Self Drive Ireland

A Glimpse of Ireland

5 Night Prebooked Self Drive Tour

Ireland is steeped in history and can trace its heritage to almost 5,000 thousand years ago with archaeological sites like Newgrange, near Dublin and the Ceide Fields in County Mayo. Ireland is also famous for its warm welcome – its “Cead Mile Failte” or “One Hundred Thousand Welcomes”.

Abbey Tours has created a series of exciting 5 day self drive touring programmes introducing you to some of the most exciting and scenic regions of Ireland.

5 Day Prebooked Self-Drive Tour of Ireland (Excluding Car)

Standard Programme B&B Accommodation

	Per Person Sharing
January – April	$380.00
May	$405.00
June - September	$425.00
October - December	$380.00
Children 3 – 12 yrs	$270.00
Single Supplement	$225.00

Price Includes

· Bed & breakfast accommodation as follows; 2 nights - 3 star hotel in the Dublin area, 2 nights – bed & breakfast /farmhouse as per the chosen itinerary. Based on per person sharing twin/double room with bath/shower inclusive of service charges.

· Heritage Island Touring Guide and discount card

· All prices quoted in $AUD p.p. twin share basis

3 Star Hotel Programme

	Per Person Sharing
January – April	$435.00
May - September	$490.00
October - December	$435.00
Children 3 – 12 yrs	$305.00
Single Supplement	$305.00

Price Includes

· Bed & breakfast accommodation for 4 nights in 3 star hotels. Based on per person sharing twin/double room with bath/shower inclusive of service charges.

· Heritage Island Touring Guide and discount card

· All prices quoted in $AUD p.p. twin share basis

4 Star Hotel Programme

	Per Person Sharing	Children 3 – 12 yrs
January – April	$545.00	$265.00
May - September	$615.00	$295.00
October - December	$550.00	$265.00
Triple Room rate per person	$525.00	N/A
Single Supplement	$375.00	N/A

Price Includes

· Bed & breakfast accommodation for 4 nights in 4 star hotels. Based on per person sharing twin / double room with bath/shower inclusive of service charges.

· Heritage Island Touring Guide and discount card

· All prices quoted in $AUD p.p. twin share basis

Child Policy

Children supplements apply when a child between 3 & 12 years is sharing with 2 full paying adults to a maximum of 2 children in the room. A child sharing with a single adult is charged the normal per person rate. Children sharing 0 - 2 years are free and meals paid directly to the hotel.

Notes:

Clients should check-in to their hotels/bed and breakfast accommodation no later than 6pm. If clients are going to be later that 6pm, they should call their accommodation and advise of their approximate check in time. Failure to do this could result in their reservation being cancelled and rooms released.

A Glimpse of Ireland

Itinerary 2 - Ireland’s South West

Day 1: Dublin - Capital of Ireland

Welcome to Dublin, after you pick up your car, transfer to your city centre 3 star hotel. Spend the remainder of the day soaking up the atmosphere of this exciting city which includes statue-lined O’Connell Street, with the additional attraction of the newly erected “Spire” at its centre and the General Post Office, scene of the 1916 Easter uprising and many elegant Georgian squares. Why not visit some of its many attractions such as the Guinness Storehouse, Book of Kells at Trinity College or Old Jameson Distillery.

Overnight at the Mount Herbert Hotel (3 star), Lansdowne Road, Dublin 4 or similar

Day 2: Kildare – The Curragh, Rock of Cashel & Killarney

This morning depart Dublin and travel south through the rich midland pastures of Kildare to where you can visit the Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens just outside the town of Kildare. The Irish National Stud is home to where some of the best racehorses in the world were bred. The Japanese Gardens are situated in the grounds of the Stud Farm and were created between 1906-1910. They are planned to symbolise the 'Life of Man' from the cradle to the grave. St. Fiachra's Garden, also in the grounds of the Stud Farm was designed as a Millennium project and seeks to capture the power of the Irish landscape in its rawest state, that of rock and water. Continue south passing through Cashel where you can visit one of the most important ecclesiastical sites in Ireland - The Rock of Cashel which rises dramatically from the flat countryside. This site has the best set of varied monuments in any Irish site. The rock is crowned by a group of buildings, both ecclesiastical and royal, including a round tower, a 13^th century Romanesque chapel and the beautifully restored Hall of the Vicar Choral.

Continue on to Killarney located among the spectacular mountains and lakes for overnight.

Overnight in Farmhouse/Bed & Breakfast Accommodation – in Killarney

Day 3: The Ring of Kerry

Today tour one of Ireland’s loveliest districts, the Ring of Kerry. Poets, painters, writers and musicians have all tried to convey the beauty of this area. Mountains, valleys and lakes blend into a palette of scenic splendour. A delightful day includes a drive along the broad, dramatic coastline of the Iveragh Peninsula and through the charming villages and towns of Killorglin, Cahirciveen, Waterville and Irish-speaking Sneem. Near Killorgan you can visit the Kerry Bog Village Museum. Here you will enjoy a step back in time to the early 18^th century to recapture the way of life as it would have been at that time; peat, or turf as it is usually called in Ireland, is harvested from bogs and is still used a domestic fuel. On your return journey to Killarney you can visit Muckross House, a magnificent Victorian mansion and one of Ireland’s leading stately homes.

Overnight in Farmhouse/Bed & Breakfast Accommodation – in Killarney

Day 4: Adare, Limerick, Birr Castle & Dublin

Leave Killarney this morning and travel north through County Kerry and stop in the pretty village of Adare, with its pretty mustard coloured thatch cottages and medieval Abbey. Continue to the medieval city of Limerick and where you can visit the Hunt Museum which houses a unique internationally renowned private collection of over 2,000 original works of art and antiquity. Leaving Limerick and drive through the midlands to Birr and visit Birr Castle Demesne. Here you will visit the gardens, which feature collections of rare trees and the tallest Box Hedge in the world. You will also have the opportunity to view the Great Telescope, which was constructed in the 1840’s and for 70 years was the largest of its kind in the world. The Demesne also features the Galleries of Discovery Ireland’s Historic Science Centre. Continue on to Dublin for overnight