NOC sponsoring 2016 trip to Ireland

The March 2016 Gateway to the Humanities Irish Heritage Tour, sponsored by Northern Oklahoma College, is now open for enrollment.

The trip, timed to coincide with NOC’s Spring Break, is open to all travelers 18 and older. Affiliation with NOC is not required, though full-time NOC students may qualify for trip scholarships to help with costs.

Tour members will enjoy four full days in Dublin, two at the beginning of the week and two at the end, and three days in the south of Ireland, where they will visit Cork, the legendary Blarney Castle, and the Ring of Kerry, among other famous sites. In Dublin, travelers will see St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Book of Kells at Trinity College, Temple Bar, St. Stephen’s Green, and much more.

The tour is coordinated through EF (Education First) Tours of Boston, which is offering a $100 discount through the end of May to the first five people who sign up for the tour on the company website.

“This will be a great trip,” said Dr. Donald Stinson, NOC Language Arts Division instructor and the group leader for the tour. “A group from NOC visited Ireland in 2008, but that was as part of a larger tour that also included England and Wales. This time we’ll just be focusing on the Emerald Isle, and we’ll be there for St. Patrick’s Day.”

Those interested in accessing more information about the trip or enrolling should visit the EF website at www.efcollegestudytours.com and enter the tour number, which is 1717741KY. The current cost, before the $100 discount, is $3,005 for those under 30 and $3,215 for those 30 and older and includes round-trip airfare from Oklahoma City, all ground transportation, lodging with private bathrooms, daily breakfasts, three dinners, admissions to scheduled attractions, and the services of a full-time tour director who is an expert on Ireland and its culture.

In addition to the website, information is also available from Stinson at (580) 628-6442 or at [email protected] . Individuals are also encouraged to visit the Gateway to the Humanities on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GowithNOC?ref=hl .