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8 Day Galway Region and Best of Ireland Tour

Let us take you by the hand on a voyage of discovery through Ireland's cities and countryside to your cultural heartland of Galway and beyond. On this journey you will be immersed in the history, culture, and heritage of the land of your ancestors. This once in a lifetime vacation is your opportunity to craft fireside tales for future generations.
Planning a trip to Ireland?
Planning a trip to Ireland?

Our 8 day tour not only brings you on a journey of Ireland's key experiences, it offers you a deeper connection to the land of your forefathers.

Key themes

  • One Hundred Thousand Welcomes
  • Beginnings
  • The Countryside – Rural Ireland
  • Landscape
  • Language and Stories, Music and Dancing
  • Gracious Living – the Anglo-Irish Legacy
  • Customised Family Name Day

Tours and attractions

  • Literary pub crawl
  • Newgrange neolithic site
  • Kilkenny Castle
  • The Rock of Cashel
  • Whiskey tasting
  • Bunratty Folk Park
  • 'Irish Coffee'-making demo

The Irish connection

  • Fireside chat on being Irish
  • Visit to Irish language speaking community

Shopping and leisure

  • Your hotel in Dublin is in the heart of the city centre

Locations

  • Dublin, Kerry, Limerick, Galway

Landscape and scenery

  • Killarney National Park
  • The Wild Atlantic Way

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival

Theme: Céad Mile Fáilte / One Hundred Thousand Welcomes

  • Arrive early morning at Dublin airport
  • Meet and greet on arrival and transfer to Dublin's Westbury Hotel
  • Morning and early afternoon at leisure
  • 6pm Welcome to Ireland101 followed by cocktails and canapés
  • 7pm Dinner in Wilde Restaurant followed by Fireside Chat "On being Irish"
  • Overnight stay at The Westbury Hotel

Day 2

Theme: Beginnings

  • A dive into Ireland's ancient heritage to monuments older than the pyramids through centuries of invasion by Vikings, Normans and English, past the tragedy of famine and the struggle for independence: this is your time, these are your people, this is your place.
  • Full Irish Breakfast followed by briefing
  • Today's itinerary commences with Ireland's rich pre-history at Neolithic tumulus at Newgrange and continues with key moments in history including the arrival of Christianity, the Norman Invasion, British rule and the Famine
  • 6pm Literary Pub Crawl
  • 8pm Dinner
  • Overnight stay at The Westbury Hotel

Day 3

Theme: The Countryside - Rural Ireland

  • Full Irish Breakfast in Westbury Hotel
  • Depart Dublin and travel through the lush Kildare and Carlow countryside to Kilkenny City, Ireland's Mediaeval City, and onwards to the iconic Rock of Cashel
  • Travel through the timeless beauty of the lush southern Irish countryside to Killarney town, nestled amidst the breathtaking beauty of her highest mountains
  • Whiskey Tasting on arrival at the Killarney Park Hotel
  • Flavours of Kerry – a special dinner prepared by the Killarney Park's award winning chef using only local ingredients
  • Overnight stay at The Killarney Park Hotel

Day 4

Theme: Landscape

  • For 200 years visitors to Killarney have been beguiled by the awesome beauty of the surrounding landscape. Today's itinerary eschews motorized transportation to take you back to nature, pure and simple
  • Local guides take you though the Gap of Dunloe on foot or by buggies and back to Killarney by small boats along the magnificent system of waterways.
  • 7pm Dinner at West End House, former home of actor Michael Fassbender
  • 9:30pm Irish Coffee Making Demo at Killarney Park Hotel
  • Overnight stay at The Killarney Park Hotel

Day 5

Theme: Language and Stories, Music and Dancing

  • Today you visit the Dingle Peninsula and connect with Ireland’s ancient language and traditions, encountering a place where Gaelic is still spoken on a daily basis
  • Seafood lunch in Dingle town
  • 6pm Cocktails in the Lounge at Adare Manor followed by dinner and post dinner entertainment in the Tack Room
  • Overnight stay at Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort

Day 6

Theme: Gracious Living – the Anglo – Irish legacy

  • Full Irish Breakfast in Adare Manor
  • Today you visit Limerick City, home to Frank McCourt's famous novel Angela's Ashes. You also visit the award winning Hunt Museum and enjoy lunch at Bunratty Folk Park followed by a visit to Bunratty Castle
  • Overnight stay at Ashford Castle

Day 7

Theme: Customised Family Name Day

  • Today's itinerary brings the highlight of the trip, completing your cultural reawakening by visiting your ancestral home, the doorstep where your forebears once left, possibly never to return
  • Also on today's agenda is an in depth discussion with a genealogist who will present you with their findings having completed in depth research on your family tree
  • 6pm Drinks followed by Gala Dinner in Cullen's at the Dungeon
  • Overnight stay at Ashford Castle

Day 8

Theme: Return to Dublin or Shannon Airport

  • Final breakfast together then guests are coached back to Dublin or Shannon Airport

Some words from our Ireland 101 8 Day Galway Region and Best of Ireland Tour Partners

- Director of Sales - The Westbury Hotel "The Westbury Hotel is proud to be part of Ireland101. As an Irish family owned property we know the importance of connecting with your roots..."
,
Director of Sales,
The Westbury Hotel

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Niamh O'Shea - General Manager - The Killarney Park Hotel "The Treacy Family has been living in Killarney and providing hospitality experiences there for generations. We are excited to be a part of Ireland101..."
Niamh O'Shea,
General Manager,
The Killarney Park Hotel

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Niall Rochford - General Manager - Ashford Castle "Ashford Castle, a 13th Century castle and former Guinness family residence, are excited to be a part of the Ireland 101 Tour..."
Niall Rochford,
General Manager,
Ashford Castle

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Other tours in this series: