Ireland Tours
At the moment there is an unprecedented interest in Ireland and in Irish things. Irish films, actors, singers and bands have been to the fore over the past decade. The success of Riverdance and other productions have brought Irish culture to many parts of the globe. 
Irish voices are welcome on television and radio throughout the UK and North America. Irish literature is respected and widely read. There has been a resurgence of interest in the Irish language, Irish traditional music and Irish dancing; people are proud of their Irish roots. Ireland has moved to "center stage".
Sample Ireland Tour - 12 days
Day 1: Overnight flight to Ireland
Day 2: Transfer to your hotel Killarney. (Cill Airne: The Church of the Sloes,) This was a Church foundation from the 5th or 6th Century, a house settlement began here around 1500. Killarney itself is a hub of activity with colourful laneways and busy streets. You can take a ride on a horse drawn Jaunting Car (as seen in the movie ‘The Quite Man‘.
Day 3: Tour of the Ring of Kerry. The Ring of Kerry is part of the mystical and unspoilt region of Ireland that has attracted visitors for years. It gives one an amazing insight into the ancient heritage of Ireland. You will cross to Valencia Island from where the first transatlantic communications cable went to America. Next will be Waterville where Charlie Chaplin had his vacation each year.
Day 4: Tour of Dingle and Slea Head Drive.
You will tour the beautiful Dingle Peninsula stopping in Dingle and Gallarus Oratory, a 1200 year old Church complete and still watertight today.
There is no other landscape in Western Europe with the density and variety of archaeological monuments as The Dingle Peninsula.
This mountainous finger of land which juts into the Atlantic Ocean has supported various tribes and populations for almost 6,000 years. Because of the Peninsula’s remote location and lack of specialised agriculture, there is a remarkable preservation of over 2,000 monuments.
Day 5: The Blarney Castle is your first stop today, this is where the Blarney Stone is, and the rest is up to you. You will visit the Blarney Woollen Mill, probability the best gift shop in Ireland. On the return journey there will be an opportunity to photograph the cannons at Macroom.
Day 6: Leaving Killarney and after sailing across the mouth of the River Shannon you will visit The Burren, in the west coast county of Clare, attracts visitors from all over the world to view its stark limestone expanses, which hold many natural and man-made curiosities. While the virtually treeless landscape, almost lunar in places, can seem barren and lifeless, its rocky clefts provide niches which support a surprising diversity of wildlife, much of it rare.
One of Cromwell's generals recounted its apparent emptiness: "Of the barony of Burren it is said that it is a country where there is not water enough to drown a man, wood enough to hang one, nor earth enough to bury him." But it has been designated as one of the Republic's six national parks and is valued as a national treasure.
Galway City is one of the most chilled out spots in Western Europe. Despite being a city, it feels like a big town in County Galway Known as the City of the Tribes, after the 14 affluent tribes who ruled during the middle ages, this thriving city is the most westerly in Ireland and enjoys a strong artistic heritage and a flourishing arts, music, theatre and film scene.
Summer in Galway is a never-ending stream of excellent festivals and eating, drinking and entertainment all taking place outdoors in the balmy air of this warm-hearted city. Enjoy the atmospheric pubs in this West of Ireland city, the beautiful location at the edge of Galway Bay and the pretty medieval streets
Day 7: Tour of Commemara and Cong (where the movie The Quite Man was made). Connemara has long been regarded as the real emerald of Ireland. The natural terrain and unspoilt environment offers the visitor a wonderland of sights, experiences, adventure and the warmth and friendliness of the people is the very essence of Ireland. There are some very nice small towns and gift and craft stores we will stop at some of the best.
Galway City is one of the most chilled out spots in Western Europe. Despite being a city, it feels like a big town in County Galway Known as the City of the Tribes, after the 14 affluent tribes who ruled during the middle ages, this thriving city is the most westerly in Ireland and enjoys a strong artistic heritage and a flourishing arts, music, theatre and film scene.
Summer in Galway is a never-ending stream of excellent festivals and eating, drinking and entertainment all taking place outdoors in the balmy air of this warm-hearted city. Enjoy the atmospheric pubs in this West of Ireland city, the beautiful location at the edge of Galway Bay and the pretty medieval streets
Day 8: Free Day in Galway. Galway City is one of the most chilled out spots in Western Europe. Despite being a city, it feels like a big town in County Galway Known as the City of the Tribes, after the 14 affluent tribes who ruled during the middle ages, this thriving city is the most westerly in Ireland and enjoys a strong artistic heritage and a flourishing arts, music, theatre and film scene.
