 |
| Aurora Borealis at the Giant's Causeway, 2025. |
PROVISIONAL ITINERARY (still subject to change)
NOTE: Prior to the trip, you will have two opportunities to meet the rest of the Watch. Once via Zoom, so stateside students can meet their Irish counterparts, and once at a backyard firepit in Highland Park As the trip draws near, we'll pick dates convenient to your schedules.
TUES. JUNE 2 (arrive Dublin, morning)
8:45 AM, DUB airport (meeting place Cloud Picker Cafe Terminal 2; Dave and I will meet you there; we will take cabs to campus)
10 AM – 11:00 AM, Settle into All Hallows Campus rooms, DCU
11:00 - 11:30 AM, short tour of All Hallows Campus, DCU
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM, group lunch, meal hall (not included)
1:30 PM – 3:30 PM, Informal walking tour of downtown Dublin
3:30 PM - 6:00 PM, Free Time/All Hallows Campus, DCU
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM, Orientation/Group Readings, SG09, All Hallows Campus, DCU
8:00 PM, Pubs (optional)
WEDS. JUNE 3
8:30 – 9:30 AM, Group Breakfast, Student Cafeteria, All Hallows Campus, DCU (included)
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Workshop, SG09, All Hallows Campus, DCU
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Most Peculiar Tea (essentially lunch) with agent/author Vanessa O’Loughlin at the College Green Hotel (included)
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM, Free Time
6:00 PM, Lecture/Q&A with author Deirdre Sullivan (Tangleweed & Brine), “Irish Myth/Folklore as Inspiration,” followed by a reading (Belvedere House, St. Patrick's Campus, DCU)
8:00 PM, Group dinner at Cat & Canary w. Deirdre Sullivan; we will likely sit at an assortment of tables as opposed to one long one
THURS. JUNE 4
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM, Group Breakfast, Student Cafeteria, All Hallows Campus, DCU
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Workshop, SG09, All Hallows Campus, DCU
1:00 PM – 5:30 PM, Independent lunch/Free Time
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM, Lecture/Q&A w. Booker Prize nominated author Kevin Barry (Night Boat to Tangier)
8.30 PM, Dinner/Drinks w. Kevin Barry at the Cat & Cage (not included)
FRI. JUNE 5
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM, Group Breakfast, Student Cafeteria, All Hallows Campus, DCU
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Workshop, All Hallows Campus, DCU (SG11)
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Free Time/Independent Lunch (not included)
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Bog Bodies/National Museum of Ireland - Archeology (included); 10 min walk to Drury Buildings
6.00 PM – 9:00 PM, Group Dinner (included) w. special guests, award winning author Eoin Coifer (Artemis Fowl), acclaimed author/publisher Sarah Davis-Goff, award-winning author Sophie White (Where I End), followed by short readings from each of their books, Loft @ Drurys Buildings
SAT. JUNE 6
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM, Group Breakfast, Student Cafeteria, All Hallows Campus, DCU (included)
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Workshop, All Hallows Campus, DCU (SG05)
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM, Free Time
4:00 PM – 5:30 PM, The Book of Kells Experience (included)
6.30 PM - Shuttle (included) to Johnnie Fox's (On the Road Opposite the College Green Hotel; Westmoreland Street, Dublin 2)
7:30 PM – 11:00 PM, Dinner Event/Hooley Show at Johnnie Fox’s (included)
11:30 PM, Return shuttle (included)
SUN. JUNE 7
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM, Group Breakfast, Student Cafeteria, All Hallows DCU (included)
10:30 AM, Train to Belfast
Noon, lunch at Kelly’s Cellars (not included, my favorite pub in Belfast)
2:00 PM, Game of Thrones Studio Tour (included, pick up and drop off, Belfast City Center)
5:30 PM, settle into rooms at Titanic Hotel
7:00 PM, Group Dinner, Titanic Hotel
8:30 PM, Pubs (optional)
MON. JUNE 8
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM, Group Breakfast, hotel
10:30 AM, Game of Thrones Window walk
1:30 AM, Private Bus to Giant’s Causeway
3:00 PM, Settle into Causeway Hotel rooms (right on the cliff!)
