Ancient Ireland & Beyond - 9 Day tour

DAY 1

Arrival in Dublin airport following transatlantic flight

Meet with your driver and tour guide as we board the coach and travel into the west of Ireland to Galway.  Our journey today takes you across the midlands of Ireland, marvel in the lush green fields  and grassy meadows.

We stop in the historic town of Celbridge  and enjoy home- made scones, brown bread tea/coffee in a country manor hotel

Continue to Clonmacnoise where we visit  the early Christian site founded by Saint Ciaran in the 6th Century on the banks of the River Shannon.  The site includes the ruins of a cathedral, eight churches (10th – 13th century), two round towers, three high crosses and a large collection of early Christian slabs.  The original high crosses and grave slabs are on display in the Visitor Centre.  There is an audio-visual show as well as a number of exhibitions.

Afternoon arrival in Galway city

Galway, the largest county in Connaught, is celebrated in song and story throughout the world and takes centre stage on Ireland’s western seaboard. A spectacularly beautiful county, it is a medley of contrasts – the wildest and remotest of countryside teamed with one of Europe’s most vibrant and popular cities. Drawn as if by a magnet, visitors come again and again, captivated by this most special of Irish counties.

Galway City at the mouth of Galway Bay is both a picturesque and lively city with a wonderful avant-garde culture and a fascinating mixture of locally owned speciality shops, often featuring locally made crafts. Indeed local handcrafts are a feature of the entire region.  The city has many relics of its medieval past and is worth taking time to explore. It has changed considerably over the last number of years and features a fascinating juxtaposition of new and ancient architecture. The centre of the city is conveniently compact enough to ramble around comfortably. ion including hand knits, pottery, glass, jewellery and woodwork.

Check-in for dinner and overnight Galway x 3 nights

DAY 2

Full Irish Breakfast is served in your hotel

Morning departure from your hotel and travel further west into Connemara.

A wild and colourful landscape rich in colour especially in Autumn.  A land of Irish speaking – gaeltacht which suffered greatly in the famine times but boasts glorious Atlantic views and ruggid stone mountainous scenery.  Enjoy views of Killary harbour – fijord. Visit Kylemore Abbey

Next enjoy a visit to Joyce Country Sheepdogs and experience the life of a working farmer and his Border Collie sheepdogs herding the Connemara blackface sheep.

Our next stop is in Roundstone  Badhran Maker

On an old Franciscan Monastery in Roundstone, developed by the Industrial Development Authority , Malachy Kearns, better known as Malachy Bodhrán amongst folk musicians, works at his craft of making Ireland’s oldest product the Bodhrán (Bow-Rawn). It is an 18″ one sided drum made from Goatskin treated by a traditional process.  Goatskin has unique stretch properties. The Irish word ‘Bodhar’ means deaf or haunting. The Bodhrán began as a skin tray used for drawing turf (peat) on the bogs.It stirs the spirit when played with the “tipper” or beater hitting the skin in a racing style while a hand presses the back of the skin to vary the tone. Malachy is respected as a fine Bodhrán makers for 35 years.Most of the professional folk Musicians worldwide use our Bodhráns we are the only full time makers in the world.

Departing Roundstone we travel through Connemara to Spiddal and from there along Galway Bay to the city.

Concert this evening in Galway Cathedral

Dinner and overnight in Galway

DAY 3

Full Irish Breakfast is served in your hotel

Transfer by coach to nearby Rossaveal where we board our ferry.

10.30hrs               Ferry departs to Inishmore the largest of the three Aran Islands, just 12kms long and 3kms wide and has 840 inhabitants. Its principle port and village is Kilronan which has its own pub, hotel, shop, church and school. Of major historical significance is Dun Aonghasa a spectacular stone fort sited on the highest points of the cliffs 300ft.

17.00hrs               Ferry departs to Rossaveal and Galway, transfer by coach back to your hotel

Dinner and overnight in Galway

DAY 4

 Full Irish Breakfast is served in your hotel

The Burren is a karstic plateau – a stony chaos to the casual observer – with a full assemblage of the curious landforms that characterise such limestone landscapes.

The region encompasses 360 km2 of gently inclined plateau with a further 200 km2 of lowland to the east of the plateau.  The limestone also has a landscape in miniature etched into exposed slabs of rock. The bare surfaces (pavements) are fretted with hollows and channels where acidic rainwater has selectively dissolved the rock. An extreme example of these micro landforms occurs on the coast.  Often described as a natural landscape, the Burren has been profoundly influenced by human activities.

