Thin Places - Anglican Diocese in New Englandcluding admission to see The Book of Kells, an 8th century illuminated manuscript of the gospels. Trinity College was founded by Elizabeth

CONNOISSEURS TOURS • 1-800-856-1045 • [email protected] • 1-912-351-9525

Thin Places:The Roots of Christianity in Ancient Ireland

August 22 - September 6, 2016

Aboard Holland America’s Prinsendam • With the Reverend Dr. Les Fairfield

A Cruise from Holland to Ireland


Dear Friends,

When St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland in the 400s AD, he went off the edge of the known world. Ireland had never been part of the Roman Empire. It was an island of forests and mountains and bogs, where Celtic people worshiped gods of earth and sea and sky. The ancient Irish loved nature, but they also feared it, and feared the gods who (as they thought) sent storms to wreck their crops or cold to freeze them in winter. Patrick introduced the Irish to the God who created nature and called it good. Behind the beauti-ful and terrible face of nature, there is a Creator watch-ing over it. True, nature is terribly bent and there are dangerous powers still. Our Fall twisted the whole cosmos. But the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ have begun to heal nature and to cleanse it. So the Celtic Christians believed that there were “Thin Places” in nature, where our eyes may pierce through the mists of time, and see the Kingdom of God rushing towards us from the future. Nature is good, and at the same time we can see beyond it.

We’re going to visit some of those “Thin Places” on this pilgrimage. On the journey to Ireland, we’ll visit many other wonderful historic sites - and enjoy them thoroughly - but our chief purpose is to visit the “Isle of the Saints” and to trace the growth of early Christianity there. Please join us on this adventure!

In Christ,

Les

Dr. Les Fairfield

Professor Les Fairfield was educated at Princeton and Harvard, and for 30 years (1976-2006) was professor of Church History at Trinity. He is the author of John Bale: Mythmaker for the English Reformation. He taught courses at Trinity ranging from Patristics to Postmodernism. Les retired from full-time teaching in 2006. He continues to lead study tours to France, Italy, Spain and the British Isles, and to teach part-time at Trinity.


DAY 1 - MON. AUGUST 22, 2016: DEPARTToday we depart the United States or Canada to fly into Amsterdam, Netherlands.

DAY 2 - TUES. 23: AMSTERDAM/ EMBARKATION

For those who arrive early, there will be some time to explore Amsterdam before embarking on the cruise. We depart in the afternoon aboard the Prinsendam, to make our way to Antwerp.

DAY 3 - WED. 24: BRUGES/GHENTFrom Antwerp, we will make our way to Bruges, the ‘Venice of the North.’ As a fairy-tale medieval town with picturesque cobblestone lanes and dreamy canals, Bruges is hard to improve upon. We’ll enjoy a canal cruise in Bruges, as well as take in photogenic market squares lined with soaring towers, historic churches and old whitewashed almshouses.

We will also view the Church of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk) and the Beguinage. It took two centuries to build the church, whose tower, at 401 ft. in height, remains the tallest structure in the city and the second tallest brickwork tower in the world. Though Our Lady contains many amazing art trea-sures, none compares to Michelangelo’s marble Madonna and Child sculpture. This statue, made in

1504, was the only one of Michaelangelo’s works to leave Italy in his lifetime. Today it is one of the few that can be seen outside Italy. We’ll also visit De Wi-jngarrd (The Vineyard) beguinage, filled with a rich history of women devoted to the Lord’s service who looked for holiness outside mo-nastic norms. Although they lived and prayed together within an en-

clave, many ministered to the poor and sick outside their walls, and lifelong celibacy was not required. After having lunch at a local cafe, we will proceed on to Ghent, with fabulous canal side architecture. Walking through the city of Ghent is like walking through a historical painting, a masterpiece of castles, cathedrals, churches and old merchant houses. We’ll also visit St. Bavo’s Cathedral (locally Sint-Baafska-thedraal) with the Ghent Altarpiece. The Altarpiece, formally known as: The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb by Hubert and Jan van Eyck, is considered Van Eyck’s master-piece and one of the most important works of the early Northern Renaissance, as well as one of the greatest artistic masterpieces of Belgium. Time permitting, we will also visit the Gravensteen, a castle originating from the Middle Ages, whose name means “castle of the counts” in Dutch. The present castle was built in 1180 by count Philip of Alsace and was modeled after the crusaders castles that Philip of Alsace encountered in the second crusade. Before


its construction, there stood a wooden castle on the same location, presumably built in the ninth century. The castle served as the seat of the Counts of Flan-ders until they abandoned it in the 14th century. The castle was then used as a courthouse, a prison and eventually decayed.

