Sample Tours of Ireland
Inspiration for your trip
A Taste of Ireland
Six day tour visiting some of Ireland’s top attractions and most beautiful and historic places.
Highlights
- Tour County Wicklow, including the ancient monastic settlement at Glendalough and the stunning gardens at Powerscourt.
- Stroll the winding streets of Kilkenny City, the medieval capital of Ireland and visit its famous Castle and Cathedral.
- Visit the Rock of Cashel, seat of Ireland’s high Kings, and kiss the Blarney stone.
- See how Irish Whiskey is made and maybe taste a wee drop!
- Take a boat on Bantry Bay to the Martello Tower and garden on Garinish Island.
- Tour the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula
- Explore the mystical and beautiful Burren and the dramatic Cliffs of Moher
- Have a night out in Galway, a lively city famed for its traditional music.
Irish Castles Tour
Eight day tour with the emphasis firmly on castles while also exploring some of Ireland’s most beautiful locations.
Highlights
- Tour the Ring of Kerry and Muckross House, a manor house in Killarney National Park.
- Visit King John’s Castle and the lovely estate village of Adare with its thatched houses.
- Climb the battlements at Cahir Castle and follow Lady Louisa’s walk at fairytale Lismore Castle.
- See how the Dukes of Ormonde lived at Kilkenny Castle and how a wealthy Kilkenny merchant lived at Rothe House.
- Find out about the Parsons family, who have lived at Birr Castle for 400 years, and their amazing scientific endeavours.
- Learn the fascinating history of Clonmacnoise, a place to which students flocked from all over Europe from the 6th century.
- Tour rugged and beautiful Connemara, and learn about the curse on Glenveagh Castle.
- Explore the mystical Burren and the dramatic Cliffs of Moher
- Immerse yourself in 19th century Irish rural, village and castle life at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park.
- And yes, there is golf too!
Gardens, Golf & History
Six days in a less well known Ireland, with a focus on history but also visiting some wonderful gardens. And golf too!
Highlights
- Spend a day in Ireland’s past, with visits to Brú na Bóinne, Monasterboice, and Trim Castle.
- Sail down the River Shannon in a Viking ship from Athlone Castle to Clonmacnoise.
- Hear about the history of Viking raids, murder and religious turbulence at St Laserian’s Cathedral.
- Visit Mount Congreve Gardens, one of the great gardens of the world.
- Take a ferry over the River Suir to the Kennedy Homestead and tour a replica of the Famine Ships, that took emigrants like the Kennedys to America.
- Discover the effect the American Revolution had in Ireland at the National 1798 Rebellion Centre .
- See how farming & gardening using a sustainable, bio-diverse approach works at Killruddery House.
- Enjoy three very different gardens at Powerscourt House, the Japanese Gardens (with added horses!), and the glorious riverside Mount Usher Gardens.
The Wild Atlantic Way
Difficult to pick highlights from such a trip, there are so many.
Highlights
- Tour the Mizen Peninsula to Ireland’s most southerly point and see the rarely visited Dunlough Castle.
- Cross Bantry Bay to the garden on Garinish Island, take a cable car to Dursey Island and sail Tralee Bay looking for Dolphins and Whales.
- Drive over the spectacular Caha Pass to tour the Ring of Kerry and Dingle.
- Explore the Burren & Cliffs of Moher, go deep underground at Aillwee Cave and visit the Aran Islands.
- Experience the wonderful light of wild Connemara and cruise the crystal waters of Killary Fjord.
- Learn about farming and rural life a century ago at National Museum of Country Life and 6000 years ago at Céide Fields.
- Visit the grave of WB Yeats at Drumcliffe and the home of the Gore-Booth family, who he often visited at Lissadell House.
- Hear Irish spoken at Enya’s home town Gweedore, and learn about the curse on nearby Glenveagh Castle.
- Reach the northern tip of Ireland at Malin Head and walk the city walls in historic Derry.