FAIRYTALE IRELAND

You made it! Make your way to the first hotel of our trip, settle in and if you have the time go for a stroll around Dublin. We’ll gather early in the evening to meet the group and our Local Insider, before whisking off to Merry Ploughboy Pub for a proper Irish welcome. This 200 year-old pub is where we’ll go for our customary welcome dinner, followed by a pint or two of Guinness and a night of traditional Irish music and dance.

After breakfast, our Local Insider will give you the ultimate guide to Dublin city centre on an immersive walking tour. You’ll be taken on a journey through the storied streets of a city famed for its friendliness, its drinking establishments and its world-renowned writers – the latter two crossover quite a bit. We’ll start at the Monument of Light, head across the River Liffey and over to Trinity College. You’ll walk down Temple Bar, see Dublin Castle and end up on St Stephen’s Green, Dublin’s largest park. After a gentle stroll or some people watching, you’ll have an afternoon to spend as you wish. We recommend heading to the Guinness Storehouse, where you can learn all about the Black Stuff and end up with a freshly pulled pint from the Gravity Bar, which boasts 360 views of the city.

After breakfast we’ll leave Dublin behind and begin our road trip by heading west. Over the course of the day we’ll cross the entire width of the Emerald Isle and reach Galway, a city on the Wild Atlantic Way. We’ll stop en route at Clonmacnoise Monastery, which is about halfway between the two cities. This 6th-century site, founded by St Ciarán on the banks of the River Shannon, is one of the most historic spots in all of Ireland. It became a great seat of learning and religious activity for centuries, and remains in surprisingly good shape today. After gaining fascinating insight into early Ireland, we’ll continue onwards to our hotel in Galway. After check-in at lunchtime and some free time in the city we’ll take a scenic drive to the beautiful village of Doolin, where you can marvel at the epic, iconic Cliffs of Moher from Doolin Pier.

In this part of the world, things don’t get more authentic than in the expansive green fields of a rural sheep farm. So, in search of the real Ireland, that’s where we’re headed this morning. We’ll visit a traditional working farm in the Connemara mountains, which has been passed down through generations. Today it is home to around 200 ewes and lambs, and we’ll start the day by meeting farmer Tom and joining him and his sheep dog to go herding. After that we’ll go for a scenic stroll through the grounds, which boasts spectacular sweeping views of Killary Fjord and the mountain ranges beyond. After that you’ll try your hand at bog-cutting with a slean (a traditional turf spade), a century-old method of harvesting peat. Leaving farmer Tom to his work, we’ll continue our exploration of Connemara with a visit to the magnificent Kylemore Abbey and Gardens. This is one of the most admired buildings in Ireland, with a neo-gothic exterior standing out against the backdrop of Connemara’s wild and beautiful mountains, woodlands and lakes.

Today is time to explore the epic coastline of the Wild Atlantic Way. Brutal and beautiful in equal measure, Ireland’s west coast is a blend of towering cliff faces, relentlessly battered by Atlantic waves, and moments of tranquility on secret beaches and uninhabited islands. We’ll head straight to Scattery Island this morning, before our journey culminates with a lovely ferry ride through the lock gates of Kilrush Marina and down the Shannon Estuary. Back on solid ground, you’ll embark on a guided walking tour with a local guide, who’ll show you an amazon 5th-century monastic site and imposing round tour. After that it’s time for a well-earned island picnic (gourmet style), as you dine al fresco with gorgeous views of the Atlantic. Refueled and ready to go, we’ll head to the south of the island for a visit to the Lighthouse, Napoleonic Artillery Battery and the homes of the final islanders who lived here, as recently as 1974. Back on the mainland, we’ll road trip south, all the way to our hotel in Cork.

This morning we visit one of the most famous places in all of Ireland – Blarney Castle. This magical old fortress is brimming with history, mystery and a fair bit of romance – you’ll embrace the latter with a chance to kiss the Blarney Stone, an act which is said to imbue you with the “gift of the gab”. After exploring the castle we’ll stop off for some free time in the city of Kilkenny, before looping up our road trip by returning to Dublin. In the capital we’ll head for a farewell dinner at Café en Seine, one of Dublin’s most iconic venues.

Sadly, our Irish odyssey has come to end back in the capital. You’ll have breakfast at the hotel and then it’s time to part ways. The question is, will you head straight to the airport or continue your Celtic adventure solo?