V.1 Scott Dunn - Matthews Family Ireland

Day 1 - Saturday 12^th October - Welcome to Dublin

Arriving in Ireland today, a private transfer will meet you at the airport and whisk you to your 5 star hotel in the city centre. Check-in may not be ready till this afternoon however feel free to leave your bags, freshen up, or have a bite to eat.

Your day is free to rest or explore as you wish. Your hotel is in an ideal location with which to explore on foot and there are so many recommendations we can give you from The Book of Kells and Trinity Library and Campus, Marsh’s Library and the iconic Guinness Storehouse.
Dublin is blessed with many choices for dinner this evening and if you fancy some traditional music, Kehoe’s is a short walk from your hotel.

Overnight: Dublin | The Westbury Hotel
Room Type: Deluxe
Meals Included: None

Day 2 - Sunday 13^th October - Walking & Historical Tours

Embrace your first full day in Ireland with a morning walking tour accompanied by 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.

After a spot of lunch, make your way to EPIC, The Irish Emigration Museum for a private in-depth look at the 20 or so interactive galleries that will show you a different side to the museum. With hundreds of individual stories of love, loss, sorrow, hardship, celebration and success, this deluxe tour will leave you in no doubt as to the influence of Irish emigrants and the diaspora around the world.

Overnight: Dublin | The Westbury Hotel
Room Type: Deluxe
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3 - Monday 14^th October - Dublin to Killarney- Rock of Cashel

Your private guide will meet you this morning and after some short introductions you will set off together to explore the more rural side of Ireland. Heading west, crossing green pastures and bucolic scenes from old, your destination is Ireland’s oldest National park, Killarney.

Stopping on route, your guide will accompany you on a tour of the Rock of Cashel. Set on a dramatic outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale, the Rock of Cashel, iconic in its historic significance, possesses the most impressive cluster of mediaeval buildings in Ireland. Among the monuments to be found there is a round tower, a high cross, a Romanesque chapel, a Gothic cathedral, an abbey, the Hall of the Vicars Choral and a fifteenth-century Tower House.

Your guide will join you for dinner this evening as you toast your time ahead together.

Overnight: Killarney | The Killarney Park Hotel
Room Type: Premium
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4 - Tuesday 15^th October - Exploring Killarney National Park

Killarney National Park is the jewel in Kerry’s crown and right on your doorstep, ready for a full day exploring today. Board a boat with Dux and his canine friend and cruise the tranquil lakes of Killarney with one of the most spectacular backdrops imaginable as you are overlooked by Ireland’s highest mountain peaks. With 10,000 hectares of  unforgettable mountains, lakes, woodland and waterfalls to discover your guide will ensure your day is memorable.

Overnight: Killarney | The Killarney Park Hotel
Room Type: Premium
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 5 - Wednesday 16^th October - Killarney to Ashford Castle

A morning transfer awaits you as we leave Killarney and make our way north, to the little village of Cong on the Mayo/ Galway border.  The Burren National Park was designated a UNESCO site due to its unique other-worldly limestone landscape containing a fascinating mix of unusual flora, fauna, geology and ancient archeology alongside the thriving farming communities. Today visit some captivating collies at work demonstrating their herding skills against the backdrop of a 1,000 year old fort on a traditional working farm.
The Burren region is world-wide unique, known for its vast array of wildflowers, including over 40 species of orchid, that blanket the rocky limestone landscape from spring through summer. In the heart of the National Park is The Burren Perfumery, a boutique perfumery influenced by the natural beauty of the landscape and the perfect lunch stop before journeying onwards to Mayo and your accommodation this evening.

Overnight: Mayo | Ashford Castle
Room Type: Deluxe
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 6 - Thursday 17^th October - Onsite at Ashford Castle

Waking up in the serene luxury of Ashford Castle, today will be all about enjoying some of the on site activities and experiences. First up, join a local historian and boat captain as he takes you on a fascinating journey through time. Enjoy breathtaking scenery on Lough Corrib, with its 365 islands and surrounding Connemara mountains.

