Mystic Ireland Tour: Itinerary
DAY 1: WELCOME TO IRELAND
Begin your voyage to Ireland.
DAY 2: DUBLIN
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Three Star Ashling Hotel, Dublin
Arrive Dublin Airport where our Tour Manager will be waiting to greet you and to escort you onto our luxury coach which is yours for the entire duration of the trip. Take a half day city tour of Dublin, with its mixture of history and industry, including a visit to St. Patrick's Cathedral. Afternoon check-in at our three star hotel beside Phoenix Park, home to both the US Ambassador and the President of Ireland.
DAY 3: TARA— SEAT OF THE HIGH KINGS
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Three Star Armagh City Hotel
Depart Dublin after breakfast and head north on the N3 to Tara, seat of the ancient High Kings. When you climb the hill, you will see why Patrick had to confront his pagan opponents at this site— it controls the trade routes through the now lost "fifth province" of Midh— the middle of the country. From here we cut across country to the ancient monastic site of Mellifont, the first Cistercian Abbey in Ireland. We then approach the hills and bogs which shielded the northern part of Ireland (the province of Ulster) until the coming of the Anglo-Normans in 1175. Crossing through a gap in the hills, we reach the city of Armagh, still the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland and seat to both the Roman Catholic and Anglican (Episcopalian) Primates.
DAY 4: ARMAGH
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Three Star Carlton Hotel
After breakfast, a visit to Emain Macha, the recently re-opened site of the Red Branch Knights and the reason why Armagh was of such strategic importance. The visitor centre is impressive and tells the story of the fort in graphic detail. After Armagh, head west 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. For an evening of "craic agus ceol" (fun and music), try the Black Cat pub up the street.
DAY 5: SLIGO, ROSCOMMON
Meals: Three Star Prince of Wales Hotel
Accommodation: Three Star Hotel on the North Coast
Today we turn south for the heartland of Ireland, so bypassing many of the conventional tourist sights. This is relatively unexplored territory and we are happy to highlight places that other tours merely drive through. Our first port of call is Crevykeel Court Tomb, just off the main Sligo road. This is a truly stupendous tomb, far beyond your expectations.
Passing Yeats' grave outside Sligo, we head for one of Ireland's best, yet least known and publicised "great houses": Strokestown House in Co. Roscommon. Carefully managed by John O'Driscoll and his team, Strokestown has the last surviving Georgian kitchen in the country plus an excellent famine museum. Highly recommended yet relatively unknown.
We finish the day on the river Shannon at Athlone, the true heart of Ireland.
DAY 6: CLONMACNOISE, CONNAUGHT, AND HAUNTED CASTLES
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Three Star Dundrum House and Leisure Centre
Leaving Athlone, we follow the Shannon to the ancient monastic site of Clonmacnoise. Its location tells you why and how such a large monastic site developed here: it was the main crossing point into the western province of Connaught. It has a spectacular setting on the river and, given a little peace, you can easily be transported back 1000 years. From there we keep south and arrive in the neat town of Birr and its castle and demesne. Still home to Lord and Lady Rosse, Birr Castle has a delightful garden with its historic telescope.
From there we go to one of the highlights of this tour— Ireland's most haunted castle at Leap (pronounced "Lep".) Bob Curran will be only too happy to regale you with tales of horror and haunting! We then go to the rock of Dunamas and finish off the day at the three star Dundrum House near Cashel.
DAY 7: CORK AND KERRY
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Three Star Gleann Fia Guest House in Killarney
After breakfast, on to the main Cork road and bypass the city through the Jack Lynch tunnel, named after a sportsman who won all Ireland football and hurling medals and who went on to become Taoiseach (Prime Minister) in the 1970s. First call is at the Cobh (pronounced "Cove") Heritage Centre, a very popular visitor attraction with its story of the Great Hunger, the Titanic and the Lusitania— aren't you glad you came by air?
From Cobh we turn west again on the road to Kerry (known as "The Kingdom") via Macroom and visit the ruined castle of Carrickphouka. Our overnight is in the three star Gleann Fia guest house in Killarney— bed and breakfast.
DAY 8: WESTERN ADVENTURE
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner at Bunratty Castle Banquet
Accommodation: Bunratty Guest House
Leaving Killarney, we head to the coast to see the ruins of Ardfert cathedral. As you watch the Atlantic rolling in, it is a sobering thought that there is nothing but sea between you and Cape Cod. You might even hum a verse of "Nearer, my Cod, to Thee..." in memory of the 1500 souls lost on the Titanic. Turning towards Limerick, we call at the excellent Writers' Museum in Listowel, before crossing the Shannon for the last time at Limerick and heading for our final night in family run guest houses in Bunratty. The final dinner will be at the Bunratty Castle banquet, a splendid piece of mock medieval nonsense which is great fun.
DAY 9: DEPARTURE
Short morning transfer from Bunratty to Shannon airport for your flight home.
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