[wptabs style=”wpui-green” mode=”horizontal”] [wptabtitle] <big>Irish Pubs & Folklore </big> [/wptabtitle] [wptabcontent]
This Irish Pubs & Folklore Escorted Coach Tour Includes 8 days/7 nights & 13 meals
Highlights:
Discover Ireland’s Music and Folklore
12th Century Brazen Head Pub Folk Dinner
Sheepdog Trials
Farmhouse Tea & Scones
Hotels:
Superior & First Class
Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Burlington Road, Dublin (1 night),
Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel,Kilkenny (1 night)
International Hotel,Killarney (2 nights)
Wyatt Hotel,Westport (2 nights)
Ashling Hotel,Dublin (1 night) or ( 2 nights )
Tour Includes:
Sightseeing by luxury coach
Professional driver/guide
7 nights in hotels listed
Full breakfast daily (B) except on day 1
5 dinners (D) including
– Kate Kearney’s Cottage Irish night
– Food, Folk and Fairies dinner/show at the Brazen Head Pub
– 3 table d’hote dinners
2 Lunches (L)
Welcome get-together drink
Tour of Dublin with a local guide
Tour and a pint at the Guinness Storehouse
Farmhouse visit for tea and scones
Walking tour of Kilkenny’s Medieval Mile and Galway
Sheepdog trials on Dingle Peninsula
Ferry ride across the River Shannon
Day tour to Achill Island
Tour and an Irish coffee at Kilbeggan Distillery Experience
Visits and admissions to House of Waterford Crystal, Blarney Castle, Blarney Woollen Mills, Dingle Brewing Company, Cliffs of Moher and Westport House
Headsets for walking tours
Deluxe carry-on backpack, ticket wallet, luggage tags & strap
All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per person
[/wptabcontent] [wptabtitle] <big>Tour Pricing</big> [/wptabtitle] [wptabcontent]
| Start : Dublin | End : Dublin | Price ( land only) Twin Sharing | Gauranteed Travel date |
| Sat Mar 7th | Sun Mar 15th | 1019 Euro | Yes |
| Sat Mar 14th | Sun Mar 22nd | 1019 Euro | Yes |
| Sat Mar 21st | Sun Mar 29th | 1019 Euro | Yes |
| Sat Mar 28th | Sun Apr 5th | 1019 Euro | Yes |
| Wed Apr 8th | Thu Apr 16th | 1109 Euro | Yes |
| Sat Apr 18th | Thu Apr 26th | 1109 Euro | Yes |
| Wed Apr 22nd | Thu Apr 30th | 1109 Euro | Yes |
| Wed Apr 29th | Thu May 7th | 1109 Euro | Yes |
| Sat May 2nd | Sun May 10TH | 1259 Euro | Yes |
| Wed May 6th | Thu May 14th | 1259 Euro | Yes |
| Sat May 9th | Sun May 17th | 1259 Euro | Yes |
| Sat May 16th | Sun May 24th | 1259 Euro | Yes |
| Wed May 20th | Thu May 28th | 1259 Euro | Yes |
| Wed May 27th | Thu Jun 4th | 1259 Euro | Yes |
| Sat May 30th | Sun Jun 7th | 1259 Euro | Yes |
| Wed Jun 3rd | Thu Jun 11th | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Sat Jun 6th | Sun Jun 14th | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Sat Jun 13th | Sun Jun 21st | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Wed Jun 17th | Thu Jun 25th | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Wed Jun 24th | Thu Jul 2nd | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Sat Jun 27th | Sun Jul 1ST | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Wed Jul 1st | Thu Jul 9th | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Sat Jul 11th | Sun Jul 19th | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Wed Jul 15th | Thu Jul 23rd | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Sat Jul 25th | Sun Aug 2nd | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Wed Jul 29th | Thu Aug 6th | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Sat Aug 1st | Sun Aug 9th | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Sat Aug 8th | Sun Aug 16th | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Wed Aug 12th | Thu Aug 20th | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Sat Aug 22nd | Sun Aug 30th | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Wed Aug 26th | Thu Sep 3rd | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Sat Aug 29th | Sun Sep 3rd | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Sat Sep 5th | Sun Sep 13th | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Wed Sep 9th | Thu Sep 17th | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Wed Sep 19th | Sun Sep 27th | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Wed Sep 23rd | Thu Oct 1st | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Sat Sep 26th | Sun Oct 4th | 1309 Euro | Yes |
| Sat Oct 3rd | Sun Oct 11th | 1109 Euro | Yes |
| Wed Oct 7th | Thu Oct 15th | 1109 Euro | Yes |
| Sat Oct 17th | Sun Oct 25th | 1109 Euro | Yes |
| Wed Oct 21st | Thu Oct 29th | 1109 Euro | Yes |
| Sat Nov 7th | Sun Nov 22nd | 1019 Euro | Yes |
Single Room Supplement is 331 Euro
[/wptabcontent] [wptabtitle] <big>Tour Itinerary</big> [/wptabtitle] [wptabcontent]
Day 1: Dublin Tour & Guinness Storehouse
Your Irish trip starts at 2:00 pm when you meet your guide at your Dublin hotel and set out on an introductory tour of central Dublin. See elegant Georgian squares with the famous brightly-painted doors 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 solemn figures of the Famine Memorial. Visit the Guinness Storehouse to learn about Ireland’s “black beer” and enjoy a creamy pint in the rooftop bar. Your tour director will host a welcome drink and advise where to dine independently.
