Final Information Butterfield & Robinson - YPO Group Sept Ireland

Day 1 - Saturday 7^th September - Arrival day Blane and Irene LaBonte

Details of guests already in the country.  
02 & 03 September – Jane & Henry Bereznicki: No transfer requested.
04 September – Chris & Brenda Seasons: No transfer requested.
06 September – Mohammed & Jane Moussa: No transfer requested.
08 September – Ashif & Zainul Mawji: No transfer requested.

Welcome to Ireland LaBonte’s

Your airport transfer will greet you in the arrivals hall of Dublin Airport and take you to The Merrion Hotel. The journey takes 30-45 minutes depending on traffic. Check-in is 3 pm.
Early check-in is requested however, it may not be available. You are free to store your bags, freshen up, use the pool facilities and relax before check-in.

The rest of the day is free for you to explore Dublin, or simply enjoy the facilities at The Merrion Hotel.

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

Day 2 - Sunday 8^th September - Dublin welcome with evening dinner and a show

Arrival – Kevin & Nadine Brown:
Private transfer confirmed from flight WestJet 6 at 10:55 am to The Merrion

The journey takes 30-45 minutes depending on traffic. Check-in is 3 pm.

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.

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

Day 3 - Monday 9^th September - Walking Tour Dublin, afternoon Gaelic Games at Trinity

Mr & Mrs Kwong will be landing and joining us today *

After breakfast, we head out into Dublin for a historical walking tour that finishes at the world-famous Trinity College with a private visit to Provost House, not normally open to the public, and to the Old Library, where a member of the team will give us a tour and explain the Old Library Redevelopment Project and to see the Book of Kells, a Celtic Gospel manuscript dating back to the 9th century.

Please note, as a part of the Old Library Redevelopment Project, 200,000 books have been removed from the Long Room library chamber.

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 hundreds of years, you will test your skills with a hurl and a sliotar and have some fun with a little game challenge.

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

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

Day 4 - 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, and refreshments will be provided.

For those not joining the meeting, our local guide will be on hand to offer an optional semi-guided stroll through Dublin’s parks with the opportunity to visit one of Dublin’s galleries and/or hit the shops. We will provide a list of favourite galleries and shops for you to visit. This is also a great opportunity to use the spa at The Merrion. We recommend booking a treatment in advance if this is of interest.

Joining the rest of the group, we enjoy a delicious lunch in a local restaurant, Matt the Thresher’s.
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.

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

Day 5 - 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.

Following our hike, we take a short transfer to Ballyfin for the final night of your retreat. 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. The spectacular house and its estate are now a 5-star hotel set in 614 acres of parkland, with stables, clay pigeon shooting, archery and falconry.

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, 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 6 - Thursday 12^th September - Depart or alternative plans

Today the group bids farewell, with new memories created experiencing a taste of Irish hospitality.

• The Browns, the Kwongs and the Bereznickis will be transferred to the K Club for golf.
• A transfer back to Dublin City is available for the LaBontes, the Mawjis and the Moussas.

The Seasons are arranging their own departure.

Meals Included: Breakfast