| Scottish Dream Tours Presents St. Patrick's Castles, Tearooms, and Pubs Discovery Tour of Ireland March 15th - 29th, 2012 15 days in Ireland and North Ireland celebrating St. Patrick's week and featuring Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, Medieval Banquet, Adare, Dingle Peninsula, Killarney, Kenmare, Blarney Castle, Waterford Crystal Factory, Kilkenny Castle, Jerpoint Abbey, Browne's Hill Dolman, St. Brigid's Cathedral, Dublin, Dublin Music Night, Newgrange, Irish Linen Centre, Belfast, Causeway Coast, Giants Causeway, Bushmills Distillery, Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, Boyle Abbey, Connemara National Park, Kylemore Abbey, The Burren, Cliffs of Moher and more! A small intimate tour of Ireland limited to 12 people in order to provide a more personal experience. In keeping the tour size small we are able to take advantage of accommodation, restaurant and sightseeing options that would not be available to a larger group. With a small tour size we can veer off the main tourist areas and get a real feel for these warm wonderful countries. We will not rush you from venue to venue and each tour is designed to spend as little time on the minibus as possible. You may find yourself staying in a delightful city guest house, a warm country house hotel, a fine country farmhouse, a 200 year old coaching inn and even a castle all in the same visit. Full Irish breakfast each morning, 10 lunches and 11 dinners. All accommodations. Guided minibus tour with luggage handling. All sightseeing including any entrance fees. All taxes and service charges. $4495US per person double occupancy. Sold out! $500 per person deposit to reserve your spot on the tour. Click here to make your deposit. |
Day 1 - March 15th - Arrive Shannon International Airport but our first stop today is the charming village of Adare
which is billed as Ireland's Loveliest Village with all its thatched roof cottages lining the main street. We will stop for
lunch in Castleisland on our way south. Next we take in the wilds of the Dingle Peninsula. We stop for lunch before
investigating the peninsula. A drive around Dingle reveals fascinating antiquities ranging from Iron Age Stone Forts to
Inscribed Stones, early Christian Oratories and Beehive Huts. Stops include Dunbeg Fort, Slea Head,
Ballyferriter, Kilmalkedar and Gallarus Oratory Drystone Church. Enjoy a few free hours in the attractive
fishing village of Dingle before continuing to Killarney. Welcoming Dinner and Overnight Killarney. (L,D)
Day 2 - Our first stop this morning is Muchross House, an imposing Victorian Mansion that was built in 1843 and
overlooks the spectacular Lakes of Killarney. We then take a drive through the lakes to The Ladies View made
famous by Queen Victoria's ladies in waiting upon here visit here. Our drive will eventually take us to Kenmare which is
the Gourmet and Lace capitol of Ireland. Afternoon Tea at Cupan Tae in Kenmare followed by the rest of the
day is free to investigate the many shops to be found here in Kenmare before we return to Killarney. Dinner on your
own in Killarney. Overnight Killarney. (B,L)
Day 3 - Happy Paddy's Day! Killarney is a wonderful location to take in the festivities of St. Patrick's Day. Following
breakfast we visit Ross Castle before starting the festivities with the annual Parade on High Street. Ross Castle is
considered a typical example of the stronghold of an Irish Chieftain during the Middle Ages. The date of its
foundation is uncertain but it was probably built in the late 15th century by one of the ODonoghue Ross chieftains. We
then make our way to the High Street of Killarney for Lunch at Miss Courtney's Tearooms before the parade. After
the parade we will find a pub to settle into for an Afternoon Session of Traditional Music. We'll then journey to
Danny Mann's Pub, a well known music pub in Killarney for a Paddy's Day Pub Dinner. We'll take in a bit of live
music at Danny Mann's and the many pubs offering Traditional Music Sessions. Overnight Killarney. (B,L,D)
Day 4 - Our first stop today is Blarney Castle in County Cork. If the gift of gab has not been bestowed on you, you
may want to kiss the Blarney Stone. The castle itself sits in spectacular grounds and is well worth a visit along with the
Blarney Woollen Mills Outlet with 3 floors of wonderful shopping. We then take in a lovely coastal drive from Cork
through Youghal,Tramore and then on to Waterford. The first thing we do in Waterford is visit the Waterford
Crystal Factory and Showroom. The original glass factory was founded in 1783 and June 2010 saw the opening on the
new factory where visitors can follow all stages of production. On our way to Kilkenny we stop at Jerpoint Abbey, one of
the finest Cistercian ruins in Ireland. Built in 1160, the fortified medieval complex flourished until the dissolution of the
Monasteries. Dinner at Langtons in Kilkenny. Overnight Kilkenny. (B,D)
Day 5 - This morning we will take some time to investigate Ireland's loveliest inland village of Kilkenny before we visit
Kilkenny Castle. Built in the 1190's, Kilkenny Castle was occupied right up to 1935. High spots of the tour include the
library, the wood-paneled dining room and the Chinese bedroom. Then we make our way to St. Francis Abbey
Brewery where Smithwicks has been brewed since 1710! To celebrate their 300 year anniversary the St Francis Abbey
Brewery is now offering exclusive brewery tours. These unique tours will take visitors through the working brewery in
Kilkenny and include a visit to the remarkable 12th Century St. Francis Abbey which is on the brewery site. Following
our tour we will visit a working farm for Afternoon Tea and a Tour of the Farm. We then return to Kilkenny with the
rest of the afternoon and evening free to enjoy yourselves. Overnight Kilkenny. (B,L)
Day 6 - On our way to Dublin today we stop at Browne's Hill Dolmen which has the biggest capstone in Europe,
weighing 100 tons. We will also visit Castletown House. Castletown is the largest and most significant Palladian Style
country house in Ireland. The house is set amongst beautiful 18th century parklands of Celbridge, County Kildare.
