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Jewels of Ireland
Superior First Class Hotels: 14 Day Coach Tour
Tour
Highlights:
Taylor’s
Three Rock Irish Night
Glendalough
Monastic Site
Tour Dublin & Belfast
“Quiet Man” Walk
Killary Fjord Catamaran cruise
Historic Kinsale & Derry
Walking Tours
Slieve League – Europe’s Highest Sea Cliffs
Giant’s Causeway
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. At 2:00 pm tour Dublin city centre with a local guide to see elegant
Georgian squares, Trinity
College, St.
Stephen’s Green, the Famine Memorial and O’Connell Street. Find out about
Irish history as you tour the State Apartments of Dublin Castle, which contain
magnificently-furnished chambers. Back at your hotel enjoy a welcome drink
and discuss your tour.
Day 2: Glendalough
Monastery & Taylor’s Three Rock
This morning take a drive south
through the lovely Wicklow Mountains
to visit St.
Kevin’s 6th century monastery, picturesquely set in a
peaceful valley between two lakes. Walk through the ruined churches, round
tower and Celtic crosses. Return to Dublin
where the afternoon is free to take your independent open-top bus tour and
Guinness or Jameson visit. In the evening head to Taylor’s Three Rock Pub
for dinner and a great show of traditional music, songs and step-dancing.
(B,D)
Day 3: Rock of Cashel
& Historic Kinsale Walk
Depart Dublin and travel south to visit the Rock of Cashel, where Brian Boru
was crowned King of Munster in 977. See the 12th century
highly-decorated Cormac’s Chapel, the large
cruciform cathedral and a round tower. Continue past the Galtee Mountains and through the outskirts of Cork to Kinsale, a delightful old town on a narrow inlet of the
sea. Formerly a fishing and merchant town, today it is renowned for sailing
and gourmet food. Check in to your waterfront hotel and join a local guide
for a short
walking tour around Kinsale’s
historic places. (B,D)
Day 4: Muckross
House & Killarney
This morning drive via Macroom to Kenmare and along part of the Ring of Kerry
route for splendid views of lakes and mountains. Just outside Killarney tour
the 19th century Muckross House
with a guide to tell you about influential owners and visitors before heading
into the famous town for some free time. Continue your drive out along the Dingle Peninsula,
the most westerly landmass in Europe. Enjoy
views of heathery mountains, sandy beaches and rocky headlands. Check in to
your hotel, set overlooking Dingle
Bay. (B,D)
Day 5: Dingle Peninsula
& Gallarus Oratory
Today discover the glorious Dingle Peninsula, made famous by two movies,
“Ryan’s Daughter” and “Far & Away.” Drive
to Slea Head at the westernmost tip and tour the Blasket Experience
to learn about the Blasket Islands,
inhabited until 1953 by hardy farming and fishing families. Next visit Gallarus Oratory,
a small church dating from the 6th to 9th centuries. It
was built with corbel
vaulting and no mortar, but has remained watertight through the
centuries. Travel up to the Conor Pass
for sweeping views before returning to Dingle for some free time before
dinner. (B,D)
Day 6: Flying Boat Museum &
Cliffs of Moher
Visit the Foynes Flying Boat Museum,
near the River Shannon. During the 1930’s and early 1940’s, the Port of Foynes was a hive of activity with Pan Am’s Clipper traffic between the United States and Europe.
The museum’s exhibits and memorabilia recall this era. Travel through
the outskirts of Limerick on the way to Ennis, the main marketing town of County Clare, and check in to your centrally
located hotel. At 2:30 pm depart for the Cliffs of Moher,
a dramatic wall of rock that plunges to the Atlantic
Ocean. Return to Ennis for dinner with some informal
entertainment in your hotel. (B,D)
Day 7: Poulnabrone
Dolmen & Connemara Crystal
In Kilfenora
visit the Burren Display Centre to learn
about the Burren, an area of rounded limestone
hills. Then drive through the weathered hills, which contain ancient
monuments, especially dolmens. View the Poulnabrone Dolmen,
a Neolithic burial place dating to 4,000 BC. Stop for a look around the village of Ballyvaughan.
In Moycullen visit the Connemara Celtic Crystal Factory
to see a skilled glass cutter at work and learn about the symbolism of the
Celtic motifs. Drive into Galway to check in to your central hotel
overlooking Galway
Bay. (B,D)
Day 8: “Quiet Man”
Walking Tour & Catamaran cruise
Drive to the village of Cong
where “The Quiet Man” movie was made in 1952. A guided walk
will show you places that featured in the production. Drive through Connemara for sweeping views of misty mountains and
shimmering lakes. Embark on a short cruise of Killary
harbour. Enjoy an Irish coffee as you enjoy the
scenery. Keep an eye open for sea birds as you pass Salmon and mussel farms.
Make a brief stop at Kylemore Abbey visitor centre
before heading to Clifden, a delightful market town
set between the Twelve Bens and sandy bays before returning to Galway. (B,D)
Day 9: Museum
of Country Life & Belleek China
Outside Castlebar
visit the Museum
of Country Life. View collections of domestic goods, used in
everyday living from 1850 to 1950. Exhibits and a movie explain how country
people lived by farming. Make a brief stop in the pilgrimage town of Knock
and view W. B.
