Irish Legends

Your tour departs at 2:00 PM from Dunboyne Castle Hotel. Start your vacation with a visit Malahide Castle, first built in 1185 and filled with medieval artifacts. Enjoy a welcome drink with your group before dinner at your hotel. (D)

Visit the home of equine royalty: the Irish National Stud in Kildare, the heart of Irish horse racing. Some of the world’s finest thoroughbreds live in these beautiful surroundings. Walk through the gardens before traveling on to Kilkenny, where you’ll enjoy lunch in the Kilkenny Design Centre. Take a walking tour with a local guide to see the gems along the Medieval Mile, a stretch of city streets from cathedral to castle, with buildings dating back as far as the 13th century. Dine independently and explore as you wish this evening. (B, L)

Visit the House of Waterford Crystal, a CIE Tours preferred shopping partner; see skilled artisans create crystal masterpieces on a factory tour. Then join a local guide for a walking tour of Waterford; discover the history of this port city, the oldest in Ireland, and its many colorful characters. Take time to explore independently. In New Ross, you’ll visit the Dunbrody Famine Ship, a replica of a vessel that in the 1840s brought desperate emigrants fleeing famine to new lives in North America. (B, D)

Travel south to Cobh, the last port of call of the Titanic and where many places associated with the liner still exist. Visit the Cobh Heritage Centre, which traces the history of emigration over a number of centuries from Ireland to North America. At Blarney Castle, kiss the famous stone or stroll through the spacious parklands to view Blarney House before traveling to your hotel. (B, D)

Visit Moriarty’s, a CIE Tours preferred shopping partner, in the beautiful Gap of Dunloe. Then discover the glorious south shore of the Dingle Peninsula with views of heathery mountains, sandy stretches of beach, and rocky headlands. At the South Pole Inn, learn about Tom Crean, an early Irish explorer who braved the Antarctic. Browse around the town of Dingle and enjoy a drink, dinner and entertainment at Foley’s Bar and Restaurant. (B, D)

Ferry across the River Shannon before driving to the Cliffs of Moher, soaring 700 feet above churning Atlantic swells. Walk along the top of the cliffs; on a clear day you can see great views of Galway Bay and the Aran Islands. Take in a sheepdog demonstration to see highly skilled dogs work with farmers to herd their flock. Savor homemade scones with tea before heading to Galway for a panoramic city tour. (B, D)

Set out on a ferry across Galway Bay for Inishmore, the largest of the three Aran Islands. The hardy islanders still speak the Irish language and maintain traditional fishing and farming methods. Visit Dun Aengus, a huge pre-historic fortress perched on sheer cliffs above the Atlantic. Relax with a casual lunch in Kilronan, the island’s main village, followed by free time for exploring before returning by ferry. (B, L)

Visit Clonmacnoise, a monastic settlement founded in 545 AD and set on the banks of the River Shannon. Marvel at elaborate high Celtic crosses decorated with biblical scenes, and walk around the many church ruins and two round towers. Continue on to Dublin for free time before an evening at the Abbey Tavern, featuring a lively show of traditional entertainment over dinner. (B, D)

Enjoy a day in Dublin independently on the Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour and a visit to your choice of one of Dublin’s top attractions – Guinness Storehouse, Teeling Distillery, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, Jameson Distillery Bow St. Experience, or the GPO Museum. (B)

Your tour ends after breakfast. (B)>