The house was built in 1722 for the speaker of the Irish House of Commons, William Conolly. From here we make
our way into Ireland's Capitol City, Dublin. Dublin or Baile Átha Claith in Irish, meaning ‘Town of the
Hurdle Ford’ – in reference to the original Celtic settlement on the Liffey’s northern bank – there is absolutely no visible
evidence that the Iron Age Celts ever arrived here. But they did, around 700 BC. We will have Afternoon Tea at our
accommodation prior to some free time in Dublin before we are out to Dinner and Traditional Music Night with
the Merry Ploughboys. Dinner and Overnight Dublin. (B,L,D)
Day 7 - Following breakfast you will tour the city aboard an Open Top Tour Bus. A ride around the city centre doesn’t
reveal much of Dublin’s history from before the middle of the 18th century even with the three 12th-century behemoths of
the Norman occupation – Dublin Castle, Christchurch Cathedral and St Patrick’s Cathedral – which ushered in
800 years of British rule. The city however, is lovely and quite easy to navigate remembering that it is bisected by both the
River Liffey and O'Connell Street. After the tour you will want to spend time shopping on Grafton Street or taking
in Trinity College and the Book of Kells. You may also want to visit St. Patrick's Cathedral or Christ Church
Cathedral. We'll meet this evening for Dinner and Overnight Dublin. (B,D)
Day 8 - This morning's adventure takes us to the North of Ireland. Our first stop of the day is at Newgrange
Megalithic Passage Tomb. Newgrange was built about 3200 BC. The kidney shaped mound covers an area of over one
acre and is surrounded by 97 kerbstones, some of which are richly decorated with megalithic art. Lunch in Newry at
the Canal Court Hotel. Following lunch we stop in Lisburn and visit the Irish Linen Centre and Museum in a
17th century Market House where in times gone by cottage weavers brought their cloth to sell. The centre tells the story of
the Irish Linen industry, with skilled demonstrations of hand spinning and handloom weaving and a display of historic
linen treasures. Pub Dinner and Overnight Belfast. (B,L,D)
Day 9 - This morning we spend in Belfast, Northern Ireland's largest city and one of my favorite European cities!
