Songs of Wandering: 20th-Century Irish Literature

Overview

We have added this 2026 departure to meet demand. Full details will be ready soon. Request a detailed itinerary so that we can send it to you as soon as it’s finalized.

Ireland is a dream destination for anyone who loves literature. From a rich body of folklore to medieval sagas to the astonishing number of novels, poems, stories and plays beloved around the world, Irish literature contains multitudes.

This tour will trace the history and spirit of the Irish people through story and song, focusing especially on the 20th and 21st centuries. Leader Wendy O’Brien will draw on her professional experience as a philosopher interested in beauty, wonder, and the natural world to help you explore Ireland and its literature more deeply.

We’ll start in Dublin, where through seminar discussions, walking tours, and museum visits, we’ll explore the city so famously described by James Joyce, Brendan Behan, Elizabeth Bowen, and many others. We’ll also dive into Dublin’s excellent theatre scene and attend a production, and explore the lively pubs and shops along the River Liffey.

We then head north to Sligo to explore the roots of the Irish Revival, led by W.B. Yeats, and the connections between Irish land, language, and literature. We’ll see the rugged yet lush countryside that Yeats wandered as a boy, and take a boat ride on Loch Gile, the setting for “The Lake Isle of Inisfree.”

Ireland’s extraordinary southwest coast will be our final stop. At Coole Park, we’ll learn about the legacy of Isabella Augusta Persse (Lady Gregory) as a longtime collaborator with Yeats and a fundamental figure in shaping modern Irish writing. From our base in Clare, we’ll hear traditional Irish music, enjoy beautiful vistas over the Atlantic from the Cliffs of Moher, and immerse ourselves in the blend of past and present on the Aran Islands.

Accommodation

Leonardo Hotel, Dublin; The Glasshouse, Sligo; Maldron Hotel Oranmore, Galway (or similar; final hotel choices TBA)

Readings

Selected short stories; selected poetry by W.B. Yeats and others

Highly creative and thoroughly professional, Wendy enables her group to move far beyond where they were when the week begins.

Eric T., Texas

Words escape me as I write to share my delight in learning with Wendy. She's a living treasure (as you already know).

Ron

Leaders

Wendy O'Brien

Wendy O'Brien is a philosopher and teacher. With over 30 years’ experience teaching in post-secondary education, she’s given talks and led seminars on creativity, beauty and wonder at Humber College, Oxford University, Harvard, The Art Gallery of Ontario, The Women’s Art Association, Classical Pursuits and The International Festival of Authors. She recently retired from academe to focus her attention on The Wonder Project, a long-term investigation into the concept of wonder and its relation to artistic excellence, natural beauty and scientific discoveries.

FAQs

How active is this tour?

This is a slow-paced trip, with the focus around literature and discussion. We will go for leisurely walks. You should be able to walk for up to two hours at a time, and you must be able to navigate stairs independently. In urban areas, the terrain is quite flat; in rural areas, terrain is often uneven, especially around the cliffs of Moher where inclines are steep. If you have any concerns about being able to participate in this trip, please contact us for further information and advice.

I have food allergies or sensitivities. Can you accommodate me?

We can accommodate most allergies and restrictions. We regularly work with travelers who have shellfish, dairy, or nut allergies, gluten allergies or sensitivity, and vegetarian diets. You can help us out by providing complete and accurate information about allergies and restrictions.

Are flights included in this tour?

The tour price does not include flights. Our tour partner Worldwide Quest can help with flight bookings. If you would like this help, please let us know or email travel@worldwidequest.com.

If you're a Canadian company, why are most of your tours priced in US dollars?

Like other tour operators, our travel partner Worldwide Quest plans tours 18 to 24 months in advance, with payments to vendors and suppliers due well ahead of the tour. Suppliers in the countries Worldwide Quest works with expect payment in US dollars. When these suppliers must convert to CAD so many months in advance, they have to speculate the value of the Canadian dollar at the time of booking.

Over the past several years, the final pricing has worked in the favour of our travellers, paying a better rate than would have been if originally priced in Canadian dollars.

Where can I learn more about what it's like to go on one of your tours?

Our About Our Tours page has more FAQs that cover topics related to all our tours. We also welcome your questions at info@classicalpursuits.com.

What’s Included

Accommodation in double occupancy, based on hotels listed or similar
Ground transportation
Airport transfers on tour start and end dates
Ferry costs
Meals as specified in the itinerary
All activities as described in the itinerary
All entrance fees
Local guides
Literary discussions
Books and readings
Porterage of one standard piece of baggage per person
Gratuities for local guides, drivers, and group meals
Taxes
Fully escorted by Discussion Leader Wendy O’Brien

Map

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Toronto, Canada. Classical Pursuits organizes literary and cultural trips and seminars in Toronto, Canada, and around the world with our travel partner Worldwide Quest (TICO Reg: #2667946). Design by Ctrl Alt Create.