Shamanic Pilgrimage to Ireland

at Bealtaine, May 6-13, 2026

NOTE: A spot has just opened up on this trip - suitable for one person in a private room or two people sharing a bed.



7-Night Tour with Attendance at the Magnificent Bealtaine Fire Festival at the Hill of Uisneach

Join us on this bucket-list, awe-inspiring pilgrimage to Ireland during the sacred time of Bealtaine (the opening of summer). We are thrilled to lead this trip to some of the most energetically and mythically charged places in Ireland! More than a “tour,” it’s a shamanic excursion filled with prayers and personal ceremony, designed to infuse the power and beauty of this land into your very bones. 


We will attend the Bealtaine Fire Festival at the sacred center of Ireland - the Hill of Uisneach, north of Dublin. This daylong festival is attended by about 5,000 people. Crafters, artisans, storytellers, musicians, and food will be in abundance. As dusk falls, the day culminates in a spectacular fashion as a procession of fire and light winds its way through the festival grounds, with performers dressed in evocative costumes. The crowd ascends to the summit of the sacred hill together, where the Great Fire is lit—a breathtaking moment as its flames stretch high into the sky, visible across as many as 20 counties. This monumental blaze heralds the coming of the summer’s bounties and life energy. 


In addition to the Fire Festival, we will visit several incredible sacred sites – true power spots in the beautiful Boyne Valley.  Then we take a journey south the “the edge of the world,” and the fierce, rocky south west coast of the Beara Peninsula.


Along the way, we will work with three powerful Irish goddesses, Brigid - the healer and inspirer, Cailleach - the fierce mother of transformations, and Boann - the bringer of wisdom. We will visit their sacred sites and ask for their help in life. If you are a lover of Irish myth and shamanism, this trip may astonish you and feed an ancient yearning. The group is planned to be smallish: around eight people total. 


The full itinerary is detailed below.

Trip Itinerary


Right now, air fare to Dublin is exceedingly reasonable. If you are willing to make the quick decision to join this adventure,

we can all save money on airfare.

Itinerary


Please be aware that the itinerary listed below can change, including the lodging. You will need to be in Dublin the night of May 5, and our tour will formally end the afternoon of May 13 when we return to Dublin.

 

Tuesday night, May 5: Everyone needs to be in Dublin (unless you make arrangements to meet the group at Newgrange on Wednesday).


Wednesday May 6: Travel north in our 9-passenger van to County Meath.


Part I: The Valley of Kings & Sovereignty


Wednesday, May 6 – Thursday, May 7

We begin our journey in County Meath, the spiritual epicenter of ancient Ireland.

  • Newgrange (Brú na Bóinne): This Neolithic passage tomb, a protected UNESCO world treasure, is older than the Pyramids of Egypt, and absolutely mind-boggling when we go inside. This site contains the largest collection of megalithic art in Western Europe. A guided tour that takes about 3 hours.
  • We will then travel to nearby Slane Village and to the banks of Ireland’s most sacred river, the Boyne. Here, we tell the story of the Goddess Boann, and perform a water ceremony inviting her wisdom and flow into our lives.
  • The Hill of Tara: Stand at the ancient seat of the High Kings, and the location of many Irish stories.
  • We will travel to Fuar Chnoic (“Four Knocks), another magnificent passage tomb where we can do an extended ceremony with the ancestors and the spirits of the land. Here we hope to work with the extraordinary author and researcher Anthony Murphy, an expert on this site (as well as others).
  • We will stay for two nights at the utterly magnificent Bellinter House, a short drive away from each of the sites. Truly, this place is astonishing.


Part II: The Fire of Bealtaine


Friday, May 8 – Saturday, May 9

As the wheel of the year turns toward summer, we make our way to “the spiritual center of Ireland," The Hill of Uisneach ("OOZ-nyeck")

  • Loughcrew Cairns: Known as the "Mountain of the Cailleach” these megalithic structures on a high hill offer a panoramic view of the landscape and a portal to the wisdom of the Cailleach – the ancient fierce goddess of the land. Here we will work deeply with this Great Mother figure. It is a 20 minute moderate hike up the path to the top. 
  • Brigid’s Healing Waters: We also visit Brigid’s sacred well near Uisneach. This is a space for purification, healing and and setting intentions.
  • Bealtaine Festival at the Hill of Uisneach: A highlight of our journey, we will spend the entire day at the spectacular Bealtaine Festival, witnessing the lighting of the fires that historically signaled the start of summer for all of Ireland. The festival also has many wonderful local artisans and crafters.


