Touring in Dublin includes Trinity College and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Journeying through County Galway’s legendary Connemara, see beautiful Kylemore Abbey. Embark on an Aran Islands excursion to fabled Inishmore. Traveling County Clare’s spectacular coastline, encounter the rugged Burren and the majestic Cliffs of Moher. In County Kerry, tour charming Killarney, experience the stunning Ring of Kerry, and watch an Irish sheepdog demonstration. After exploring Kilkenny, Ireland’s cultural capital, finish the journey in Dublin. Savor Northern Ireland’s Antrim Coast and Belfast with an optional 4-day/3-night post-tour extension.
Day 1: Depart U.S. for Dublin, Ireland
Day 2: Arrive Dublin
Arrive in Dublin
Check in at the hotel – located on St. Stephen’s Green
Enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant
Meals: Dinner
Day 3: Dublin
Tour Trinity College
Visit St. Patrick’s – the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland
informal walking tour (led by the tour director) passing some of the haunts and hiding places of Ireland’s beloved literary sons
Lunch and dinner is on your own
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4: Dublin / Galway
Leave Dublin for Galway in the West
En route, stop for tea and coffee at Tyrrellspass Castle
Continue on to 6th-century Clonmacnoise, monastic site
Lunch on your own
Reach Galway City in the afternoon
Dine at the hotel located in the village of Bearna just outside of the city
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5: Galway / Connemara
Travel through Connemara region – western County Galway
First stop, Kylemore Abbey
Views of the Twelve Ben Mountains
Return to the Galway hotel late in the afternoon
Enjoy dinner together at Padraicins – overlooking Galway Bay
Performance by traditional Irish musicians and dancers
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6: Galway / Aran Islands
Excursion to Inishmore – the largest of the Aran Islands
An islander guides the tour of Inishmore, including the local lore
Dun Aenghus Fortress
Lunch in a local pub
Some free time before returning to the mainland and the hotel late in the afternoon
Dinner is at a local restaurant in the village of Bearna
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Galway / County Clare / Killarney
Leave Galway for Killarney
Visit the Cliffs of Moher
Lunch is on your own
Cross by ferry into County Kerry
Reach Killarney National Park late in the afternoon
Dinner is at a local family-run B&B
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8: Killarney
Cart ride from the center of town to 15th-century Ross Castle
Travel by boat to Muckross House
Tour the Kerry Folklife Centre
Lunch is on your own
Return to Killarney in the mid-afternoon
Dinner is on your own
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9: Killarney / Ring of Kerry
Ring of Kerry
Stop in one of the villages for an Irish sheepdog demonstration
Stop in a village for lunch
Drive through the village of Waterville
Head back to Killarney
Dine together at the hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10: Blarney / Cashel / Kilkenny
Small town of Blarney
Visit the ruins of the 15th-century castle
Blarney Stone
Blarney Woolen Mills
Lunch on your own in Blarney
Rock of Cashel
Return to Kilkenny late in the afternoon
Dinner at the hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 11: Kilkenny
Tour 12th-century Kilkenny Castle
Informal walking tour of Kilkenny
Lunch together at a local pub
Remainder of the day is at leisure
Options for at leisure time: Kilkenny Crafts Trail to guide visitors to the best of the jewelers, potters, glassblowers, ceramicists, and wood and ironworkers who live and work here. Kilkenny also boasts important historic and architectural sites, including ancient monuments, monastic settlements, old country homes, and burial sites.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 12: Kilkenny / Dublin (Barberstown)
Leave Kilkenny this morning
Final visit to Dublin
Tour EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
Mid-afternoon – reach the hotel outside Dublin
Farewell dinner
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 13: Depart for U.S.
We leave this morning for the Dublin airport and our return flights to the United States.
Meals: Breakfast
Meet Emily Feuerherm!
Ireland is indeed enchanting – from the traditional music and dancing that happens nightly in the pubs to the castles in all states of (dis)repair that pepper the landscape – you can’t help but fall in love with the country and its people. That was my experience, anyway, when I lived in Ireland from 2001-2002 as a study-abroad student. I studied archaeology at the University of Ireland in Galway, but I learned so much more about the folklore, culture, and traditions from my friends and roommates. After completing my year abroad I graduated with a BA in Anthropology and then a decade later I completed a PhD in linguistics. I now work at UM-Flint in the department of Language and Communication where I teach linguistics. I look forward to sharing my love of Ireland, my experiences of Irish history and tradition, and my knowledge of the Irish language.
