Photo: Fisher Street in Doolin: credit Bjørn Christian Tørrissen through Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
Doolin, County Clare, Ireland
May 16th-25th, 2026
Schedule? What Schedule?
The retreat offers but never requires fellowship with other creatives. You can spend the whole time walking along the cliffs, or participate in our group meals and activities. We are renting adjacent lodges in the village—-each lodge will have 3-4 retreat participants with no other guests. Accommodations, 2 meals/day included in the price (exception: only dinner on arrival day and only breakfast on the departure day). A proposed schedule is below, but feel free to do your own thing….
Ireland Creative Retreat Optional Schedule—evolving and subject to change—-
Day 1: May 16, 2026
Arrive! Dinner together in a pub. Orientation: meet one another, optionally form writing groups. Settle in, or head out to listen to music or stargaze—-up to you.
Day 2: May 17, 2026
8:00am Breakfast together at Fitzpatrick’s Pub, Hotel Doolin.
9:00am First Writing Workshop is a 3/4 day tour of the burren including standing stones and natural areas, with writing and wandering and lunch. This workshop is led by writer Grace Wells and will get us situated in space. See workshop page for more details.
Free Time/ Optional Writing groups or activities
Day 3: May 18, 2026
8:00am-10:30am Breakfast together at Fitzpatrick’s Pub, Hotel Doolin.
Writing workshop with with Kerry Ní Dochartaigh
Lunch with Writing Workshop Provider
Free Writing Time/Optional Writing groups or activities.
Day 4: May 19, 2026
8:00am-10:30am Breakfast together at Fitzpatrick’s Pub, Hotel Doolin.
Field trip to Cliffs of Moher
Day 5: May 20, 2026
8:00am-10:30am Breakfast together at Fitzpatrick’s Pub, Hotel Doolin.
Writing workshop with Ryan Dennis
Lunch with workshop provider
Day 6: May 21, 2026
8:00am-10:30am Breakfast together at Fitzpatrick’s Pub, Hotel Doolin.
Aran Islands field trip and tour
Lunch on Inís Mor
Free writing time/Optional Writing groups
Day 7: May 22, 2026
8:00am-10:30am Breakfast together at Fitzpatrick’s Pub, Hotel Doolin.
10:30-12:30 Optional photography workshop add-on in the morning, and optional add-on head shots with local photographer Andreas Riemenschneider.
afternoon, optional head shots
Free writing time/ Optional Writing groups
Day 8: May 23, 2026
8:00am-10:30am Breakfast together at Fitzpatrick’s Pub, Hotel Doolin.
10:00am Writing Workshop with Nicki Griffin
Lunch with workshop provider
Free writing time/Optional Writing groups or activities
Day 9: May 24, 2026
8:00am-10:30am Breakfast together at Fitzpatrick’s Pub, Hotel Doolin.
Free day
Dinner together (farewell dinner: local foods—-appetizers, pizza, salads) and Group Reading at The Attic with local authors/artists—-party!
Day 10: May 25, 2026
8:00am-10:30am Breakfast together at Fitzpatrick’s Pub, Hotel Doolin.
Travel
Notes about the Intent of our Gathering, specifically for Writing Workshop Participants:
No one is required to participate in any aspect of the retreat; but we hope you will enjoy the workshops, all of which focus on some aspect of the Natural world. As part of Nature, and as creatives, we are coming together to learn from one another and from this land. Our goal in creating the retreat is to foster relationships with land and share ideas on how to incorporate Nature and our relationship to it in writing. We hope for a gathering of like-minded people using their creativity to connect. For some this will be an individual, contemplative time with their own journey; for others the focus might be querying the way we use working/agricultural lands, while any creative can ponder the work their art does in the world, and how it might forward a more balanced relationship between humans and the natural web. We hope that whatever goals you bring, it’s a generative and welcoming time for all.
Who may attend: You
Authors at any stage of their career are welcome. The writing we produce will become part of a Writing the Land anthology. This is a great opportunity for creatives and outdoors people to help protect the lands and waters we love. We hope to fit all works into the book (but can’t guarantee that).