Part III: The Edge of the World


Sunday, May 10 – Wednesday, May 13

We travel south to the rugged, wild beauty of West Cork and the Beara Peninsula, where the veil is thin and the land meets the Atlantic.

  • The Hag of Beara: We pay our respects to the ancient stone spirit of the Earth Mother, the fierce goddess of winter, cleansing, and re-creation. Here we will work with my wonderful shamanic colleague, Dr. Karen Ward, who will offer us the Crone Rites of the Cailleach. We also plan an amazing cliff walk from Ballydonegan beach nearby.
  • We will make prayers with the ancestors at the breathtaking Uragh Stone Circle, standing amidst the silence of the mountains and lakes.
  • Along the way we will take one of Ireland's most iconic drives through Healy Pass.
  • Time permitting, we will explore West Cork, the Altar Wedge Tomb overlooking Toormore Bay, and the Dromberg Stone Circle.


The Emerald Isle is a land of song and story, but beneath the words is a pulse of ancient stone and sacred water, and a heart’s yearning to know them. We invite you on this opportunity to listen.

What Is Covered In The Cost of the Trip?

Total Cost: $3,350

The price includes lodging for seven nights in shared rooms (two per room). The fee also covers ground transport beginning from when we leave Dublin to when we return to Dublin. If you want a private room for the entire trip, add on $800 and let me know when you register. If you snore loudly, have a CPAP machine, have serious sleeping issues, or merely enjoy privacy, please ask for a private room when you register. (If you ask later, it may not be possible to rearrange the lodging.)


Questions: please contact me: Jaime@drummingthesoulawake.com


You will be responsible for booking and paying for your airfare, and for food and drink, and your hotel in Dublin the night of May 5th before our trip, and the night of the 13th as the trip concludes. After you register, I’ll send you suggestions as to where to book lodging in Dublin. You’ll also reimburse me for the entrance fees for Newgrange and the Uisneach Fire festival – a total or about $125 (I must pay these in advance). You will also be responsible for a share of the fees for guest speakers we engage (max of $125). Based on previous trips, I think you can budget about $95 per day for food (not including alcohol and sticky toffee pudding). 

Reserve your spot(s) by making a $500 deposit per person. 


  • You may use the PayPal Button below (with a $15 PayPal fee) or
  • Or pay $500 per person through Venmo (not using the button below, but the Venmo website) with no fee (@DrumSoul). If you use Venmo, you must add your email address to the note or I won't be able to contact you!
  • Or send a check to Drumming the Soul Awake, 4227 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55409. Please send me an email telling me the check is on its way. Because the group is so small, I can’t guarantee that your check-paid-for spot won’t get taken by an online reservation while the check is in the mail. 


This trip needs a minimum of five people to be a “go.” Please don’t book airfare or hotels until I confirm that we have our minimum number.

What Previous Travelers Had to Say...

"Traveling with Jaime was a life-changing experience. He led us to places of extraordinary beauty and spiritual power, where we had a perfect mix of structured teachings and free time for personal exploration. What began as a group of strangers felt like a family by the end of the trip. For anyone interested in cultivating a more spiritual life, a trip like this is an invaluable opportunity to immerse yourself in a kind of beauty and wonder that can further you on your path. Since coming home I've felt stronger, more centered, and more peaceful than ever. I'm already planning my next trip abroad with Jaime!"

"Being in a class or ceremonial space with Jaime is the spiritual experience I always wanted from church but never found. Jaime moves easily between the sacred and the silly, putting everyone at ease and creating an amazing camaraderie and intimacy between strangers. The class was motivating, inspiring, and thought-provoking. I would take any class from Jaime because I know that in anything he leads, I will be reminded of how sacred life is and feel connected to my deepest self."