Irish Pub & Folk 8 & 9 Day Coach Tour

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Tour Highlights

• 12th Century Brazen Head Pub Dinner
• Guinness Storehouse
• Kiss the Blarney Stone
• Sheepdog Trials on Ring of Kerry
• Pubs with Live Music in Kilkenny, Killarney and Westport

Day 1: Dublin Tour & Guinness Storehouse

Your tour starts at Dublin Airport with 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 Guinness Storehouse to explore the many levels of exhibitions, ending in the rooftop bar for a view over the city while you sip a creamy pint of stout. Back at your hotel discuss your itinerary over a welcome drink with your tour group and guide and you are free for dinner. Ryan’s of Parkgate Street, a traditional Victorian pub, is beside your hotel and the lively Temple Bar area is within easy reach.

Day 2: 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 changed until the 19th century. The Kilkenny Design Workshop is near the castle and Kyteler’s Inn, a tavern established in 1324 and reputedly owned by a witch, is within easy walking distance. (B, D)

Day 3: Waterford Crystal & Blarney

Drive south to the ancient port of Waterford to visit the House of Waterford Crystal, located in the city centre. See how molten glass is transformed by skilled craftspeople into elegant glasses and magnificent trophies of all types. Drive along the south coast to 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 and on 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: Ring of Kerry Tour

Explore County Kerry’s popular scenic drive with Ireland’s highest mountains on one side and a varied Atlantic coastline on the other. 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 as he demonstrates how dogs herd flocks of sheep and see different breeds of sheep. Stop at the Bridge Bar in Portmagee for lunch before taking the bridge to Valencia Island to visit the Skellig Experience. Learn about early Christian monks who braved a harsh existence on the rocky offshore islands. Continue your trip around the peninsula and stop in the colourful village of Sneem and pause at Moll’s Gap for a look at the Lakes of Killarney. You are free for dinner this evening. (B, L)

Day 5: Cliffs of Moher & Connemara

Drive north and take a short ferry ride across the wide River Shannon Estuary. View the Cliffs of Moher that rise to heights of almost 700 feet above churning Atlantic swells. Pass through the Burren, around the shores of Galway Bay and through the lovely scenery of the Connemara region. Pass hills, little lakes and open country where mountain sheep roam freely. Stop in Leenane, renowned as the location of the movie, “The Field.” Continue to Westport, a charming town and check in to your hotel. Westport is a great town to walk around and has lots of interesting shops and traditional pubs, many with live music. (B, D)

Day 6: Westport House & Achill Island Excursion

Visit Westport House, an 18th century mansion, set in superb parkland with magnificent views overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and Achill Island. See stunning rooms with original priceless furnishings, paintings, books, silver artifacts and Waterford Crystal. Drive around Clew Bay to Achill Island, joined to the mainland by bridge. Follow the Atlantic Drive to capture wonderful views of steeply-sloped mountains plunging into the shimmering Atlantic Ocean. Near Slievemore see the Deserted Village, the remains of nearly 100 stone cottages abandoned around the time of the 1840’s Famine. Return to Westport for a stroll around this attractive estate town, which was laid out in 1780. (B, D)

Day 7: Strokestown House & Brazen Head Pub

Travel to the centre of Ireland to visit Strokestown Park House in County Roscommon. There are three parts to see – the 18th century mansion with its original furnishings; the four-acre walled garden, restored to look as it would have during the heyday of the estate; and the Famine Museum, which explains the circumstances of the 1840’s Great Irish Famine through a combination of original documents and images.  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: Depart for Home or Extra Day in Dublin

For clients booked on our 8-day tour, complimentary group transfers are provided to Dublin Airport to arrive at 6:00 am, 9:00 am or 12:00 noon. (B)

If you have booked our 9-day tour, spend an additional night in Dublin and enjoy an independent Dublin open-top bus tour pass (valid for 24 hours), a visit to the Old Jameson Distillery to learn how smooth whiskey is created and enjoy a sample.

Day 9: Tour ends at Dublin Airport

Take a taxi transfer to Dublin Airport on final day. (B)

YOUR TOUR INCLUDES

• Group transfers at start and end of tour
• Sightseeing by luxury coach throughout
• Dublin open-top bus tour with complimentary visit and a drink at Old Jameson Distillery (9-day tour only)
• Professional tour director throughout
• First class hotels with private bath/shower for 7 or 8 nights
• Full Irish breakfast daily (B) except Day 1
• 5 dinners (D) including:

-              Food, Folk and Fairies dinner/show at the Brazen Head Pub

-              4 table d’hote dinners

• Lunch at Bridge Bar on Ring of Kerry (L)
• Welcome get-together drink
• Tour of Dublin with a local guide
• Tour and a pint at the Guinness Storehouse
• Sheepdog trials on Ring of Kerry
• Ferry ride across the River Shannon
• Day tour to Achill Island
• Visits and admissions to Irish National Stud & Japanese Gardens, House of Waterford Crystal, Blarney Castle, Blarney Woollen Mills, Skellig Experience, Cliffs of Moher, Westport House, Strokestown House and Famine Museum
• Deluxe flight bag, ticket wallet, luggage tags & strap
• All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per person

YOUR HOTELS

Stay at the following (or similar):

• Ashling Hotel, Dublin (1 night)
• Ormonde Hotel, Kilkenny (1 night)
• International Hotel, Killarney (2 nights)
• Wyatt Hotel, Westport (2 nights)
• Ashling Hotel, Dublin (1 or 2 nights)

Irish Pub and Folk 9 Day Tour

Departure Date                      End Date                          Per Person