Heather Chauny & Family - November Ireland Adventure

Day 1 - Monday 16^th November - Céad míle fáilte - Welcome to Ireland

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 - Tuesday 17^th November - The Rock of Cashel & Cork

Your private guide will meet you in your hotel lobby this morning, and after some short introductions, you will begin your journey into the countryside travelling through Ireland’s hidden heartlands. Dive right into the wonder of ancient Ireland with a stop at the Rock of Cashel, an immaculately preserved cathedral overlooking the sweeping landscape below. After lunch, it’s only an hour’s drive to your luxurious country house, nestled within 300 acres of land in County Cork. You’ll have time for a walk in the walled garden before this evening, where your guide will join you for a delicious, farm-to-fork welcome dinner and the chance to discuss the week to come.

Overnight: Cork | Ballymaloe House
Room Type: x3 classic house rooms
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3 - Wednesday 18^th November - 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 | Ballymaloe House
Room Type: x3 classic house rooms
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 4 - Thursday 19^th November - Cork City & Genealogist Visit

This morning, you will leave east Cork behind you as you head into the city and look forward to a 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. You’ll stop off at the oldest market in Europe, trading since 1788. The English Market in Cork City has survived famine, flood, war, fires, and multiple recessions to remain a strong part of Cork’s fabric. Finish the day in Kinsale, historically a medieval fishing port, its spectacular waterfront setting, and candy-coloured houses, shops, and restaurants, make it a glorious blend of old and the new.

Overnight: Kinsale | Actons Hotel
Room Type: x3 harbour view rooms
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 5 - Friday 20^th November - 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. You’ll stop at many of these villages and communities today – be sure to ask your guide to teach you Cúpla focal (a few words)!

Overnight: Kinsale | Actons Hotel
Room Type: x3 harbour view rooms
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 6 - Saturday 21^st November - Killarney National Park

This morning we head north and to our accommodation, nestled on a private estate on the edge of Killarney National Park. Kerry is an expanse of rugged, mountainous country that sweeps down to the world-famous Lakes of Killarney. Here, stretching across 10,000 hectares, lies Killarney National Park, with its unforgettable combination of mountains, lakes, woodland and waterfalls. You’ll spend the afternoon here exploring with your guide, and there are plenty of castles, waterfalls and manor houses to visit.

Overnight: Killarney | Cahernane House Hotel
Room Type: x3 deluxe rooms
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 7 - Sunday 22^nd November - The Ring of Kerry

The Ring of Kerry is often used as a substitute name for the Iveragh Peninsula, but more properly it refers to the 175-kilometre road that encircles this vast, scenic leg of land on the southwest of the island. Your first stop is the Skellig Six 18 Distillery where you’ll meet a local storyteller and discover the science and art of crafting Irish Whiskey, all while learning the history and mythology of this ancient land. After a delicious lunch in a nearby pub, we take a spin out to the nearby Valentia Island, a step back in time. On the rugged and exposed elements of the southwest coast is Valentia Lighthouse, a beacon of safety to many a seaward traveller. There are even prehistoric fossilised footprints to discover.

Overnight: Killarney | Cahernane House Hotel
Room Type: x3 deluxe rooms
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 8 - Monday 23^rd November - Cultural Galway City & An Irish Goodbye

After breakfast, you’ll head 2.5 hours north to Galway, a charming Medieval-era city with a thriving arts scene. Known as the ‘town of the tribes’ the small centre of cobblestone streets and colourful storefronts is vibrant, fun and cosmopolitan. You have the day free to explore as you wish, walk along the Spanish Arch and the picturesque Claddagh area, where you can enjoy views of Galway Bay. Galway is home to lively streets like Quay Street and Shop Street, filled with famous pubs, like The Quays or Tigh Neachtain, and a great place to wander. This evening join a local whiskey guide who will lead you around the streets of Galway into some of the historic pubs to discover the finest Irish whiskey. This will certainly leave you in the mood to go to your last stop to celebrate your final night in Ireland, we have organised an intimate performance of Irish dance in one of the oldest pubs in Galway. Soak up the wonderful atmosphere, music and dance unique to this island and cheers to a week well spent.

Overnight: Galway | The Hardiman Hotel
Room Type: x3 classic doubles
Meals Included: Lunch and Dinner

Day 9 - Tuesday 24^th November - Depart

This morning, your guide will drop you at the 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.

• If you are flying to the UK flight options are available from Knock Airport, which is only an hour’s drive from Galway.

Meals Included: Breakfast