The Best of Ireland

Day 02 – Arrive in Shannon
Morning arrival will be in Shannon, the gateway to the West of Ireland. As we proceed toward our hotel, we’ll motor along the Atlantic coast to visit the majestic Cliffs of Moher—featuring awesome, rugged beauty. These mighty cliffs rise more than 700 feet above sea level while stretching along the Atlantic Ocean.  Later, witness the strange landscapes of The Burren.  We’ll arrive at our hotel in Galway, located in the heart of the city center.  Dinner will be served at our lovely hotel.
Included Meals: Dinner
Hotel: Galway Radisson

Day 03 – Connemara & Galway
After breakfast, we’ll visit Kylemore Abbey nestled in the Connemara Mountains.  Lunch will be at the picturesque and infamous thatched Morans Oyster Cottage in Clarenbridge, where you may sample some of the best seafood to be found anywhere in the world.  Following lunch, we will return to our hotel for some free time. We will be free to make our own dinner arrangements in Galway.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 04 – Galway To Bundoran
We’ll skirt along the rugged roads between the beautiful stone walled fields as we travel north toward the village of Knock. We’ll visit Our Lady’s Shrine at Knock, said to be the place where the figures of Our Lady, St. Joseph, and St. John appeared in 1879 starting a pilgrimage that attracts thousands annually. We’ll travel the region of poet William Butler Yeats and visit his final resting place at Drumcliffe below the majestic Benbulben. A delightful lunch is planned for us at the beautiful Hotel Sligo with time to stroll on the lovely grounds. Following lunch, we’ll proceed further north along Donegal Bay as our highest hopes of Ireland’s scenery are constantly satisfied before arriving in the town of Bundoran. Our home for the next two nights will be the charming and historic Kee’s Hotel in Ballybofey, located at the foothills of the Bluestack Mountains—a perfect haven for comfort and tranquility amidst the beauty of the Donegal countryside. Dinner will be served at our hotel.  
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hotel: Historic Kee’s Hotel

Day 05 – Bundoran
Take in some of Ireland’s most dramatic scenery, boasting magnificent mountains and low valleys.  Our drive encompasses the lush green meadows and sweeping coastline of Donegal.  Later, we’ll visit the splendid Glenveagh National Park and Castle—this 14,000-hectare estate is considered by many to be Ireland’s finest national park.  The core of the park is the Glenveagh Estate, originally the home of the notorious landlord John George Adair, much despised for his eviction of Irish tenant farmers in 1861.  He built the castle in the 1870’s.  Today this fairy-tale setting includes woodlands, herds of red deer, alpine gardens, a sylvan lake, and the highest mountain in Donegal: Mount Errigal.  Wild and rugged, County Donegal is associated with the ancient kingdom of Ulster.  It is one of few locations where the native Irish tongue, Gaelic, is spoken.  A special lunch experience is arranged at the Lobster Pot in Burtonport, a harbor and fishing town.  Enjoy food and fun as we visit with the owners of the pub from Minnesota!  We’ll meander along the breathtaking coastline, where cliff walls give way to the sea, en route back to our hotel.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 06 – Bundoran to Dublin
We’ll motor through the emerald green rolling hillsides cradling some of Ireland’s lovely lakes, intriguing abandoned abbeys, and castles revealing hints of years past.  A brief stop will be made in the tiny village of Belleek, home to world-renowned Belleek Pottery.  Later, linger in the little town of Boyle, situated at the foot of the Curlieu Mountains. We’ll visit the magnificent restored ruins of Cistercian Abbey, founded in 1161, which withstood the wars between the MacDermotts and the O’Conors.  We’ll pass through country towns, rich in Irish character, and arrive in Dublin, Ireland’s capital.  Indeed a beautiful place, Dublin represents the Emerald Isle better than any other city—full of quaint pubs, magnificent churches, grand buildings, and fine museums where the experience is endless.  Located in the heart of the city close to Grafton Street and many of the best restaurants, our luxury hotel awaits us to settle in.  We’ll enjoy an Irish Cabaret dinner and entertainment.  
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel: Davenport Hotel

Day 07 – Dublin Discovery
A city tour reveals the many treasures of this amazing city as we motor along statue-lined O’Connell Street and elegant Georgian Squares. See the delightful 21 two-story brick Georgian row houses displaying their intricate glass-laced doorways.  We’ll visit famous St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the national cathedral, and Trinity College—the first University in Ireland, rich in tradition and home to the Book of Kells.  A leisure afternoon allows much-needed time for browsing along Grafton Street and the many shops and attractions surrounding the hotel. For dinner you’ll be free to choose from Dublin’s many legendary pubs and restaurants.
Included Meals: Breakfast

Day 08 – Dublin to Waterford
In the morning we’ll motor along the Wicklow Mountains with towering peaks and lush forests to Glendalough, truly a lovely region of Ireland. We’ll stop for a tour of the Turoe Farm set on beautiful farmland of Ireland!   Later, we’ll visit Kilkenny, Ireland’s best-preserved medieval city, which features narrow streets and graceful buildings characteristic of the 13th century.  We’ll explore Kilkenny Castle before proceeding further south to visit the world-renowned Waterford Crystal Factory with a chance to browse and make some purchases.  Watch the artisans at their crafts of blowing and polishing glass.  Since 1783 Waterford has produced ornate handcrafted tableware and decorative pieces.  Later settle into the luxurious Faithlegg House Hotel, a fine 18th-century mansion set on rolling grounds.  Dinner will be served at the hotel.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel: Faithlegg House Hotel

Day 09 – Waterford to Killarney
Discover why Ireland is called the “Emerald Isle” as we motor along the coast through Dungarvan and Younghal, where the views are dramatic and awe-inspiring!  We’ll stop at the Cobb Heritage Centre to learn about the more than 2.5 million people who emigrated to the New World from this port.  We will also have a chance to see the special Titanic Exhibition.  Later, we’ll proceed through Cork City to the ruins of Blarney Castle and its magical Stone of Eloquence.  It is here that travelers spend good money to kiss a stone and hope to receive the gift of guile!  You may try it and see!  Browse in the famous Blarney Woolen Mills with opportunity to make some purchases.  Later, we’ll cross the Derrynasaggart Mountains before arriving in the picturesque town of Killarney. We will be free to make our own dinner arrangements with a wide variety of restaurants available on our doorstep.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Great Southern Hotel

Day 10 – Killarney / Ring of Kerry
Experience some of the most breathtaking scenery in all of the world as we motor along “The Ring of Kerry,” featuring sweeping coastal vistas of the rugged mountains and the Atlantic coastline of Iveragh Peninsula.  Plenty of stops will allow us to admire and photograph stunning scenery.  Cross to Valencia Island and visit the Skellig Experience, which depicts life as it was for the early Christian Monks.  We’ll wind along the Ring to Moll’s Gap for a glimpse of Killarney’s lovely three lakes and take a traditional jaunting cart ride along the lovely lakeside gardens to Muckross House for a tour of this grand 19th-century mansion.  We’ll return to our hotel for an evening at leisure.  We invite you to join us for a special farewell dinner and entertainment at The Laurels, one of Killarney’s popular singing pubs for an upbeat ballad and some traditional pub “grub”!
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 11 – Killarney To Home
Following breakfast, we will transfer via Limerick City to Shannon Airport for our onward flights to the USA.  We’ll take with us the fond memories gained along the way.  
Included Meals: Breakfast