Wild Roots Remembrance Retreat
September 17-24 2025, Sligo Ireland
JOURNEY WITH US TO THE EMERALD ISLE…
Come, join us, and explore The Emerald Isle on our 2025 Wild Roots Remembrance Retreat in Ireland, with Herbalist and Flower Essence Practitioner Lupo Passero. We are excited to share Lupo’s great grandmothers’ birthplace with you and to explore these ancient lands of magic and mysticism, healing plants and sacred waters. This trip is perfect for all levels of experience and background, curated for those who would like a deeper understanding of sacred ancestral medicine and the lore of the Celtic lands. Each day will include time with our herbal allies, interaction with the local plants and time for exploring the rich history of this sacred land. We will include song, ceremony, ritual and Goddess traditions along the way.
Itinerary - September 17–24, 2025
Wednesday September 17 Day 1: Pick Up At Airport + Knockrose Sligo
Pick up at 11 am and then we head to Knockrose Garden, situated 500 feet above sea level nestling on the shoulder of The Scalp, in the south of County Dublin, Ireland. Knockrose itself is situated on a tri-vortex of ley lines which enables visitors to feel very protected and to become at peace with themselves. The traditional farm house was built in 1750, and the border of Knockrose with the forests on the Scalp is the Pale Ditch. It is a place of peace and tranquility, where it is blissfully easy to forget about the time-bound frantic pace of the 21st century, and relax to a more natural and healing pace. The scents and colors of the Cottage Garden are a joy to the senses. We will hold our opening ceremony amongst the beloved plants of the Emerald Isle and begin our journey immersed in Nature's classroom. From here we will head West to Sligo and settle in for the evening and share dinner.
Dinner is included
Thursday September 18 Day 2: Sligo: Knocknashee, Knocknashee is known as the legendary “Hill of the Faeries” and is one of Ireland’s seven most sacred hills. The name comes from the Irish “knock” (cnoc) meaning “hill” and “shee” meaning “fairie”. At the foot of this his legendary “Hill of the Fairy’s” is Gilligan’s World which is the original home of Lupo’s Great Grandmother Mary and where her family resided for centuries. Mary Gilligan, left her home in Sligo at the age of 17 and set off on her own for New York City. Her house is still standing as is the original well that her ancestors used. Knocknashee is one of Ireland's largest Bronze Age fortified hilltop forts stretching 700x320 meters across this table-top mountain plateau. Knocknashee Hill is a sacred site for Fairies & for those of us who worship or believe in them. It has been a pilgrimage area for thousands of years. It consists of 2 large stone cairns (tombs) & the remains of up to 60 circular stone houses. There is also a large stone wall surrounding the entire enclosure. If there is anywhere in Ireland to possibly sight fairies, then this is our best bet!
Breakfast, + packed lunch included.
Friday September 19 Day 3: Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery + Queen Maeve’s tomb
County Sligo is home to the largest and oldest collection of stone circles and dolmens known from neolithic Ireland. These are found at Carrowmore, a collection of burial monuments at the centre of the Cuil Iorra peninsula three kilometers west of Sligo town. Carrowmore is the largest cemetery of megalithic tombs in Ireland and is also among the country's oldest, with monuments ranging from five thousand to five thousand eight hundred years old. Archaeologists have recorded over 60 tombs of which 30 are visible. A restored cottage houses an exhibition relating to the site. Here we will hear stories of the land from our Native tour guides who will wave the tale of how the Irish ancestors lives thousands of years ago and their relationship to earth and spirit.
Queen Maeve’s Tomb is perhaps Ireland's most imposing neolithic monument built in a stunning and highly visible location, the focus of the other monuments scattered across the Sligo neolithic landscape. Queen Maeve's cairn is probably one of the best preserved monuments of its kind remaining in Ireland. The passage and chamber have remained hidden since prehistoric times. The cairn is currently reputed to be the resting place of the legendary Queen Maeve of Connaught who is best known for her role in the Tain Bo Culainge, where she led her province to war against Ulster to take the Brown Bull of Cooley, when Cuchullain single-handedly held off her army. That she chose to be interred in the Great Cairn of Knocknarea says something about its prestige as the most important and ancient sacred site in Connaught. Here we will enjoy the leisurely, though at times a little strenuous, 1.2 kilometre walk to the summit. It is a local tradition to pick up a stone or a small rock on your walk to the summit, and to leave it at the cairn. Breakfast and lunch is included.
Saturday September 20 Day 4: *FREE DAY
Sunday September 21 Day 5: A Day at Strandhill Beach
Reconnecting with the Spirit of Water, Seaweed, Our Inner Mermaid, and the Ancestors. Spending the day at Strandhill Beach in County Sligo, Ireland, is nothing short of a pilgrimage to the edge of the world—where land yields to sea and spirit flows as freely as the tide. Here, on this wild Atlantic shore, the wind carries whispers of ancestors and the salt-laced air invites deep remembering. With each step across the sand, we’re drawn into communion with the spirit of water—ever shifting, ever cleansing. The seaweed that washes ashore is not just marine flora but sacred offering: medicine, nourishment, and ancient teacher. Gathering it gently, we honor its gifts and the wisdom it holds, rooted in rhythms older than time. As the waves crash and curl, our inner mermaid awakens—wild, intuitive, fluid. We allow ourselves to be softened by the sea’s embrace, to listen deeply, and to remember that we, too, are made of water. In ritual or simple stillness, we open a conversation with the sea and all those who came before us—those who lived by the tides, harvested from the rocks, and sang to the moonlit surf. Strandhill becomes more than a beach—it becomes a portal. A place to reconnect with our own watery depths, the lineage that flows through us, and the living presence of the ocean as healer, guide, and kin.