DAY 4 - THURS. 25: DAY AT SEAToday we spend the day at sea aboard the luxurious Prinsendam where we’ll enjoy a choice of many activi-

ties including special films, lectures, and of course drinks and fine dining. Les will do some teaching on “thin places” in the Bible, and on the Celtic tradition as well.

DAY 5 - FRI. 26: ST. PETER PORT, GUERNSEYToday, we spend the morning on the Isle of Guernsey – the Island of Flowers. Guernsey’s history dates back to ancient times and its position on the trade routes of the ancient world ensure a deep and varied history. The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Duchy of Normandy. In the mid-16th century, the island was influenced by Calvinist reformers from Normandy. During the Marian persecutions, three women, the Guernsey Martyrs, were burned at the stake for their Protestant beliefs. The Channel Islands were also the only part of Britain to be occupied by the Germans in World War II and German defences and alterations remain very

visible on the island. There is a wealth of stories to be told about life under occupation. One such story, the historical novel, “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows tells the story of the occupation with warmth and humor as a series of letters. Our special Connois-seurs guide will highlight many of the key events and sites from this book.

DAY 6 - SAT. 27: ST. MARY’S/ISLES OF SCILLYTo many, Tresco is the most attractive of the Isles of Scilly, especially with its Abbey Gardens – home to 20,000 exotic plant species from 80 countries, rang-ing from Brazil to New Zealand and Burma to South Africa. Botanist and plant collector Augustus Smith began the gardens in the 1830s on the site of an old Benedictine Abbey by channelling the weather up and over a network of walled enclosures built around the Priory ruins. He carved three terraces from the rocky, south slope and, in this way, maximized Tres-co’s mild gulf stream climate. Here, there are gener-

ally more hours of sunshine and less rainfall than the UK average, yet many of these plants would stand no chance on the Cornish mainland, less than 30 miles away. Today we will tender ashore for a guided tour of this world-renowned attraction.

DAY 7 - SUN. 28: DUBLIN

Introducing our visit to early Ireland, we begin by traveling north from Dublin to Newgrange as we make our way to the Bru na Boinne Visitor Centre. This center is designed to present the archaeo-logical heritage of the Boyne Valley, which includes


the megalithic passage tombs of Newgrange and Knowth. The Centre is the starting point for all visits to both monuments, and contains extensive inter-pretative material. We’ll also visit the Hill of Tara, which contains ruins of the pre-Christian high kings of Ireland, from which one can see the Hill of Slane across the Boyne Valley, where St. Patrick is said to have lit an Easter fire that successfully challenged the pagan kings’ role in reli-gious leadership. Time permit-ting, we’ll visit the Hill of Slane and Monasterboice. Monaster-boice is a medieval church and a surrounding cemetery which contains some of the finest high crosses in Ireland. We’ll return to Dublin.

DAY 8 - MON. 29: DUBLINThis morning we enjoy a visit to Trinity College in-cluding admission to see The Book of Kells, an 8th century illuminated manuscript of the gospels. Trinity College was founded by Elizabeth I in 1592, and its

library contains The Book of Kells as well as many other early Christian manu-scripts. We then enjoy a visit to The National Mu-seum of Ireland which features many displays of early Irish life, into which Chris-tianity came in the 5th century. If time allows, we’ll also visit

