Daily Adventures

Breakfast: In the hotel.Morning: Explore Dublin with an expert-led field trip of the city, including visits to St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Dublin Castle.Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.Afternoon: Free time to explore Dublin at your leisure. Your Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give advice.Dinner: A farewell dinner with an evening of traditional Irish music and song.Evening: Your farewell continues.

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Our last day 😟. We enjoyed a bus tour of Dublin with our guide for the morning, Philip. Phoenix park is huge and beautiful.
The city is home to 1.4 million people. It is the “London” of Ireland.
A tour of St Patrick’s Cathedral was next. Interesting factoid: George Frideric Handel practiced his Messiah on the organ here before the very first performance in the Musick Hall in Dublin on April 13, 1742.
Onward to Dublin Castle – also rich in history.
It was until 1922 the seat of the British government’s administration in Ireland. The next big attraction was Guinness! We had pre-booked the Connoiseur experience and what an experience it was! Two hours in a private bar with only 18 people and our guide/bartender – wow. We learned a lot and tasted a lot. We even learned how to properly pour a Guinness. On our walk to the hotel we stopped in the Irish Museum of Modern Art. Our evening ended with a farwell dinner at Union 8 restaurant including some traditional Irish music by Tara and Paddy. Emer has been such a wonderful host and guide these last 2.5 weeks; she was a delight. What a fabulous and memorable experience this has been – hard to say goodbye. Farewell, Ireland!

Breakfast: In the hotel.Morning: Board the motor coach for an expert led visit of Brú na Bóinne in nearby County Meath. Brú na Bóinne comprises the Neolithic burial chambers of Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth. Their survival through more than 5,500 years reflects the sophistication of their design and ingenuity of the Stone Age men who constructed them.Lunch: Served at Causey Farm.Afternoon: Spend the afternoon at Causey Farm, a family run cattle and sheep farm. Meet the family, stroll through the farm and discover the traditional practices of Irish farming.Dinner: In the hotel.Evening: At leisure.

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We slept in a bit due to the late evening. The first activity was the visit at Knoth at Brú na Bóinne in County Meath. It took archeologists 40 years to expose these impressive structures from over 5,000 years ago.The afternoon was absolutely delightful as we visited Causey Farm. Activities included traditional soda bread making demonstration (and consumption later), a hay ride, walking in a peat bog, milking a cow, visiting sheep, lambs, pigs, piglets, and geese.In the evening, Barb and I went to The Brazen Head, the oldest pub in Ireland – established in 1198!

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: We begin with a lecture on “Christian & Monastic Ireland”, before boarding the motor coach and departing for Glendalough. First established in the 6th Century, Glendalough is a Christian Monastic site magnificently situated in a glacial valley between two lakes.

Lunch: Served at a local restaurant in County Wicklow.

Afternoon: The field trip continues, before we return to the hotel.

Dinner: Le Bon Crubeen

Evening: Enjoy an evening on one of Dublin’s many renowned theatres.

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John Tighe, a student of medieval and monastic Ireland at Trinity College, gave a very informative (and humorous) talk to start the day.

We traveled to County Wicklow and had a light lunch in the most charming and interesting restaurant, the Wicklow Heather in Laragh. The owners have filled the walls with mementos and first edition books by Irish authors like James Joyce, WB. Yeats, and Bram Stoker.

On to Glendalough, a monastic site founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century. One of the most iconic structures around Ireland is the round tower – the one here is very rare in that it is still intact.

And then there was Mary, a little lamb 😊

Dinner at Le Bon Crubeen was excellent.

The evening ended with a play: an adaptation of James Joyce’s Ulysses at the Abbey Theater. Very interesting. We will leave it at that. 😄

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Depart by motor coach for Dublin, Ireland’s capital city and your final destination. On the way we’ll make a stop in the historic town of Lismore. Here we will have a short introductory walk from your Study Leader, before exploring Lismore Castle and Gardens.

Lunch: Enjoy a community hosted lunch in the town of Waterford.

Afternoon: This afternoon, we’ll visit the world-famous Waterford Crystal visitors centre, before the transfer to Dublin continues.