Highlights
Touring in Dublin includes Trinity College and St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Journeying through County Galway’s legendary Connemara, see beautiful Kylemore Abbey. Embark on an Aran Islands excursion to fabled Inishmore. Traveling County Clare’s spectacular coastline, encounter the rugged Burren and the majestic Cliffs of Moher. In County Kerry, tour charming Killarney, experience the stunning Ring of Kerry, and watch an Irish sheepdog demonstration. After exploring Kilkenny, Ireland’s cultural capital, finish the journey in Dublin. Savor Northern Ireland’s Antrim Coast and Belfast with an optional 4-day/3-night post-tour extension.
Itinerary
Day 1: Depart U.S. for Dublin, Ireland
Day 2: Arrive Dublin
Arrive in Dublin
Check in at the hotel – located on St. Stephen’s Green
Enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant
Meals: Dinner
Day 3: Dublin
Tour Trinity College
Visit St. Patrick’s – the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland
informal walking tour (led by the tour director) passing some of the haunts and hiding places of Ireland’s beloved literary sons
Lunch and dinner is on your own
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4: Dublin / Galway
Leave Dublin for Galway in the West
En route, stop for tea and coffee at Tyrrellspass Castle
Continue on to 6th-century Clonmacnoise, monastic site
Lunch on your own
Reach Galway City in the afternoon
Dine at the hotel located in the village of Bearna just outside of the city
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5: Galway / Connemara
Travel through Connemara region – western County Galway
First stop, Kylemore Abbey
Views of the Twelve Ben Mountains
Return to the Galway hotel late in the afternoon
Enjoy dinner together at Padraicins – overlooking Galway Bay
Performance by traditional Irish musicians and dancers
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6: Galway / Aran Islands
Excursion to Inishmore – the largest of the Aran Islands
An islander guides the tour of Inishmore, including the local lore
Dun Aenghus Fortress
Lunch in a local pub
Some free time before returning to the mainland and the hotel late in the afternoon
Dinner is at a local restaurant in the village of Bearna
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Galway / County Clare / Killarney
Leave Galway for Killarney
Visit the Cliffs of Moher
Lunch is on your own
Cross by ferry into County Kerry
Reach Killarney National Park late in the afternoon
Dinner is at a local family-run B&B
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8: Killarney
Cart ride from the center of town to 15th-century Ross Castle
Travel by boat to Muckross House
Tour the Kerry Folklife Centre
Lunch is on your own
Return to Killarney in the mid-afternoon
Dinner is on your own
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9: Killarney / Ring of Kerry
Ring of Kerry
Stop in one of the villages for an Irish sheepdog demonstration
Stop in a village for lunch
Drive through the village of Waterville
Head back to Killarney
Dine together at the hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10: Blarney / Cashel / Kilkenny
Small town of Blarney
Visit the ruins of the 15th-century castle
Blarney Stone
Blarney Woolen Mills
Lunch on your own in Blarney
Rock of Cashel
Return to Kilkenny late in the afternoon
Dinner at the hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 11: Kilkenny
Tour 12th-century Kilkenny Castle
Informal walking tour of Kilkenny
Lunch together at a local pub
Remainder of the day is at leisure
Options for at leisure time: Kilkenny Crafts Trail to guide visitors to the best of the jewelers, potters, glassblowers, ceramicists, and wood and ironworkers who live and work here. Kilkenny also boasts important historic and architectural sites, including ancient monuments, monastic settlements, old country homes, and burial sites.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 12: Kilkenny / Dublin (Barberstown)
Leave Kilkenny this morning
Final visit to Dublin
Tour EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
Mid-afternoon – reach the hotel outside Dublin
Farewell dinner
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 13: Depart for U.S.
We leave this morning for the Dublin airport and our return flights to the United States.
Meals: Breakfast
Journey
Host
Meet Emily Feuerherm!
Ireland is indeed enchanting – from the traditional music and dancing that happens nightly in the pubs to the castles in all states of (dis)repair that pepper the landscape – you can’t help but fall in love with the country and its people. That was my experience, anyway, when I lived in Ireland from 2001-2002 as a study-abroad student. I studied archaeology at the University of Ireland in Galway, but I learned so much more about the folklore, culture, and traditions from my friends and roommates. After completing my year abroad I graduated with a BA in Anthropology and then a decade later I completed a PhD in linguistics. I now work at UM-Flint in the department of Language and Communication where I teach linguistics. I look forward to sharing my love of Ireland, my experiences of Irish history and tradition, and my knowledge of the Irish language.
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