Summer in Galway is a never-ending stream of excellent festivals and eating, drinking and entertainment all taking place outdoors in the balmy air of this warm-hearted city. Enjoy the atmospheric pubs in this West of Ireland city, the beautiful location at the edge of Galway Bay and the pretty medieval streets
Day 9: Leaving Galway we will travel over to the East Coast and visit Newgrange. The Megalithic Passage Tomb at Newgrange was built about 3200 BC. The kidney shaped mound covers an area of over one acre and is surrounded by 97 kerbstones, some of which are richly decorated with megalithic art. The 19 metre long inner passage leads to a cruciform chamber with a corbelled roof. It is estimated that the construction of the Passage Tomb at Newgrange would have taken a work force of 300 at least 20 years.
Day 10: The Antrim Coast Road, described as the most scenic rote in the British Isles, the Antrim coast Road closely follows the coast with the sea on the side and for the most part, towering cliffs on the other intersected with glens, waterfalls and small villages. Sandy beaches and little harbours abound. Colonies of birds line the cliffs. To geologists and archaeologists this is a rich hunting ground along its 50 miles examples can be found of nearly every kind of rock formation, glacial deposits, raised beaches flints etc.
The Glens of Antrim are completely un-spoilt and of outstanding natural beauty. The landscape is dominated by a high plateau cut by deep glens which sweep eastward to the sea. Above all it is an area of contrasts; gentle bays are separated by blunt headlands, exposed moorlands give way to gentle valleys, wide vistas to enclosed farm lands. No visit to Ireland would be complete without visiting The Giants Causeway, a World Heritage Site.
The "Old Bushmills" Distillery is the world's Oldest Licensed Whisky Distillery and has been legally producing Irish Malt Whisky since 1608 when Sir Thomas Phillips was empowered to issue licenses by King James I. Although as early as the 13th century, there is mention of Uisce Beatha - The Water Of Life in Gaelic. Daily tours illustrate how the golden liquid is produced, and after, there's the opportunity to sample!!!
Dunluce Castle The castle, as seen today dates largely from the 16th and 17th centuries built by the MacDonnell’s, however the outer walls with round towers are attributed to being built in the 14th century by the MacQuillans. The Castle can only be reached over a bridge which now replaces the original rocky connection. The bridge leads to the "New" Scottish style gatehouse built after the original was destroyed by cannon in 1584 by the Lord Deputy of Ireland, Sir John Perrot. The two openings in the old gatehouse wall were for cannon that Sorely Boy MacDonnell salvaged from the wrecked Spanish Armada Galleon ship the Girona which sank nearby due to storms in 1588.
The Castle remains include a Manor House Built in the 1630s This had a Great Hall with two fireplaces and three bow windows The Kitchen Court complex, part of which fell into the sea in 1639 during a dinner killing many of the kitchen staff, also contained a workshop on the ground floor with accommodation above. In the north east Tower, one of the two defensive Towers in the outer wall lays the entrance to a concealed tunnel offering escape to the beach.
Day 11: Free Day in Dublin. As with Paris, London and so many other cities throughout the world, a large river runs right through the heart of Dublin. The River Liffey splits the city into the 'north-side' and the 'south-side', and all major attractions are within walking distance in this compact area. Two canals, the Grand Canal in the south and the Royal Canal in the north, form semicircular arcs around the centre. To the north of the river, the most notable Dublin streets are O'Connell Street, which is the major shopping area, leading to Parnell Square and Gardiner Street.
To the north of the River Liffey is the popular and trendy area of Temple Bar, where you will find a large concentration of pubs, restaurants, cafés, shops and art galleries. As evening approaches and the shops begin to close, Dublin's Temple Bar transforms into an exciting party hotspot with a very friendly atmosphere. Nearby is the well-known Trinity College and Grafton Street, full of large, exclusive shops. To the south there are many truly wonderful examples of Georgian houses, stately homes and elegant parks.
Day 12: Transfer to Dublin Airport for your flight home.