Butterfield & Robinson - YPO Group Sept Ireland

Day 1 - Sunday 8^th September - Welcome to Ireland

Upon arrival at Dublin airport, *transfer to your Dublin hotel The Merrion. This journey takes 30-45 minutes depending on traffic. Check in is 3pm.

The Merrion is a B&R favourite: this 142-bedroom hotel is as welcoming as it is stylish. An impeccable restoration of four Georgian townhouses, The Merrion is a marriage of comfort, relaxed elegance and excellent guest facilities, including an 18m pool, spa and gym. There are also a variety of meeting rooms to choose from to host the YPO meeting.

This is a soft arrival day with no planned activities during the day, although these can be added on request. Your guide will be on hand to assist with check in, transfers and any afternoon requests.

In the evening, we treat you to the season’s closing performance of Riverdance at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin, followed by a delicious locally sourced dinner, suggest SOLE.

* We are happy to arrange a private airport transfer for you.

Overnight: Dublin | The Merrion Hotel
Room Type: Deluxe King
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2 - Monday 9^th September - Walking Tour Dublin, afternoon Gaelic Games at Trinity

After breakfast, we head out into Dublin for a historical walking tour with a local historian talking in some of Dublin’s iconic well known and off the beaten path sites of importance.

We finish at world famous Trinity College with the chance to see the Book of Kells*, a Celtic Gospel manuscript dating back to the 9th century, housed in Trinity library before a delicious lunch.

This afternoon we are joined by ex Irish footballers/hurlers to learn about the history and cultural importance of Gaelic sports before trying them out for ourselves on the iconic Trinity Campus grounds. With Gaelic Football and Hurling dating back hundered’s of years, you will test your skills with a hurl and a sliotar and have some fun with a little games challenge.

Back in central Dublin, we’ll head out to dinner at an atmospheric venue, we suggest Pichet.

*Please note The Long Library is being catalogued at present and not all books are on display. The Book of Kells is still in residence along with an immersive self guided experience.

Overnight: Dublin | The Merrion Hotel
Room Type: Deluxe King
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3 - Tuesday 10^th September - YPO Meeting, Abbey Theatre & Guinness Storehouse

This morning, a meeting room at The Merrion will be made available for your 4-hour meeting, refreshments will be provided.

Spouses have the option to explore Dublin unguided perhaps with some retail therapy or join a morning to visit The Abbey Theatre* .
As Ireland’s national theatre, the Abbey Theatre’s ambition is to enrich the cultural lives of everyone with a curiosity for and interest in Irish theatre, stories, artists and culture. Immerse yourself in the creative world and processes that enable brilliant plays and texts come to life on the stages at the National Theatre. Discover the intricate journey directors, designers and makers undergo to bring the page to the stage on our behind the scenes tour.

Joining the rest of the group, we enjoy a delicious lunch in a local pub overlooking the river Liffey in the heart of downtown Dublin.
Explore the lively streets of Dublin with your guide following lunch with walks through Temple bar, across the Ha’Penny Bridge, up O’Connell Street and more. There is time to nip into a local for a pint, or grab a coffee for some people watching. The guide will assist those who wish to return to the hotel to freshen up for dinner before rejoining the group at the iconic Guinness Storehouse for a tour followed by dinner.

*Transport included 

Overnight: Dublin | The Merrion Hotel
Room Type: Deluxe King
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4 - Wednesday 11^th September - Ballyfin & The Slieve Bloom Mountains

This morning, we’ll head out of Dublin on a 90-minute transfer to the unexplored Slieve Bloom Mountains in the Irish Midlands. It is said that you can see half the counties in Ireland from the top of the Slieve Blooms. These rolling hills are not so high as to be dangerous, yet are not so low that they can still provide a challenge to every grade of walker.

Our hike takes us from the Slieve Blooms onto the Ballyfin Estate where a refreshing and locally sourced picnic will be waiting for us. Ballyfin is one of Ireland’s finest country houses and underwent a meticulous 9-year restoration, a period longer than its original construction in the 1820s.

After your lunch, the remainder of the afternoon is free for you to relax and explore. You will take the opportunity to visit the resident Ballyfin dresser to select your evening attire and before reconvening for a whiskey tasting experience followed by dinner, marking the end of your Irish adventure.

Overnight: Ballyfin | Ballyfin Demesne
Room Type: Deluxe or Estate Rooms
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5 - Thursday 12^th September - Depart or alternative plans

We are happy to arrange private transfer’s to take you to Dublin Airport in time for onwards flights home, or to an alternative address if your plans include staying in Ireland.

Meals Included: Breakfast