Join us along the “Wild Atlantic Way” to explore the rich interplay between Jungian psychology and the timeless myths of Ireland’s magical landscape.
STUDY TOUR
Jungian Psychology and
the Celtic Imagination
With Margaret Klenck & John Hayes
in County Mayo, Ireland
April 14–20, 2026
Before the history of Ireland was set down, before St. Patrick converted the Irish to Christianity, there existed an Ireland known to us only in myth and legend. This was an Ireland of enchantment, peopled by goddesses and gods who lived alongside mortals — often engaged in a royal battle for the soul of the land. We know them in Celtic lore as magicians, sorceresses, warriors, kings and queens. Their stories, and the myths, legends, history, and layers of different cultures that emanated from this landscape will be the focus of our study tour to County Mayo, Ireland.
The New York Center for Jungian Studies is pleased to offer its annual study/tour Ireland. Limited to 40 participants, this unique program will explore the relationship between Jungian psychology and the myths that emanated from the magical land of Ireland. Our 2026 study tour will be based in County Mayo, the land of Queen Maeve, and a county immortalized by the writer William Butler Yeats and his brother, painter Jack Yeats.
Drawing on Celtic myth, this special program will provide participants with the opportunity to combine travel to pre-historic sacred sites with study sessions on Celtic myth and legend. Led by Aryeh Maidenbaum and Diana Rubin, our faculty will be leading Jungian analysts Margaret Klenck and John Hayes, who have lectured on and have a personal interest in Celtic mythology. The myths, presentations, discussions and visits to the sites will add to our understanding of the archetypes inherent in Celtic myth and their impact on our own analytical process and psychological understanding.
Additionally, we are fortunate to again have with us one of Ireland’s leading archaeologists, Michael Gibbons, who will lead us on our field trips. Providing an ongoing narrative, Michael will magically weave his vast knowledge of Ireland’s sacred sites and stunning scenery with stories of Irish history, her people and her culture.
Study Tour Site: County Mayo
County Mayo, located in the heart of the “Wild Atlantic Way,” is known for its stunning mountains, rugged coastline, pre-historic Neolithic sites, and colorful, picturesque Sligo. Using County Mayo as our base, this study tour will bring to life the mythology of Celtic Ireland through presentations and visits to some of the most awe inspiring sites in Ireland, including, among other sites, Maeve’s tomb — the cairn which marks her burial at the top of Knocknarea; the prehistoric tombs of Carrowmore; and the burial place in Sligo of W.B. Yeats who, influenced by Celtic mythology and folklore, helped rediscover and revive an interest in Irish culture, history, and mythology.
Study Tour Accommodations
The Mount Falcon Estate Hotel, Ballina, County Mayo
Our hotel is situated on the banks of the River Moy, Ireland’s premier salmon river. Dating back to 1872, the Mt. Falcon is a gracious, restored Country House, located in a woodland setting with landscaped gardens, and set on a 100-acre estate. A family-owned hotel with quality, fresh local food served in a friendly environment, its spacious, luxurious, and tastefully furnished rooms offer a warm and relaxing atmosphere. Among its many amenities are an indoor pool with woodland view with a Jacuzzi and health club for relaxation. Located in the heart of the Moy Valley (which spans North Mayo and Sligo,) the Mt. Falcon will provide a perfect base for our study tour.
Faculty & Tour Leaders
The Study Tour week is led by Aryeh Maidenbaum and Diana Rubin, each bringing well over 25 years experience in organizing and facilitating Jungian programs.
Our faculty will be leading Jungian analysts Margaret Klenck and John Hayes, who have lectured on and have a personal interest in Celtic mythology.
Read Their Bios
Faculty
John Michael Hayes, PhD, Jungian analyst and psychologist, is a psychoanalyst practicing in Baltimore, Maryland and Dean of Candidates and supervising analyst for the Jungian Psychoanalytic Association. In addition, he is a training and supervising analyst at the Washington-Baltimore Psychoanalytic Institute and priest of the Episcopal diocese of Maryland. Over his career he has served on the faculties of the Johns Hopkins University School of Education and School of Medicine, Loyola University Maryland, University of Maryland School of Medicine, and St. Mary’s Seminary and University.
Margaret Klenck, MDiv, LP, is a Jungian Analyst in private practice in New York City. She is a member and training analyst and a past president of the Jungian Psychoanalytic Association in New York. She has lectured, taught and supervised nationally and internationally. She served as the JPA’s representative to the Executive Council of the IAAP from 2014-2019. She holds a Masters of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary. Her most recent publications include a chapter in the book Our Uncertain World: Challenges and Opportunities in a Dark Time entitled: Spirit of the Depths, Spirit of the Times.