Day 2: Farmhouse Visit & Medieval Kilkenny Walk
Depart Dublin and stop at a working beef, sheep and horse farm to meet the owners. Sample tea and home-baked scones and learn about country living in Ireland. Arrive in Kilkenny and check in to your centrally-located hotel. Take a walking tour through the heart of this medieval city to view merchants’ houses, historic pubs and other places of interest along Kilkenny’s Medieval Mile. Enjoy free time to browse around the compact city before dinner – Kilkenny is a fun place to explore.
(B, D)
Day 3: Waterford Crystal & Blarney Castle
Drive south to the ancient port of Waterford to visit the House of Waterford Crystal. See how skilled craftspeople transform molten glass into elegant tableware and magnificent trophies of all types. Travel along the south coast to visit Blarney Castle and climb to the ramparts to kiss the “Stone of Eloquence.” Do some shopping at the Blarney Woollen Mills or take a break in the pub hidden between the shops! Pass through County Cork and on to Killarney to your hotel in the center of town. In the evening explore some of the lively pubs where traditional Irish music is played.
(B, D)
Day 4: Dingle Peninsula & Kate Kearney’s Cottage Dinner
Today discover the glorious Dingle Peninsula, made famous by two movies, “Ryan’s Daughter” and “Far & Away”, which showed a lot of the wonderful scenery. Drive to Slea Head at the westernmost tip for awesome views of the Atlantic Ocean and see early Christian monastic beehive huts. Meet a farmer whose skilled dogs herd sheep. Back in Dingle watch brewing processes at the Dingle Brewing Company and sample some of the local brew. Take a look around the town before heading back to Killarney. In the evening drive to Kate Kearney’s Cottage for dinner and traditional Irish entertainment with songs and step-dancing.
(B, D)
Day 5: Cliffs of Moher, Connemara Scenery & Mayo
Cross the wide River Shannon Estuary by ferry to view the Cliffs of Moher that rise to heights of almost 700 feet above churning Atlantic swells. Sit down to a pub lunch in the village of Doolin, renowned for traditional Irish music sessions. Pass the shores of Galway Bay and stop in Galway city for a walking tour of the compact city center. Continue through Connemara with its hills, lakes and open country where mountain sheep roam freely. Stop in Leenane, where the movie, “The Field” was made. Continue to Westport, an attractive estate town built in 1780, with lots of interesting shops and traditional pubs, many with live music. Check in to your hotel where dinner is served.
(B, L, D)
Day 6: Westport House & Achill Island Excursion
Visit Westport House, an 18th century mansion, set in superb parkland with magnificent views overlooking Clew Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. See stunning rooms with priceless furnishings, paintings, books, silver and Waterford Crystal. Drive around Clew Bay and cross by bridge to Achill Island. Follow the Atlantic Drive to capture wonderful views of steeply-sloped mountains and the shimmering Atlantic Ocean. See the Deserted Village, the remains of nearly 100 stone cottages abandoned around the time of the 1840’s Famine. Enjoy a casual lunch before returning to Westport where the evening is free.
(B, L)
Day 7: Kilbeggan Distillery & 12th Century Brazen Head Pub
Drive to the center of Ireland and in Kilbeggan visit the Kilbeggan Distillery Experience, established in 1757, to see how whiskey is distilled and enjoy a creamy Irish coffee. Continue your journey to Dublin and check in to your hotel. Head to the Brazen Head Pub, Dublin’s oldest, dating back to 1198 for an evening of “Food, Folk and Fairies” where story-telling will reveal Ireland’s myths and beliefs in times past.
(B, D)
Day 8: Tour Ends
Your program ends after breakfast.
