8 days The Irish Pub Tour (2017)
Highlights: Discover Ireland's Legends & Folklore, 12th Century Brazen Head Pub Folk Dinner, Sheepdog Trials, Smithwick's Brewery, Kate Kearney’s Cottage Irish Night, View Cliffs of Moher by Boat
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| Day | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dublin Tour & Guinness Storehouse (Flight not included) | 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 drive along the wide O’Connell Street and view the General Post Office where the 1916 Uprising started. Visit the Guinness Storehouse to learn about Ireland’s “black beer” and enjoy a creamy pint in the rooftop bar with panoramic views of Dublin. Your tour director will host a welcome drink and advise where to dine independently. |
| 2 | Glasnevin Museum & Medieval Kilkenny Walk | Visit Glasnevin Museum, Ireland’s national necropolis, which is a who’s who of modern Irish history. It is the final resting place of Daniel O’Connell, Michael Collins, Charles Stewart Parnell, Brendan Behan and other prominent people. Drive from Dublin to Kilkenny and check in to your centrally-located hotel. Take a walking tour through Kilkenny’s Medieval Mile to view merchants’ houses and historic pubs. Visit Smithwick’s Brewery and enjoy a sample. Enjoy free time to browse around the compact city before dinner.(Breakfast, Dinner) |
| 3 | Waterford Crystal & Blarney | 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.(Breakfast, Dinner) |
| 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. Visit the cozy South Pole Inn for an Irish coffee and learn about Tom Crean, an explorer who bravely journeyed to the South Pole with “Scott of the Antarctic.” Meet a farmer whose skilled dogs herd sheep and drive to Slea Head at the westernmost tip for awesome views of the Atlantic Ocean. Stop in the town of Dingle for a look around and something to eat. In the evening drive to Kate Kearney’s Cottage for dinner and traditional Irish entertainment with songs and step-dancing.(Breakfast, Dinner) |
| 5 | Cliffs of Moher & Aillwee Cave | Cross the wide River Shannon Estuary by ferry and drive along the coast. In Doolin take a boat trip to view the majestic Cliffs of Moher from the sea. Next stop at the Aillwee Cave for a gentle guided stroll through the underground caverns. The walk will take you over bridged chasms, under weird formations and alongside the thunderous waterfall. Travel south to the village of Spanish Point, named after the ships of the 1588 Spanish Armada that were wrecked there. The village has many enticing pubs to check out before or after dinner.(Breakfast, Dinner) |
| 6 | Galway & Westport House | Drive around the shores of Galway Bay and stop in Galway 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. Tour the stately 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 and silver.(Breakfast, Dinner) |
| 7 | Teeling Distillery & 12th Century Brazen Head Pub | Drive from the west coast through the gentle scenery in center of Ireland to Dublin on the east coast. Visit Teeling Distillery, Dublin’s newest distillery in the heart of the city, and sample the aged whiskey. 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.(Breakfast, Dinner) |
| 8 | Tour Ends in Dublin | Your program ends after breakfast.(Breakfast) |