Dinner: In the hotel.

Evening: At leisure.

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Lismore Castle and Gardens was (were?} beautiful. Well, the grounds and gardens were beautiful and the outside of the castle was impressive – but you can’t go inside. Now you CAN rent a wing for 25,000 Euro per week.

On the grounds of the castle were two sections of the Berlin wall – and a very friendly rooster.

On to Waterford. After a nice lunch at the Tower Hotel we had a guided tour of the Waterford Crystal factory. Fascinating!

On to Dublin.

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: We begin with a talk and slide show, “A Ramble Down the Ol’ Bothrain”, before we depart by motor coach with a local expert to explore the Ring of Kerry. The Ring of Kerry is made up of spectacular coastal and mountain scenery, enveloping the towns of Glenbeigh, Cahersiveen, Waterville and Sneem.

Lunch: Served in Cahersiveen.

Afternoon: The field trip continues.

Dinner: In the hotel.

Evening: At leisure.

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Our breakfast at the hotel was one of the best so far and included capuccinos. The view is stunning.

Dennis Kissane, a local farmer, gave a wonderful talk from a rural view. He was also our guide as we traveled around the Ring of Kerry. Very informative and entertaining.

Amazing 360 degree vistas – no pictures would do it justice. So stunning!

Speaking of beautiful, after dinner in the hotel we took a stroll down to the lake.

Tomorrow morning we head to Dublin.

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: We depart Cork by motor coach for Killarney, via Blarney Castle – home of the famous Blarney Stone. Tradition dictates that the gift of eloquence is conferred on all those who kiss the stone!

Lunch: Served in Blarney.

Afternoon: We continue on to Killarney, and en-route we’ll enjoy a visit to Muckross House, a magnificent Victorian mansion spectacularly situated close to the eastern shore of Muckross Lake. As we arrive into the town, we’ll then have a short orientation walk around the local area.

Dinner: Three course served and plated dinner In the hotel.

Evening: At leisure.

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After another great coffee at the Bookshelf and breakfast at the hotel we left Cork behind and headed to Blarney Castle.

We both kissed the Blarney Stone! I swore I would never do such a thing and risk an unidentified lip fungus or worse. And we were concerned about the physical demands of the climb for Barb – but we made it and both kissed the stone.

We then travelled to the historic Muckross House in Killarney. No photos were allowed inside, but just imagine Downton Abbey. (We saw the rooms where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert stayed when they visited just months before Albert’s death.

No time to visit local pubs or breweries, but there is a nice pub here in the beautiful Lake Hotel with some local brews.

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: This morning we begin with free time to explore the fascinating city of Cork. Your Group Leader will be able to offer advice and give directions.

Lunch: Taken out at the Queenstown Centre, Cobh.

Afternoon: Regrouping before lunch at a pre-agreed location, we travel to Cobh by motor coach, where we will be treated to an expert-led walk of this attractive port town, followed by a visit to the Queenstown Story exhibition. Here we retrace the steps of 2.5 million adults and children who emigrated from Ireland on coffin ships, early steamers and finally on the great liners.

Dinner: Dinner will be taken with local host families in the surrounding area.

Evening: Spend some time this evening getting an insight into life in a modern Irish home as you enjoy dinner with your host family.

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We started our free morning in Cork with a visit to the delightful coffee shop across the street from our hotel. The Bookshelf was once a library and now serves gourmet coffee.

We ate an F. I. B. back at the hotel including some fresh honeycomb.

With a few hours to ourselves we strolled the downtown streets of Cork and visited many shops. I bought a Bb penmywhistle in a great little music shop and had a pint of Beamish stout at the Welcome Inn (full of locals).

Lunch was a treat at Market Lane. I had a delicious Irish red ale called Wisdom Ale from Elbow Lane Brewery (right next door … but alas, it was not yet open).

At 2:00 PM we boarded the bus for Cobh (pronounced Cove) and visited the Heritage Center and had a very engaging tour of the town.

This was the last port of call for the Titanic as it headed out into the Atlantic on its fateful voyage in April 1912. There is much tribute to the ship, the crew, and her passengers.

