Round Ireland Tour

Today we depart Dublin for Waterford passing through County Wicklow known as the Garden County of Ireland, with a stop at Powerscourt Gardens one of the most beautiful in Ireland & recently voted No 3 in the world by National Geographic. As we push south over The Sally Gap and The Peat bogs of the Wicklow Mountains to Kilkenny.

• Overnight Kilkenny

We start today with a tour of Kilkenny once Irelands medieval capitol, the city has a rich medieval heritage from Kilkenny Castle to St Canices Cathedral. The Smithwicks brewery is worth a stop. After lunch on to Waterford stopping at the crystal centre, the city has been producing crystal since 1783.Then on to the coastal village of Ardmore.

• Overnight Ardmore

On to Kinsale via Waterford’s copper coast which enjoys the status of a UNESCO Global Geopark, essentially an outdoor geological museum.Then stopping at The Jameson Distillery in Midleton. Then Cobh formerly known as Queenstown from where over 2.5 million people emigrated to The United states. Then on to Kinsale one of the most picturesque resorts of the South west of Ireland & a favourite of seafood enthusiasts.

• Overnight Kinsale

We start today at Charlesfort a star shaped fort over looking Kinsale Harbour & dating back to the late 1600s. Then we follow The Wild Atlantic Way through West Cork and the towns of Clonakilty birthplace of Michael Collins, Glandore, Skibbereen then dropping over The Caha Pass into Kenmare, your home for two nights.

• Overnight Kenmare

The Ring of Kerry is a mystical & unspoilt peninsula that has attracted visitors for hundreds of years. The Ring provides an amazing insight into Ireland’s ancient heritage, with Iron age forts, Ogham Stones, Old Monasteries & a landscape shaped by the Atlantic Ocean. Not forgetting the lesser travelled Skellig Ring.

• Overnight Kenmare

Today we travel through North Kerry passing Tralee and on to Tarbert for the ferry, crossing The River Shannon into County Clare. Hugging The Atlantic Coast we drive onto Kilkee and a walk along the cliffs. Then onto Lahinch.

• Overnight Lahinch

The Cliffs of Moher today. Stretching for 5 miles and standing over 700ft, they take their name from a ruined promptly fort Mothar. Then on through The Burren famous for its unique rock formations & exceptional diversity of flora & Fauna. There are also large numbers of historic sites in The Burren. We drive on through Ballyvaughen & Kinvara to Galway.

• Overnight Galway

We make our way along the northern shore of Galway Bay into Connemara, one of the most beautiful, unspoilt places its possible to find. Connemara has long been regarded as the real emerald of Ireland. From Clifden we take The Sky Road to Kylemore Abbey built in 1868 & refugee to The Benedictines sisters who arrived at Kylemore when their abbey was destroyed in the early days of WWI. Killary Harbour brings us into County Mayo, Clew Bay & Westport.

• Overnight Westport

Today we follow The Wild Atlantic Way along the North coast of Mayo to the unique Ceide Fields, a 5,500 year-old Neolithic site. We cross into Sligo at Enniscrone & Yeats country at Drumcliff, you can find his grave, with the inscription “cast a cold eye on life, on death, horseman, and pass by.” Lissadell House is close by were the Irish rebel Constance Markievicz and the suffragette Eva Gore-Booth: sisters who grew up here.On to Donegal.

• Overnight Donegal

Travelling west along the Donegal Coast to Slieve League, one of the highest and finest marine cliffs. On through Ardara, Glenties & Glenveagh National Park. The stunning surroundings are reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands, while the splendid castle and gardens are well worth a tour. Bed tonight in Rathmullan.

• Overnight Rathmullan

The Causeway coast today, passing through Derry a city with a turbulent past its city walls were never breached. Dunluce Castle looking over the North Atlantic and then a whiskey tasting at Bushmills distillery. Before the iconic Giants Causeway with 40,000 hexagonal-shaped pillars (give or take) which date back almost 60 million years.

• Overnight Bushmills

Continuing along The North Antrim Coast and if you have a head for it Carrick a Rede rope bridge. Continuing along the Antrim coast to The City of Belfast founded in 1603 for Scots & English settlers. Home port of the ill fated HSS Titanic. It’s a city marked by ethnic division which has manifested with the recent troubles.

• Overnight Belfast

Saying good bye to Belfast we drive south to Dublin passing through The Boyne Valley with its wealth of archeology The 10th century High Crosses at Monasterboice, The Battle of The Boyne fought in 1690 between King William and King James & the burial chambers at Newgrange dating back over 5000 years.

• Overnight Dublin

Today its Irelands capitol city Dublin, we relive a 1000 years of history from The Vikings to Norman Cathedrals, Dublins Georgian grandeur & the cities struggle against the might of The British Empire no wonder Lonely Plant chose it as one of the worlds top 10 cities to visit.