Yeats’ Grave, situated near the distinctive outline of Ben Bulben
Mountain in County Sligo. Continue to Belleek for a tour of the Belleek Pottery Factory,
founded in the mid-19th century to create employment. Drive to
Donegal town for your next overnight stop. (B,D)
Day 10: Slieve
League Cliffs & Donegal
Drive to the fishing port of Killybegs and on to Teelin
to view Slieve League sea cliffs, the
highest in Europe reaching 1,972 feet. The
cliffs drop straight down to the wild Atlantic waves creating marvellous views. Enjoy coffee or tea with home-baked
scones before driving through the majestic Glengesh Pass to Ardara.
Visit Triona Design to see demonstrations
of spinning, weaving and knitting. Return to Donegal town for free time
before returning to your nearby hotel. (B,D)
Day 11: Derry
Walk & Giant’s Causeway
Travel to Derry
for a walking
tour with a local guide to see the medieval city walls, the
Diamond and St. Columb’s Cathedral. Pause for
photos at the ruins of Dunluce
Castle before visiting the Giant’s
Causeway, enormous hexagonal columns formed by
volcanic activity over 60 million years ago. Continue south to experience
wonderful views of mountains, valleys and bays along the “Nine Glens of
Antrim.” Drive to your centrally-located hotel in Belfast. You will have time to take a walk
or you may like to visit the ornate Victorian bar, Crown Liquor Saloon, just
across the street. (B,D)
Day 12: Belfast & St. Patrick’s Burial
Site
Tour Belfast with a local guide to see Victorian
buildings, the Harland & Wolff shipyards where the Titanic was built and
the Falls Road and Shankill residential areas.
Drive south via the town of Newry and pass the
gentle slopes of the Mourne Mountains
to Kingscourt to your castle hotel, built in 1760.
Arrive mid-afternoon so that you will have time to enjoy the facilities and
ambience of your lovely hotel. You may like to play the 9-hole golf course.
After dinner in the Court Restaurant, enjoy youthful dancers display
intricate Irish
step-dancing. (B,D)
Day 13: Battle
of the Boyne Centre & River Liffey
Drive to Drogheda
to visit the Battle
of the Boyne Centre. Learn about the 1690 conflict between King
William III and his father-in-law, King James II, for dominance over the
British throne and religious power in Ireland. Then travel into Dublin and check in to
your hotel overlooking the River Liffey. You will
have the balance of the day at leisure so you may take an open-top bus tour and
visit Guinness or Jameson, if you did not use the vouchers at the start of
your tour. (B)
Day 14: Depart from Dublin Airport
Your hotel offers a shuttle service
to Dublin Airport every two hours starting at
7:20 am. So choose a suitable transfer time to arrive at the airport to check
in for your flight. If you need an earlier transfer, your tour escort will
arrange one for you. Then you’ll have an opportunity to shop at the
duty-free stores before boarding your flight for the journey home. (B)
Tour
runs 15 April – 22 October
Departure
days Friday only
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Tour Dates
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Prices
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15 April > 23 April
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$2980
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30 April > 24
September
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$3365
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1 October > 22
October
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$3075
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Australian
dollars per person twin share basis
Single
supplement $905
YOUR
TOUR INCLUDES
• Group
transfers on arrival and departure
• Sightseeing
by luxury coach throughout
• Dublin open-top bus tour
• Visit and a
drink at Guinness Storehouse or Old Jameson Distillery
• Services of
a professional Irish driver/guide
• Superior
first class hotels with private bath/shower for 13 nights
• 13 full
Irish breakfasts (B)
• 11 dinners
(D) including
- Dinner and traditional Irish
entertainment at Taylor’s
Three Rock Pub
- Dinner with music at the Temple Gate
Hotel in Ennis
- Dinner and Irish step-dancing display at Cabra Castle Hotel
- 8 table d’hôte dinners
• Welcome
get-together drink
• Tours of Dublin & Belfast
with local guides
• Walking
tours of Kinsale & Derry with local guides
• “The
Quiet Man” walking tour of Cong
• Catamaran
cruise of Killary Fjord.
• Slieve League Sea Cliffs followed by home-baked scones
with coffee or tea
• Visits and
admissions to Dublin Castle, Glendalough Visitor
Centre, Rock of Cashel, Muckross
House & Gardens, Blasket Experience, Gallarus Oratory, Foynes Flying
Boat Museum, Cliffs of Moher, Burren
Display Centre, Poulnabrone Dolmen, Connemara
Celtic Crystal Factory, Museum of
Country Life, Knock Shrine, W. B. Yeats’ Grave, Belleek
Pottery Factory, Triona Design, Giant’s
Causeway and Battle of the Boyne Centre
• Deluxe flight bag, ticket
wallet, luggage tags & strap
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All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage
for one suitcase per person
YOUR HOTELS
Stay
at the following (or similar):
Davenport
Hotel, Dublin (2 nights)
Trident
Hotel, Kinsale
(1 night)
Skellig Hotel, Dingle (2
nights)
Temple
Gate Hotel, Ennis (1 night)
Radisson
SAS Hotel, Galway (2 nights)
Millpark Hotel, Donegal (2
nights)
Europa Hotel, Belfast (1 night)
Cabra Castle Hotel, Kingscourt (1 night)
Clarion
IFSC Hotel, Dublin (1 night)
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