Celtic Journeys: A Traveler's Guide to Ireland's Spiritual Legacy

This book was very helpful in finding non-conventional places in Ireland. Many of the sites listed were difficult to find yet well worth it and in most cases tourist free. This book is perfect for someone looking for more of the hidden, spiritual places in Ireland.

I searched in vain for a long time trying to find a book like this one. Simply put, it is, without a doubt, the best travel guide that I have ever purchased. The authors of the book are regular visitors to Ireland and even lead "Celtic Journeys" tours through the country. Because of this, they have a unique "insiders" perspective on the people and on the history of the Emerald Isle, in addition to a healthy respect for the land itself, and for its ancient traditions. Whether you are seeking out pre-Christian archeological sites (stone circles, burial mounds, ancient fortresses), or early Christian places of pilgrimmage (abbeys, monestaries, churches, grave architechture), this book will accommodate your travel needs. The book also contains many general maps, and plenty of basic travel information. As a side note, I appreciated the sensitive way the book was written: with a healthy dose of respect for the places and the people that you will encounter on your travels.

In preparing for an upcoming spiritual journey to Ireland, I've located a number of guidebooks and pilgrimage guides, but the Rabey's book is my favorite so far, focusing on the places in Ireland with special spiritual significance. Celtic Journeys tells the stories that ordinary travel books omit, but is not as overwhelming as others of its type. It's well organized, covers the all sites on my itinerary as well as some others. It's well- researched, well-written (except for some proofreading errors), and particularly well-organized. Personally I would like to see a more extensive bibliography, including the sources for the quotes used in the text. I realize that color photos would increase the cost of the book, but this book would benefit from color in place of black and white photos, not necessarily more photos, but larger and easier to see.I would recommend this book to anyone thinking of visiting Ireland who wants to be prepared to visit the places of both Christian and pre-Christian spiritual significance. Although I want to keep my luggage light, I don't think I can leave home without this one.