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A richly illustrated guide to the world's sacred places,
historic religious sites, sacred art and religious architecture. |
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Dotted with sacred sites ranging from ancient standing stones and Celtic shrines to Catholic abbeys and cathedrals, Ireland is one of the most popular destinations for pilgrimage and spiritual travel. The "Emerald Isle" boasts some of the oldest and most interesting prehistoric sites in Europe and is the home of Celtic Christianity, which is enjoying a modern resurgence.
The island of Ireland (or Eire) encompasses two separate countries: Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom; and the Republic of Ireland, an independent country that is a member of the European Union. Northern Ireland is predominantly Protestant, while the Republic of Ireland is predominantly Catholic. On Sacred Destinations, this section and the term "Ireland" is used to refer to the entire island and encompasses both countries. This is simply for the sake of convenience, as the two parts share a common history and travelers can easily visit both on the same trip.
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Ireland Sacred Sites List Our growing index of stone circles, abbeys, Catholic shrines and other sacred sites in Ireland. |
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Ireland Travel Forums  Ask experienced travelers for travel advice or browse previous discussions for valuable tips and ideas. |
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Ireland Satellite Map Get a birds-eye view of Ireland's sacred sites with our fully interactive satellite map of the country. |
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Ireland Travel Deals Browse the latest package deals and discount holidays for Ireland. |
| Dublin This chic capital city is home to three cathedrals, the famed Book of Kells and several interesting churches. |
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Mt. Croagh Patrick Here St. Patrick banished snakes from Ireland. Each year, a million pilgrims and visitors make the trek to the top of this holy mountain. |
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Newgrange This fascinating burial mound is 5,000 years old and creates a stunning effect on the winter solstice. |
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Rock of Cashel Striking hilltop ruins of a 12th-century royal chapel, cathedral and round tower, with fine high crosses in the churchyard. |
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Shrine of Our Lady of Knock In 1879, the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph and St. John appeared at the parish church in Knock. Today, 1.5 million pilgrims visit the shrine each year. |
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Skellig Michael From 588 to 1100 AD, this dramatic offshore rock hosted the tiny beehive huts of hermit monks. |
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Sacred Destinations is an online travel guide to sacred sites, pilgrimages, holy places, religious history, sacred places, historical religious sites, archaeological sites,
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