The Irish on The Western Front with Ronan McGreevy
The Irish on The Western Front with Ronan McGreevy
Join acclaimed historian and author Ronan McGreevy on an exclusive journey from Ireland to the battlefields of the Western Front. This specially crafted tour delves deep into the complex and poignant story of Ireland’s involvement in the First World War, visiting the sites where Irishmen from north and south fought and fell. From the Island of Ireland Peace Park in Messines to the memorials of the Somme and the haunted landscape of Passchendaele, you will gain unparalleled insight into the motivations and sacrifices of a generation, guided by one of Ireland’s leading experts on the period.
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What's Included
- Booking advice from your Travel Escapes travel advisor
- Return flights from Dublin to Brussels including taxes & charges
- 3 nights’ accommodation in the superior Novotel Ieper Centrum Flanders Fields hotel, located in the heart of Ypres
- Breakfast daily
- Professional historian guide, Ronan McGreevy
- Guided visits to key sites of the Flanders Battlefields including the Island of Ireland Peace Park, Willie Redmond’s Grave, the 16th Irish Division
- Memorial at Wytschaete, John Condon’s Grave, Francis Ledwidge Memorial, Tyne Cot & Passchendaele
- Visit to the The Lille sector including the Ring Of Remembrance and the French national memorial at Notre-Dame-De-Lorette. See the grave of John Kipling, the location of the Last General Absolution of the Munsters at Rue du Bois, the grave of John Kipling and the site where the Irish were gassed on the Western Front during Easter Week 1916.
- Meet the locals who maintain the Irish memorial in the village of Le Pilly.
- Visit to the Somme Battlefields to include Memorial to the Tyneside Irish, Loughnagar Crater, The Ulster Tower, Thiepval Memorial, Ginchy & Guillemont
Your Day-by-Day Tour Itinerary
This 4-day tour is rich with sites of profound Irish significance, offering a unique and deeply moving historical experience.
Day 1: Messines – A Shared History
Your tour begins with a flight from Dublin to Brussels and a transfer to the Ypres Salient. We proceed directly to Messines, a place of immense significance, starting at the Island of Ireland Peace Park with its iconic round tower. We will view the Messines Ridge and the Pool of Peace before visiting Wytschaete Military Cemetery, home to the memorial for the 16th (Irish) Division. Here, we examine the road markers commemorating the cooperation between the 36th (Ulster) and 16th (Irish) Divisions, and the new memorial to Major Willie Redmond and John Meeke.
Day 2: The French Sector & The Missing
Today we explore key sites in northern France, beginning at the breathtaking Ring of Remembrance at Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, which lists the names of 576,000 fallen soldiers. We then travel to Rue Du Bois to visit the Le Touret Memorial, searching for the names of 127 members of the Royal Irish Regiment who have no known grave. After viewing the Portuguese and Indian memorials, we stand at the site of the Last General Absolution of the Munsters. The day includes visits to the memorial for the Irish fallen at Le Pilly, the grave of Rudyard Kipling’s son John, the London Irish Rifles’ New Memorial, and the vast Loos Memorial to the Missing.
Day 3: The Somme & Irish Sacrifice
We journey to the infamous Somme battlefields, starting at the Tyneside Irish Memorial at La Boisselle and the massive Lochnagar Crater, blown on the first day of the battle. We visit the iconic Ulster Tower, a memorial to the 36th Ulster Division, and see original frontline trenches at the Newfoundland Memorial Park. After paying respects at the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, we continue to Guillemont to see the 16th (Irish) Division memorial, marking one of the bloodiest phases of the campaign. The day also includes visits to the grave of Major Raymond Asquith, son of the British Prime Minister, and Herbert Lemass, cousin of future Taoiseach Seán Lemass.
Day 4: Passchendaele & The Poets of War
Our final day begins with free time in Ypres before heading to Poelcappelle Cemetery to visit the grave of John Condon of Waterford, thought to be the youngest Allied soldier killed in the war. We visit the memorial to the poet and nationalist Francis Ledwidge, marking the spot where he fell. A visit to the New Irish Memorial commemorates the last time the 16th and 36th Divisions fought side-by-side during the Battle of Passchendaele. Our tour culminates at the immense Tyne Cot Cemetery, the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the world, before we travel to Brussels Airport for the return flight to Dublin.
Please note that while this is our planned itinerary, we may have to make slight changes due to unforeseen circumstances. Regardless, we’ll pack in as much adventure as possible on this holiday of a lifetime!
Why Tour the Battlefields with Travel Escapes? Choosing the right tour for a journey of this significance is paramount.
- Expert-Led Historical Insight: Our guides are not just tour managers; they are passionate historians who bring the events of the past to life with compelling detail and personal stories.
- Seamless Travel from Ireland: With flights, transfers, and accommodation all organised for you, your journey from Ireland is completely hassle-free.