Program Directors
Aryeh Maidenbaum, PhD, Jungian analyst, earned his Doctorate from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and a Diploma in Analytical Psychology from the Jung Institute in Zurich. Founder and Co-Director of the NY Center for Jungian Studies, among his publications are: Sounds of Silence; The Search for Spirit in Jungian Psychology; Psychological Types, Job Change, and Personal Growth; and Anti-Semitism: The Jungian Dilemma. In addition, he was editor and contributor to several books, including Lingering Shadows: Jungians, Freudians and Anti-semitism, and Jung and the Shadow of Anti-Semitism. His newest book is Jung and the Jewish Experience: Reflections by a Jungian Analyst, published by Routledge.
Diana Rubin, LCSW, Co-Director of the New York Center for Jungian Studies, has organized and led Jungian Seminars and Study Tours for over 25 years. Currently, she has a private psychotherapy practice in New York’s Hudson Valley, where she works with individuals and groups as well as remotely. A former staff psychotherapist at the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health’s Institute for the Performing Artist, Ms. Rubin has a special interest in the interface of psychotherapy and the creative process. In addition, she is dedicated to empowering women through her women’s workshops.
Guide
Michael Gibbons, one of Ireland’s most respected archaeologists, is acclaimed for his ongoing fieldwork in Connemara. A popular presenter, Michael has lectured worldwide, including at Oxford, Cambridge, and the National Geographic Society. Author of Connemara: Visions of Iar Chonnacht, as well as numerous articles, Mr. Gibbons is a member of the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland, the Croagh Patrick archaeological research team, and the Heritage Council of Ireland.
Study Tour Program
Beginning on Tuesday April 14, with our first presentation, through the evening of Sunday April 19, this week will provide a balance of travel to pre-historic sacred sites with study sessions on Celtic myth and legend.
View Daily Schedule
TUESDAY, APRIL 14
Check in to the deluxe Mt. Falcon Estate Hotel located near the town of Ballina, an lovely market town on the River Moy in County Mayo that is famous for its exceptional salmon fishing and known as the “salmon capital” of Ireland.
4:30–6:00 p.m.
Margaret Klenck will begin our program with a presentation On the Nature of the Celtic Imagination. Some of what Margaret will cover includes the relationship between mortals and immortals; ideas about kingship and heroism; the land and the sea, and Celtic concepts of masculine and feminine.
Following Margaret’s presentation, John Hayes will discuss what the Celtic imagination offers us today. The Celts bring us into the lost world of enchantment, a world lost to us in the disenchantment of modernity which has brought with it an alienation from nature, the cosmos, community, and a devaluation of the feminine. It is for us to find a way to the “re-enchantment” of our world.
6:00 p.m.
Break for refreshments, followed by Orientation, an opportunity to get to know one another, and a festive Opening Dinner at our hotel (included)
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15
From 7:00 a.m. on…Full Irish Breakfast served daily (included)**
Morning
Following a full, hearty Irish breakfast, our day will begin with a presentation by Margaret, Celtic Tales of Desire: Awakening and Discovery, with a break for coffee, tea and scones, after which John will help us explore some Celtic Forays into the Numinous: Oisin’s Wanderings in Tir na Og.
12:30–2:00 p.m.
Break for Lunch at our hotel (included)
Afternoon
John and Margaret will discuss Breaking Open the Myth: Translating the Narrative into Psychological Understanding. They will illustrate the Jungian approach to understanding the psychological underpinnings and possibilities of myths and tales — what Jung called amplification — which at times is also incorporated into the interpretation of our dreams. And then, together, the group will practice translating various tales — and even dreams — into psychological language.
Evening free, Dinner on own
THURSDAY, APRIL 16
Full day outing with Michael Gibbons.
Today, our journey will weave through Mayo’s storied landscape, tracing the footsteps of ancient peoples whose myths still echo in the stones and waters of the region. Along the way, we will pause at sites where folklore and history are inseparable, and where the natural world seems to hum with the memory of old gods and heroes. With Lunch along the way (included) some highlights of our day will include: The remarkable monastic village of Killala, home to a well-preserved 12th-century round tower that stands as a testament to the region’s medieval religious heritage; the ancient, Bronze Age Breastagh Ogham Stone, etched with Ogham inscriptions, which provide us with a tangible connection to the Bronze Age people who inhabited this landscape; Downpatrick Head and Dun Briste Sea Stack, where we will have the opportunity to witness the dramatic coastal scenery at Downpatrick Head; and the Céide Fields, a remarkable Neolithic site where tombs, house sites, and field systems remain preserved beneath deep layers of bog.
After this full day outing, we will return in time for dinner at our hotel (included).