Dublin Castle. The State Apartments dominate the south range of the Great Courtyard. They were built as the residential and public quarters of the Viceregal Court and were the seat of the executive and focus of fashionable and extravagant social life. Today the Apartments are the venue for Ireland’s Presidencies of the European Union, Presiden-tial inaugurations and prestigious functions. The Undercroft is sited at lower ground floor level in the Lower Castle Yard, opposite the Chapel Royal. The city walls join the Castle at this point. Here, the archway allowed small feeder boats to land provisions at the postern gate, from larger boats moored on the Liffey. The double archway and postern gate are still visible. Also on view here is the Viking defence bank, within the butt of the Norman Powder Tower. The original Tower was five stories high - the top storey being occupied by the Lord Deputy during the 16th century. Finally, we’ll drive

towards Glendalough which is set in a deep valley beside two ancient lakes in the Wicklow Mountains National Park. It is tranquil, remote and beautiful, and famed for its spectacular scenery, rich history, archae-ology and wildlife. Glendalough is home to one of the most important monastic sites in Ireland. This early Christian monastic settlement was founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century and from this developed the “Monastic City.” We depart Dublin tonight on our way to Belfast.

DAY 9 - TUES. 30: BELFASTThis morning, we begin by driving north, passing by Slemish Mountain, on our way to visit Giant’s Cause-way, and later Dunluce Castle. Tradition holds that St. Patrick, enslaved as a youth, was brought to this area and tended herds of sheep on Slemish, and that


DAY 10 - WED. 31: DAY AT SEAWe spend the day at sea today, en route to Killybegs. Les will do some teaching on Ireland in the 6th cen-tury AD, and the stories about St. Columba and his mission to Scotland.

DAY 11 - THURS. SEPTEMBER 1: KILLYBEGSThis morning we’ll drive to Glencolmcille where we’ll begin our visit with the Standing Stones. Glencolmcille translates as “valley of Colm Cille.” Saint Colm Cille, or Co-lumba, one of Ireland’s three patron saints, and his followers lived in the valley for a time and the ruins of several of their churches can still be seen

there. In Glencolmcille, the Slí Cholmcille follows the route of the Turas Cholmcille. The turas - translated as “the journey” - is part of a strong Christian pilgrim-age tradition in Ireland. The turas links a number of ancient stones some of which date back to 3000BC. The standing stones which form the core of the turas probably date from 500-700AD. Local tradition says that Colmcille lived here for two years before he left Ireland to found his monastery in Iona. Next we’ll visit the Church of Ireland (Anglican) parish church in Glencolmcille. St. Columba’s Trail” that begins outside the Church of Ireland, so weather permitting, we can make a small but meaningful pilgrimage on foot where we learn about the Celtic Christians and their idea of “thin places” where the mist parts and you can catch a glimpse of the King-dom. Finally we’ll visit the Glencolmcille Folk Village (Fáilte go dtí An Cláchán). This thatched-roof replica of a rural village in Ireland’s most north westerly county offers a glimpse into daily life as it was during past centu-ries. The Folk Village Museum is a cluster of several small cottages, called a ‘clachan.’ Designed, built and maintained by the local people, the Folk Village is one of Ireland’s best living-history museums. Each

during this time he found God. We then drive along the North coast of Ireland to explore Giant’s Cause-way, huge hexagonal columns formed over 60 million years ago. These huge rocks have given rise to many stories and legends. Next we proceed to Dunluce Castle, one of Northern Ireland’s most iconic historic monuments. Dunluce is perched on the north Antrim coastline on a dramatic rocky promontory. This strong defensive location has seen occupation for over 1000 years. However it was the powerful MacQuillan family who, around the year 1500, started construction of the castle we see today. The first written record of the castle was in 1513. The dramatic history of Dunluce is matched by tales of banshees, mermaids and the

story of how the castle kitchens fell into the sea one stormy night in 1639. Dunluce is also regarded as the possible inspiration for Cair Paravel in C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. As we make our way back to Belfast, time permit-ting, we will visit Belfast Castle Estate and Cave Hill. Belfast Castle is set on the slopes of Cavehill Coun-try Park, in a prominent position 400 feet above sea level. Its location provides unobstructed views of the city of Belfast and Belfast Lough. Cave Hill, adjacent to the Estate has for generations been synonymous with Belfast, with its imposing outline visible through-out the city. The landmark, named for the five caves located on the side of the cliffs, contains a wealth of natural, archaeological and historical features.


cottage is an exact replica of a dwelling used by the local people in each of the 18th, 19th and 20th cen-turies and is equipped with the furniture, artifacts and utensils of its particular period. We’ll learn how Irish ancestors lived and how they developed rich tradi-tions in music, dance and crafts despite the material hardships of daily life. On the way back, we’ll visit the Slieve League cliffs. Slieve League is a mountain on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal. At 1,972 ft., it has some of the high-est sea cliffs on the island of Ireland. Although less famous than the Cliffs of Moher, Slieve League’s cliffs reach almost three times higher. The northern preci-pice, which drops 1500 ft. into the coomb surround-ing the Little Lough Agh, harbours the majority of the

alpine plants of Slieve League, the most varied group of alpines to be found anywhere in Donegal.