Initially just a hamlet with a crossing on a river mouth it didn’t take marauders and pirates long to realise that here was a
deep lough and safe haven from the North Atlantic storms where repairs could be made. From these small beginnings
the industrious locals developed a boat building trade and the rest is Belfast's history. To learn this history you will board
an Open Top Bus for a Tour of the City. You can get off an on all day long with your ticket. You may want to make a
lunch stop at the Crown Liquor Saloon, a flamboyant Victorian drinking palace. Belfast's downtown is full of wonderful
shops. Other places of interest are City Hall, The Linen Library and St. Anne's Cathedral. After a day of
investigating journey to our home near Maghera. Dinner and Overnight Northern Ireland. (B,D)
Day 10 - This morning we take in the Causeway Coast and The Giants Causeway where 37,000 basalt columns
extend from the cliffs and into the sea. No matter how many times I have seen this, the sheer wonder and magic of the
columns never fails to impress! We will continue along the coastline of Northern Ireland on our way to Bushmills
and the Old Bushmills Distillery, the oldest distillery in the world! We will tak a Tour the Distillery and end up
with whiskey sampling in the 1608 bar. This afternoon finds us in the lovely coastal village of Portstewart before
returning home. Dinner and Overnight Northern Ireland. (B,D)
Day 11 - Our first stop this morning is Walled City of Londonderry. Londonderry’s mighty City Walls may never
have been breached, but throughout the years many of the city’s ancient buildings were destroyed by the many sieges on
the city. While touring the walls we visit one building that amazingly survived the Siege of Derry is the magnificent St
Columb’s Cathedral. Built in 1633, the cathedral is the city’s most historic building and is filled with centuries of relics
and artefacts. Afternoon Tea at Lough Eske Castle before we continue to the little border village of Belleek where
the world famous Belleek Pottery was founded in 1857. We will stop at the Visitors' Centre and Museum for a tour of
the facility. Our journey then takes further on to Sligo where dinner awaits. Dinner and Overnight Sligo. (B,L,D)
Day 12 - This morning we visit the Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery. Carrowmore is the largest cemetery of
megalithic tombs in Ireland. The tombs are spread out over 1.5 square miles in the shadow of the Knocknarea and
Misgaun Maeve(the name suggests that it was built for Maeve, the Iron Age queen of Connacht) with
each monument standing on its own little eminence. This afternoon finds us at Boyle to visit Boyle Abbey, an
impressive and well preserved Cistercian Monastery which was founded in the 12th century under the patronage of the
local ruling family, the MacDermotts. We then make our way to Galway, the center for the Irish-speaking regions in
the West and a lively university city. The center of the city lies on the banks of the River Corrib which flows down
from Lough Corrib. Traditional Pub Dinner at Donnellys in Barna. Overnight Galway. (B,D)
Day 13 - This morning we travel through the beautiful Connemara National Park in the heart of Connemara, a
combination of bogland, lakes and mountains. From the rugged Twelve Bens mountain range in the north through lake-
rich Roundstone Bog to the Golden Beaches reaching out into the Atlantic Ocean, you'll know you're in Connemara
by the light that constantly changes the mood and tone of the landscape. Along the way we visit Kylemore Abbey
sheltered by the slopes of the Twelve Bens, this lakeside castle is a romantic, battlemented Gothic Revival fantasy.
Fish and Chips Lunch in Clifden, framed by the grandeur of the Twelve Bens mountain range. We then return to
Galway where you can take some time to investigate the city before a Seafood Dinner at McSwiggans. Overnight
Galway. (B,L,D)
Day 14 - This morning on our way south we visit The Burren, a unique botanical environment in which Mediterranean
and alpine plants rare to Ireland grow side by side. In the southern part of the Burren, limestone gives away to black shale
and sandstone to form the dramatic Cliffs of Moher. Even when shrouded in mist, the Cliffs of Moher are breathtaking,
rising to a height of 650 feet out of the sea and extending for 5 miles. We next stop at Dromoland Castle for their
famous Afternoon Tea. We then journey to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. The Folk Park is a meticulous
recreation of rural life at the end of the 19th century. After exploring the park and this 15th century formidable castle the
highlight of the day will be a Medieval Banquet for which the castle is famous! Farewell Banquet Dinner and
Overnight Bunratty. (B,L,D)
Day 15 - March 29th - Following breakfast we are off to Shannon International Airport for the return home. (B)
which is billed as Ireland's Loveliest Village with all its thatched roof cottages lining the main street. We will stop for
lunch in Castleisland on our way south. Next we take in the wilds of the Dingle Peninsula. We stop for lunch before
investigating the peninsula. A drive around Dingle reveals fascinating antiquities ranging from Iron Age Stone Forts to
Inscribed Stones, early Christian Oratories and Beehive Huts. Stops include Dunbeg Fort, Slea Head,
Ballyferriter, Kilmalkedar and Gallarus Oratory Drystone Church. Enjoy a few free hours in the attractive
fishing village of Dingle before continuing to Killarney. Welcoming Dinner and Overnight Killarney. (L,D)
Day 2 - Our first stop this morning is Muchross House, an imposing Victorian Mansion that was built in 1843 and
overlooks the spectacular Lakes of Killarney. We then take a drive through the lakes to The Ladies View made
