Castle and Manor Private Tour

Ireland is country known for its stunning landscapes, vibrant colourful villages, ancient Celtic relics, lush green valleys and abandoned castles. As an ocean ‘outpost’ at the western edge of Europe, Ireland has a natural character quite different to the Continental landmass. Its geology is remarkably varied, with rocks that range back over 2,500 million years. Once, long ago, Ireland was covered by ice, and the track of the glaciers can be read in the dramatic shapes of the mountains and the little drumlins hills of the countryside.

DAY 1 ARRIVE SHANNON TO KENMARE

Cead Mile Failte ( a hundred thousand welcomes! ) Arrive into Shannon Airport where you will be met by a private driver & guide and transferred to your luxury motor vehicle.
Your tour of the Emerald Isle will commence south to Kenmare in Co.Kerry

DAY 2 RING OF KERRY TOUR

The Ring of Kerry Tour takes you through spectacular coastal and mountainous scenery along the base of the highest mountain range in Ireland, The MacGillycuddy Reeks, and the highest peak being Carrantuohill rising 3,414 feet. The journey takes you through villages and towns depicting typical rural life in Ireland.

As you descend into Killarney, fabulous views of the three Lakes of Killarney are afforded from ‘Ladies View’, named after Queen Victoria’s visit at the beginning century. Continue to Killarney’s National Park and the Muckross House Estate for a visit.

Muckross House, is a 19th century manor house, majestically situated on the shores of Muckross Lake. Now a major visitor centre, the House has two main themes, the environment of the National Park and the folklore of County Kerry in the 19th and 20th centuries. The gardens informal in size, are noted for their fine collection of rhododendrons and azaleas, which bloom in May/July, extensive water gardens and an outstanding rock garden of natural limestone.

Return to the Park Hotel for overnight.

DAY 3 KENMARE TO CONG

Depart Kenmare and travel north via Killarney and Tralee. Take the Tarbert/Kilimer ferry across the mouth of the Shannon and then enjoy the wonderful scenery of the coast of Clare.

You can stop off at the Cliffs of Moher, which are great dark sandstone cliffs (600ft) that rise sheer from the Atlantic for nearly 5 miles.Screaming sea birds throng the ledges or wheel and swoop about the waves. The best views are from O’Brien’s Tower, built in 1853 by Cornelius O’Brien.

Continue via the Burren which is a vast, bare, eerie limestone plateau that covers much of County Clare.It is gradually being established as a national park. The limestone is deeply fissured and most of the rivers have gone underground creating an extensive cave system. Four thousand years of farming has largely denuded the country of trees and vegetation but the Burren is noted for the “opposite” contrasts of its flower population with Mediterranean and Alpine species flourishing side by side.

Continue north into Galway City. Galway nestles at the neck of Galway Bay and is reputed to have been Columbus’ final point of departure on his epoch-making voyage of discovery.The city was founded on the east bank of the river late in the 12th century by the Anglo-Norman family de Burgo. It attracted many Welsh and Norman merchants who enclosed the city within a defensive wall. Under the control of the fourteen leading families, known as the ‘tribes’ an extensive trade developed, not only with the continent, importing French and Spanish wine, but also with the West Indies.

After checking into your accommodation, you can take a stroll around Galway city visiting such areas as Eyre Square, Lynch’s Castle, St. Nicholas’ Church, O’Brien’s Bridge, Spanish Arch, the Famous Claddagh, beautiful Galway Bay, Salthill Promenade, University College, Salmon Weir Bridge, Court House and the Municipal Theatre.

Your final destination today is Cong. Check into Ashford Castle where you will overnight for the next 2 nights.

DAY 4 CONNEMARA

This morning after a hearty Irish Breakfast, you may like to tour the beautiful Connemara Countryside. This is a wild and beautiful region of mountains, lakes, tumbling streams undulating bog, unspoilt beaches and panoramic views. It takes you through some of the strangest and most beautiful scenery in the far west of Ireland, a region with an unsurpassed sense of remoteness.

To one person’s eye, the hallmarks are its shapes and colours; the varying pewters of over-present water and stone; walls and rocky outcrops swelling out in lumps and bumps from an intense green turf, occasionally splashed white by a solitary cottage.To others it may be the variety of russets on the slopes of the rugged peaks of the Maamturk Mountains cut by so many valleys, lakes and rivers; of the flat, saw-toothed coastline of rocky promontories joined by sandy, shell-filled coves. It is a Gaelic- speaking region and has attracted many artisans, who can be visited at work in their studios. The centre of Connemara is composed of mountain peaks, the Twelve Bens or Pins, which culminate in Benbaun. The sharp grey peaks of quartzite rock which is resistant to weathering are too steep and hard to be clothed in blanket bog. The region is now largely uninhabited, although in the past the more fertile lowlands were cultivated and the uplands were used as pasture for cattle and sheep.

You can visit Kyelmore Abbey and its lovely grounds.This appears to grow from amongst the lakeshore tree in the mountain’s shadow. Its many towers and battlements, built in the 1860’s reflect the grandeur and fantasy of brash Balmoral-Gothic architecture. Today it is a convent school run by Benedictine Nuns, but visitors can enjoy the chapel and grounds.

Return to Ashford Castle for overnight.

DAY 5 CONG TO ADARE

Depart Cong and travel south to the village of Adare in Co.Limerick. Snuggled in a wooden and lush countryside setting, Adare is widely regarded as being Ireland’s prettiest and most picturesque village. Situated on the river Maigue, a tributary of the Shannon river, Adare (Gaelic name: “Ath Dara” - the “ford of the oak” - from the combination of water and woodland) dates back, at least, to the early 13th century. During its long history, Adare, as a strategic location, has been the subject of many conquests, wars and rebellions.

The old town of Adare, which stood on the northern bank of the river Maigue, near the Desmond castle, was destroyed during the 16th century wars. Almost all of the present village was built in the 19th century. The early developments were very haphazard but from about 1820, streets and buildings were laid out according to the, then, Earl of Dunraven’s design. He built houses and rented them, under various agreements, to his tenants, working on his estate lands. Today, Adare village has a rich wealth of heritage, as well as architectural and scenic beauty. Two groups of world -famous, ornate, thatched cottages line part off the village’s broad main street, punctuated with beautiful stone buildings, medieval monasteries and ruins. Check into Adare Manor for your last night on the Emerald Isle.

DAY 6 DEPART

After a leisurely breakfast, your driver will transfer you to Shannon Airport for your flight back to the United States

Slan Abhaile! (Safe Home!)

For more information on this package and to book, call us at 800-863-9067.