FRIDAY, APRIL 17
This morning will begin with Margaret preparing us for our travels today as she brings to life the fascinating and powerful Celtic myth of Queen Medb (Maeve): She Who Intoxicates. Later this morning, following Margaret’s presentation, we will depart our hotel for a visit to Knocknarea. The hearty among us will walk to the summit of Knocknarea, where Maeve is said to be buried upright in the cairn at its peak, spear in hand and still facing her enemies in Ulster. Here, we will experience the mythical presence of Queen Maeve while also enjoying some spectacular views of the Irish landscape and the Atlantic coast.
Following our climb to the top of Knocknarea, lunch on our own and free time to explore and meander through the town of Sligo, returning to our hotel in time for dinner (included) and an evening activity (details to be announced).
SATURDAY, APRIL 18
We will begin the day with an introduction to one of Jung’s most important contributions: “Active Imagination: A Way of Encountering Our Inner World.” Margaret and John will introduce us to Jung’s marvelous discovery of Active Imagination and then lead an exercise in which the participants can experience this technique.
Following our morning’s work on, and exercise in Active Imagination, we will depart our hotel for Drumcliff, the location of an ancient Columban Monastery situated beneath Benbulbin Mountain and overlooking Drumcliff Bay (where W.B. Yeats was interred) and Carrowmore, a large group of megalithic monuments on the Coolera Peninsula to the west of Sligo, built in the 4th millennium BCE. Lunch on our own before we return to our hotel in time for dinner. Evening free; Dinner on our own.
SUNDAY, APRIL 19
Our last day will begin with Margaret introducing us to The Book of Invasions and what this early Celtic Mythology can tell us about the Celtic Imagination and personal experiences of being invaded by thoughts, situations, and projections.
Following a break for coffee, tea and scones (included) John and Margaret will examine the archetypal theme of Welcoming the Unknown Visitor in Fairy Tales, Myths and Dreams: Personal and Intrapsychic Implications, before we break for lunch and the rest of the afternoon free. Transportation will be provided for those interested in visiting the nearby town of Ballina for lunch and exploring places of personal interest on their own.
Evening
Closing meeting followed by Dinner at our hotel (included)
MONDAY, APRIL 20
Depart for airports and home
*Daily schedule subject to change.
**Meals included are Breakfast daily; Lunches on April 15 and 16; Dinners on April 14, 16, 17 and 19.
PLEASE NOTE: On some days, a complimentary shuttle will be provided from the Mount Falcon to and from Ballina. Check the bulletin board for days and hours of departure. Please sign up in advance to reserve your place.
Registration Information
APRIL 14-20, 2026
County Mayo
Jungian Psychology and the Celtic Imagination
Cost: $3,550* includes:
- 6 nights’ accommodations at Mt. Falcon Estate Hotel
- All presentations and discussions
- Full Irish breakfast daily; all breaks for coffee, tea, and scones; two lunches; and four dinners
All program costs are based on double occupancy. Single supplement: ($495) and gratuities ($125) additional.
To reserve your place, please complete the online registration form and submit with a deposit of $600 per person, per program. Balance due in full by January 15, 2026.
Registration Details
Participation limited. The program will be limited to 40 participants and will entail a fair amount of walking, including unavoidable stairs. Participants need to be in active, good health, able to keep up with the group. All rights reserved to ask a participant to leave who is disruptive to the program. If you have any questions, please call our office at 845-256-0191.
Credits and Certificates: For information scroll down to the next section.
Insurance: Participants are strongly urged to purchase travel insurance for losses necessitated by having to cancel participation. For your convenience, insurance forms will be sent upon registration or consult your own agent. Please contact our office at 845-256-0191 for more information.
Cancellations Refunds and Insurance: Please note that all cancellations must be received in writing to The New York Center for Jungian Studies. Deposit is refundable, less $295 administrative fee, for those canceling on or before December 15, 2025. For those cancelling on or before January 15, 2026 50% refund less deposit and $295 Administrative fee. No refunds after this date. Payment in full due January 15, 2026.
Changes: All rights are reserved by the Program Directors to make faculty substitutions and/or to modify the itinerary (including hotels) as needed.
Disclaimer of Responsibility. By registering for this program, participant specifically waives any and all claims of action against the New York Center for Jungian Studies and its staff for damages, loss, injury, accident, sickness, or death incurred by any person in connection with this tour. The New York Center for Jungian Studies assumes no responsibility or liability in connection with the service of any train, vessel, carriage, aircraft or other conveyance which may be used wholly or in part in the performance of their duty to the passengers. Neither will the New York Center for Jungian Studies or its staff be responsible for any injury, death, loss, accident, sickness, delay or irregularity through neglect or default of any company or person engaged in carrying out the purposes for which tickets, vouchers, or coupons are issued. No responsibility is accepted for losses or expenses due to sickness, viruses, weather, strikes, hostilities, wars, terrorist acts or acts of nature, local laws, or other causes. The New York Center for Jungian Studies is not responsible for any baggage or personal effects of any individual participating in one of their respective trips. In the event it becomes necessary or advisable for any reason whatsoever to alter the itinerary or arrangements, such alterations, including hotels, guides or scholars, may be made without penalty. All rights are reserved to require any participant to withdraw from the tour at his/her own expense when such an action is determined by the tour staff to be in the best interest of the participant’s health and safety, and that of the group in general.