famous by Queen Victoria's ladies in waiting upon here visit here. Our drive will eventually take us to Kenmare which is
the Gourmet and Lace capitol of Ireland. Afternoon Tea at Cupan Tae in Kenmare followed by the rest of the
day is free to investigate the many shops to be found here in Kenmare before we return to Killarney. Dinner on your
own in Killarney. Overnight Killarney. (B,L)
Day 3 - Happy Paddy's Day! Killarney is a wonderful location to take in the festivities of St. Patrick's Day. Following
breakfast we visit Ross Castle before starting the festivities with the annual Parade on High Street. Ross Castle is
considered a typical example of the stronghold of an Irish Chieftain during the Middle Ages. The date of its
foundation is uncertain but it was probably built in the late 15th century by one of the ODonoghue Ross chieftains. We
then make our way to the High Street of Killarney for Lunch at Miss Courtney's Tearooms before the parade. After
the parade we will find a pub to settle into for an Afternoon Session of Traditional Music. We'll then journey to
Danny Mann's Pub, a well known music pub in Killarney for a Paddy's Day Pub Dinner. We'll take in a bit of live
music at Danny Mann's and the many pubs offering Traditional Music Sessions. Overnight Killarney. (B,L,D)
Day 4 - Our first stop today is Blarney Castle in County Cork. If the gift of gab has not been bestowed on you, you
may want to kiss the Blarney Stone. The castle itself sits in spectacular grounds and is well worth a visit along with the
Blarney Woollen Mills Outlet with 3 floors of wonderful shopping. We then take in a lovely coastal drive from Cork
through Youghal,Tramore and then on to Waterford. The first thing we do in Waterford is visit the Waterford
Crystal Factory and Showroom. The original glass factory was founded in 1783 and June 2010 saw the opening on the
new factory where visitors can follow all stages of production. On our way to Kilkenny we stop at Jerpoint Abbey, one of
the finest Cistercian ruins in Ireland. Built in 1160, the fortified medieval complex flourished until the dissolution of the
Monasteries. Dinner at Langtons in Kilkenny. Overnight Kilkenny. (B,D)
Day 5 - This morning we will take some time to investigate Ireland's loveliest inland village of Kilkenny before we visit
Kilkenny Castle. Built in the 1190's, Kilkenny Castle was occupied right up to 1935. High spots of the tour include the
library, the wood-paneled dining room and the Chinese bedroom. Then we make our way to St. Francis Abbey
Brewery where Smithwicks has been brewed since 1710! To celebrate their 300 year anniversary the St Francis Abbey
Brewery is now offering exclusive brewery tours. These unique tours will take visitors through the working brewery in
Kilkenny and include a visit to the remarkable 12th Century St. Francis Abbey which is on the brewery site. Following
our tour we will visit a working farm for Afternoon Tea and a Tour of the Farm. We then return to Kilkenny with the
rest of the afternoon and evening free to enjoy yourselves. Overnight Kilkenny. (B,L)
Day 6 - On our way to Dublin today we stop at Browne's Hill Dolmen which has the biggest capstone in Europe,
weighing 100 tons. We will also visit Castletown House. Castletown is the largest and most significant Palladian Style
country house in Ireland. The house is set amongst beautiful 18th century parklands of Celbridge, County Kildare.
The house was built in 1722 for the speaker of the Irish House of Commons, William Conolly. From here we make
our way into Ireland's Capitol City, Dublin. Dublin or Baile Átha Claith in Irish, meaning ‘Town of the
Hurdle Ford’ – in reference to the original Celtic settlement on the Liffey’s northern bank – there is absolutely no visible
evidence that the Iron Age Celts ever arrived here. But they did, around 700 BC. We will have Afternoon Tea at our
accommodation prior to some free time in Dublin before we are out to Dinner and Traditional Music Night with
the Merry Ploughboys. Dinner and Overnight Dublin. (B,L,D)
Day 7 - Following breakfast you will tour the city aboard an Open Top Tour Bus. A ride around the city centre doesn’t
reveal much of Dublin’s history from before the middle of the 18th century even with the three 12th-century behemoths of
the Norman occupation – Dublin Castle, Christchurch Cathedral and St Patrick’s Cathedral – which ushered in
800 years of British rule. The city however, is lovely and quite easy to navigate remembering that it is bisected by both the
River Liffey and O'Connell Street. After the tour you will want to spend time shopping on Grafton Street or taking
in Trinity College and the Book of Kells. You may also want to visit St. Patrick's Cathedral or Christ Church
Cathedral. We'll meet this evening for Dinner and Overnight Dublin. (B,D)
Day 8 - This morning's adventure takes us to the North of Ireland. Our first stop of the day is at Newgrange
Megalithic Passage Tomb. Newgrange was built about 3200 BC. The kidney shaped mound covers an area of over one
acre and is surrounded by 97 kerbstones, some of which are richly decorated with megalithic art. Lunch in Newry at
the Canal Court Hotel. Following lunch we stop in Lisburn and visit the Irish Linen Centre and Museum in a
17th century Market House where in times gone by cottage weavers brought their cloth to sell. The centre tells the story of
the Irish Linen industry, with skilled demonstrations of hand spinning and handloom weaving and a display of historic
linen treasures. Pub Dinner and Overnight Belfast. (B,L,D)
Day 9 - This morning we spend in Belfast, Northern Ireland's largest city and one of my favorite European cities!
