Literary Tours: Itinerary
DAY 1: GOING TO IRELAND
Begin your voyage to Ireland.
DAY 2: DUBLIN
Meals: Four Star Ashling Hotel, Dublin
Accommodation: Four Star Ashling Hotel, Dublin
Early morning arrival in Dublin; transfer to the city centre for an orientation tour followed by a visit to the Writers' Museum in Parnell Square, an excellent introduction to the famous— and the lesser known— writers in both English and Irish who have scored our history with their grace notes. Dinner, bed & breakfast at the four star Ashling Hotel on the quays of the Liffey but beside the Phoenix Park, home to the President of Ireland and the U S Ambassador.
DAY 3: DUBLIN— THE FULL PADDY
Meals: Four Star Ashling Hotel, Dublin
Accommodation: Bed and breakfast in the Ashling
Trinity College is home to the Book of Kells— and the queues of folk who want to file past one page of the Book like mourners at the Kremlin in days gone by. But the Long Room Library— ah, now that is worth the ascent. Or go (for free) into the National Museum, home of Ireland's wonderful 4,000 year old gold torcs. Do not, on any account, miss the exquisite Broighter Boat or the Ardagh Chalice. Visit the Guinness Storehouse and sample both the view and the pint. No literary visit to Dublin would be replete without Colm Quilligan's excellent Literary Pub Tour, as enjoyed by many previous clients.
DAY 4: BELFAST
Meals: Three Star Days Hotel, Belfast
Accommodation: Three Star Days Hotel, Belfast
An old rebel song says "We're off to Dublin in the green." You, however, are off to Belfast in the bus but with wonderful detours via the Mountains of Mourne which, as Percy French wrote, do sweep down to the sea. And then it's off to the Anglican cathedral at Downpatrick, where the great man and St Brigid are reputedly buried. Capably led by Dr. Tim Campbell, the St. Patrick Centre is most informative and entertaining. Anyone who can start his autobiography: "I, Patrick, the chief of sinners" is surely worth a visit. Dinner, bed and breakfast at the three star Days Hotel in Belfast, neatly perched between the "Golden Mile" of restaurants and bars and the loyalist heartland of Sandy Row.
DAY 5: BELFAST
Meals: Breakfast at Three Star Days Hotel
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast at Three Star Days Hotel
A full day in Belfast in every sense, beginning with one of the highlights of the tour: a visit to the Linenhall Library in the city centre (www.linenhall.com). This wonderful library has a fund of stories and its Irish political collection, complete with postcards, pamphlets and posters, is consulted by scholars worldwide. We follow this up with our politically incorrect city tour— we do not insult your intelligence by even trying to airbrush history— we prefer the paintbrush, you will definitely see the "murials"!
And to round it off— an excellent pub tour. But be sure to have your evening meal (not included) before you start, both for reasons of timing and sobriety.
DAY 6: THE ANTRIM COAST
Meals: Three Star Cromore Halt Inn
Accommodation: Three Star Cromore Halt Inn
One of the most spectacular but least known routes in western Europe, the Antrim Coast Road has been favourably compared to the Corniche. From Belfast— you leave as the commuters queue inbound— the road takes in Carrickfergus and its magnificent Norman castle, still intact after 8 centuries.
After a stop at the Londonderry Arms, a hotel once owned by Winston Churchill (and look out for the sideboard), on we go via the Nine Glens of Antrim to Ballycastle, only 18 miles from the Mull of Kintyre (Scotland). Then it is on to the Old Bushmills Distillery, first licensed to distill in 1608. (We know the Giants Causeway is nearby— so do 500,000 other folk. Drinking 16 year old Bushmills is a lot more fun than queuing to see the stones— trust us!) Dinner, bed and breakfast at the three star Cromore Halt inn in Portstewart. A sound hostelry.
DAY 7: DERRY
Meals: Three Star Carlton Hotel
Accommodation: Three Star Carlton Hotel
After breakfast, gear up for the drive via Coleraine and Limavady to the city of Derry, Londonderry or just Stroke City— you choose. Derry is a fascinating place for a city tour as it is the cradle of much of the turbulent history of the north of Ireland. Whatever your persuasions, Derry is at the core of Irish history and the clash of two cultures.
Afterwards, a drive south along the River Foyle through counties Tyrone and Fermanagh and the town of Enniskillen (the only town to raise two regiments for the British Army) to the village of Belleek, home to the famous pottery. The tour here is great fun and the staff in the visitor centre are an absolute delight. They will ship any purchases you might make— and they replace breakages without complaint! Your overnight hotel is just across the street— the three star Carlton for dinner, bed and breakfast. If there is no music in the hotel, try the Black Cat pub up the street.
DAY 8: SLIGO, MAYO AND GALWAY
Meals: Renvyle House
Accommodation: Renvyle House
Another day touring through counties Sligo, Mayo and Galway. First stop is the grave of W B Yeats, though not many horsemen pass by these days. Onwards and westwards via Castlebar and Westport and through the spectacular desolation of the Connemara National Park for a boat trip in Killary Harbour, Ireland's only fjord. Thence to one of the last of the great Irish country house hotels: Renvyle House (www.renvyle.com). Words cannot do justice to what Ronnie Counihan and his brigade have created at the end of the world— just enjoy. Dinner, bed and breakfast at Renvyle, with its peat fire in the entrance and its wonderful ambience are just out of this world.
DAY 9: GALWAY
Meals: Your choice of local pub or restaurant
Accommodation: City Centre B&B
You have had some long days on the road so today is a short trip. After breakfast, drive via Clifden and Oughterard to the city of Galway for shopping. Galway is Europe's fastest growing city and the traffic volume explains it all. Overnight bed and breakfast in a city centre three star hotel, leaving your choice of dinner to one of the many pubs and restaurants in the city centre.
DAY 10: THE WEST- CLIFFS OF MOHER, KERRY
Meals: Three Star Hotel in Killarney
Accommodation: Three Star Hotel in Killarney
Now heading south, you take yet another detour to visit the Cliffs of Moher on the western seaboard. Despite their popularity (and the licensed buskers in the car park!), the 600' drop is still spectacular, especially if a squall happens to be blowing in at the time. It is a sobering thought that there is nothing but sea between you and Cape Cod. Onwards via the Shannon ferry to the small town of Listowel, home to the late John B Keane and site of a superb writers' museum. You are now in county Kerry— or the Kingdom, as its fan call it— and woe betide you if you forget it! Overnight dinner, bed and breakfast at a three star hotel in Killarney.
DAY 11: KILLARNEY
Meals: Killarney
Accommodation: Three Star Hotel in Killarney
Free day to explore Killarney and surroundings. Plenty to do and see: Muckross Park and house; golf, a trip to My Lady's View. Bed and breakfast at your hotel, as there are many good restaurants in town.
DAY 12: LIMERICK
Meals: Bunratty Castle Dinner
Accommodation: Bed and breakfast in a guest house
After breakfast, a relatively short drive to the city of Limerick for the "Angela's Ashes" Tour, which drew praise from the 2006 groups. Then a final short drive (20 minutes) from the city centre to your last night's accommodation— a group of family-run guest houses at the village of Bunratty. Your final night is at the Bunratty Castle Dinner— touristy it may be, but very good value and a great night out.
DAY 13: DEPARTURE
A short transfer to Shannon Airport for your flight home.
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