Rest, Recuperate & Realign
Facilities
An Tairseach’s Ecology Centre is part of the original Dominican Convent. We have capacity for 18 students to stay in single rooms on site. We have a range of multi-use spaces including a chapel, library and book shop, conference rooms, contemplation spaces, main kitchen and dining room.
Environment
Our beautiful gardens feature a Cosmic Garden and Labyrinth to support meditative practices. Walking trails wind through our hillside Organic Farm, where our planted conservation areas are helping to restore biodiversity. The land feeds us; our Organic Farm provides delicious, seasonal produce.
Mission
Our sabbaticals are about tuning in with each other and our home-in-common - to cultivate a sense of wonder and understanding, deepening our connection with the natural world and universe. It is in the combination of contemplation and action that we find a new sense of self and purpose.
Set amidst the diverse landscapes of County Wicklow, the Garden of Ireland, our four-week Sabbatical offers time and space for deep reflection and transformation. It offers an invitation to stop, to return to the body and to encounter the sacred at the threshold where self, community and the living Earth meet.
Rooted in the teachings of Laudato Si’, Magnifica Humanitas, and Ireland’s Celtic Christian heritage, the retreat is designed to provide a place of quiet renewal for those who are carrying the weight of ministry, vocation, or service.
We also encourage retreatants who are interested in Irish ancestry or those simply seeking a spiritual experience.
CARE FOR CREATION
At the heart of the Christian faith is a radical claim: God chose to fully enter the human experience. Through the Incarnation, all of our embodied life on Earth – its joys, struggles, grief, wonder – is intimately known. The human body is not incidental to our faith; it is the very ground of our faith.
Pope Francis in Laudato Si’ tells us that care for creation and care for the human person are inseparable. He calls us to hear both the cry of the Earth and the cry of the Poor as one. Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas reminds us that the human person cannot be reduced to data, efficiency or productivity. Technology, no matter how powerful, will never have the final word on what it means to be made in the image and likeness of God.
IN CONTEMPLATION
The Sabbatical, facilitated by Mel O’Driscoll and Taylor Marie Daniels, draws on the Somatic Experiencing methodology developed by Peter Levine and the deep wells of Celtic Christian spirituality.
Each week is structured around a contemplative rhythm of stillness, learning and movement. Teachings will deepen experience as we visit sacred sites in the surrounding landscape each week.
Learn more
For anyone interested in meeting the facilitators and learning more about what to expect over the four weeks, Mel & Taylor have recorded a video, please click here to hear more.
Our 10-week Sabbatical is tailored for spiritualists, religious and laity, to continue their mission for deep personal and professional growth. On this special longer-form retreat, we will explore spirituality in the context of an evolving Universe, an endangered Earth, and the Christian tradition.
The Sabbatical is grounded in three pillars that nurture life and vitality: study, community, and practice. Guided by An Tairseach’s team and guest lecturers, participants will explore themes based on the Universe Story, evolutionary theology, ecology, cosmology, and Christian theology.
NEW COSMOLOGY
Become familiar with our evolution over 14 billion years as discovered by contemporary science. Explore its implications for understanding our place in the universe. Explore the theological implications of this new cosmology.
We’ll be led by the philosophies of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Brian Swimme & Thomas Berry and theology of Laudato Si’ to engage in the dialogue between faith and science as a living, participatory process that supports the flourishing of Earth and all life.
EARTH-ROOTED WISDOM
At An Tairseach we believe that healing begins when we return, together, to the sacred ground of our own embodied lives. This Sabbatical is a lived response to that conviction: an act of faith that the body still knows something the algorithm does not, and that the Earth, if we are still enough to listen, still speaks.
Drawing on Celtic Christian tradition and other earth-rooted wisdoms, the programme includes visits to sacred sites such as Glendalough and Newgrange and in-body contemplative practices.
Sabbatical Programme FAQs
We’ve compiled answers to some common questions about our Sabbatical Programme. If you’re curious about the details or need more information, read on!
How do I apply?
Please contact us at info@antairseach.ie for application and reference forms.
Are all meals provided?
No, one meal per day is provided. This is served at 12.30pm on Monday to Friday (excluding Irish bank holidays). We use fresh produce from our organic farm and the food is beautifully prepared by a trained chef who never fails to please. There is always a hot main course and desert with tea/coffee.
Are there self-catering facilities?
Yes, you will either have a shared kitchen with a few others or a self contained kitchen within your room.
How much does it cost?
Please enquiry directly with us about the cost of the Sabbatical. The cost includes your accommodation, all workshops and talks, entrance fees to places of interest included in the programme and the main meal served in the day. The fee does not include the food you wish to buy for your breakfast, evening meal and weekends or refreshments while out on excursions.
Are there any bursaries available?
Yes, we sometimes have bursaries available for people who are genuine in their desire to participate and do not have the funds. We ask for a small report from those receiving the bursary as well as a commitment to share what they have learnt with others. Please enquire at info@antairseach.ie for more information.
I live nearby, can I apply as a non-resident student?
Yes, we would welcome your application and if successful, you would be offered the programme at a reduced fee. Please enquiry directly about this.
Do you have accommodation on-site?
Yes, we have capacity for 18 students to stay in single rooms on site on the beautiful grounds of An Tairseach. If the accommodation is full, we sometimes rent a house in a nearby town and accommodate a further 3 to 5 students who travel in and out each day. You will be contacted and asked if this is something you would like to consider should this become necessary.
If I am coming from abroad, how do I get from the airport to An Tairseach
Wexford bus company 740a route is a direct bus from Dublin Airport to Wicklow Town. The link to bus times is here: Wexford Bus
Stay on the bus until the last stop (The Grand Hotel). We are a 10 minute walk from the bus stop which is uphill. If you have heavy bags we can arrange to collect you from the bus stop.
What is the weather like in Ireland?
For many international students, Ireland is cold! Over the course of the Spring Programme there is a change of seasons and some beautiful sunny but cool days with crisp blue skies. There are also days of constant rain and dampness! An Tairseach is a large building and while we do our best to keep you warm, we are an Ecology Centre and do not overheat the building. Please make sure you bring plenty of layers, warm clothes and waterproof clothing and footwear for the outdoors.
