9-day All Ireland Tour From Dublin

Itinerary

Day 1: Day 1: Dublin - Glendalough - Kilkenny Castle - Waterford City

Stop At: Glendalough Monastic Settlement, Ireland
The 9 Day All Ireland tour begins this morning @ 9:00 in central Dublin. We'll leave the city behind and drive through rolling countryside to the Wicklow Mountains. Our first stop is the monastery ruins at Glendalough, the Valley of Two Lakes. This is an area of natural beauty and you'll have time at leisure to enjoy the local walks and trails and take some great photos of the ancient Celtic crosses and round towers. Afterwards, we'll continue to medieval Kilkenny with its cobbled streets and famous red ale. Potential sights to explore at leisure include the Castle, Cathedral, Abbeys and Churches all dating back to the Norman period following the invasion of the 12th Century. This afternoon we continue south to the Viking settlement of Waterford. Not far from Waterford Harbour on the south- east coast, Waterford City is a relaxing spot to spend the evening with some great pubs and seafood restaurants.
Duration: 8 hours

Stop At: Kilkenny Castle, The Parade, Kilkenny R95 YRK1 Ireland
Entrance to the Castle is included
Duration: 45 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Waterford City.

Day 2: Day 2: Waterford City - Waterford Crystal - Blarney Castle - Dingle Peninsula

Stop At: Blarney Castle & Gardens, Monacnapa, Blarney, Cork T23 Y598 Ireland
Our day begins with a visit to the world famous Waterford Crystal factory. Stock up on fine cut glass at the outlet store or simply pause a while to watch the artisans at work. Afterwards, we'll continue with a scenic drive through Co. Waterford and a panoramic drive- through of Cork city. The highlight for many today is world renowned Blarney Castle. Here we spend plenty of time (2 hours) visiting the Castle, with the chance to kiss the Blarney Stone (to receive the gift of eloquent speech also known as the gift of the gab). Surrounded by beautiful and majestic gardens, you may also shop for souvenirs at Blarney Woolen Mills, the world's largest Irish shop. After lunch we'll continue on our journey to the Dingle Peninsula and overnight amongst the last parishes before America.
Duration: 9 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight on Dingle Peninsula

Day 3: Day 3: Dingle Peninsula - Slea Head

Stop At: Slea Head Drive, Ireland
This morning we take the short drive to Dingle, a charming Gaelic speaking fishing village. Famed in many films like Far and Away and Ryan's Daughter, Dingle is celebrated for having most pubs in Ireland for a town of its size, 52 pubs and 2000 people. We cannot forget Dingle's most famous resident, Fungi the Dolphin who we shall time to visit in the early afternoon. Then it's off on a wonderful pleasant trip around Slea Head with amazing views of Sleeping Giant Island, the Blasket Islands, and Beehive Huts dating back to 2000 B.C. Regarded as the most beautiful Peninsula in the world by many photographic magazines, Slea Head has some of Ireland's most fabulous beaches and is definitely the highlight of Ireland's famed Wild Atlantic Way. This area is completely Gaelic speaking, and you may even get to hear some of the locals converse in this ancient language. Then it's back to Dingle where there is ample time for shopping in traditional arts and crafts stores, lunch in one of the many colorful pubs with local musicians playing some mystic tunes. We complete our day with a visit to Ireland's longest beach at Inch, connecting Dingle Peninsula to the Ring of Kerry before continuing on to our evening destination at Tralee where we stay for the next 2 nights.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Tralee

Day 4: Day 4: Ring of Kerry - Killarney

Stop At: Ring of Kerry, Ireland
Today we embark for the world famous Ring of Kerry. The day begins on our journey that combines the best of the Ring of Kerry with its emerald pastures and villages highlights including Moll's Gap, Ladies View, Leprechaun Crossing, Killarney National Park, Lakes of Killarney, Torc Waterfall, and much more. Our afternoon is packed with a horse and cart ride through Killarney National Park (optional) or horseback ride through the park for the energetic and adventurous (optional).free time to explore Killarney and more more.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Killarney

