Hideaways and Backroads of Ireland

USA-Ireland.
Depart USA for overnight flight to Ireland. Dinner is served shortly after take-off.

Day 2
Shannon–Dingle. Morning arrival at Shannon Airport, where after clearing customs you meet your driver guide. You travel a short distance through Limerick, Ireland’s third largest city and home to author Frank McCourt, who wrote Angela’s Ashes. We enjoy a city tour before continuing on to Adare. Once voted the “prettiest town” in all of Ireland, Adare houses original thatched cottages, which are still in use today. The next stop is Tralee, where every August, the famous “Rose of Tralee” festival is held and some lucky maiden enjoys the crown for one year. We continue to Dingle. Our driver/guide checks us into our accommodations for a well-deserved rest. Enjoy an early dinner at one of the many popular restaurants in town. Overnight Dingle.

Dingle.
After breakfast, experience the true beauty of Ireland on this full-day tour to the breathtaking Dingle Peninsula. Traveling via Tralee and the Slieve Mish mountains, we will stop in the sleepy fishing village of Dingle before heading out to see Slea Head and its ominous views of the Blasket Islands. We then stop at Galarus Oratory, a perfect example of early Irish architecture. The Oratory was built in the shape of an inverted boat and claims to be completely watertight for over 1000 years. Along with the spectacular scenery of Slea Head, the Connor Pass is unequaled for its spectacular scenery depicting vast panoramas of lakes, mountains and the sea. At the summit of Connor Pass is an excellent view of Dingle Bay. . Overnight Dingle.

Dingle-Killarney-Waterville.
After breakfast we depart Dingle and travel via Inch Strand, a beach at the head of Castlemain Harbor, considered one of the best bathing beaches on the Peninsula. Many travelers recall this beach from the famous film, Ryan’s Daughter starring Sarah Miles and Robert Mitchum. As we continue on this road we travel through the town of Castlemain made famous as home of “The Wild Colonial Boy”. We then continue on to Killarney. Killarney is one of the largest visitor attractions in all of Ireland. Most noted for its scenic network of lakes and quaint small town hospitality. Our driver will takes us through this town we have some time to stop and browse this storybook town with its many shops, pubs, cathedrals and historic sights. Perhaps you will want to take an afternoon Jaunting Cart ride from the center of town to historic Muckross House and Gardens. We then travel southwest on The Ring of Kerry towards Waterville, former home of Charlie Chaplin, where time has really stood still. Overnight Waterville or Killarney.

Waterville–Kinsale.
We continue our back roads journey through Kenmare, down through Glengarriff past Bantry Bay and Bantry, where we stop for a visit. Bantry sits at the head of one of Ireland’s most beautiful bays. Its narrow streets lined with shops have changed very little over the last 100 years. We continue on to Skibbereen, made famous in the Johnny Cash song “Forty Shades of Green.” Next we visit the fishing village of Baltimore, where we stop for lunch (on own) and take in the beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean. After our stop, we journey along the southern coast of Ireland, with its unmatched back road scenery, to our final destination of Kinsale. Known as the Gourmet Capital of Ireland, Kinsale is truly a culinary delight set in a postcard fishing village. Your driver/guide will give you dinner suggestions—although one of our true favorites is the “Blue Haven” in the center of Kinsale. After dinner, browse the small cobblestone streets where many artisans make their home, producing photographs, paintings and sculpture. Overnight Kinsale.

Kinsale.
After breakfast we visit Charles Fort, overlooking Kinsale built around 1677. Enjoy spectacular views of Kinsale Harbor in the morning sun. Seven Miles south of Kinsale is Old Head, with its cliff top ruins Castle that overlook the spot where in 1915 a German Submarine sunk the Lusitania. This afternoon we travel east to nearby Cobh, home of The Cobh Heritage Center. The Center depicts emigration from Ireland to The United States and beyond during the mid 1800’s, the time of The Great Famine. Spend time in this moving exhibit tracing the steps where many Irish Americans journey to the new world began. Return to Kinsale for overnight.

Kinsale–Shannon Area.
Depart Kinsale and travel north through Cork City, where we enjoy a panoramic tour of this industrial town. Nearby we visit Blarney, with its famous 14th-century kissing stone and plentiful woolen mills. Make sure after shopping you enjoy a quick walk through this charming town as well as a pint at “Christy’s Pub.” We depart Blarney and travel north through Mallow, set on the Black Water River. This was a popular spa town in the mid-1880s. We continue on to the Shannon area, where we bid farewell to our driver/guide. This evening you can enjoy an optional Medieval Banquet at Bunratty Castle. Overnight Shannon area at The Bunratty Castle Hotel. Upon arrival we bid farewell to our Driver Guide who now seems like a member of our family.

Day 8
Shannon–USA.
We make our way on our own to Shannon Airport via taxi leaving plenty of time for last-minute duty-free shopping before boarding our flight home. Arrive home the same day.