Next we visit the Cliffs of Moher Interpretive centre

The Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland’s top Visitor attractions. The Cliffs are 214m high at the highest point and range for 8 kilometres over the Atlantic Ocean on the western seaboard of County Clare. O’Brien’s Tower stands proudly on a headland of the majestic Cliffs. From the Cliffs one can see the Aran Islands, Depart Cliffs of Moher and travel to Bunratty Village.

Lunchtime stop in Adare, a quaint little village that is very easy to walk around and explore.  Enjoy the many thatched cottages that are home to many arts and crafts shops, restaurants and of course families. These cottages line the main street and are hundreds of years old.

Afternoon departure to continue our journey southwards to county Kerry

Dinner and overnight in Killarney x 2 nights

The hotel is central so you will be able to walk through the town and shops.

DAY 5

Full Irish Breakfast is served in your hotel

Morning departure to Killorglin to begin the ring of Kerry tour starting in Glenbeigh, on to Cahirciveen, Waterville, Sneem and back Via Torc Waterfall and Killarney National Park. Soak up the amazing scenery and coastal landscapes surrounding this island jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean.

Evening  concert in St Mary’s Church of Sloes, Killarney

Dinner and overnight in Killarney

DAY 6

Full Irish Breakfast is served in your hotel

Morning departure from Killarney and transfer to Dublin via the Rock of Cashel , county Tipperary.

The 4th century Rock of Cashel once the seat of the High King of Munster is one of the most enduring images of Ireland, with its amazing collection of ancient walls, towers and halls, and an excellent multilingual audio visual presentation – a site not to be missed.

Continue to Dublin city centre for check-in

Dinner and overnight in Dublin x 3 nights

DAY 7

Full Irish Breakfast is served in your hotel

Dublin, Ireland’s capital city is steeped in history and buzzing with youthful energy.  Medieval, Georgian and Modern styles of architecture provide a backdrop to a friendly bustling port built on the River Liffey.

Today we depart on a day tour of Dublin City, tracing its history from early Viking origins through to medieval magnificence and on to modern Dublin, a cosmopolitan European Capital.  Dublin City tour of Dublin including visits to the Book of Kells and St Patrick’s Cathedral

Welcome to the Old Library and the Book of Kells Exhibition – a “must see” on the itinerary of all visitors to Dublin. Located in the heart of Dublin City, a walk through the cobbled stones of Trinity College Dublin will bring visitors back to the 18th century, when the magnificent Old Library building was constructed. Inside is housed the Book of Kells – a 9th-century gospel manuscript which is world famous.

Passing St Patricks Cathedral was established in 1191, built in honour of Ireland’s patron saint, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral stands adjacent to the famous well where tradition has it Saint Patrick baptised converts on his visit to Dublin.

Continue through Christchurch and along the Quay’s by the River Liffey to Phoenix Park.

The Phoenix Park at 707 hectares (1752 acres), is a historic landscape of international importance and one of the largest designed landscapes in any European city.  It was originally established as a Royal deer park in the 17th century, if you are lucky you might catch a glimpse of the herd. Passing  (Aras an Uachatarain) ‘The President’s House, it had a colourful history before becoming the Official Residence of the President of Ireland since 1938.

Comfort Stop at the Phoenix Park Visitor centre and Victorian walled gardens.

Concert in Christchurch Cathedral, Dublin

Dinner and overnight in Dublin

DAY 8

Full Irish Breakfast is served in your hotel

Morning departure from Irelands’ capital city to Wicklow County better known as the ‘Garden of Ireland’.  Travel to the quaint village of Glendalough at the foot of the Wicklow Mountains.

Visit Glendalough – the valley of the two lakes – the ruins of the 6th century monastery are watched over by a round tower in a setting of incomparable peace and tranquillity.  Journey through the Vale of Avoca, scene of the well-known TV Series Ballykissangel.

Afternoon in Dublin free for shopping and relaxation

Evening transfer from your hotel to the Anglers Rest traditional pub and seafood restaurant. Enjoy a farewell evening with three course meal and Irish music session and sing along.

DAY 9

Full Irish Breakfast is served in your hotel

Transfer by coach to Dublin airport

Until we meet again,

“May the road rise to meet you.

                        May the wind always be at your back.

                        May the sun shine warm upon your face,                              and

                        Rains fall soft upon your fields”.