DAY 12- FRI. 2: GALWAYWe begin with a drive south across the Burren to Kilfenora where we’ll see the finest collection of Celtic high crosses anywhere in Ireland. The Burren (Bhoireann), Ireland’s stony place, is home to rare alpine plants, delicate wonders that grow in the thin soil and crevices - gentians, orchids and maidenhair ferns amongst others. The survival of both alpine and Mediterranean plants in this unusual habitat continues to arouse delight in its visitors. The Burren contains dozens of megalithic tombs, Celtic crosses and a ruined Cistercian Abbey dating from the 12th century, Corcomroe. We can find villages abandoned since famine times and green roads on which you can walk for miles without ever seeing a car. We’ll visit

the Burren Centre with its Exhibition Area and Muli-timedia Experience, and then time permitting, travel the coast and visit the majestic Cliffs of Moher which rise 700 feet above the Sea. We re-board the ship in the afternoon.

DAY 13 - SAT. 3: COBH (CORK)This morning we will take an excursion to one of Ireland’s most spectacular landmarks: the Rock of Cashel. This impressive outcrop, rising above the sur-rounding plain and dominating the land southward, contains many well-preserved ecclesiastical ruins which date from early Christian times. Cashel features

a fortified cathedral perched on a dramatic rocky mount amidst a fertile valley, one of the most beauti-ful monuments in Europe. Of particular interest is the 12th century Cormac’s Chapel, the finest example of Irish Romanesque architecture in the country, and the 13th century cathedral and well-preserved round tow-er. The cathedral, round tower and Cormac’s Chapel, were silent witnesses to many of the stirring events of Irish History; St. Patrick converted the local King Aenghus here in the 5th century, and the High Kings of Ireland were crowned here in the 6th century. On the way back, time permitting, we’ll stop at Blarney Castle, (Caisleán na Blarnan) a medieval stronghold near the River Martin. Blarney Castle, as viewed by the visitor today, is the third to have been erected on this site. The first building in the tenth


century was a wooden structure. Around 1210 A.D. this was replaced by a stone structure which had the entrance some twenty feet above the ground on the north face. In 1446 the third castle was built by Dermot McCarthy, King of Munster of which the keep still remains standing. The castle is now a partial ruin with some accessible rooms and battlements. At the top of the castle lies one of the machiolations of the castle- the Stone of Eloquence, better known as the Blarney Stone. There are many legends as to the origin of the stone, but some say that it was the Lia Fáil—a magical stone upon which Irish kings were crowned. Surrounding the castle are extensive gardens and paths. Blarney House, also open to the public, is a Scottish baronial-style mansion that was built on the grounds in 1874.

DAY 14 - SUN. 4: PLYMOUTH, UKThis morning we take our leave of Celtic Christian-ity and make our way to medieval England as we visit Exeter and Exeter Cathedral. Exeter Cathedral is a wonder to behold. Not only is it architecturally stunning, but it has the longest uninterrupted vaulted ceiling in England. The founding of the cathedral at Exeter, dedicated to Saint Peter, dates from 1050, when the seat of the bishop of Devon and Cornwall was transferred from Crediton because of a fear of

sea-raids. Exeter Cathedral was rebuilt beginning in the 13th century, but this was not necessitated by any disaster. Unlike many other English cathedrals, the strong Norman towers had not fallen and there was no fire. The rebuilding was the result of successive enterprising bishops who wished to make their cathe-dral more up-to-date and more beautiful. The mag-nificent west front of the cathedral is dominated by a decorated Gothic image screen begun in the 1340s and completed nearly a century later. It features 3 tiers of very weathered sculptures, which include the rulers Alfred, Athelstan, Canute, William the Con-queror and Richard II.

