Mark Clavey, Hugh Morrison, Linda Relph, and Jonathan Ramsey invite you to JOIN US for eight fantastic, fun-filled days in Ireland as we explore the country through the lens of, and pay homage to, what was once the most popular drink in the world - Uisce Beatha, "the water of life". And in the meantime, take in the splendor and magnificence of some of Ireland's most famous sites.
You know you've been wanting and waiting to do this! And you don't have to be a whiskey-lover to love this tour! And neither do your friends!
The tour runs October 17th-25th... with such highlights as:
- nine nights accommodations in 3- and 4-star hotels as follows (or similar), with one night at the Camden Court Hotel in Dublin, one night at the Europa Hotel Belfast, two nights at the Abbey Hotel in Donegal Town, two nights at the Bridge House Hotel in Tullamore, and two more nights at the Camden Court Hotel back in Dublin;
- full Irish breakfast daily except Arrival Day;
- two dinners with the group - a “Meet-and-Greet” Dinner at the Europa Hotel Belfast, and a “Farewell Dinner” at the Camden Court Hotel;
- admission to all scheduled attractions: the Giants Causeway, the Old Bushmills Distillery, Donegal Castle, the Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery,
Clonmacnoise, a Whiskey Tasting at Sean’s Bar, the Kilbeggan Distillery, a Whiskey Tasting at the Camden Court Hotel, and the Pearse Lyons Distillery; - and sessions most nights featuring the music of Hugh Morrison, Linda Relph, Jonathan Ramsey, and Mark Clavey.
All for the modest LAND ONLY price of $2899.00!
Click to PLACE DEPOSIT - $250.00
(More information available in this tour-flyer.)
Day 1
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17
Arrive in Dublin
Arrange your travel plans as leisurely as you'd like to arrive in Dublin, perhaps amble about town, and make your way to the City Centre's Camden Court Hotel. Let the hustle and bustle of international travel fade away with a relaxed evening there. Enjoy dinner in the hotel restaurant (or at Darwin's right around the corner). Rise and shine the next morning, ready to kick off the tour after breakfast at the hotel!
Dinner is on your own. Overnight at the Camden Court Hotel.
DAY 2
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18
Dublin to Belfast
We meet the group over breakfast, then board the bus and off we go! Leaving the hotel, we head north through Counties Meath and Louth to Belfast half a day away.
Reaching Newry Town, we divert eastward, coming to Downpatrick and our first stop at Down Cathedral. Dating back to 1183, and restored between 1790 and 1818, the Cathedral is the burial place of Saint Patrick, Saint Brigid, and Saint Columba. Sitting atop Cathedral Hill and overlooking the town, the Cathedral is dedicated to the Holy Trinity.
Leaving Downpatrick, we complete our drive into Belfast, check-in at the world-famous Europa Hotel Belfast, superbly located in the heart of the city. You're left to your own devices for the rest of the afternoon... but don't wander too far afoot as we'll be having an official ‘Meet-and-Greet’ Dinner at the hotel.
And for some extra-curricular fun… after dinner, treat yourself to a pint (or two) at either Robinson's or The Crown right across the street.
‘Meet-and-Greet’ Dinner with the group and overnight at the Europa Hotel Belfast.
DAY 3
MONDAY, OCTOBER 19
Giant's Causeway and Old Bushmills Distillery
Moving Day today.
After breakfast, we bid adieu to Belfast and make our way to North Antrim’s Bushmills for two outstanding visits.
Our first visit is to the basalt cliffs along the sea coast on the north edge of the Antrim plateau to see the Giant's Causeway – the volcanic marvel with its 40,000 interlocking basalt columns jutting out of the sea and forming the legendary causeway, built (according to legend) by the Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill. (Fun Fact: The real credit goes to 50,000,000-year-old volcanic activity.)
From there, we return to the nearby village of Bushmills for lunch. Then, for our second visit, we take a very short jog to the Old Bushmills Distillery – whose license reportedly dates back to Sir Thomas Phillips in 1608, granted by James I. The company that originally built the distillery is much younger, dating back to the enterprise of Hugh Anderson in just 1784.
Then we take to the road once more, push on to Donegal Town – where the River Eske meets Donegal Bay and all are overshadowed by the Blue Stack Mountains. We check-in at the Abbey Hotel – perfectly located to enjoy the beauty the County has to offer and within minutes of the Wild Atlantic Way. The rest of the afternoon is yours.
Dinner is on your own. Overnight at the Abbey Hotel.
DAY 4
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20
Donegal and Ardara
After a full Irish breakfast, we take a two-minute walk to tour the stunning Donegal Castle, first mentioned in 1544 in connection with the wars between the sons of MacSweeney Doe. By 1600, it had been captured and taken over by Eoghan Og MacSweeny, an ally of the English, who was unsuccessfully besieged there by his brother Rory in 1601.
Then we pile on the bus and drive to Ardara – “the best village in which to live in Ireland” (per The Irish Times, 2012). We’ll have lunch in Ardara, and then walk around the corner to visit the Triona Donegal Tweed Visitor Centre, see how Irish wool is made, and engage in some retail therapy with some of the most beautiful woolens you’ve ever seen.