We became truly immersed in Irish life as we joined Teresa in her home up on the hill. She was born and raised in Cobh and her children and grandchildren live there.

She served us a delicious home-cooked Irish dinner followed by dessert, coffee, and Jameson Irish whiskey. What a magical day!

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: We board the motor coach to transfer to the city of Cork. En route we will experience the Burren. We will meet a local expert (Maria) who will lead us through one of the largest karst limestone landscapes in Europe, stopping for a short hike on its moon-like terrain. Next, we will stop to take in the natural wonders of the world-famous Cliffs of Moher, with time to linger by the cliffs which rise like a cathedral into the sky some 700 feet above the wild Atlantic Ocean.

Lunch: Lunch will be taken at the Cliffs of Moher cafe.

Afternoon: We continue on to Cork City. Ireland’s second largest city, Cork was founded in the 7th Century and is today a bustling, lively little city.

Dinner: Three course served and plated dinner In the hotel.

Evening: At leisure.

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We finally opted for a lighter breakfast of yogurt and granola to give our arteries a break. No photo needed.

Burren was surreal. So quiet, natural, and intoxicating.

Part of Princess Bride (among other films) was captured at the Cliffs of Moher. Breathtaking in scope and grandeur it is a must for any visit to the Emerald Isle.

Tomorrow we will have adventures in Cork and in Cobh.

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Take in an informative lecture on “The Celts and the West of Ireland”, followed by an expert-led walking orientation of Galway City in the company of a local historian.

Lunch: Served in a traditional Irish restaurant, Ard Bia on the river at Spanish Arch.

Afternoon: Free time.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Evening: At leisure.

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Great lecture on the Celtic world by Cian Marnell. Tour of the medieval walls and the city was also quite enlightening.

After a delicious light lunch the rest of the day was free. After some shopping and a couple pub stops (Murphy’s and King’s Head) I went to Salt House. Oh my – great craft beers from their own brewery (Galway Bay Brewery). I wish I had found them two days earlier!

Alas – We leave the Celtic heart of Ireland and all the street musicians behind in the morning.

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Today we travel by motor coach for a full day exploring Connemara. A broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway, Connemara has long been regarded as the real emerald of Ireland. Expect to see Cong and Kylemore Abbey – the oldest Benedictine abbey in Ireland.

Lunch: Served in Kylemore Abbey.

Afternoon: We continue on to explore the sleepy seaside villages of Connemara, stopping at Lough Inagh Lodge in the village of Recess. Enjoy the opportunity to try an Irish Coffee in this beautiful old hunting lodge, nestling on the shores of Lake Inagh. Our day continues with a visit to the award winning Cnoc Suain Heritage Centre for an insight into the rural folklore, traditions and way of life in the west of Ireland, as well as enjoying an Irish coffee demonstration.

Dinner: Served at Alan Cruiscin Lan in the village of Spiddal.

Evening: Return to Galway by motor coach after dinner, followed by free time.

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Breakfast…oh, yes: F.I.B.

What a beautiful, educational, and fun day! We we climbed and wound from the Atlantic shire into the mountains. We drank in the most lush (40 shades of green) landscapes composed of trees, grass, peat bogs, fjords, lakes, rivers, castles, sheep, cathedrals.

The Kylemore castle/abbey is almost fairytale in its dreamy setting.

Next up was a stop at Lough Inagh Lodge for a hilarious and tasty lesson in making Irish coffee.

CLICK HERE to watch the video.

We experienced life where it had stood still for hundreds of years at the Cnoc Suain Heritage site. We tasted indigenous foods, listened to the lovely Irish language in poem and song. We learned to dance and listened to wonderful folk music by a local musician (I even got to play a tune with him!).

Photos / videos cannot begin to do the day justice. Your senses need to be bathed in the plethora of mesmerizing stimuli. The colors, contrasts, aromas, sounds and silences, flavors,

And the sheep. Lots of adorable sheep! (Factoid: there are 4 million people in Ireland and 8 million sheep.)

Still in awe of beautiful sunsets after 10:00 PM.