DAY 15- MON. SEPTEMBER 5: DAY AT SEALes will be teaching about the lessons that we can learn for today from early Celtic Christianity.

DAY 16 - TUES. SEPTEMBER 6: DISEMBARKThis morning we disembark the ship and make our way to the airport in Amsterdam for our flights back home.

*Please note tours are optional and additional to the cost of the cruise. These private tours are designed for Celtic Christianity travelers and exclusively for Connoisseurs Tours guests. We’ll avoid large tour buses and typical touristy shopping stops in lieu of each day having our own private motor-coach and tours that go to all the must-see sites that are unique to Celtic Christianity and other select significant areas that Dr. Fairfield wants to cover.


INFORMATION ABOUT THE PRINSENDAM

Deck 5-Dolphin Deck 6-Main Deck 7-LowerPromenade

Deck 8-Promenade

Deck 9-UpperPromenade

Deck 9- Verandah

Cruise Pricing:*

E 6, 7, 9 Ocean-view $3,499 n/a

D 5 Ocean-view $3,549 n/a

C 6 Ocean-view $3,599 n/a

AB 8 Verandah $4,999 n/a

AA 8, 9 Verandah $5,199 n/a

A 9 Verandah $5,399 n/a

R 5 Single Inside Cabin $3,499

Q 9 Single Outside Cabin** $4,735

Category Deck Stateroom Cruise Only Cruise & Land Plan

*Fares are per person, based on double occupancy and reflect all savings. Port Charges and Taxes add $204.28 per person**Single Outside Cabins are extremely limited


Standard or Single Interior Staterooms

Large Single Ocean-view Staterooms

Signature Suites

Vista Suites

I, K, M, MM, N Single: R

Full Ocean-view: C*, D, E, F*, G*

Category: SS, SY

Category: A, AA, AB, BC

Porthole view: F*, G*, HObstructed view: C*Single: Q

*This category has more than one view type. Please use stateroom number to verify view

Designed to explore the remote corners of the world in elegance and style, ms Prinsen-dam is Holland America’s most intimate ship. Accommodating just 835 passengers, she gives guests the feel of a classic yacht with the spaciousness of a cruise ship. The Prin-sendam offers many cozy areas in which to find your favorite spot, and most staterooms feature commanding ocean views and many have private verandahs. A special signature sculpture dominates the three-story atrium featuring etched fish, turtles and dolphins climbing a stunning cylinder of Bolle glass and lit with state-of-the-art fiber optics. Other works of art include a remarkable abstract marble sculpture of a Viking ship by contemporary Norwegian artist Nicholas Widerberg, a series of paintings by impressionist painter Neil Pinkett, and an out-standing collection of Roman Amphorae from 50 - 150 AD. Prinsendam, or “Princes” ship, is truly a classic ship worthy of her name.

The Prinsendam

AA

AB

A

Q

C

D

E

R


GENERAL INFORMATION, TERMS & CONDITIONS

• Please read the Terms & Conditions in their entirety prior to making any payment for this tour. • Any payment made towards a tour booking shall constitute a confirmation by the Guest on behalf of themselves and all other persons named on their booking that he or she has read, understood, accepted and agreed to the Terms & Conditions of this tour, the terms of which will apply to the Guest and all other persons named on their booking.

PRICE OF TOURPrices begin at $3,499.00 per person double occupancy single cabins available upon request

DEPOSIT & FINAL PAYMENT A deposit of $600.00 per person is due to reserve a place on this tour. Deposits and payments can be paid by check or any major credit card. Final payment is due May 21, 2016. The Travel Insured Group Deluxe travel insurance protection plan is strongly recommended. Trip insurance is available through Connoisseurs Tours, and the cost of the insurance will vary based on the category you select on the cruise. Information will be provided upon initial inquiry.

CONNOISSEURS TOURS PROTECTION PLAN PROVIDED BY TRAVEL INSURED Traveling is a big investment. It pays to protect yourself against unforeseen circumstances that can result in trip cancellation and additional expenses such as costs related to medical emergencies. This Travel Insured Protection Plan is specifically designed to provide you with peace of mind knowing you are protected against the financial impact of unexpected events while on your trip.

