WACH Travels: The Jewels of Ireland

WACH Travels  
The Jewels of Ireland: A Vibrant Journey through the Culture and Cuisine of the Emerald Isle
August 28 - September 4, 2023

With its lively cities and vibrant landscapes, Ireland awaits us as our next WACH Travels destination, and what an incredible experience it will be! We invite you to join us from August 28 – September 4, 2023, as we explore the old, the new, and the future culture of this energetic and scenic country.  Steeped in a rich history with a firm embrace of the contemporary, Ireland’s art, architecture, design, and cuisine will be the focus of our educational trip, including MAKING IN, an innovative symposium led by Joseph Walsh, a leading furniture maker, designer, and artist. 

The centerpiece of our journey will be our presence as distinguished guests of Joseph Walsh for his MAKING IN symposium, now in its sixth year.  Thought-provoking and inspiring, this event provides a unique opportunity to hear from and engage with the leading voices shaping today's and tomorrow's culture. This year's speakers include sculptor Kan Yasuda, textile designers Karen-Hay Edie and Mario Sierra, architect Kimmo Lintula, writer Paul Goldberger, conductor Teddy Abrams and teacher and cookbook author Rory O'Connell.  WACH travelers will have the opportunity to meet the participants at a private dinner and a special concert featuring award-winning musician Martin Hayes will be a special treat for all.  Read more about MAKING IN here. 

Joseph Walsh, image courtesy of Ellius Grace

WACH Travels: The Jewels of Ireland will be led by WACH Director Wendy Van Deusen and Matko Tomicic.  Fresh off their highly successful tour of London, this well-traveled duo has created an exhilarating exploration of ancient and modern Ireland, including a visit and lunch at  Killua Castle with a tour led by the owners, dinner at a two-star Michelin restaurant, and a tour of one of the country’s leading cooking schools, Ballymaloe, owned by Darina Allen and Rory O’Connell. Irish cuisine is now at the vanguard of both the slow food movement and fine dining, and we will enthusiastically savor it all!

Darina Allen, founder of Ballymaloe Cookery School.

Our tour will also take us to artists’ studios and private tours of museum exhibitions. Of course, we will delight in the splendor of Ireland's wide open spaces with its striking landscapes, dramatic cliffs, and water views.

We will lunch at Old Head, a stunning golf club in Kinsale. 

This will be an exceptional tour bursting with fresh and new ideas, art, design, and cuisine as bright and sparkling as the Irish countryside. 

Email us at wendy@wachamptonsny.org for a travel brochure and itinerary. Join us!