Prices depend on accommodation type (please note these are in US dollars): Please fill out the form to sign up or ask questions. Thank you!
What is Included: 10 day writing retreat in rural southern Ireland in a quaint village in an amazing natural setting by the sea
Accommodations: we will be staying all together in adjacent lodges at the village center—we’ve rented the entire lodges so there will only be 3-4 workshop participants per lodge. Shared (2 people per room, twin beds) are available as of 8/20/25—-private rooms ($2700 twin, $2900 double) wait list only. Shared room, twin bed: $2400. All rooms this year are shared baths; there are 2 facilities (1 full bath and 1 half bath) in each house.
2 meals every day (except arrival and departure days: dinner upon arrival day, breakfast upon departure day). Breakfast conveniently at the hotel right next door; lunches will be in a variety of places. Special diets will be accommodated.
4 writing workshops, each with a different local Irish writer (Ryan Dennis, Kerry Ní Dochartaigh, Grace Wells, and Nicki Griffin) in various genres. Learn something new every other day. All are optional. Stay on to eat lunch with the local writer.
Co-organizer and resident Irish editor, Ryan Dennis of The Milkhouse: Rural Writers Collective will meet with writing retreat participants as desired—-he’s here to help you throughout the retreat, and will be the on-site retreat coordinator.
Optional peer groups (grouped by genre or interest, there will be signups)
Your writing will be considered for inclusion in a Writing the Land anthology (we will take as many as we can; we intend to take all).
Included field trips: 1) trip to the cliffs of Moher; and 2) trip to and tour of Inis Mor, the largest of the 3 Aran Islands (our first workshop is also a field trip to The Burren)
Add-on: photography workshop (will not interfere with writing workshops) ($100) Photographer Andreas Riemenschneider
Add-on:Photos/headshots: have your professional photos taken at the stunning cliffs of Moher ($60) Photographer Andreas Riemenschneider
Optional Field trips: Options you can do on your own include a walk along the Wild Atlantic Way (there is a free bus that goes directly to the cliffs of moher!) tromp across fields; birdwatch; explore farms; sheep dog demonstration plus stone fort tour; do yoga on the pier and then relax in hot tub nearby; or relax in pubs—-Doolin is famous as a hub of traditional Irish music. The walking trail along the cliff is almost exactly 1 mile from where we’re staying. Taxis are available if you’d like to start your walk on the cliff path.
Other surprises——we will keep adding things as we have them :)
Not Included:
Flights/airport transfers
Transportation beyond field trips. There are taxis in Doolin, and also things are close to one another for walking.
Alcohol/drinks
Flight Info:
There are several airports to choose from. Shannon (SNN) is the most convenient, about 1 hour from Doolin. Flights from the east coast of the US range between $500 to $1500 round trip depending on timing and airport, but please do your own research on this, it’s so variable and not easy to predict into 2025. Dublin (DUB) is probably the least expensive to fly into, but also the farthest away from Doolin (3 hrs or a little more); Shannon (SNN) (1 hr) , and Cork (ORK) (2hrs or less).
Getting to Doolin from the Airport:
From Shannon Airport take the Bus Eireann Route 343 Bus to Ennis, then transfer to the Bus Eireann Route 350 which stops in Doolin. Taxis also available, as are private car hire (some even include tours on your way from the airport—- Burren Tours is one option for private transport from the airport with a tour along the way for 140 euros.)
The Fine Print….
Details: Terms: We ask you to pay in stages (although you can always pay up front in 1 lump sum or sooner than requested). There are no refunds unless the retreat is cancelled, in which case a full refund will be given.
Stage 1: A non-refundable (but transferable, before November 1, 2025) deposit of $200 will reserve your space and your chosen accommodation type (private room or shared) when booking. There are limited private rooms, so consider bringing a friend.
Stage 2: November 1, 2025 1/2 payment required.
Stage 3: Full payment required January 1, 2026 (or upon reservation if added after this date), after which date no refunds or transfers will be given unless the retreat is cancelled. Insurance for a long trip like this is recommended in case something happens and you can’t make it.
If the retreat is cancelled a full refund will be given.