Irish Pub and Folk Tour 8 Day
Itinerary
Day 1 - Sat: Dublin Tour & Old
Jameson Distillery
Land at Dublin Airport early this morning. After customs
formalities and luggage reclamation, head to the CIE Tours desk in the Arrivals
Hall to arrange a group transfer to your hotel between 7:00 am and 12:00 noon.
Passengers arriving later will transfer to the hotel at their own expense. In
the afternoon get together with a local guide to tour Dublin city centre to see
elegant Georgian squares with the famous colourful doorways and the peaceful St.
Stephen's Green. Cross the River Liffey to O'Connell Street and view the General Post
Office where the 1916 Uprising started and pause to view the sombre figures of
the Famine Memorial. Visit the Old Jameson Distillery to learn how smooth
whiskey is created and enjoy a sample. Back at your hotel discuss your itinerary
over a welcome drink with your tour group and guide. You are free for dinner.
Ryan's of Parkgate
Street, a traditional Victorian pub, is close to your
hotel.
Day 2 - Sun: National Stud &
Medieval Kilkenny
Depart Dublin and stop in Kildare
to visit the Irish National Stud. Horseracing is a passion for the Irish and you
will see some of the finest stallions and learn about breeding. Walk through the
charming Japanese
Gardens, created to
symbolize life from birth to death. Arrive in Kilkenny and check in to your centrally-located hotel. Enjoy
the afternoon at leisure - Kilkenny is a fun place to explore on your own. You
may like to tour Kilkenny Castle, first built in 1192 and constantly
added to and changed until the 19th century. You may visit the
Kilkenny Design Workshop near the castle or Kyteler's Inn, a tavern established in 1324 and reputedly owned by a
witch. (B, D)
Day 3 - Mon: Blarney Castle &
Killarney
Stop for photos at the
Rock of Cashel, a magnificent limestone outcrop high above the surrounding
countryside before continuing south to Blarney. Visit Blarney Castle and climb to the ramparts to kiss
the well-known "Stone of Eloquence." Enjoy some time for shopping at the Blarney
Woollen Mills or take a break in the pub hidden between the shops! Travel
through County
Cork to Macroom and stop at
the imposing castle, which was the boyhood home of William Penn. Continue your
drive to Killarney and check in to your hotel in the centre of the town. In the
evening you may like to explore some of the cosy pubs where traditional Irish
music is played. (B, D)
Day 4 - Tue: Ring of Kerry
Tour
Explore County Kerry's popular scenic region with Ireland's highest mountains on one
side and a varied Atlantic coastline on the other. As you drive, every turn will
reveal new vistas of mountains, cliffs and beaches. Stop at Kells to meet a
local farmer, Brendan Ferris, for a taste of farm life with a sheepdog
demonstration of herding flocks. Cross to Valencia Island by bridge to visit the Skellig
Experience. Learn about early Christian monks who braved a harsh existence on
the rocky offshore islands. Continue your trip through the remote villages of
Cahirciveen and Waterville at the western end of the peninsula.
Stop in the colourful village of
Sneem and pause at Moll's Gap for a
look at the Lakes of Killarney. (B, D)
Day 5 - Wed: Irish Coffee & Cliffs
of Moher
Drive north through Listowel to
Foynes to visit the Flying Boat Museum, which recalls the early days of air
travel when Pan Am Clippers from the United States and Europe landed during the
1930's and early 1940's. Irish coffee was first created here to warm frozen
travellers and you will learn how to make a perfect one and then savour it.
Travel through the outskirts of Limerick and have a look around Bunratty Village. View the Cliffs of Moher that
rise to heights of almost 700 feet above churning Atlantic swells. Continue
through the Burren and around the shores of Galway Bay. Check in to your Galway hotel, which is near all the shops, cafés and pubs
in Shop and Quay Streets. (B, D)
Day 6 - Thu: Clifden & Killary Fjord
Cruise
Today's route takes you through
the heart of Connemara and along the Inagh Valley to see the granite hills of
the Twelve Pins and sparkling lakes on the way to Leenane. Embark on a short
cruise of Killary
Harbour, a 9-mile fjord
(Mar 27 - Oct 23 departures) to enjoy views of hills where traces of pre-Famine
"lazy beds" of potato ridges can still be seen. Keep an eye out for seabirds as
you pass mussel and salmon farms. Rejoin
your coach and drive south to the town of Clifden, known as the "Capital of the West."
Stop for a look around the shops and pubs before heading back to Galway for dinner and a second overnight stay. (B, D)
Day 7 - Fri: Guinness &
12th Century Brazen Head Pub
This morning travel from
the west coast back to Dublin on the east coast and check in to a
different city-centre hotel, close to the lively Temple Bar area. The afternoon
is free for you to use your open-top bus voucher to take you all around the city
centre. Use your voucher to go to the Guinness Storehouse and explore the many
levels, ending in the rooftop bar for a view over the city while you sip a
creamy pint of stout. Head out for a great evening to end your Irish vacation.
The Brazen Head Pub is Dublin's oldest, dating
back to 1198 and is one of Dublin's best live music venues. Enjoy an
evening of "Food, Folk and Fairies" where you'll learn about life in
Ireland in times past through a
varied program of song and stories. (B, D)
Day 8 - Sat: Tour Ends at Dublin Airport
Complimentary group transfers are
provided to Dublin
Airport to arrive at 6:00
am, 9:00 am or 12:00 noon. After check-in, you'll have time to shop at the
duty-free shops before boarding your flight for the journey home. (B)
Breakfast ( B) Dinner( D)