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You can request to book this tour privately, travelling only with people you know.
DAY 1: WELCOME TO IRELAND
Arrive at Dublin Airport. Transfer to your Dublin hotel under your own arrangements. You are free to explore the city at your leisure this afternoon. Your hotel will be within walking distance of the city centre. Meals: D
Accommodation at the Riu Plaza Gresham Hotel, Dublin, or similar
DAY 2: IRELAND’S MIDLANDS, BLARNEY CASTLE & KERRY
Today meet with your coach and English-speaking driver-guide and depart Ireland’s Capital traveling to County Kerry. En route, stop in the town of Blarney to visit Blarney Castle. Here you will find the legendary Stone of Eloquence. Kiss it and you’ll never again be lost for words.
Enjoy some time shopping at Blarney Woollen Mills. The presence of the Woollen Mills during the famine shielded Blarney from the worst effects of the famine, due to its employment of local workers. In 1976 Chris Kelleher, himself a mill worker, bought the old mill property. Within a short period of time, Chris and his family transformed the mill into what is perhaps the largest quality craft shop in Ireland. Meals: B
Accommodation at the Randles Hotel, Kerry, or similar
DAY 3: RING OF KERRY
Today you can enjoy a superb tour of the Iveragh Peninsula, which will give you the opportunity to discover the Ring of Kerry. Taking in spectacular scenery such as mountains, peat, bogs, lakes, and magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean. Leaving Killarney pass through Killorglin, famous for its Puck Fair, then to Glenbeigh where the cliff road affords panoramic views of the Dingle Peninsula and Dingle Bay. Passing through the peat bogs one arrives at the sea town of Waterville. Continue to Sneem Village, famous for its brightly coloured houses, before arriving back in Killarney.
Along the Ring of Kerry stop at a local farm for a sheepdog demonstration. Your visit starts with an overview of the different breeds of sheep, followed by an introduction to the farmer’s most important tools, his border collies. Next, you will see a superb demonstration of sheepherding as the farmer with his dogs demonstrate how, by working together, he can take a flock of sheep from the mountain top to the sheep pen close to the farmyard.
OPTIONAL: Jaunting Car Ride in Killarney National Park – Enjoy transportation of a different kind! A pony and trap (also known as a Jaunting Car) help you discover areas of Killarney National Park that you might not otherwise visit. Relax aboard a jaunting car as your Jarvey [driver] takes you through the magnificent scenery of the National Park.
Today enjoy dinner on your own in one of the many restaurants or pubs in Killarney town. Meals: B
Accommodation at the Randles Hotel, Kerry, or similar
DAY 4: BURREN & CLIFFS OF MOHER
Travel northwards to Tarbert and take a short boat ride across the mouth of the River Shannon to land on Clare’s shore at Killimer. Travel along the coast to the Cliffs of Moher, the most majestic cliffs in Ireland which rise from the Atlantic Ocean and extend for over 7km. On a clear day, you can admire the Aran Islands and Connemara Mountains.
Enjoy a tour of the Burren Region. The Burren is a strange and unique region in Europe; it is a high plateau of porous limestone situated in Northern Clare. The limestone is bare, with no trees growing here or land covering the stone. But the Burren is not as deserted as we believe: the cracks allow different types of flowers to grow all year round. The rocks hide many caves like Ailwee.
OPTIONAL: Medieval Banquet at Bunratty Castle – Bunratty Castle was built in the 15th century by the Earl of Thomond and stands on the banks of the Raite River in County Clare. The Earl was known for his generosity and his lavish entertainment and banquets. The entertainment today is provided by the superb Bunratty Singers and is a fitting complement to the lively mead reception, a four-course meal, and of course good wine. Guests are invited to enjoy an unforgettable evening in the splendor of this magnificent castle and take a true step back in time to Medieval Ireland.
Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Meals: B
Accommodation at the George Hotel, Limerick, or similar
DAY 5: GALWAY CITY & CRUISE
This morning travel to Galway City and get oriented with this beautiful place which has attracted many musicians and artists. Visit Galway Cathedral, one of the largest and most impressive buildings in Galway built between 1958 and 1965.
Next, enjoy a cruise along Lough Corrib including scones and Irish coffee. This journey on the Corrib Princess takes passengers along the majestic Lough Corrib and onto the lake. Visitors will see unsurpassed views of the historic monuments and natural amenities that make this one of the most spectacular waterways in Ireland. Meals: B, D
Accommodation at the Clayton Hotel, Galway, or similar
DAY 6: CONNEMARA
Today travel through the beautiful Connemara Region filled with lakes, rivers, bogs, and mountains. Visit Kylemore Abbey, built in 1868 by Mitchell Henry, and see its most famous feature the miniature Cathedral. It has been home to the Irish order of Benedictine nuns since 1920.
Next, you will visit a bodhrán maker (traditional Irish drum). Roundstone Music and Crafts are located in a former Franciscan monastery in Roundstone, in the heart of Connemara. It is here that you will find the workshop of Malachy Kearns, better known as Malachy Bodhrán, who is famous for the manufacture of bodhráns, the oldest instruments that accompany traditional Irish music. Malachy makes bodhráns for the world-famous Riverdance troupe and he is currently the only full-time bodhrán maker in Ireland. Meals: B
Accommodation at the Clayton Hotel, Galway, or similar
DAY 7: DUBLIN’S FAIR CITY
Depart Galway for Dublin today. On arrival in Dublin, you will first explore the north side of the city which offers striking monuments such as the GPO (General Post Office) on O’Connell Street and Phoenix Park, the largest public park in Europe. The city’s south side appears more sophisticated with its vast Georgian squares and is home to Trinity College, Dublin Castle, and two Anglican Cathedrals.
Visit EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. This is a state-of-the-art interactive experience located in the beautiful vaults of the 1820 Custom House Quarter building in Dublin’s Docklands, the original departure point for so many of Ireland’s emigrants. It will inspire and guide you on a journey to discover the stories of Irish emigration around the world, from early times to the modern day.
OPTIONAL: Evening Entertainment at Taylor’s Three Rock or similar – Visit this lively pub in Rathfarnham for an excellent night of music and dance. A ballad group will regale visitors with ballads both happy and sad and will (after a few pints) have visitors singing along with them. The music is interrupted for a short while to enjoy the best of Irish Dancing guaranteed to get feet tapping. Visitors will later be sent into the night with fond memories of a memorable night in a Dublin Pub. Meals: B
Accommodation at the Riu Plaza Gresham Hotel, Dublin, or similar
DAY 8: FAREWELL
After a final Irish breakfast, transfer to Dublin Airport for your departure flight home under your own arrangements. Meals: B