Heather Chauny & Family - Ireland Adventure

Day 1 - Saturday 20^th December - Céad míle fáilte

Céad míle fáilte! One hundred thousand welcomes to Ireland’s “Fair City”, Dublin! A private transfer will pick you up from the airport and whisk you into the city to your boutique hotel. Head out in the afternoon to enjoy 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. Finish the day in one of the many award-winning restaurants that pepper the streets of Dublin.

Overnight: Dublin | The Davenport Hotel
Room Type: x3 king rooms
Meals Included: None

Day 2 - Sunday 21^st December - Cork City & Genealogist Visit

Your private guide will meet you in your hotel lobby this morning, and after some short introductions, you will begin your journey south. This afternoon you’ll visit with a local genealogist for a one-to-one appointment where you will dip your toe into your ancestry and learn a little more about your Irish roots. Cork is Ireland’s second largest city, has a vibrant centre and is worth wandering around. Your guide will join you for a delicious welcome dinner and the chance to discuss the week to come.

Overnight: Cork | Imperial Hotel
Room Type: x3 classic double
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3 - Monday 22^nd December - Exploring Cobh

The nearby town of Cobh is cemented in history as the last port in which the ill-fated Titanic docked before embarking on its maiden journey to America. Formally called Queenstown, Cobh today has many attractions and not just for Titanic enthusiasts. Here you will meet a local guide, author and historian Michael for a fascinating guided walking tour, which will bring you through the streets and environs of Cobh, revealing locations and incidents directly connected to the Titanic and many other aspects of Cork Harbour History & Irish Heritage. You’ll then visit Cobh Heritage Centre which offers a glimpse into Ireland’s past and the hardships that those early emigrants endured. There are many interesting stories throughout the exhibition of Irish emigrants who left Queenstown/Cobh to far-flung destinations across the globe such as Brazil, Argentina, The West Indies as well as North America and Australia.

Overnight: Cork | Imperial Hotel
Room Type: x3 classic double
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 4 - Tuesday 23^rd December - Ancestral Townlands

Today your guide will lead you on explorations around your ancestral townlands, stopping as you please for photo opportunities and the chance to meet some locals. This part of Ireland is authentic and historic, you’ll stop at Béal na Bláth, the site of the ambush and death of the Irish revolutionary leader Michael Collins in 1922. You’ll also visit his memorial – Collins was a leading figure in the early-20th-century struggle for Irish independence. The decline of the Irish language began under British rule and was exacerbated during the Great Famine in the mid-19th century. There are still little pockets of native Irish communities throughout Ireland in the Gaeltacht regions, including County Cork. Be sure to ask your guide to teach you Cúpla focal (a few words)! Your final destination is Sheen Falls in Kenmare, where your guide will drop you and then depart.

Overnight: Kenmare | Sheen Falls Lodge
Room Type: x3 deluxe rooms
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 5 - Wednesday 24^th December - Sheen Falls

Overnight: Kenmare | Sheen Falls Lodge
Room Type: x3 deluxe rooms
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 6 - Thursday 25^th December - Sheen Falls

Overnight: Kenmare | Sheen Falls Lodge
Room Type: x3 deluxe rooms
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 7 - Friday 26^th December - Sheen Falls

Overnight: Kenmare | Sheen Falls Lodge
Room Type: x3 deluxe rooms
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 8 - Saturday 27^th December - Sheen Falls to Dublin

This morning a private transfer will collect you and bring you to Dublin where you can relax and unwind in the beautiful Clontarf Castle.

Clontarf Castle Hotel is a distinctive blend of medieval charm and modern luxury, situated in the tranquil seaside suburb of Clontarf, just 15 minutes from Dublin city centre and 5 miles from Dublin Airport. Originally built in 1837 by architect William Vitruvius Morrison, the castle now offers elegantly appointed rooms and suites, each combining traditional Irish aesthetics with contemporary comforts.

Overnight: Dublin | Clontarf Castle
Room Type: x3 deluxe rooms

Day 9 - Sunday 28^th December - Depart

This morning, a private transfer will drop you at Dublin airport in time for 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