5 Day Ireland Highlights Tour – West & North

Arrival in Dublin – Airport Transfer and Orientation

A private luxury airport transfer vehicle will be arranged to bring you to your hotel in Dublin City for some rest and relaxation after your flight. Ireland’s capital has a fascinating history stretching back over 1,000 years. It also has a buzzing night life combined with a vibrant live music and pub scene. Dinner reservations will be arranged on request. ‘KC’s Things to See and Do in Dublin’ guide brochure and ‘KC’s Pubs of Dublin Highlights Tour’ enclosed with maps, will be waiting for you at your hotel reception. Experience Dublin City You will have already beeen offered the choice of exploring Dublin City’s must see sites with or without your exclusive chauffeur/guide. If you wish to spend the day discovering Ireland’s capital independently, you will have my guide brochures to accompany you. Suggested highlights for you include a visit to see the Book of Kells at Trinity College, National Gallery of Ireland, Historic Kilmainham Jail and the Guinness Storehouse.

Day 1: Dublin to Galway

I will meet you at your hotel to begin your 5 day Ireland tour this morning. Upon departing Dublin, you will get a chance to experience the magical landscape that is the Curragh of Kildare. There will be ample time for selfies with free ranging sheep and photos of fairy trees! Your guide might even give a rendition of the iconic folk song ‘The Curragh of Kildare’! Ancient history associates St. Bridget with the area and you will get to visit a very special holy well and peace garden dedicated to her memory. Next on today’s itinerary is a guided tour of the 6th century monastic city of Clonmacnoise – overlooking the River Shannon. After lunch at a beautiful restaurant overlooking a riverside marina on the Shannon, you will continue west to Galway. Galway City is Ireland’s Atlantic cultural capital. It is also a vibrant, romantic place, where buskers and street performers are made welcome, and in return, they compliment its bohemian vibe. Its compact town-size makes it the perfect destination to wander the streets after dinner, soak up its unique atmosphere and check out some traditional pubs for music and fun.

Day 2: Galway to Wesport

A morning drive along Galway’s Salthill Promenade with scenic views of Galway Bay will bring us to our first stop. The unique community craft market called An Spiddal and nearby Standun’s iconic Irish store are great places to pick up unique gifts and quality wears. You will then return into town for a visit to stunning Galway Cathedral. Yours truly will then take you on a fascinating one hour storytelling walk through Galway’s narrow, maritime streets where you will hear tales of piracy, the love story behind the Claddagh Ring and an enduring mystery surrounding Christopher Columbus’s visit to the medieval seaport. No photos or travel shows can come close to actually getting out of a car and experiencing Connemara’s rugged beauty for yourself. It is a wild, unpopulated landscape of sweeping moorland plains, deep bogs, lakes and mountains. The people of Connemara are still steeped in traditional music, boat racing, singing and the Irish language. It was also once the homeland of a famous pirate queen, Grace O’Malley, which you will hear more about through legend and song! Our main visitor attraction today is the stunningly beautiful Kylemore Abbey, where you will hear a truly compelling story behind its visionary builder. Kylemore contains wonderful Victorian gardens and a Downtown Abbey style house to visit. From Kylemore Abbey, you will enjoy a wonderfully scenic late afternoon drive via Killary Harbour and the Maamturk Mountains to the heritage town of Westport. Your chauffeur guide is a friend of Matt Molloys from the band ‘The Chieftains’ so what better way to end the day than enjoy a drink and some music in his world famous pub!

Day 3: Westport to Donegal

The distinctive cone-shaped peak of Croagh Patrick is Ireland’s holiest mountain. Hear the fascinating history behind this ancient pilgrimage mountain during our first site visit of the day. You will then get to experience the National Musuem of Country Life in Ireland featuring fascinating exhibits on Decorative Art and Folk & Country Life. The mythical monolithic shaped mountains of County Sligo were inspiration for one of Ireland’s greatest poets W.B. Yeats, and in more recent times – the popular racey TV series ‘Normal People’. Your chauffeur guide will recite one of Yeat’s most magical poems by the shore of Glencar Lake and share with you an epic folk tale neath the monolithic mountain of Ben Bulben. Our final stop on today’s tour will be for a panoramic ocean view looking out on Tullaghan Strand and Donegal Bay, a mecca for big wave surfers from around the world.

Day 4: Slieve League Peninsula and Highlands of Donegal

I will be in my native county on this day, proudly showcasing the best of Donegal to you! After a surprise local experience tour, you will travel out along the spectacular coast road to marvel at Slieve League, some of the highest sea-cliffs in Europe. Our first stop will be, Killybegs, to soak up the sights an sounds of this busy Atlantic deep-sea fishing port. Will wil then travel out to Gleancolmcille for more breathtaking scenery. Our return route via Glengesh and Ardara has its own wild beauty to marvel at, set amidst some of the most beautiful, unspoilt glens in the Donegal Highlands. Back in Donegal Town, there will be a chance to do some gift shopping or visit nearby Donegal Castle. The Reel Inn is your guide’s local and a chance to experience an authentic traditional music, singing and fun recitations night!

Day 5: Donegal to the Boyne Valley, Co. Meath

On today’s final touring day you will explore the Boyne Valley in the heart of Ireland’s ‘Ancient East’. No trip to the Boyne Valley would be complete without a visit to the ancient monastic city of Monasterboice with its well preserved Round Tower and fascinating Celtic Crosses – symbols of Ireland unique Celtic Christian heritage. There will be options to visit the 5,500 year old passage graves at Newgrange or experience a private viewing of a passage tomb as your guide shares insights into society and cultural beliefs back then. Nearby is the Hill of Tara – once the spiritual, temporal and cultural capital of ancient Ireland with breathtaking views over the plains of County Meath on a fine day. Trim Castle is one of the largest and best preserved Anglo-Norman castles in all of Ireland overlooking the Boyne Valley. It served as a backdrop for the 1995 classic movie ‘Braveheart’ starring Mel Gibson, and a guided tour is highly recommended if time allows. The heritage town of Trim offers relaxed surroundings to enjoy the final night of your tour and take stock of all your photos, experiences and special memories.

Day 6: Airport Transfer

Trim in County Meath is just a 40 minute drive from Dublin Airport. Your dedicated chauffeur/guide will ensure that you enjoy a smooth direct transfer with ample time for pre check-in before your flight departs.