Then we drive back to Donegal Town where you'll have the rest of the day to yourself. Meander around “the Diamond”, soak in its storybook-charm, and indulge yourself with a second round of retail therapy. Drop in at the Olde Castle Bar and have a pint. Stroll along the picturesque River Eske. Explore the ruins of the Franciscan priory of Donegal Abbey.
Dinner is on your own. Overnight at the Abbey Hotel.
DAY 5
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21
Carrowmore and Tullamore
Moving Day today.
After breakfast, it's moving day again and we make our goodbyes to Donegal Town, venturing southwest through Sligo and on to the Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery – the largest cemetery of megalithic tombs in Ireland, and also among the country's oldest, with tombs and monuments dating from 4300-3500 BC. Archaeologists have recorded over 60 tombs, of which 30 are visible.
From Carrowmore, we drive southeast across Sligo and Roscommon until we come to “the Great Highway” at Athlone, and then head east and south coming, finally, into Tullamore – County Offaly’s market-town that sits on the Grand Canal. We check into the Bridge House Hotel, then the remains of the day are yours.
Dinner is on your own. Overnight at the Bridge House Hotel.
DAY 6
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22
Clonmacnoise and Sean's Bar
Today’s adventure involves a 45-minute jaunt across County Offaly to the ruins of St Ciarán’s 6th-century monastery of Clonmacnoise (Cluain Mhic Nóis, “the meadow of the sons of Nós”) on the east bank of the River Shannon where it was once crossed by Slighe Mhór ("the Great Highway").
The ruins include a cathedral, seven churches, two round towers, three high crosses and a large collection of early-Christian grave slabs. It’s strategic location on Slighe Mhór helped it become a major center of religion, learning, craftsmanship, and trade. It was one of the most famous places in Ireland, and many of the high kings of Tara and Connacht were buried here.
When we're done, we head northeast, retracing our steps to Athlone for some lunch, and then a visit to and Sean's Bar - officially recognized by the Guinness World Records as “Ireland’s Oldest Pub”. They'll be hosting a Whiskey-Tasting where they'll school us in Ireland's techniques of distilling whiskey (which originated in Clonmacnoise) and ply us with some of Ireland's finest drams! Then we return to Tullamore.
Dinner is on your own. Overnight at the Bridge House Hotel.
DAY 7
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23
Kilbeggan Distillery and Dublin
Moving day today.
For the final time, we make our farewells to Tullamore and take to the road once more. As we make our return to Dublin, we come to the town of Kilbeggan (from Cill Bheagáin, “the church of St Bécán”).
Once there, we visit the Kilbeggan Distillery – the oldest licensed distillery of its kind in Ireland. Founded in 1757, our second distillery spent the next 200 years making a whiskey beloved the world over. And when tough times ground its gears to a halt, rather than have their famous smokestack reduced to a monument, the town came together to save the whiskey that built the town.
Afterwards, we have lunch and then make our way to Ireland’s 1,000-year-old city of Dublin. Once we arrive, we return to the Camden Court Hotel (yes, THAT Camden Court Hotel) and check-in, and then the lion's share of the afternoon is at your disposal. But don’t wander too far afoot as we reconvene at the hotel in the late-afternoon for our second Whiskey Tasting, and then you’re free to check out the Dublin dinner-scene and night-life.
Dinner is on your own. Overnight at the Camden Court Hotel.
DAY 8
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24
Pearse Lyons Distillery and a Free Day In Dublin
Be sure to eat a hearty breakfast before a day full of exploring Dublin!
The day starts with a 5-minute walk to church… specifically the Church of St James in Dublin’s historic Liberties – which church so happens to now be the site of the Pearse Lyons Distillery and is a home worthy of the spirit it embodies.
After this perfectly-soulful start to the day, the rest of the day is yours to take in Dublin! DoDublin’s Hop-On/Hop-Off Bus Pass (the Green Bus) is the ideal way to see the whole of Dublin, get acquainted and see the sights, and enjoy live commentary from their Fáilte Ireland trained drivers. Be sure to see the magnificent Dublin Castle, the beautiful St Patrick’s Cathedral or Christchurch Cathedral (or both!), the history-laden GPO Museum on O’Connell Street, the Kilmainham Gaol Museum, the picturesque St Stephen's Green, and the Long Hall and Book of Kells exhibits at Trinity College. Experience Viking and Medieval Dublin at Dublinia. Enjoy a pint at the Guinness Storehouse or the Brazen Head–the oldest pub in Dublin. And if you haven’t had enough of whiskey by this time, check out the Teeling Distillery, the Jameson Bow Street Distillery, or the Dublin Liberties Distillery, or even the Irish Whiskey Museum.
Then wrap up your day and the tour with the group at a Farewell Dinner at the hotel.
“Farewell Dinner” with the group and overnight at the Camden Court Hotel.
DEPARTURE DAY
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25
Departure Day
Our final Moving Day today.
After breakfast at the hotel, we transfer to the Dublin Airport for your flights home. (Or take advantage of being in Ireland and tack on a few days of extra sightseeing as it suits you!)
In either case… in the true Irish Tradition, we wish you a “Safe Home!”