Breakfast and lunch is included.
Monday September 22 Day 6: Ancestral Healing Ceremony and Flower Essence Making
In the emerald embrace of Sligo’s misty hills and sacred stones, the land itself seems to remember. This is a place where veils are thin and the ancient ones walk beside us—whispering through the wind, rising in the wildflowers, and echoing in the song of the curlew. Here, surrounded by the natural beauty of Ireland’s northwest coast, we gather in ceremony to honor our roots and awaken the healing power of the land. Held by the sacred landscape—where ancient cairns, holy wells, and fairy glens pulse with ancestral presence—we open space for deep listening. Through guided rituals, we call in the wisdom of those who came before us, offering flowers, song, and breath as a bridge across time.
As we gather native blooms, each one calls out with a story, a spirit, a medicine. With reverence, we will co-create flower essences for you to take home—liquid light imbued with the unique vibration of place and plant. These essences become vessels for healing, holding not only the soul of the flower, but also the prayers and intentions of the ceremony itself. This is not just about making medicine—it is about remembering who we are. We walk barefoot on the earth our ancestors once walked, drink in the same sea air, and speak to the land in the language of love, gratitude, and presence. In this sacred exchange, healing ripples forward and back—through bloodlines, through spirit, through time.
Breakfast and lunch is included.
Tuesday September 23 Day 7: Farewell Afternoon and Evening in Dublin
After a week of deep connection and transformation, we spend our final afternoon and evening together in Dublin—grounding, integrating, and celebrating. A stroll through the city, a quiet café, a moment in a gallery… then music, laughter, and one last shared meal. A sacred farewell wrapped in the soul of the city—a beautiful bridge from retreat to return
Breakfast available before departure.
Wednesday September 24 Day 8: Depart From Dublin
*Additional things to do: Sligo is possibly one of the most interesting counties in Ireland. There are dozens of megalithic and historic architectural sites to visit. Inspiring forest trails and scenic lake walks. Visit Yeats burial place, walk or paddle board the 5 km stretch of golden sand on Enniscrone blue flag beach. Unwind and detox at Kilcullen Seaweed baths.
PRICE (does not include airfare): $2850 PAY IN FULL - DOUBLE ROOM
Deposit: $950 due immediately to reserve your spot. Space is very limited as we keep the group size very small. This is a non-refundable deposit.
DEPOSIT: due June 15th Payment of $950.00
Payment ONE: July 15 Payment of $950.00
Payment TWO: due September 1s of $950.00
PRICE (does not include airfare): $2850 PAY IN FULL - SINGLE ROOM
DEPOSIT: Due by June 15th Payment of $950.00
Payment ONE: July 15 Payment of $1100.00
Payment TWO: due September 1s of $1100.00
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
Transfer to/from Dublin airport (DUB) at designated times
Single and Shared room accommodations – there will be an additional charge for single rooms
All breakfasts, most lunches and some dinners as specified in the itinerary
All entrance fees as outlined in the itinerary
Airport pickup/drop off and all ground transportation as per the itinerary
Herbalism classes taught by Lupo Passero (Community Herbalists & Flower Essence Practitioners)
Local Guides
NOT INCLUDED:
Airfare; please do not finalize/purchase any airfare until we have confirmed that this departure will go. If it does not go due to lack of participants, all funds will be refunded. We are keeping watch on airfare trends and are happy to help coordinate air travel if so desired.
Travel insurance (we very strongly recommend this, see registration form for more info)
Some meals as specified in Itinerary
personal expenses/spending
alcohol/drinks
any transfers not mentioned in the itinerary
paper/notebooks and whatever you like to have for note-taking
HIGHLIGHTS:
Intimate group size, not to exceed 10 people
Daily herb and essence classes, workshops & ceremonies
Local Guide/s
Certificate of Completion
Completely escorted
PRACTICAL INFORMATION:
Travel documents - A valid passport is needed.
Weather - It is much like the weather in the Northeast, but perhaps with a bit cooler. For a better feel, you can check the weather online to get an idea of what to expect.
Money (Euros) – Our personal experience has been to use the local ATMs to get Euros. There is, of course, a fee. Check with your bank. Consider the convenience, security and ease of having access to your money most anywhere you go and the fee suddenly seems reasonable. Do NOT use Traveler’s Checks – there will be no place to cash them in. Please also keep in mind that credit cards are not always as widely accepted as in the US.
Baggage - we ask that you pack as lightly as possible. Our transportation has limited baggage stowage.
Backpacks and water bottles - are recommended and are very useful for our daily outings.
Notebooks– consider what kind of notebook is most comfortable for you as we will not always be in a “classroom” setting.
Comfortable shoes and layered clothing – highly recommended for our daily outings. Evenings are cool. Meal times will be casual. Please remember, pack simply and lightly!
Hiking - there will be plenty of walking and hiking. Most of it is considered easy, but there are a few places where the hike is more moderate. There will always be a place where you can sit out if so desired.
Every effort will be made to follow the itinerary as noted. We reserve the right to make adjustments as necessitated by weather, safety and unforeseen variables.
We are so looking forward to sharing this journey with you, remember, Sligo’s magic isn’t just in the land—it’s in the way it invites us home to ourselves.
Itinerary