After a delicious lunch, join the expert falconer and for a private hawk walk experience at the resident School of Falconry on site at Ashford. Fly your own Harris hawks under the guidance of your instructor through the magnificent woodlands that surround the castle and meet some of the magnificent birds of prey that call Ashford home.

Overnight: Cong Co Mayo | Ashford Castle
Room Type: Deluxe
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 7 - Friday 18^th October - Connemara

The hills and mountains of Connemara are defined by the ocean surrounding them, and this is particularly evident at the beautiful Killary Fjord. This morning you will visit a family run shellfish farm where you can head out onto the fjord, lift a string of mussels for hauling and harvesting and understand the lifecycle of these delicious shellfish. After, your guide will lead you on a short hike along the shores along the fjord, delving into Irish history at a famine-era abandoned village and bringing to life the rich and ancient histories of the landscape.

Returning to the luxury of the castle, enjoy an afternoon high tea, in a manor befitting royalty, with delicate savoury and sweet treats accompanied by a variety of teas and coffees as you please.

Overnight: Cong. Co Mayo | Ashford Castle Hotel
Room Type: Deluxe
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 8 - Saturday 19^th October - Ashford to Dromoland via Cliffs of Moher

Departing Ashford, we traverse our way south, through Clare to Limerick. Towering above the crashing Atlantic Sea are one of Ireland’s most iconic and well known sights, The Cliffs of Moher. Standing at over 700ft high, these cliffs are home to a plethora of sea birds nesting from early spring onwards. Take a walk along the cliffs with your guide and witness the awesome power of mother nature before you take a tour of the visitors centre and cliff exhibition nearby. The Cliffs of Moher have majestically faced the Atlantic for over 350 million years and their beauty is incomparable – it is Ireland’s most visited tourist attraction and when you visit you will understand why.

Overnight: Limerick | Dromoland Castle
Room Type: Viscount Deluxe
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 9 - Sunday 20^th October - Explore Limerick

Explore your family roots with your guide visiting the small town lands and villages of your ancestors.

* Further information to follow

Overnight: Limerick | Dromoland Castle
Room Type: Viscount Deluxe
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 10 - Monday 21^st October - Limerick and Adare

Continue your family exploration through Limerick, perhaps with a stop at Adare Village for tea, scones and a browse. Consistently voted Ireland’s prettiest village, it is easy to fall in love with Adare’s charm as you meander among the traditional thatched roofed cottages, postcard pretty stone walls and colourful gardens and locally sourced craft shops.

Overnight: Limerick | Dromoland Castle
Room Type: Viscount Deluxe
Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Day 11 - Tuesday 22^nd October - The Aran Islands

It’s hard to resist the allure of one of the many islands that dot the Irish coastline and today you and your guide will take to the water and ferry to The Aran Islands. The history of these islands goes back millennia and today Gaelic is still the daily spoken language of the inhabitants. The Aran islands seem to defy their size by all they have to offer: breathtaking scenery, mediaeval castles, cliffs and prehistoric forts are all to be found on this little group of islands.

Inis Mór, the largest of the three islands, is your destination today. The first port of call is a goat farm, here Gabriel, fisherman-come-goat farmer and island native will introduce you to his flock of extraordinarily cute goats. You’ll taste his award-winning cheese, but more importantly, you will leave with his wealth of knowledge on the island’s history, language and culture. We will make sure you don’t miss the incredible prehistoric cliff top fortress at Dun Aenghus as well as some hidden spots along the island’s shore.

Your guide will join you for dinner once again this evening to toast your time together in Ireland.

Overnight: Limerick | Dromoland Castle
Room Type: Viscount Deluxe
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 12 - Wednesday 23^rd October - Return to Dublin

Today it is time to leave the west coast and return to Dublin. Your guide will take you directly to Dublin airport in time for your afternoon flights to London Heathrow. We do hope your time in Ireland has been memorable and we once again have the opportunity to welcome to our shores.

Meals Included: Breakfast