Initially just a hamlet with a crossing on a river mouth it didn’t take marauders and pirates long to realise that here was a
deep lough and safe haven from the North Atlantic storms where repairs could be made. From these small beginnings
the industrious locals developed a boat building trade and the rest is Belfast's history. To learn this history you will board
an Open Top Bus for a Tour of the City. You can get off an on all day long with your ticket. You may want to make a
lunch stop at the Crown Liquor Saloon, a flamboyant Victorian drinking palace. Belfast's downtown is full of wonderful
shops. Other places of interest are City Hall, The Linen Library and St. Anne's Cathedral. After a day of
investigating journey to our home near Maghera. Dinner and Overnight Northern Ireland. (B,D)
Day 10 - This morning we take in the Causeway Coast and The Giants Causeway where 37,000 basalt columns
extend from the cliffs and into the sea. No matter how many times I have seen this, the sheer wonder and magic of the
columns never fails to impress! We will continue along the coastline of Northern Ireland on our way to Bushmills
and the Old Bushmills Distillery, the oldest distillery in the world! We will tak a Tour the Distillery and end up
with whiskey sampling in the 1608 bar. This afternoon finds us in the lovely coastal village of Portstewart before
returning home. Dinner and Overnight Northern Ireland. (B,D)
Day 11 - Our first stop this morning is Walled City of Londonderry. Londonderry’s mighty City Walls may never
have been breached, but throughout the years many of the city’s ancient buildings were destroyed by the many sieges on
the city. While touring the walls we visit one building that amazingly survived the Siege of Derry is the magnificent St
Columb’s Cathedral. Built in 1633, the cathedral is the city’s most historic building and is filled with centuries of relics
and artefacts. Afternoon Tea at Lough Eske Castle before we continue to the little border village of Belleek where
the world famous Belleek Pottery was founded in 1857. We will stop at the Visitors' Centre and Museum for a tour of
the facility. Our journey then takes further on to Sligo where dinner awaits. Dinner and Overnight Sligo. (B,L,D)
Day 12 - This morning we visit the Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery. Carrowmore is the largest cemetery of
megalithic tombs in Ireland. The tombs are spread out over 1.5 square miles in the shadow of the Knocknarea and
Misgaun Maeve(the name suggests that it was built for Maeve, the Iron Age queen of Connacht) with
each monument standing on its own little eminence. This afternoon finds us at Boyle to visit Boyle Abbey, an
impressive and well preserved Cistercian Monastery which was founded in the 12th century under the patronage of the
local ruling family, the MacDermotts. We then make our way to Galway, the center for the Irish-speaking regions in
the West and a lively university city. The center of the city lies on the banks of the River Corrib which flows down
from Lough Corrib. Traditional Pub Dinner at Donnellys in Barna. Overnight Galway. (B,D)
Day 13 - This morning we travel through the beautiful Connemara National Park in the heart of Connemara, a
combination of bogland, lakes and mountains. From the rugged Twelve Bens mountain range in the north through lake-
rich Roundstone Bog to the Golden Beaches reaching out into the Atlantic Ocean, you'll know you're in Connemara
by the light that constantly changes the mood and tone of the landscape. Along the way we visit Kylemore Abbey
sheltered by the slopes of the Twelve Bens, this lakeside castle is a romantic, battlemented Gothic Revival fantasy.
Fish and Chips Lunch in Clifden, framed by the grandeur of the Twelve Bens mountain range. We then return to
Galway where you can take some time to investigate the city before a Seafood Dinner at McSwiggans. Overnight
Galway. (B,L,D)
Day 14 - This morning on our way south we visit The Burren, a unique botanical environment in which Mediterranean
and alpine plants rare to Ireland grow side by side. In the southern part of the Burren, limestone gives away to black shale
and sandstone to form the dramatic Cliffs of Moher. Even when shrouded in mist, the Cliffs of Moher are breathtaking,
rising to a height of 650 feet out of the sea and extending for 5 miles. We next stop at Dromoland Castle for their
famous Afternoon Tea. We then journey to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. The Folk Park is a meticulous
recreation of rural life at the end of the 19th century. After exploring the park and this 15th century formidable castle the
highlight of the day will be a Medieval Banquet for which the castle is famous! Farewell Banquet Dinner and
Overnight Bunratty. (B,L,D)
Day 15 - March 29th - Following breakfast we are off to Shannon International Airport for the return home. (B)
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