(B)
B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner
[/wptabcontent] [wptabtitle] <big>Tour Highlights</big>[/wptabtitle] [wptabcontent]
Achill Island 
Achill Island is home to five picture postcard Blue Flag beaches, some of Europe’s highest cliffs and large tracts of blanket bog sweeping over the island’s two peaks and down to the shore. Achill Island, or as it is known by its Gaelic name Oilean Acaill, has a long history of human settlement with megalithic tombs and promontory forts dating back 5,000 years. There is also a 15th century fortified tower house, Kildamhnait Castle, the 19th century Acaill Mission and the poignant deserted villages at Slievemore and Ailt. This windswept Island, the largest of Ireland’s offshore Islands, has attracted people to its shores for generations and now you can drive across to it. Once on the Island there is spectacular Atlantic Drive which takes one along a 40km drive that includes the best of the Islands scenery. Walking and cycling along the quiet lanes and trails is also a wonderful way to discover the island’s interior. The Great Western Greenway is a new 42km long track for cyclists, walkers and runners which follows the route of the former Achill to Westport railway line. There are plenty of opportunities to fish, surf, dive and kayak here. There are also a number of well renowned craft shops and art galleries to explore as well as numerous festivals to attend.
Blarney Castle 
This historic castle is most famous for its stone, which has the power of conferring eloquence on all who kiss it. The word blarney was introduced into the English language by Queen Elizabeth I and is described as pleasant talk, intended to deceive without offending. The stone is set in the wall below the battlements and to kiss it, one has to lean backwards, (grasping an iron railing) from the parapet walk. Blarney Castle has long been famous because of the Blarney Stone but the less known Rock Close and castle grounds are well worth a visit in their own right. Many different gardens are to be found around the estat and exploration will be rewarded. There is a fern garden with the atmosphere of a tropical jungle to be found deep in the woods. The Poison Garden, adjacent to the battlements, contains an interesting and educational collection of deadly and dangerous plants from around the world, including caged specimens of deadly nightshade, wolfsbane and poison ivy. The Rock Close is a mystical place where majestic yew and oak trees grow around an ancient druidic settlement. Follow the trail through giant gunnera leaves and bamboo and you will find such features as a dolmen, wishing steps and a witch’s kitchen. A water garden with waterfalls adds the soothing sound of water to the visitor’s experience. There are pleasant walks along the riverbanks where you can sit and contemplate the reflections of the castle. In springtime the castle grounds are filled with thousands of bulbs and the ‘Belgian beds’, full of hybrid azaleas are in full flower. In autumn the whole place glows as the leaves turn red, amber and gold.
Kilkenny Castle 
A 12th century castle remodelled in Victorian times and set in extensive parklands which was the principal seat of the Butler family, Marquesses and Dukes of Ormonde. Due to major restoration works, the central block now includes a library, drawing room, and bedrooms decorated in 1830′s splendour, as well as the beautiful Long Gallery. A suite of former servant’s rooms is the Butler Art Gallery, which mounts frequently changing exhibitions of contemporary art. The Parade Tower is the Castle’s conference venue.
Cliffs of Moher 
The Cliffs of Moher, one of Ireland’s top visitor attractions, loom high over County Clare’s west coast. Standing 214 metres at their highest point, the cliffs stretch for 8km along the Atlantic coastline. From the cliffs, one can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, The Twelve Bens, the Maam Turk Mountains in Connemara and Loop Head to the south. O’Brien’s Tower, another of Ireland’s most photographed landmarks, guards one prominent headland of these majestic cliffs. The Burren and Cliffs of Moher region of north Clare has been awarded the prestigious designation of membership of the UNESCO supported Global Geopark network at the 10th European Geoparks Conference in Langesund, Norway. This iconic location attracts close to one million visitors per year.
The unusual, underground visitor centre also houses the exciting Atlantic Edge display.
This huge, domed cave contains images, exhibits and displays. The centre also has a gift shop stocking official Cliffs of Moher products, maps, guides, books and DVDs, visitor information and an accommodation booking service. Other facilities of this fully wheelchair accessible premises include a baggage store and ATM. Friendly staff will answer questions, provide assistance, give information on and directions to other attractions in the area.
Tour Includes:
Sightseeing by luxury coach
Professional driver/guide
7 nights in hotels listed
Full breakfast daily (B) except on day 1
5 dinners (D) including
– Kate Kearney’s Cottage Irish night
– Food, Folk and Fairies dinner/show at the Brazen Head Pub
– 3 table d’hote dinners
2 Lunches (L)
Welcome get-together drink
Tour of Dublin with a local guide
Tour and a pint at the Guinness Storehouse
Farmhouse visit for tea and scones
Walking tour of Kilkenny’s Medieval Mile and Galway
Sheepdog trials on Dingle Peninsula
Ferry ride across the River Shannon
Day tour to Achill Island
Tour and an Irish coffee at Kilbeggan Distillery Experience
Visits and admissions to House of Waterford Crystal, Blarney Castle, Blarney Woollen Mills, Dingle Brewing Company, Cliffs of Moher and Westport House
Headsets for walking tours
Deluxe carry-on backpack, ticket wallet, luggage tags & strap
All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per person
[/wptabcontent] [/wptabs]
