sold out:
The Celtic Way
• an adventurous journey through Ireland •
July 15-25, 2023
🇬🇷 Stay tuned to hear about the 2024 trip! 🇬🇷
Sláinte Agus Aoibhneas!
(say "slaw-in-che ah-gus eve-ness")
This Celtic phrase means “health, body and soul!” and even though it's a phrase sometimes said with a drink in hand to give a hearty toast, its meaning goes deeper. Said together, these words convey a deep awareness of your physical and spiritual self working together in tandem. Yes, we're bodies, and yes, we're souls, and God gave us both for a reason — both matter.
Travel reminds us of this truth: when we intentionally place our physical selves in a new-to-us spot on the globe, we allow God to speak to our souls in a way we may not hear at home in the familiar. Ireland invites you to hear from God, body and soul, by way of its green pastures, sacred spots, and time-worn traditions.
Join Tsh & Kyle Oxenreider on a pilgrimage to Ireland.
…Together, you’ll explore the timeless Celtic way of looking at the world.
A Tidbit of What You’ll Experience:
Go whiskey-tasting at the oldest traditional Irish whiskey distillery in the world
Learn to bake from a traditional scone-making class
Hike St. Patrick’s mountain
Hop through the Aran Islands, including Inis Mor (famous for its sweaters)
Experience the timeless art of sheepdog farming
Sample traditional Irish afternoon tea at a historic castle
Witness the iconic Cliffs of Moher
Try your hand (feet?) at traditional Irish dancing
….and plenty more, including wandering numerous Irish villages, enjoying live music from locals, traversing through plenty of Celtic ruins, exploring the city of Dublin, and beyond!
“We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment.”
– Hilaire Belloc
Who Are You?
You appreciate Tsh’s laid-back adventure style of travel — yet whether you're a seasoned nomad or you've never left the country, you're also a little unsure what it might be like to travel with a group of strangers. (It's understandable, and Tsh was honestly a little unsure what it'd be like to lead a group trip the first time, too!) But rest assured: there are no matching shirts here, and there's no one saying "We're walking, we're walking" through a crowd of fellow tourists. When you travel with Tsh, you're joining a likeminded group of pilgrims who value meaningful conversations in meaningful places, who want to savor the big and small pleasures of travel, who are willing to embrace the unexpected, yet who also relish the simple joy of a good conversation over a drink at the pub.
All are welcome: young and older, men and women, single and married, religious and not, seasoned travelers and first-time abroad newbies. So long as you’re willing to learn about yourself, the world, and your place in it — you'll fit right in.
p.s. Kids are welcome!* Kyle and Tsh are bringing theirs along for the ride, and yours can too, if you like.
*Please make sure they can handle longer amounts of walking.
Pilgrims from Tsh’s summer 2022 trip to Italy
Meet Your Guides
Kyle and Tsh Oxenreider are explorers down to their bones, and ever since they met on a dirt road in war-torn Kosovo 20-plus years ago, travel has been in their family's DNA. They've lived in Kosovo and Turkey and traveled to well over thirty countries, and along the way they've learned a heckuva lot about home. Several years ago they took their three kids on a round-the-globe journey, spending a school year learning from the greatest textbook there is: the world.
Because of all this (not in spite of!), they love being home in their cozy small town north of Austin, Texas, where they spend their weekends renovating an old house and walking to coffee shops and the library. Kyle is a small business owner by day, podcast editor by night, and two mornings a week teaches woodworking to high schoolers.
Tsh is an experienced travel guide, high school literature teacher, and author of five books including At Home in the World: Reflections on Belonging While Wandering the Globe. She also writes for publications like America Magazine, Public Discourse, Word on Fire, and more. She is a long-time podcaster and currently co-hosts A Drink With a Friend, a show that explores what it means to see all of ordinary life through a sacramental lens.
Both of them are Catholic converts after spending most of their lives as devoted evangelicals, followed by Anglicans. They're beyond grateful for discovering where they belong after years of searching for where they could best find the presence of Jesus. There's little that gets them more encouraged than connecting ecumenically with brothers and sisters, wherever God has them, and sharing real-world experiences together.
When you travel with them, you'll try new things and ask new questions about the world and your place in it, but not at the cost of unwise risk. You’ll learn from locals, trod on old soil, and spend time each day unpacking what you’ve learned — often over a pint or a mug of something warm. They’d love you to join them.
FAQs
What is the group size?
Groups are a maximum of 50 people. (But for reference, Tsh’s 2022 trip to Italy was 30 people.)
When will group participants be revealed to each other?
You’ll connect via email a few weeks before departure.
What should I pack?
Layers are key to helping you pack as light as you can! Ireland’s weather is unpredictable, even in the summer, so you’ll probably want a light jacket. Comfortable walking shoes are also a must, especially on hiking days. And you may want to toss in your bag something simple you enjoy wearing out for the evening. But on the whole, this trip is casual, and Tsh is a big fan of packing light.
Is this trip only for Christians? Or Catholics?
Not at all. Tsh and Kyle are Catholic Christians, and as such, their worldviews are a natural outflow of their faith. Naturally, the conversations throughout the week follow suit.
But as a participant, you’re not asked about your beliefs beforehand, you don’t have to sign some sort of doctrinal statement, and they embrace the idea that all of us are on our own unique journey. Will there be chats about the intersection of travel and faith? Yes, absolutely. But they trust that God knows where you’re at, and there’s no pressure to be anyone but you.
What's the investment?
The investment for the trip is $4,545, which includes round-trip airfare from Newark to Dublin. This includes stays in first-class hotels, daily Irish breakfast, our own air-conditioned bus, included experiences, and more! See the brochure for more details.
Why does Tsh partner with Select International?
She has led trips on her own before, and they’re a lot of work to plan. As a full-time writer, teacher, and mother, planning a unique trip of this magnitude often feels like an additional full-time job! Select International has a longstanding track record of excellence in the travel industry (particularly with pilgrimages) and the people behind the scenes are fantastic. Plus, they’re able to make the trip more affordable than if Tsh ran it on her own! She loved working with them for her Italy 2022 pilgrimage and is thrilled to work with them again.
More questions?
Ask Rebecca Stoker at rebecca@select-intl.com.
Interested?
Go ahead and download the brochure to learn more about the Ireland trip itinerary.
This 2023 pilgrimage has sold out, but stay tuned for news about the 2024 trip! 🇬🇷
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
– St. Augustine