One Heart - Weekend Retreat at Ballyvaloo

What to Expect

One Heart is the short-format retreat closing out Ballyvaloo’s 2026 summer programme, running over the August bank holiday weekend from Friday 28 August to Monday 31 August. At three nights it is the accessible option for people who cannot give a full week to a residential retreat but want more than a single day, and it costs €365 for the stay.

Ballyvaloo is the retreat house of the Diocese of Ferns, on the shoreline outside Blackwater village in north east County Wexford, and its setting does a lot of the work. The house looks straight out onto the Irish Sea, with a beach at the end of the grounds, and the daily pattern on a residential retreat leaves real gaps for walking and silence between the guided sessions and shared prayer. The centre also hosts non-residential day retreats and takes bookings from parish and community groups outside the published programme, so it is worth asking if the advertised dates do not suit.

Good to Know

• Friday 28 August to Monday 31 August 2026, residential
• Cost: €365 for the three-night retreat
• Venue: Ballyvaloo Retreat and Conference Centre, Ballyvaloo, Blackwater, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, Y21 X392
• Places are limited by house capacity; book by enquiry rather than online checkout
• Contact: 053 913 7160 or office@ballyvaloo.ie
• Full programme and enquiry form at ballyvaloo.ie

Getting There

Ballyvaloo lies on the coast beside Blackwater village, about 15km north east of Enniscorthy and roughly 20km north of Wexford Town, on local roads off the R741 and R742. The nearest railway stations are Enniscorthy and Wexford, both on the Dublin Connolly to Rosslare Europort line, and Bus Eireann serves both towns. No scheduled bus runs to the centre, so plan to drive or take a taxi for the last leg. Coming from Dublin, the M11 to Enniscorthy then east towards the coast is the straightforward route, and allow around two hours. Parking is available at the centre.