3:30 PM - 7:30 PM, Free Writing/Exploring Time
8:00 PM, Group Reading in Hotel Lounge
TUES. JUNE 9
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM, Group Breakfast, hotel (included)
11:00 AM, Cabs (included) to Dark Hedges (Kingsroad), Ballintoy Harbour (Iron Islands), Cushendun Caves (Melisandre’s shadow baby), Dunluce Castle (Pyke), the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
1:00 PM, Lunch at Fullerton Arms (included)
4:00 PM return to Causeway Hotel
4:00 PM – 7:30 PM, Free Writing/Exploring Time
7:30 PM, Dave Rudden Lecture, followed by Group Reading in Hotel Lounge
WEDS. JUNE 10
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM, Group Breakfast, hotel
10:00 AM – 12:30 PM, Cliff hike
12:30 PM – 8:00 PM, Free Writing/Exploring time (walk the tracks into Bushmills!)
2:00 PM– 5:30 PM, One-On-One Feedback Sessions with Alex/Dave
8:00 PM, Alex Dawson Lecture, followed by Group Reading in Hotel Lounge
THURS. JUNE 11:
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM, Group Breakfast, hotel
10:00 AM – 7:30 PM, Free Time
10:30 AM – 1:00 PM and 2:30 PM – 6:00 PM, One-On-One Feedback Sessions with Alex/Dave
8:00 PM, Group Reading in Hotel Lounge
FRI. JUNE 12
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM, Group Breakfast, hotel
10:30 AM - NOON, private bus to Belfast
NOON – 1:30 PM, Lunch in Belfast (not included)
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM, Train to Dublin (included)
5:00 PM, Settle back into to All Hallows Dorms, DCU (included)
5:30 PM – 9:00 PM, Free Writing/Exploring Time
9:00 PM, Pubs (Optional)
SAT. JUNE 13
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM, Group Breakfast (Student Cafeteria, All Hallows Campus, DCU)
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Workshop, DCU (TBD)
1:00 – 3:00 PM, Free Time
3:00 – 4:30 PM, Campus Scavenger hunt (w. prizes)
7:30 PM, Lecture/Q&A with Dave and Alex (open to all DCU students), All Hallows Campus, DCU
9:00 PM, Pubs (optional)
SUN. JUNE 14
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM, Group Breakfast (Student Cafeteria, All Hallows Campus, DCU)
11:00 AM – 4:00 PM, ?
4:30 PM – 7:30 PM, Free Time
8:00 PM – 10:00 PM, Publicized Closing Ceremony w. Student Readings (hosted by Dave and Alex, who will also read), The Oratory, All Hallows Campus, DCU (open to the public and all DCU students,
10:00 PM, Pubs (optional)
MON. JUNE 15 (Depart Dublin, morning)
*
ACCOMMODATIONS (included):
Eight nights (6/9-6/13; 6/19 -6/21) in Dublin: All Hallows, DCU (single occupancy apartments with private bathrooms and shared kitchen/living space, breakfast included)
One night in Belfast, Maldron Hotel Belfast (double occupancy, breakfast included, wonderful reviews), four nights Giant’s Causeway, Causeway Hotel (double occupancy, with terrace and balcony overlooking the sea, breakfast included, excellent reviews).
*
MEALS (included):
Group breakfast every day, Group Dinner @ Cat & Canary w. Deirdre Sullivan, Group Dinner @ Cat & Canary w. Kevin Barry, Group Dinner/Event @ Loft at Drury’s Buildings w. Eoin Colfer, Sarah Goff and Sophie White, Most Peculiar Tea @ The College Green w. Vannessa O'Loughlin, Group Dinner/Hooley Show at Johnny Fox’s; Group Lunch @ Fullerton Arms.
*
TICKETS (included):
Group ticket Book of Kells & The Old Library, National Museum - Archeology (Bog Bodies), National Museum - Natural History, Game of Thrones Studio Tour, Dunluce Castle, Dark Hedges, Cushendon Cavers, Iron Islands, Carrick-a-Rope Bridge.
*
TRANSPORT:
Two week bus pass, Dublin, cabs to/from Dublin airport, shuttle bus to/from Johnny Fox's, train to/from Belfast, private bus hire to/from Giant's Causeway (from Belfast), cabs to/from Dunluce Castle/Dark Hedges/Iron Island/Carrick-Rope-Bridge.