A Taste of Ireland
The best of Ireland in 6 days
This was a tour planned for a group who were attending an event in Dublin and wanted to experience as much as possible of the best of Ireland before returning home on a flight from Shannon Airport. We picked them up at their Dublin Hotel and waved goodbye at the terminal in Shannon with six action-packed days in between.
The pace was fast yet it was relaxing because everything was done for us. We learned so much about Ireland and saw so much of your beautiful country. Every facet of the trip was absolutely superb from start to finish.
Taste of Ireland Itinerary
Glendalough
Day 1
Dublin – Glendalough – Kilkenny
- Enjoy Powerscourt Gardens, the 40 acres of stunning formal and informal gardens and the famous waterfall.
- Visit mystical Glendalough, founded by St Kevin in 498 AD while the famous 110 ft high tower dates from about 1000 years later.
- Avondale House in nearby Rathdrum was home to Charles Stewart Parnell, leader of the Home Rule Party in the early 1880’s.
- The beautiful Vale of Avoca has a tradition in gold and copper mining some remnants of which can be seen in the countryside.
Overnight in Kilkenny
Day 2
Kilkenny – Cashel – Blarney – Cobh – Midleton – Kinsale
- Spend the morning strolling the streets of medieval Kilkenny and its many historic buildings and ancient laneways.
- Explore the Rock of Cashel, once the seat of the Kings of Munster, sitting on a rocky outcrop overlooking the town.
- Kiss the famous stone at Blarney Castle which may (or may not) impart the gift of eloquence!
- Cobh was the last port of call for the Titanic and the point of departure for many Irish people who emigrated to America.
- At the Old Midleton Distillery you’ll learn the story of Irish Whiskey and can enjoy a wee sample.
Overnight in Kinsale
Cobh
Ring of Kerry
Day 3
Glengarriff – Kenmare – Ring of Kerry – Killarney
- Close to Clonakilty at the start of today’s tour is the Drombeg Stone Circle, one of the finest in existence and dating back to 150 BC.
- Take a boat from Glengarriff to Garnish Island, a semi tropical garden, planted to avail of the warm micro-climate in this area.
- A drive over the Caha Pass, with views over lakes and sea, vertiginous climbs and tunnels cut through mountains, brings us to Kenmare.
- The famed Ring of Kerry, with spectacular scenery and wonderful sea views, takes us around the edge of the Iveragh Peninsula with many stops at viewing places, ancient forts and pretty villages.
- At the end of today’s tour we’ll catch the sun setting over the famous Lakes of Killarney, long a source of inspiration for artists and poets.
Overnight in Killarney
Day 4
Dingle Tour – Adare – Limerick
- The fishing town of Dingle is a haven for Irish music lovers, its narrow streets always lively with many pubs restaurants and craft shops.
- Just off Slea Head are the Blasket Islands, uninhabited since 1953 but we can arrange a visit.
- Nearby Gallarus Oratory, a tiny church shaped like an upturned boat, is over 1000 years old and still intact.
- Adare with its pretty thatched cottages and extravagant flower displays is a perfect example of an estate village and was developed by the Earls of Dunraven who lived at Adare Manor, now a highly rated hotel.
- In Limerick, time permitting, visits to King John’s Castle, overlooking the Shannon River, and the Hunt Museum, where the collection includes paintings by Picasso, Renoir and Gauguin, are both recommended.
Overnight in Limerick
Dingle Harbour
Cliffs of Moher
Day 5
The Burren – Cliffs of Moher – Kinvara – Galway
- Many guests tell us that The Burren is their favorite place – 100 sq miles of lunar like rock with underground rivers, caves, turloughs and ancient burial places, some dating back more than 3000 years.
- At 800 feet above the Atlantic a walk along the Cliffs of Moher is a bracing experience and will give you an appetite for lunch!
- In the fishing village of Kinvara a very old type of boat, the Galway Hooker, is still popular with races held regularly in the Summer months.
- The lively university city of Galway, capital of the West, is a great place for a night on the town before you leave us tomorrow.
Overnight in Galway
Day 6
Galway – Coole Park – Ennis – Shannon Airport
- Spend the morning strolling the streets of Galway and down to The Claddagh, perhaps the oldest fishing village in Ireland, on lovely Galway Bay.
- Coole Park, formerly home of Lady Gregory, is now a nature reserve. Irish writers, including George Bernard Shaw, Seán O’Casey and Yeats, were regular visitors to Coole – their signatures can still be seen on the trunk of the famous Autograph Tree.
- Ennis is a vibrant market town with narrow streets linked by a series of even narrower laneways. It grew in medieval times around Ennis Friary, which has some wonderful 15th and 16th century sculptures carved in the local limestone.
- We’ll drive next to Shannon Airport in plenty of time for you to catch your evening flight home.
Galway
Map of the Places we Visited
You’re welcome to use this map and the Taste of Ireland itinerary to help plan an independent trip around Ireland. But be warned, it’s probably not possible in the available time without someone familiar with the routes – and with driving on the left along narrow rural roads!
If you’d like to talk to us about doing this trip with our experienced driver/guides we’d be happy to help.
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Co. Limerick, Ireland
Co. Galway, Ireland