Elegant Ireland - West

Arrive in Dublin airport where you will pickup your car rental.  The villages and small towns of the county are as charming as the city is exciting. Here, within half an hour of Dublin, you can visit stately homes and gardens, or tour the lovely Dublin hills. Watch the sun rise over majestic Killiney Bay; see the fish being landed in the villages of Howth and Skerries and share in the excitement of horse racing at lovely Leopardstown. Sailing in Dublin Bay from Dun Laoghaire, Howth or in the safe estuary of Malahide, is a thrill and you can admire the lovely bay from a sailor’s viewpoint.  

Wicklow, the “Garden of Ireland”, lies to the south of Dublin. Its hills, valleys, mansions and gardens make it a county of fascinating variety and beauty. The 6th century early Christian settlement at Glendalough is of outstanding historical interest and great beauty.

As you travel through the Curragh of Kildare stop for a guided tour of the Irish National Stud, where you can visit the Horse Museum and the Japanese Gardens.

Overnight - Kilkea Castle, Kildare

This morning you will head west thru' the the central region, which is rich in historical and archaeological monuments and sites. There are excellent golf courses, top class equestrian centres, forest parks and interesting towns and villages. On a bend in the wide and graceful Shannon below Athlone is the haunting and calm ruin of Clonmacnois, a flourishing monastic settlement over a thousand years ago. The Celtic crosses bear witness to the past when Ireland was indeed the Island of Saints and Scholars.
 
Birr Castle, the home of the Earl and Countess of Ross, has one of the greatest gardens in Ireland laid out between two rivers and a lake. The Clonmacnois and West Offaly Railway offers a unique opportunity to enjoy a tour by narrow gauge railway through a section of the bog lands of Ireland.  The story of the bog from its formation many thousands of years ago to its preservation in the 1900’s unfolds in an interesting and colourful manner.

Galway is the main city in the west. It is known as the City of the Tribes as it was ruled for many centuries by a number of Irish patrician families.  Galway was an important port in the middle ages and it is said that Christopher Columbus stopped in Galway on his way to the New World.

Overnight - Ballynahinch Castle, Connemara

The West of Ireland conjures up images of stone walled fields, mounds of brown peat, thatched cottages and red—haired children. They are all here in the heartland of Ireland where traditional values endure and hard work is good work. Connemara, that wild and haunting beauty, makes memory pictures that last. The soft curves of the Twelve Bens and the shimmer of silver on the waters, the bright yellow of the gorse and vivid red of the fuchsia create natural wonders to inspire poetry.
 
The famed Aran Islands, a 30-minute ferry—boat ride from Rossaveal, offer a startling contrast to the mainland. The precious soil, built up with seaweed over the generations, and the bounty of the sea sustains the people.  The physical beauty and drama of Dun Aengus, an Iron Age fortress built on a cliff defies description.
 
Overnight - Ballynahinch Castle, Connemara

North of Galway is Mayo with its beautiful Clew Bay, sheltered island—strewn waters with majestic Croagh Patrick overlooking magnificent seascapes and landscapes on all sides. At Knock is Ireland’s National Marian Shrine where local people claim that the Blessed Virgin appeared in 1879.

The region around Sligo Bay is known as Yeats’ Country - a romantic corner of Ireland watched over by the impressive bulk of Benbulben. Yeats is buried at Drumcliffe. Lough Gill, the Lake Isle of Innisfree and Lissadell House are other great landmarks of Yeats devotees.

Overnight - Kilronan Castle, Roscommon

One of Ireland’s greatest heroes was Brian Boru, High King of Ireland in the 11th century.  A member of the O’Connor clan, Brian’s lineage can be traced directly to the present owner of Clonalis House, a beautiful mansion in Roscommon. Some other sights in Roscommon are: King House Boyle, Strokestown Park House and the Arigna Mining Experience.

Carrick-on-Shannon (Carrick, as it’s known locally by its 5,000 residents) is widely acknowledged as an Anglers paradise with 41 lakes within a 10km radius of the town. The area holds fantastic fishing opportunities for both leisurely or professional fishers alike, with many species of game and course fish all available within a short distance of the bustling town. As well as this, Carrick-on-Shannon boasts a 750m span along the shore making it the cruising capital of the Shannon.

One of the highest and finest marine cliffs in Europe, County Donegal’s Sliabh Liag (Slieve League in English) are not to be missed. To make the most of your visit, it’s best to leave your car in the car park and walk the few kilometres to the cliffs. As you climb toward the top of Sliabh Liag – which at 601m high is not a place for the faint-hearted – there are terrific views of the Atlantic Ocean, Donegal Bay and the Sligo Mountains.

Overnight - Kilronan Castle, Roscommon

North of Dublin is the Boyne Valley, which has historical sites dating back to 5000 BC, including Trim Castle, Battle of the Boyne Site, Hill of Tara, and Newgrange. The remarkable burial mounds of Neolithic man at Newgrange and Knowth still puzzle the experts. The straightness of the road to Slane, not a common characteristic in Ireland, is due to the romantic needs of a certain 18th century nobleman from Dublin whose mistress lived in Slane in County Meath. He had the road straightened to cut down on traveling time.

Overnight - Radisson Blu Golden Lane, Dublin

Intimate as a village, sophisticated as a metropolis and friendly as a pub, the capital of Ireland is a centre of infinite interest and variety. Monuments in literature and stone mark the history, writers, poets and people of Dublin. Mediaeval, Georgian and modern architecture provide a backdrop to a friendly, bustling port which can boast literary giants such as Shaw, Joyce, Yeats, Beckett and O’Casey as native sons. Spawned by the need to ford the River Liffey, fortified by the Danes, developed by the Normans, adorned with fine buildings by the Anglo—Irish, the city has grown in stature and elegance over the centuries.

A hearty Irish breakfast in your hotel and then you are free to explore Dublin’s ‘Fair City’ on your own.  A Dublin Bus Hop on / Hop off ticket is an easy way to do this. 
  
Fine museums and galleries chronicle this long and colorful heritage. Fashion shops and boutiques rival the best in Europe. The theatres and concert halls attract prestigious national and international artists, while the pubs buzz with traditional entertainment, cabaret, jazz sessions and, of course, friendly and exuberant Dubliners.

Overnight - Radisson Blu Golden Lane, Dublin

Time to say good-bye to Ireland.  Your private chauffeur transfer will take you to Dublin airport for your return flight.