Including
DUBLIN * GLENDALOUGH * WATERFORD * BLARNEY
KILLARNEY* CLIFFS OF MOHER * GALWAY * SLIGO
DERRY * BELFAST * BOYNE VALLEY
Led by Chuck & Barbara Tudor
Dates:July 13 – 23, 2015
Price:$ 3,298 Per Person From Newark
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Includes:
Not Included:
SUMMARY OF OUR DAILY ACTIVITIES
Depart Newark Int’l Airport on board a United Airline’s flight to Dublin, Ireland. Full service on board.
Early arrival into Dublin airport. We will be met by our Driver/Guide and drive by private motorcoach into Dublin, taking in some of the iconic sites. This university and cathedral city has retained a great wealth of impressive classical buildings – Newman House, Lord Charlemont’s Casino, Trinity College, the National Gallery and Parliament House . We will leave Dublin and head for county Wicklow, famous for its gardens it is known as the garden of Ireland. We head to the beautiful Wicklow Mountains National Park to visit Glendalough – ‘Glen of the two lakes’ and its site. Here was once an ecclesiastical settlement founded by St Kevin in the 6th century. We continue our journey southwards to Waterford. We visit the famous Waterford Crystal and have a walking tour of this historic Viking port town. Overnight in Waterford.
This morning scenic journey along the south coast of Ireland stopping to visit the picturesque fishing villages of Youghal and Dungarvan. Continue to Cobh (pronounced ‘Cove’) in order to visit the Queenstown Heritage Center. We continue to Cork where we will visit the medieval Blarney Castle, and where you can kiss the famous ‘Blarney’ stone. Continue your journey through West Cork –Killarney at the heart of the famous National Park with its glorious lakes. Arrival into Killarney at the foot of Ireland’s highest mountain range -The Macgillycuddy Reeks. Dinner and overnight. (B,D)
Today we circle the Ring of Kerry, a 110-mile panorama of seacoast, mountain, and lake vistas. This was the dramatic setting for the film, Ryan’s Daughter. We’ll see Skellig Michael, a rocky pinnacle towering over the sea; enchanting villages like Kenmare, Waterville, Caherciveen, palm tree-lined Glenbeigh, and Irish-speaking Sneem, with houses painted in vibrant shades of blue, pink, yellow, and orange. Dinner and overnight. (B,D)
We leave Killarney this morning and head into County Clare to the Cliffs of Moher. Rising over 700 feet above the Atlantic and extending 5 miles along the coast, this is County Clare’s foremost natural wonder. We will have time to visit the visitor centre and viewing platform and take some time for lunch on our own. Our route then takes us through an amazing district called “The Burren.” The word means “rocky place,” and it fits; we are in a strange, moonscape-like region of bare limestone. Arrival into the lively heart of the West of Ireland, Galway city. Our orientation tour takes in Eyre Square, the Latin Quarter, Lynch’s Castle, the Spanish Arch built in 1584 to protect the harbor and 14th century St Nicholas Church, one of the oldest parishes in Ireland – reputed to be where Christopher Columbus prayed before his voyage to discover America. (B)
Today we travel northwards through county Sligo and county Donegal and into Northern Ireland. We visit Drumcliffe near Sligo where one of Ireland’s greatest poets W.B Yeats asked to be buried ‘Under Bare Ben Bulben’s head’ and in the churchyard a simple headstone marks the spot. Here in Drumcliffe Saint Columba founded a monastic settlement in AD 745 and we will see the remains of the lower portion of a round tower and an intricately sculptured Celtic cross and some interesting panels. We arrive into Derry This historic city has been renamed Derry /Londonderry – a sign of its chequered history since it was founded in the 6th century. This is the only completely walled city in Ireland and the British Isles. We will take a guided tour along the 17th century walls and learn about its colourful history including the Easter Rising of 1916 and Bloody Sunday. Dinner and overnight. (B,D)
This morning we drive along the coast to see one of the wonders of Ireland, a UNESCO designated natural site – the Giant’s Causeway. Here the incredible rock formations have been beaten by the waves into surreal shapes. We then make a stop at Bushmill’s Distillery before continuing our journey to Belfast (B)
Our tour of this much rejuvenated and thriving city with its fine architecture includes the grand City Hall, the magnificent neoclassical City Hall built of Portland stone, the modern glass structure of the Waterfront Hall arts venue, the Linen Hall Library and the majestic Belfast castle built in 1870, the Albert Memorial Clock – Belfast’s very own ‘Leaning Tower’, the Italianate Custom House, the Botanic Gardens Queen’s University. We will visit the newly opened Titanic Experience – a magnificent new museum built on the Titanic Quarter of Belfast, and the location of where the famous ship was built during Belfast’s ship building heyday. Remainder of the day at leisure (B)
Leave Belfast this morning and head southwards towards Dublin. We will visit the Hill of Tara en route. The name of Tara conjures up the spirit of Irish Celtic greatness – the hill of Tara achieved its great fame under the pagan High Kings of Ireland and continued to be significant after the introduction of Christianity until it was abandoned as seat of the High King in 1022. We will visit the ancient site as well as the audio-visual presentation at St Patrick’s church. We continue to the site of one of the world’s most important megalithic monuments at Newgrange or Knowth. Newgrange is one of the best examples of a passage grave in western Europe and one of the wonders of ancient Ireland – a passage burial tomb used in the Stone Age – around 3000 BC. The huge cairn of stones is surrounded by 12 of the estimated 38 original monoliths. After our visit we head to Dublin. (B)
This morning our local guide will introduce us to the best of the city on foot. We will see the Ha’penny Bridge , an iconic landmark in Dublin and walk through the cobbled quadrangles of Dublin University, the oldest university in Ireland, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I. We visit the Old Library of Trinity College, to see the ‘Book of Kells’, a gorgeously illuminated 8th century Latin Gospel book. Remainder of the day is at leisure to enjoy the unique ambience of this city perhaps visit the historic Guinness Store or Temple Bar or the Museum of Ireland. Enjoy a farewell to Ireland dinner with Irish music, dance, song and poetry (B,D)
After breakfast transfer to Dublin airport for our return flight to Newark where we arrive in afternoon of the same day.
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B = Breakfast L = Lunch D = Dinner