- A Focus on a Complete Narrative: We believe in showing the full picture. By visiting both Allied and German cemeteries and exploring both successes and failures, we provide a balanced and comprehensive understanding of the conflict.
- Designed for Enthusiasts: This tour is crafted for those with a genuine interest in history. We don’t just see the sites; we spend quality time at each one, allowing for proper exploration and quiet reflection.
To be part of this great tour or for more information, call us on Dublin (01) 294 1000 Or Email: Click here to email us about the The Irish on The Western Front with Ronan McGreevy. Tour
Prices
| Dates | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| 02 Oct 2025 | €799 | On Request |
| 16 Apr 2026 | €799 | Book Now |
| 01 Oct 2026 | €799 | Book Now |
Agent
Booking Remarks
Price based on 2 sharing including all airport taxes & chargesSingle room supplement €149pp. If you are travelling alone and are willing to share a twin room with another group member of the same sex, we will do our best to accommodate this request although it cannot be guaranteed
Non refundable / non transferable deposit of €250pp required at time of booking
Balance due 16 weeks before departure
Price includes 1 standard piece of hand luggage. Checked-in luggage is available to purchase prior to travel – prices may vary
Optional insurance available (terms & conditions apply)
City taxes may apply, payable locally at your hotel
Flights, taxes, prices & itinerary subject to change
Booking terms & conditions apply
Good to Know
All of our tours include some level of walking activity and may include ascending/descending steps. They are not suitable for people with walking difficulties and/or limited mobility.Please note that while this is our planned itinerary, we may have to make slight changes due to unforeseen circumstances. Regardless, we’ll pack in as much adventure as possible on this holiday of a lifetime!
Itinerary
Ypres, Belgium
Once in Brussels, check into your hotel. You will then go to Messines to pay a sobering visit to The Island of Ireland Peace Park. View the Battle of Messines Ridge and the Pool of Peace. Visit the Wytschaete Military Cemetery in Wijtschate, Belgium to see the memorial to the 16th (Irish) Division. Visit the two neighboring road markers to be reminded of how the 36th (Ulster) and 16th (Irish) Divisions cooperated throughout the conflict.
Visit the new Willie Redmond and John Meeke memorial that is next to Wytschaete Cemetery.
The Somme, France
Today you will go to Notre-Dame-De-International Lorette’s WWI Memorial, known as the Ring of Remembrance. Check out the names of the 576,000 troops from all lands who lost their lives in northern France during the conflict. Visit the adjacent French national memorial to the 1.4 million country’s fallen as well.
From Herlies, travel to Rue Du Bois. Visit the Le Touret Memorial to see the memorialised names of the 127 members of the Royal Irish Regiment whose remains were never discovered. Visit the Portuguese and Indian war memorials before going to the location of the Last General Absolution of the Munsters at Rue du Bois. Visit the monument to the Irish fallen at the Battle of Le Pilly.
Visit Lieutenant John Kipling’s tomb and see how his passing influenced his father to pen a book on the Irish Guards’ history. visit to the London Irish Rifles’ New Memorial and The Loos Memorial to the Missing which has the names of thousands of Irish soldiers who lost their lives in that terrible fight.
The Somme, France
On this day you travel to the Somme, Visit the Tyneside Irish Memorial at La Boisselle. Visit the Loughnagar Crater, which was destroyed on July 1, 1916, in the morning. Visit the Ulster Tower, a monument honouring the 36th Ulster Division’s soldiers. View actual frontline trenches from the Battle of the Somme at the Newfoundland Memorial. Additionally, check out the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing. Keep going to the 16th (Irish) Division memorial in Guillemont, which commemorates some of the most brutal combat throughout the whole Somme campaign. Also visit Ginchy & Guillemont Road Cemetery and see the grave of Major Raymond Asquith, the son of the British Prime Minister Herbert Asquit. Also pay visit Herbert Lemass’s tomb; The cousin of former Taoiseach Sean Lemass.
Ypres, Belgium
Free time in the morning to visit Ypres museum or do some shopping. Afterward, meet your guide and head to Poelcappelle Cemetery and visit the grave of John Condon and learn of the real story of the teenager from Waterford who the Commonwealth War Graves Commission claim is the youngest British soldier to die in the First World War. Visit to the Ledwidge Memorial and see the memorial to the poet and nationalist Francis Ledwidge on the exact spot where he fell.
Visit to the New Irish Memorial, the monument commemorates the last time the 16th (Irish) and 36th (Ulster) Divisions fought side by side during the Battle of Passchendaele, when both divisions were utterly destroyed. Visit Tyne Cot Cemetery next, which is the world’s largest cemetery for Commonwealth war burials.
Afterwards travel to Brussels Airport and depart for Dublin Airport after a jam packed tour.
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