Retreat to Roundstone,

a most charming village in Connemara, Co. Galway, Ireland

July 8 - 14, 2027 

come away with us to the charming coastal village of Roundstone

Join us on a very personal and engaging experience where we bring our guests to this magical land and engage in a culinary and cultural adventure - cultured butter making from local dairy, and then learning the art of making pies, the perfect communal food, as well as freshly made donuts.  Foraging, dinners from the sea + on the beach, boat ride to our favorite island for a seafood lunch, brisk ocean dips, special guest artists and adventures and so much more.  All excursions and classes will be optional, sometimes you need to do your own thing! We will offer opportunities for folks to find their own path, hiking, seaweed soaks, sauna, boat trips and more.

Magical meals and accommodations by the sea. 

July 8 - 14, 2027

Roundstone, Connemara, County Galway, Ireland

Starting from $5200 USD per person

* CREATIVE RESIDENCY 2027 applications now open! *

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Location

Why We Chose Roundstone

Roundstone is my favorite village in Ireland. I spent summers here working at the Arts Festival, winters celebrating Christmas overlooking Gurteen Bay and hours on ‘The Wall” at O’Dowds with friends. It is a truly magical part of the world and I am thrilled to be able to share it with you.

There's a reason Connemara has been pulling in artists, wanderers, and dreamers for two centuries — and once you set foot in Roundstone, you'll feel it too. Roundstone (or Cloch na Rón — "rock of the seals" — as it's known in Irish) is a tiny harbor village tucked into the wild edge of Bertraghboy Bay, with the Twelve Bens rising up behind it. It's the kind of place where fishing boats still come in heavy with the day's catch, where hand-built curraghs dry on the slipway, and where the light is so sharp and the skies are so big that painters have been chasing it here for lifetimes.

3k outside the village, are the stunning crescent beaches of Dog's Bay and Gurteen — two perfect arcs of pale sand made entirely of seashells, curling together into one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in Ireland.

Explore & Experience

For 6 nights and 7 days, we'll forage along the shoreline, experience the culinary secrets of Connemara , make things, do crafts, and — because this is a Pie Bird retreat, after all — gather to turn it all into pie, the most communal food there is. We'll eat meals pulled straight from the sea, perhaps served right on the beach. We'll dip into the Atlantic. There might be music. There will definitely be pie and donuts! This particular trip will be very centered on village life, encouraging you to slow down and savor just this one little slice of the world for a week.

All excursions and classes will be optional because we understand that sometimes you need to do your own thing! There will be space in the week’s events for folks to find their own path; be it pints at the pub, coffee in the Village, hiking, seaweed soaks, boat trips and more we will be happy to offer suggestions and contact information to you.

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Your Host

Host + Founder

Jennifer Brodsky

In 1999, a year spent in Ireland changed the course of my life.  Sharing this special country, its customs and its deep culinary traditions with all of you is a dream come true.

Our 3rd hosted trip to Ireland brings us to a new location: Roundstone in Connemara.  Like our previous retreats, I work to curate a very personal and engaging experience where we guide our guests through a culinary and cultural adventure!

What’s Included

Everything except your transport to Galway City.

Included:

  • Transportation from Galway City  

  • Recipes galore!

  • All group meals, unless you go rogue (which you are welcome to do! Remember, this is your time!)

  • A welcome cocktail and wine with dinner. If you wanna have your own after hours party (I see you!) you will be responsible for your own libations!

  • Private coach transportation while on retreat excursions

  • All scheduled outings and events during our week

  • Lovely lodging, naturally

Getting There

✈️ By Plane

The best gateway is Shannon Airport (SNN) — it's the closest airport to Connemara, and it's one of only two airports in Europe (along with Dublin) with US Customs pre-clearance, meaning you clear US immigration in Ireland before boarding home, so you land back in the US like a domestic passenger. Direct flights to Shannon from the US:

  • Aer Lingus: Boston (daily, year-round) and New York–JFK (several times weekly)

  • United Airlines: Newark (daily)

  • Delta: New York–JFK (seasonal, May–Oct)

  • American Airlines: Philadelphia (seasonal)

From Shannon, it's about 1h 45m – 2h to Roundstone by car — the shortest overland leg of any route.

The alternative is flying into Dublin Airport (DUB), which has more direct US flights (from most major US cities via Aer Lingus, Delta, United, American)

🚗 By Car

If you’re the seasoned-traveler type and you’d enjoy having your own transportation, like more freedom to visit nearby towns without the hassle of an uber or car service, head to the pub in the evening, then please - rent a car in Shannon or Dublin!

  • From Shannon: ~1h 45m via the N18/N67 — the shortest, easiest drive

  • From Dublin: ~3h via the N6 motorway to Galway, then the N59 out to Roundstone

🚂 By Train

Ireland's rail network doesn't reach into Connemara — the nearest station is Galway City, served by Irish Rail's Intercity line from Dublin Heuston (roughly 2.5 hours).

  • Dublin Heuston → Galway (train, ~2.5h)

  • For travelers without a rental car, CityLink and GoBus run coach service between Dublin Airport and Galway

FAQs

  • Please see the Getting There section for additional information and travel options. Let us know if you’d like help arranging any travel to/from Ireland or to the house.

  • Everything! Well, just about everything. Travel to and from Ireland and to the house are not included.  Any extras, such as outside food, gifts, that special bottle of whisky or dinners out, and any other shopping you choose to do are also on your own. We will take care of your meals, drinks, and any planned experiences for the week.  During some day trips, you may have the option of a packed lunch or eating where we are visiting on your own.

  • If you’re like us, you might think that coming all the way to Ireland for just one week simply isn’t enough!  Please reach out to us for suggestions or help planning your travel.

  • We will follow whatever guidelines are in place for COVID or similar situations in the region in 2026. If any retreat ends up being canceled because of borders closing due to COVID or other national regulations, you will be issued a full refund or credit towards a future retreat. This does not include individual cases of COVID that prevent travelers from coming. We recommend purchasing travel insurance to ensure coverage in the case of any last-minute hiccups on the traveler’s end.

  • Except for reasons already noted, we are not able to offer refunds after purchase, but we can offer credit towards another retreat, pie bird event or product.

    We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance to cover any reimbursement for cancellations due to illness (including testing positive for COVID-19) or other family or personal matters.

    If any retreat does not reach the necessary number of attendees, we reserve the right to cancel the trip - in this case, a full refund will be issued to any who have reserved.

  • We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance to cover any reimbursement for cancellations due to illness (including testing positive for COVID-19) or other family matters as we cannot guarantee a refund in these cases. It is a low cost way to protect your investment!