ST. PATRICK'S DAY IRELAND TOUR SAMPLE ITINERARY: 2010 Itinerary TBA

Self-Improvement Holiday Itineraries coming soon for summer of 2009

1ST DAY: MARCH
Travel Day - Check with your airline for arrival times in Ireland! You must arrive at Shannon Airport by early the following morning. Past participants have come in a day earlier and stayed, at their own expense in the Shannon Airport area.

2ND DAY: MARCH
Arrive Shannon Airport by 10:00 a.m. A 24-passenger bus and experienced driver will be there to greet us. Once settled into the first quality accommocations, participants will have time to rest and refresh. Dromoland Castle was the ancestral seat of the O’Briens, direct descendants of Brian Boru, High King of Ireland in the 10th Century. The Castle itself dates back to the 1500s. This afternoon we will travel to the Bunratty area for shopping and/or visiting the Folk Park. The evening will find us at the famous Durty Nelly’s Pub for dinner and entertainment. Participants will then have the choice of retiring for the evening or taking in the nightly entertainment at Kathleen’s Pub nearby. Traditional Irish songs, harpist, guitarist, singers and dancers make for a memorable evening.

3RD DAY: MARCH
Begin your day with a full Irish Breakfast. Today we are off to the magnificent Cliffs of Moher. Participants will be able to view the crashing ocean below from a vantage point of 750 feet and on a clear day catch a glimpse of the Aran Islands. There is a small shop for souvenirs and snacks and a castle ruin at the top of the hill to explore. Mid afternoon we will travel through the rocky Burren area famous for its ancient rock formations. We will have lunch in Ballyvaughn. Here we will have a relaxing traditional Irish lunch at the Hyland’s Hotel. Time after lunch will provide participants the chance to get acquainted with this cozy fishing village near Galway Bay. Spend the evening at the Castle or in Bunratty Village.

4TH DAY: MARCH
Sleep in and enjoy a full Irish breakfast when you awake. We depart at 10:00 a.m. to carry us to the quaint village of Adare, considered to be one of the most picturesque villages in Ireland. We will have lunch in town and shopping in the traditional thatched cottages. After shopping and lunch we will enjoy a scenic drive to the town of Killarney at the start of the breath taking Ring of Kerry. Check into the Muckross Park Hotel, refresh, and join us downstairs for dinner and entertainment in the pub/restaurant. The Muckross Park Hotel is in the heart of the Killarney National Park and offers incredible views and abundant activities. In the town of Killarney you will fine shopping, restaurants, pubs and much more for your enjoyment. Spend some time in town or take a stroll across the street and enjoy the park and old abbey. For those in town the bus will bring you back to the hotel that evening. Horseback riding, jaunting carts, fishing, bicycling, golfing, and hiking are also available in this area.

5TH DAY: MARCH
Awake to a full Irish breakfast and choose your activity for the day. Enjoy an early morning carriage tour of Muckross House and Abbey. This afternoon we will enjoy a drive through the breathtaking Ring of Kerry. Before our tour we will have lunch and enjoy the beautiful setting at the Lake View Hotel. Along the route our bus will stop at the Red Fox Inn for a bathroom break and/or pint. We will also visit Waterville and stop for a quick break at Sneem. There will be time for many scenic photos at Lady’s View and Moll’s Gap. Back to Killarney for dinner and rest before the big day tomorrow.

6TH DAY: MARCH
Wake to a full Irish Breakfast on St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland. A leisurely morning. We will leave near noon to spend the afternoon in Killarney to participate in the Special Celebrations and parade. Have dinner in town and mingle with the locals.

7TH DAY: MARCH
Full Irish breakfast and an early check out. Travel to the Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone and gain the Gift of Eloquence. Next, we will enjoy lunch in a pub that has been frequented by many famous guests and is the birthplace of Guinness Beer; the Cashel Palace Hotel’s Guinness Bar. After a hearty lunch, we will visit the famous and astounding Rock of Cashel. This is an outcropping of limestone that reaches 200 feet into the sky, the “rock” tells the story of 16 centuries. It was the castled seat of the Kings of Munster at least as far back as A.D. 360, and remained a royal fortress until 1101 A.D., when King Murtagh O’Brien granted it to the church. Among Cashel’s many great moments was the legendary baptism of King Aengus by St. Patrick in 448 A.D. The views of and from the rock are spectacular and a 45 minute guided tour is available upon request. We will leave the rock and travel to Kinnitty Castle in County. Offaly, serving the public since 1209. The evening will be spent enjoying the castle and exploring the grounds. Kinnitty is set amongst the beautiful Slieve Bloom Mountains and offers horseback riding, hiking, clay pigeon shooting, falconry and fishing. Dinner is included at the Castle this evening.

8TH DAY: MARCH
The morning is open for individual activities, such as, falconry, horseback riding, archery, hiking or rest following a full Irish breakfast in the castle dinning room overlooking the lush great lawn. There will be an optional trip offered to Birr Castle to enjoy the gardens, with lunch in the village of Crinkle at the award-winning Thatch Restaurant and perhaps a stop at a local pub in the countryside, called Dan and Molly’s. The evening will find us on a horse drawn carriage on our way to the “The most haunted castle in Ireland” and the home of Sean and Ann Ryan. Sean is an incredibly talented tin whistler and Ann teaches the popular River Dancing. Unlike most medieval banquets, which tend to be on the touristy side, this medieval banquet is quainter, realistic, and held exclusively for our group. We will tour the castle and relish the entertainment and delicious homemade food for the evening. Participants will have the opportunity to purchase a CD of Sean‘s music to bring home as a souvenir.

9TH DAY: MARCH
Relax and enjoy your full Irish breakfast. Check out by 10:00 a.m. Lunch will be in Dublin. We will be staying at the Conrad Dublin within easy walking distance to the sites of the city of Dublin: shopping on Grafton Street, the Temple Bar area’s pubs, restaurants, music and Gogherty’s, Trinity College, and St. Stephen’s Green. Tonight we will be on The Literary Pub Tour at 7:30 p.m. The tour provides a good introduction to Dublin and its pubs where Irish writers and poets, such as Joyce, Yeats and Oscar Wilde often relaxed. Return to the Hotel to pack for home.