CE Credits
and Certificates of Attendance
Continuing Education Credits: have been applied for the Ireland programs.
Please Note: In order to receive CE credits participants must be present for each presentation.
Certificate of Attendance available at a cost of $10 per certificate. Make your request on the registration form. For questions about receiving your Certificate of Attendance, e-mail us at contact@nyjungcenter.org.
If you have questions feel free to e-mail us at contact@nyjungcenter.org anytime or call the office between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday: 845-256-0191.
Continuing Education Credits
Continuing Education Credits for Healthcare Professionals.
Teachings are appropriate for healthcare professionals as well as the general public. Healthcare professionals will be able to incorporate the tools and practices offered in this program in ways beneficial to clients or patients.
CE credits are available for an additional cost of $75 per certificate: 13.5 CE credits for the Jung in Ireland Study Tour: Jungian Psychology and the Celtic Imagination and $75 per certificate: 20.5 CE credits for the Jung in Ireland Seminar Facing Mortality and Uncertainty.
- CE credits for psychologists are provided by the Spiritual Competency Academy (SCA) which is co-sponsoring this program. The Spiritual Competency Academy is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Spiritual Competency Academy maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
- The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE credits for LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFT license renewal for programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.
- LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFTs, and other mental health professionals from states other than California need to check with their state licensing board as to whether or not they accept programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.
- SCA is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN Provider CEP16887) for licensed nurses in California. RNs must retain their certificate of attendance for 4 years after the course concludes.
- For questions about receiving your Certificate of Attendance, contact the New York Center for Jungian Studies at contact@nyjungcenter.org or 845-256-0191.
For questions about CE, contact Spiritual Competency Academy at info@spiritualcompetencyacademy.com.
NAAP Credits for New York State Social Workers and Licensed Psychoanalysts
In addition, CE credits for New York State Social Workers and Licensed Psychoanalysts have been applied for through the National Association for Advancement of Psychoanalysis (NAAP). NAAP CE credits will be $35 per certificate for each program. NAAP maintains responsibility for the programs and their content as well.
For questions about receiving NAAP credits, contact Sally Smith-Raymond (contact@nyjungcenter.org).
National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis (NAAP) is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an Approved Provider of continuing education for licensed psychoanalysts. #P-0019.
National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis (NAAP) is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0168.
Credit Hours by Program
APRIL 14-20, 2026 | County Mayo
STUDY TOUR
Jungian Psychology and the Celtic Imagination
TUESDAY, APRIL 14
4:30– 6:00 p.m.
Margaret Klenck, On the Nature of the Celtic Imagination and John Hayes: What the Celtic Imagination Offers Us Today
1.5 hours didactic lecture
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15
9:00–10:30 a.m.
Margaret Klenck, Celtic Tales of Desire: Awakening and Discovery
1.5 hours didactic lecture
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
John Hayes, Forays into the Numinous: Oisin’s Wanderings in Tir na Og
1.5 hours didactic lecture
2:00–4:00 p.m
John Hayes and Margaret Klenck, Breaking Open the Myth: Translating the Narrative into Psychological Understanding
2 hours didactic lecture
FRIDAY, APRIL 17
9:00–10:30 a.m.
Margaret Klenck, Queen Medb (Maeve): She Who Intoxicates
1.5 hours didactic lecture
SATURDAY, APRIL 18
8:30–10:00 a.m.
Margaret Klenck and John Hayes, Active Imagination: A Way of Encountering Our Inner World
1.5 hours didactic lecture
SUNDAY, APRIL 19
9:00–10:30 a.m.
Margaret Klenck, The Book of Invasions: What This Early Celtic Mythology Can Tell Us About the Celtic Imagination and Personal Experiences of Being Invaded by Thoughts, Situations and Projections
1.5 hours didactic lecture
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Margaret Klenck, Welcoming the Unknown Visitor in Fairy Tales, Myths, and Dreams: Personal and Intrapsychic Implications
1.5 hours didactic lecture
6:30–7:30 p.m.
Closing Meeting, Review and Summarize Program Content followed by dinner at the hotel (included)
1 hour interactive lecture
Total CE’s: 13.5