Zero Gravity: Global Academic Cup - December 2019

Day One –Thursday, 26th December

Group departs USA –Gather at U.S. Airport and board connecting transatlantic flight to Ireland.  Enjoy a meal, a movie and some rest on the overnight flight, and get ready for a memorable tour!

Day Two –Friday, 27th December Welcome to Ireland

Group arrives at Dublin Airport and is met by our Celtic Horizon Tour representative.

Dublin, capital of the Republic of Ireland, is on Ireland’s east coast at the mouth of the River Liffey. Its historic buildings include Dublin Castle, dating to the 13th century, and imposing St Patrick’s Cathedral, founded in 1191. City parks include landscaped St Stephen’s Green and huge Phoenix Park, containing Dublin Zoo. The National Museum of Ireland explores Irish heritage and culture.

Visit Croke Park, Ireland’s national stadium for Gaelic football and Gaelic games.  Enjoy a tour of Croke Park stadium and GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) Museum

Day Three –Saturday 28th December Rock of Cashel & Cork

Full Irish breakfast served daily in hotels

 Depart Dublin and travel to Kinsale with a stop at one of Ireland’s most iconic visitor centres.

Visit the Rock of Cashel, one of the most spectacular historic site in Ireland.  It’s huge, it’s complex, it’s iconic, there is nothing like it anywhere else in the world The Rock of Cashel (Carraig Phádraig), more formally St. Patrick’s Rock, it is also known as Cashel of the Kings. Reputedly the site of the conversion of Aenghus the King of Munster by St. Patrick in the 5th century AD.  Long before the Norman invasion The Rock of Cashel was the seat of the High Kings of Munster, although there is little structural evidence of their time here. Most of the buildings on the current site date from the 12th and 13th centuries when the rock was gifted to the Church.

Onwards to Kinsale for afternoon arrival and check-in.

Day Four –Sunday 29th December Cork Basketball Tournament

Tournament Time in Neptune Stadium, Cork

Traditional Irish dinner served in a local restaurant in Kinsale

Day Five –Monday 30th December Cork Basketball Tournament

Continuation of the tournament in Neptune Stadium Cork

Awards and celebrations

Free for dinner this evening – not included

Day Six – Wednesday 1st January Daytour to Galway and the Cliffs of Moher

Our journey takes us towards the west coast of Ireland. This morning we visit the Cliffs of Moher and this afternoon enjoy some free time in Galway City.

 Cliffs of Moher

Continue along the picturesque Clare coastline to the Cliffs of Moher. Next stop America!

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, Galway Bay, as well as The Twelve Pins, the Maum Turk Mountains in Connemara and Loop Head to the South. The Cliffs of Moher take their name from a ruined promontory fort “Mothar” which was demolished during the Napoleonic wars to make room for a signal tower.

Continue to Galway travelling northwards via the Burren National Park

The Burren is a huge limestone mass, also described as a lunar landscape. The Burren with its innate sense of spiritual peace has an extraordinary array of flora and wildlife, megalithic tombs and monuments are older than Egypt’s pyramids

Enjoy free time in Galway city.

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.

Day Seven – Thursday 2nd January Depart Dublin

Morning transfers from your hotel to the airport. (1.5hours transfer time)