Irish Odyssey 2009

Tour Itinerary

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Day 1 - Dublin Castle & City Tour

Arrive in Dublin Airport, complete immigration formalities and pick up your luggage. Go to the CIE Tours desk in the Arrivals Hall to arrange a group transfer to your hotel between 7:00 am and 12:00 noon. If your flight arrives later, you will need to transfer to the hotel at your own expense. Your hotel is superbly located near Trinity College and Merrion Square, the most famous Georgian area. At 2:00 pm join a local guide on a city centre tour to see public buildings such as Trinity College, General Post Office and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. End with a visit to Dublin Castle’s State Apartments to walk through magnificently decorated chambers. In the evening meet your fellow travellers over a welcome drink and your tour guide will assist you in selecting a restaurant.

Day 2 - Malahide Castle & Abbey Tavern

Take the coastal route to Malahide Castle, which was owned and inhabited by the Talbot family from 1185 until 1973. Visit the main chambers, rich with furnishings and portraits to learn about the long history of the castle. Next take a guided tour around the National Botanic Gardens founded in 1790. The devastating potato blight virus was first recorded here on August 20, 1845. See wonderful Victorian glasshouses and many different types of gardens. The afternoon is at leisure and in the evening head to a popular Dublin venue for Irish cuisine and a lively session of traditional songs. (B, D)

Day 3 - “Titanic” Walk & Cork City

Head south through farming country, pausing for photos at the Rock of Cashel, a stately limestone outcrop topped with medieval ruins. Continue to the harbour town of Cobh, the last port of call for the Titanic. Take a walk around this picturesque town and the dockside with a local historian to see places relating to the Titanic’s last stop. Drive around Cork city centre before checking in to your hotel, overlooking the famous River Lee. You may like to use the superb leisure facilities before dinner. (B, D)

Day 4 - Blarney & Muckross Gardens

Drive to the Blarney Woollen Mills, offering excellent Irish-made products all under one roof. If you wish, you may climb to the top of Blarney Castle independently or walk around the village. Continue through Macroom to Killarney and check into your centrally-located hotel. Drive to the Killarney National Park for a guided walk around Muckross Gardens, set out along the shores of Muckross Lake. The gardens contain many fine trees planted in the 19th century as well as colourful shrubs and flowers. Head back to Killarney to look around the town before dinner. (B, D)

Day 5 - Dingle Peninsula Tour

Today discover the glorious Dingle Peninsula, made famous by two movies that showcased the scenery – “Ryan’s Daughter” and “Far & Away.” Drive along the south shore to admire views of heathery mountains, sandy stretches of beach and rocky headlands. Pause in Dingle before continuing to the Blasket Centre in Dunquin to learn about the offshore Blasket Islands, inhabited until 1953 by hardy families who eked out a living by farming and fishing. Return to Killarney and enjoy free time to use the hotel’s leisure facilities or walk around town. After dinner you may like to visit the cosy pubs featuring live music. (B, D)

Day 6 - Bunratty Village & Cliffs of Moher

Travel north from Killarney and through Limerick to the village of Bunratty. Stop for a look around on your own – shop, visit Durty Nelly’s Pub or tour the Bunratty Folk Park. Head to the coast to view the Cliffs of Moher, an impressive wall of rock that rises 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Continue through the hilly Burren region and around Galway Bay to Galway. See the main places of interest and browse around the city centre, full of specialty shops, cafes and pubs. Then check in to your hotel, which overlooks Galway Bay. (B, D)

Day 7 - Clifden & Kylemore Abbey

Tour Connemara and admire sweeping views of misty mountains and shimmering lakes. Stop in Spiddal where you may hear locals chatting in the Irish language. Continue to Clifden, a delightful market town set between the Twelve Bens and sandy bays. Visit Kylemore Abbey, a 19th century neo-Gothic mansion, which is now a prestigious girls’ school. Tour the exquisite chapel and reception rooms and stroll by the peaceful lake shore. In Moycullen watch skilled craftsmen cutting fine crystal at the Connemara Celtic Crystal Factory. (B, D)

Day 8 - Knock Shrine & Derry Walk

Head north to the village of Knock, a popular place of pilgrimage, and through County Sligo to view W. B. Yeats’ grave in Drumcliffe Churchyard. Follow the shoreline of Donegal Bay to Donegal town and stop in the centre to take a look around before continuing your drive through the majestic Donegal countryside to Derry. Take a guided walking tour around the ancient city, which will include the Guildhall, St. Columb’s Cathedral, the Diamond and 16th century city walls. (B, D)

Day 9 - Giant’s Causeway & Ulster American Folk Park

This morning explore the Giant’s Causeway, huge hexagonal columns formed over 60 million years ago. The oversized rocks have given rise to many legends. Drive past the Sperrin Mountains to visit the Ulster American Folk Park. The Park traces the story of Ulster emigrants and shows how rural lifestyles in both Ireland and America in Colonial times. Travel south to Kingscourt to your castle hotel, built in 1760. (B, D)

Day 10 - Megalithic Tombs & Cabra Castle Stay

This morning discover the Boyne Valley. Stop at the Boyne Valley Visitor Centre to learn about the passage burial tombs of Newgrange and Knowth, both of which are over 5,000 years old. Visit one of the tombs to see how primitive people managed to align these buildings precisely with the sun or the moon. Return to your hotel where the afternoon is free so that you can play the 9-hole golf course, enjoy the extensive parkland setting or just relax in the hotel. After a farewell dinner in the Court Restaurant, enjoy some informal entertainment. (B, D)

Day 11 - Homeward Bound

This morning take a 90-minute group transfer to Dublin Airport, leaving the hotel at 6:00, 9:00 or 11:00 am. After check-in you will have time to shop at the duty-free shops before boarding your flight home. (B)

Your Tour Includes

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• Group transfers on arrival and departure
• Sightseeing by luxury coach throughout
• Services of a professional Irish driver/guide
• Superior & first class hotels with private bath/shower for 10 nights
• 10 full Irish breakfasts (B)
• 9 dinners (D) including
• Dinner and traditional Irish entertainment in Dublin
• Farewell dinner and music session at Cabra Castle Hotel
• 7 table d’hote dinners
• Welcome get-together drink
• Tour of Dublin with a local guide
• “Titanic” walking tour of Cobh
• Guided walking tour of Derry
• Visits and admissions to Dublin Castle, Malahide Castle, National Botanic Gardens, Blarney Woollen Mills, Muckross Gardens, Blasket Centre, Cliffs of Moher, Kylemore Abbey, Connemara Celtic Crystal Factory, Knock Shrine, W. B. Yeats’ Grave, Giant’s Causeway, Ulster American Folk Park and Boyne Valley Visitor Centre & Newgrange or Knowth Tomb
• All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per person

Your Hotels

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Stay at the following (or similar):

• Mont Clare Hotel, Dublin (2 nights)
• Kingsley Hotel, Cork (1 night)
• Killarney Towers Hotel, Killarney (2 nights)
• Salthill Hotel, Galway (2 nights)
• City or Ramada Da Vinci Hotel, Derry (1 night)
• Cabra Castle Hotel, Cavan (2 nights)

Departure Dates & Selling Price for 2009 season

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Single Room Supplement € 365.00. All Rates in euro.