Additional insurance is available to include the cost of your airfare. Please contact Connoisseurs Tours if you would like to insure the cost of your airline tickets after your have purchased your airline tickets.

See below for the Schedule of Coverage: Trip Cancellation* (not applicable if $0 trip cost) Trip Cost*Trip Interruption** ($500 return air only if $0 trip cost) 150% of Trip Cost*Cancel for Work Reasons Trip Cost*Trip Delay – 6 hours $750 ($150/day)Baggage/Personal Effects $1,500Baggage Delay – 24 hours $400Accident & Sickness Medical Expense $50,000Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation $250,000Accidental Death & Dismemberment $25,000Worldwide Emergency Assistance Services Included

*Up to the lesser of the Trip Cost paid or the limit of Coverage for which benefits are requested and the appropriate plan cost has been paid. Maximum limit of $10,000.

**150% of Trip Cost paid up to a maximum of $10,000 for the unused portion of Your Trip and the transportation cost to re-join the Trip or return home.

CANCELLATIONSYour deposit is fully refundable until May 21, 2016After May 21st, the following charges will apply:

• May 21- June 20 $600 per person cancellation fee • June 21- July 11 50% of total fare is non-refundable • July 12- Aug. 1 75% of total fare is non-refundable• Aug. 2 to date of departure 100% of total fare is non-refundable • All cancellations must be in writing.• Tour cost does not include items of a personal nature.

RESPONSIBILITYConnoisseurs Tours acts only as an agent for the traveler with respect to transportation, accommodations and other services offered on the tour. Connoisseurs Tours and their agents assume no responsibility or liability for any act, error or omission, or for any injury, loss, accident or delay or ir-regularity that may be caused by any defect in any aircraft, ship, train, bus or other carrier or through neglect or de-fault of any subcontractor or other third party. The passage contract in use by the carriers when issued shall constitute the sole contract between the carriers and the traveler. Connoisseurs Tours and/or their agents will not be respon-sible for loss, injury, damages or expenses to person or property, due to illness, weather, strikes, local laws, hostili-ties, wars, terrorist acts, acts of nature or other such causes in connection with the tour for anything beyond their reasonable control. Connoisseurs Tours is not responsible for transportation or other delays or changes in the tour program beyond their control, nor any additional expenses or loss of time that may be incurred by the traveler. It may be necessary or advisable for the well-being of all travel-ers to alter the itinerary at any time, without notice to the travelers, and such alterations will be made without penalty to Connoisseurs Tours. Connoisseurs Tours reserves the right to decline or not to retain any person as a member of any tour or to change or withdraw a tour as circumstances demand. All rates quoted are based on tariffs in effect at the time the tour was planned and are subject to change in the event of adjustment therein. Baggage is carried at the owner’s risk and baggage insurance is recommended. Connoisseurs Tours reserves the right to substitute hotels of equal or superior quality. The proposals of this section are governed by Georgia law, and final payment by the traveler to Connoisseurs Tours shall be deemed to be consent to the above provisions.

VALIDITY August 22, 2015 through March, 2017


RESERVATION FORMThin Places, August 22 - September 6, 2016

Name:

Address:

City: State: Zip:

Email:

Telephone:

Rooming with:

Please reserve place(s) for this tour.

A deposit in the amount of $600.00 per person (plus optional insurance) is required for a reservation.

I am interested in the Connoisseurs Tours Protection Plan for the Tour.

Please contact me about airline reservations.

I/We prefer 1 bed 2 beds

Enclosed is a deposit of $ for people

Payment options:

Check (Checks should be made payable to Connoisseurs Tours)

Credit Card: Visa Mastercard Amex Discover

Card#

Exp. Date: / Sec. Code:

I have read and understand the Terms and Conditions of this tour.

Signature:

Please mail your reservation form and deposit to:

Connoisseurs Tours 110 McIntosh Dr. • Savannah, GA 31406

1-912-351-9525 • 1-800-856-1045www.ConnoisseursTours.com

Category E

Category D

Please Select Accommodations Preference:

Category C

Category AB

Category AA

Category A

Category R Category Q

Documents

Thin Places - Anglican Diocese in New Englandcluding admission to see The Book of Kells, an 8th century illuminated manuscript of the gospels. Trinity College was founded by Elizabeth