Bee Kalt Travel - Irish Adventure

Day 1 - Monday 1^st September - Céad míle fáilte - One Hundred Thousand Welcomes

Arriving at Dublin Airport this morning, pick up your rental car and make your way to the first stop on your Irish road trip along the Wild Atlantic Way. Connemara is a Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking region) known for its windswept mountains, beaches and bog landscapes. Ballynahinch Castle is one of Ireland’s finest hotels, set in a private 700-acre estate of woodland, rivers and walks in the heart of Connemara, Co. Galway. This authentic and unpretentious Castle Hotel stands proudly overlooking its famous salmon fishery, with a backdrop of the beautiful Twelve Bens Mountain range. As today is your arrival day, check-in and spend the afternoon on-site enjoying the estate.

Overnight: Connemmara | Ballynahinch Castle Hotel
Room Type: x1 Suite
Meals Included: None

Day 2 - Tuesday 2^nd September - Inis Oirr Adventure

Connemara is home to the largest Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking population) in Ireland, where an estimated 70% of the population speaks Irish as their first language. Oozing with culture and tradition, Connemara and the islands have a lot to offer. This morning you will meet Padraic and take a flight to Inis Oirr, the smallest of the three Aran Islands. Enjoy the commanding views of the islands, Galway Bay, and the Connemara coastline before stepping into the wilderness. You’ll visit the island Arts Centre where you will get a glimpse of the island’s history, culture, heritage, and traditions and finish up doing a craft workshop with Máirtín, a local islander and expert craftsman. A feast of local seafood will be served for lunch, including Aran Lobster, before you embark on a tour of the island visiting the Shipwreck, Underground Church, and the 15th century O Brien’s Castle perched on the highest point of the island. Head back to the mainland this evening just in time to freshen up and grab a bite to eat.

Overnight: Connemmara | Ballynahinch Castle Hotel
Room Type: x1 Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3 - Wednesday 3^rd September - Killary Fjord

This morning it’s a 45-minute drive through the windswept Twelve Bens Mountain Range to Killary, Ireland’s only fjord. Start the day with a sheep-herding demonstration at a local farm, and you’ll have the opportunity to cut peat from the bogs – a method that’s been used to harvest fuel in these parts for aeons. From there, walk an abandoned famine route along the southern shoreline of the fjord. After a pit stop at a local café for lunch, return to Ballynahinch Castle. You will have some free time to enjoy the estate this afternoon – go fly fishing, enjoy a walk in the forest, or simply kick back with a book by the river. This evening, head into the town of Clifden for dinner and traditional folk music.

Overnight: Connemmara | Ballynahinch Castle Hotel
Room Type: x1 Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 4 - Thursday 4^th September - Galway City

This morning you will make your way south to Co. Cork, a region of immense beauty and Irish tradition. First, you’ll stop in Galway City where a local military historian will meet you at the city’s main square to guide you through the bustling alleys sharing Galway City’s important roles in the clash of the French, Spanish, Russian and British Empires from 1700 to 1922, including in Ireland’s revolution for independence. Enjoy lunch at one of our favourite restaurants before some free time to explore, do some shopping or watch at the city’s iconic Tigh Neachtain pub. Hop back in the car and make your way to Hayfield Manor, your home for the next three nights nestled in a walled garden.

*estimated driving time is 4 hours

Overnight: Cork | Hayfield Manor
Room Type: x1 Garden Deluxe King
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 5 - Friday 5^th September - Buffalo Farm Tour & Cheese Tasting

This morning your journey takes you across rolling farmlands with stunning pastoral scenes. Stop at a working Buffalo dairy farm for an immersive tour and tasting and get up close and personal with a herd of Irish Buffalo! Meet the herd, chat about all things agriculture with John, and finish with a spectacular tasting session of some fine Irish cheese, made right there on the farm.  Back in the city later on, we recommend a visit to Cork’s iconic English market has been trading since 1788.  One of the oldest and certainly the best-covered markets in Europe, it has survived famine, flood, war, fires, and multiple recessions to remain a strong part of Cork’s fabric. Spend some time browsing the stalls and offerings, sampling delicious treats or picking up a gift for those at home.

Overnight: Cork | Hayfield Manor
Room Type: x1 Garden Deluxe King
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 6 - Saturday 6^th September - Cork Golf Course

Designed by Augusta’s genius Alister MacKenzie and recently enhanced for the modern golfer – Cork Golf Club is sculpted from historic limestone quarries. It unfolds magnificently along the banks of the City’s Inner Harbour. Enjoy an afternoon tee time here today before returning to the city for a wander.

Overnight: Cork | Hayfield Manor
Room Type: x1 Garden Deluxe King
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 7 - Sunday 7^th September - The Rock of Cashel & Dublin

Leaving Cork early this morning, you’ll make your way to Ireland’s capital, Dublin. En route, you’ll stop at the little town of Cashel, in County Tipperary. Historic in significance, this medieval hilltop complex features a ruined Gothic cathedral and a 15th-century castle with sweeping views over the town and county below. Make your way to your hotel, located in the heart of Dublin City and within walking distance of its most popular sights. Head out and explore before heading to the Jameson Distillery on Bow Street for a tasting experience.

Overnight: Dublin | The Westbury Hotel
Room Type: x1 Terrace Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 8 - Monday 8^th September - Iconic Sights

Explore some of Dublin’s most iconic sights today starting with a walking tour with a local private guide through this vibrant capital city, with its mix of 1,000 years of architecture from the mediaeval to Georgian to modern. See the Georgian-style Merrion Square, lush St. Stephen’s Green and Fitzwilliam Square, as well as O’Connell Street, the site of the ‘1916 Uprising’ that led to Ireland’s independence in 1922. Your guide is also a historian who will bring the city to life with colourful tales of life in the city in times gone by. Afterwards, enjoy a tour of Trinity College and the Book of Kells. Your guided Trinity tour will take you around the campus, discovering some of the secrets and famous pupils who graced its halls and quads before making your way to the Old Library for an audio tour of the Book of Kells with its new immersive digital experience. Take a walk through the famous Temple Bar, the live trad. music spills out from many of the pubs and cafes along the cobbled stoned streets. Stop for a beverage or two, checking out some musicians and buskers as you go.

Overnight: Dublin | The Westbury Hotel
Room Type: x1 Terrace Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 9 - Tuesday 9^th September - Portmarnock Golf Links

Jameson Golf Links is an 18 hole course spread across 203 acres and is set on the grounds of the old Jameson Estate of St. Marnocks. the course has played host to professional and amateur events including the 2008 and 2009 Ladies Irish Open and the 2021 Irish Challenge. Jameson Golf Links makes full use of the dunes and natural terrain to provide a layout that will please the most ardent of links purists. The elevated tees and greens, blind approaches and doglegs, not to mention the typical links sea breeze, will keep you thinking through every round.

Overnight: Dublin | The Westbury Hotel
Room Type: x1 Terrace Suite
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 10 - Wednesday 10^th September - Depart

This morning, drive to Dublin Airport and drop your rental car back before your flight home. We hope your time in Ireland has been memorable and we look forward to welcoming you to our shores once again.

Meals Included: Breakfast