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Sanctuary
Frequently Asked Questions

What time is check-in?

Check-in for retreat guests is at 3pm, unless otherwise arranged with our team. Please note we are a small team and a Sanctuary staff member might not be available to assist you right away. We invite you to enjoy a cup of tea and explore the grounds as you wait.

Check-out for retreat guests is 11am, unless otherwise arranged with our team.

Sanctuary is about a 2-hour journey from Dublin airport. If your flight lands much earlier than our 3pm check-in time, stop for breakfast in Dublin before making your way down to Thomastown. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

If you haven’t yet booked your retreat, there’s an option while booking online to add extra nights to your stay. If you’ve already booked your retreat, you can contact our team at services@lornabyrne.com to adjust your dates if availability allows.

Yes, you can extend your stay for extra nights if availability allows. Please contact us at services@lornabyrne.com and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.

We offer king, double, twin, and triple rooms across four different properties. A double bed comfortably accommodates a single person or couple. Twin rooms accommodate two guests and the beds can be pushed together to accommodate a couple. Triple rooms accommodate three guests and can also be changed to accommodate a couple.

Sanctuary’s properties include Kilfane House, Caretaker’s Cottage, the Glebe, and the Rose Cottage. You can view all accommodations on our website.

Retreats follow a general theme, but each retreat is unique to suit the needs of the people in attendance. Lorna may change the subject matter entirely, if the angels guide her to do so. 

All retreats follow a general schedule, but retreat activities and daily schedules often change. See below for a typical 5-day retreat schedule. 
 
Day 1, Arrival
– 3pm, guests check-in at Kilfane House. Please note we are a small team and a Sanctuary staff member might not be available to assist you right away. We invite you to enjoy a cup of tea and explore the grounds as you wait.
– 6pm, dinner is served in Kilfane’s dining room.
– 7:30pm, guests enjoy coffee with Lorna.
 
Day 2
– 8am to 9:30am, a light continental breakfast is served in Kilfane’s dining room. Guests are free to explore Sanctuary’s grounds and forest.
– 10am, Lorna meets guests at the entrance hall of Kilfane to begin the retreat.
– 11:30am, guests have a short break.
– 11:45am, Lorna and guests meet in the event room.
– 1pm to 2:30pm, lunch is served in Kilfane’s dining room.
– 2:30pm, Lorna and guests reconvene in the event room.
– 3:45pm, guests have a short break.
– 4pm, Lorna and guests reconvene in the event room.
– 5pm, guests have time to themselves to rest and explore Sanctuary’s grounds.
– 6pm, dinner is served in Kilfane’s dining room.
 
Day 3 and Day 4
– 8am to 9:30am, a light continental breakfast is served in Kilfane’s dining room.
– 9:30am to 11:30am, guests have time to themselves to explore Sanctuary’s grounds, gardens, and forest.
– 11:30am, coffee and tea is served in Kilfane’s library.
– 11:45am, Lorna meets guests in the event room.
– 1pm to 2:30pm, lunch is served in Kilfane’s dining room.
– 2:30pm, Lorna and guests reconvene in the event room.
– 3:45pm, guests have a short break.
– 4pm, Lorna and guests reconvene in the event room.
– 5pm, guests have time to themselves to rest and explore Sanctuary’s grounds.
– 6pm, dinner is served in Kilfane’s dining room.
 
Day 5
– 8am to 9:30am, a light continental breakfast is served in Kilfane’s dining room. Guests are free to explore Sanctuary’s grounds and forest.
– 10am, volunteer time on Sanctuary’s grounds. Meet Pearl, Lorna’s daughter, in Kilfane’s entrance hall. 
– 11:30am, coffee and tea is served in Kilfane’s library.
– 11:45am to 1pm, volunteer time on Sanctuary’s grounds.
– 1pm to 2:15pm, lunch is served in Kilfane’s dining room.
– 2:15pm, guests have time to themselves.
– 3:30pm, Lorna and guests meet in the event room.
– 6pm, dinner is served in Kilfane’s dining room.
 
Day 6, Departure
– 8am to 9:30am, a light continental breakfast is served in Kilfane’s dining room. Guests are free to explore Sanctuary’s grounds and forest.
– 9:30am, farewell with Lorna.
– 11am, guests check out.

All attendees must be 16 years of age or older due to certain themes and topics that may be discussed during a retreat.

Booking is done through our website. Guests have the choice to pay in full or put down a 25% deposit with the remaining balance spread equally over the remaining months. Full payment is required two weeks prior to your retreat.

The retreat itself, your accommodation at Sanctuary, and all meals prepared by our in-house chef during your stay. 

Retreats at Sanctuary range from around 20-40 people.

We provide towels, hand soap, shampoo, conditioner, and hair-dryers. Please bring anything else you may need.

Ireland can experience all four seasons in one day, so we recommend bringing layers of clothing such as sweaters, rain jackets, jeans, and light coats to keep you dry and warm. Summertime in Ireland is much warmer, but please still bring a rain jacket. We have a small amount of rainboots on site for guests to use. Please note that we have a no-shoe policy in the main house, so you may wish to pack comfy slippers and socks.

Yes, if we are informed at the time of booking, we can accommodate most allergies. If we don’t know in advance, we cannot guarantee food to suit your allergy.

No, we are a dry facility and alcohol is not permitted at Sanctuary. There are wonderful pubs in the village of Thomastown and we can provide taxi numbers for you to book a ride.

Please contact us in advance at services@lornabyrne.com to inform us of your needs so we can better support you. Kilfane House is wheelchair accessible and Caretaker’s Cottage is ambulatory.

Please read our terms and conditions here.  

Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate pets at Sanctuary.