temple House Dinner
- 7:30 – 9:00pm: Grail Quest and Shanakee performance
Together we walk the lands of the Knights Templar, keepers of the true Grail (access and revelations exclusive only to Temple House and Perceval family guests). This evening we learn the art of Living through pilgrimage. Following in the spirit of the Good Knight, Sir Perceval, in search of the Holy Grail. Walking the ruins of Temple Castle,ancestral home of the Perceval family and final resting place of the true Grail “le Sangreal”. - We are initiated into the secrets of the Temple Knights, sworn to protect and keep the true Grail. We hear the powerful voice of our ancestors through our own footsteps.
Day 7: The Return to the Heart of the Mountain
“An áit a bhfuil do chroí, is ann a thabharfas do chosa thú”
Your feet will take you to where your heart is.
- 7:45-8:45am: Morning meditation/Yoga
- 9:00am: Breakfast
- 10:30am: Depart for the morning 3hr long hike to the heart of the mountain (1hr 30mins one way, Activity level moderate) Today our pilgrimage takes us to the very heart of the mountain, the very heart of the world.
- We drive through Ballymote village to pick up food at the deli to bring for a picnic at our next stop: Carrowkeel.
- Continuing on to the caves of Keshcorran, a ten thousand year old ritual site with evidence of human ritual dating back to our earliest origins on the island. We hear the folklore of place told for millenia.
- Lunch: Picnic on site
- From the caves, we venture further to the Neolithic tomb complex of Carrowkeel where 26 of the oldest passage tombs in Western Europe lie scattered over 4 hilltops overlooking the beautiful Lough Arrow. A 1 hour hike takes us to a hillside high above Lough Arrow, the home of the ancient Gods of Ireland. We hear the stories of how the army of great hatred was finally and forever after defeated by the Good people and peace restored to the land and the world.
- 5:30pm: Return to Temple House
- 7:00pm: Temple House Dinner
8:00pm: Grand Finale private concert traditional music with Catmelodeon traditional music at Temple House.
Day 8: Farewell to Erin
“Is fearr seacht lá le na daoine maithe ná seacht mbliana leis na daoine dona”
Seven days with the good people is better than seven years with not so good people.
- 7:45 – 8:45am: Morning meditation/Yoga/Sound bath
- 9:00am: Breakfast
- 10:30am: Today we say farewell for now to Temple house but not to Tír na n’Óg which lives now forever in our hearts.
Depart for Dublin via the hill of the witches “Sliabh na Cailligh”. Here we invoke the spirit of the land and her blessings upon our onward journey that we may carry the spirit of Tír na n’Óg out into the world and… let the magic happen. - ReturnTransfer to Dublin airport or onward travel options.
Practical Information
What’s Included
- 2 Nights Hotel Bed and Breakfast
- 5 nights 6 days exclusive country Manor house occupation
- 7 full choice cooked breakfasts
- 4 evening meals 3 course set menu (dietary requirements accommodated)
- All transfers and transport over 7 full days
- Site entry fees
- All relevant taxes and insurance
- Professional driver/guide
- Guided hikes
- Certain activities (i.e. Guided meditation/Bread baking)
- All entertainment
What’s Not Included
- Flights
- 3 evening meals
- Some optional activities (ie. falconry,seaweed baths)
Scheduled 8-Day Retreats – Price Per Person
€2,500
($2,899) per person sharing
Single Supplement: +€200 ($225)
For Retreat Leaders & Organisers
Retreat Pricing & Partnerships
Shanakee Retreats are bespoke experiences, created in collaboration with retreat leaders and facilitators.
Trade rates and tailored packages are available. Pricing is shaped by group size, duration, and itinerary.
Please enquire to discuss a customised retreat package.