Day 5: Day 5: Kerry - Cliffs of Moher & Burren - Doolin - Galway

Stop At: Cliffs of Moher, Lislorkan North, Liscannor Ireland
Leaving Killarney, our first stop will be a photo of the beautiful Bunratty Castle (photo opportunity & refreshments).Today's emphasis shall be the Wild Atlantic way, visiting Cliffs of Moher, the most popular natural tourist destination in Ireland and most spectacular cliffs in Europe. Rising over 700 ft in height, these cliffs are home to some of natures most majestic birds including puffins, gannets and many more. Doolin, the home of Irish traditional music is our lunch stop before continuing onwards to explore the Burren, a lunar landscape dating back 300 million years with unique features like underground rivers and waterfalls. Our journey takes us along the West Coast of Clare, and Galway Bay with fabulous vistas of the Aran Islands before stopping at Corcomroe Abbey one of Ireland's finest examples of the Island of Saints and Scholars. We overnight in Galway known as the city of the tribes and Ireland's cultural capital, with a vast array of fine seafood eateries, and home to an endless selection of traditional Irish music venues. Galway was also once home of Christopher Columbus, the famous explorer.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Galway

Day 6: Day 6: Galway - Cong - Country Life Museum (Castlebar) - Letterkenny

Stop At: National Museum of Ireland - Country Life, Castlebar, Mayo Turlough Park, Castlebar F23 HR44 Ireland
After a great night in Galway, our first stop today is the charming village of Cong famed by John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara in the film the Quiet Man. The village is home to Ashford Castle a regular haunt for the rich and famous and wedding venue for a host of international stars. We have time to visit Cong Abbey before heading off through parts of Connemara to the Museum of Country Life. Here we are introduced to the Irish way of life that has existed in this rugged and beautiful part of country since 1800s. We watch some of Ireland's finest breakers roll against our Atlantic shores before heading off through the poetic heartland of Ireland, W.B. Yeat's country. We visit his final resting place in Drumcliff Abbey, and admire the beautiful Benbulben referenced in many of his poems. Our overnight tonight is in Letterkenny in rural Co. Donegal.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Letterkenny, Co.Donegal.

Day 7: Day 7: Letterkenny - Glenveagh National Park - Derry - Letterkenny

Stop At: Glenveagh National Park, R251 Ireland
Begin today with a tour of Glenveagh, Ireland's premier National Park. Here we take the opportunity to enjoy nature with lakeside walks and a visit to Glenveagh Castle. Onwards to Grianan of Aileach a hilltop fort, 3000 years old with panoramic views of 5 of the counties of Ulster and legendary stories from every era of Irish history. Then it's onwards to Derry / Londonderry for an excellent in-depth walking tour of Derry's walls (1613) and the well known Bogside district famed in the U2 song "Bloody Sunday" after the tragic events of January 1971. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure with time to explore Derry before returning to Letterkenny for a relaxing evening.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Letterkenny

Day 8: Day 8: Letterkenny - Giants Causeway - Glens of Antrim - Belfast

Stop At: Giant's Causeway, Causeway Road, Bushmills BT57 8SU Northern Ireland
Today we cruise the beautiful North Antrim Coast to world famous Giant's Causeway. Its 37,000 basalt columns form stepping stones leading from Ireland to Scotland and are featured in the Celtic legend of Fionn MacCool. Afterwards, we'll continue along the coastal route, with fantastic views of Whitepark Bay and through part of the Glens of Antrim . Overnight in Belfast
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight in Belfast.

Day 9: Day 9: Belfast - Dublin

Stop At: Titanic Belfast, Queen's Road 1 Olympic Way, Titanic Quarter, Belfast BT3 9EP Northern Ireland
We begin the day with a city tour of the highlights of Belfast including City Hall, Queen's University, Botanic Gardens and much more. Together we'll visit Titanic Belfast, a fascinating exhibit housed in the very docklands where this most famous ship was built and launched before her tragic maiden voyage. You will also have some time at leisure and many guests will take a Black Taxi tour (optional) of the political murals and of course the Peace Walls which divide the Catholic Republican from the Protestant Loyalist communities. Enjoy time for lunch and shopping downtown. We'll depart Belfast around 14:00 - 14:30 making a stop at Dublin Airport at 16:30 approx. and finish in Dublin at 17:00 approx.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.