Blarney Castle, Cliffs of Moher, Galway, Inis Mór, Giant’s Causeway & Belfast
Our ultimate Irish adventure! Explore the whole of the island, north and south plus Inis Mór (Aran Islands) hidden off the west coast. This one has it all - traditional music, stunning scenery, ancient monuments and vibrant towns plus great craic on the road and at night. This is your chance to see Ireland through Irish eyes. Seven action packed and fun filled days which may well turn out to be the best days of your life!
> Kiss the Blarney Stone
> Galway, City of the Tribes
> The mighty Cliffs of Moher
> The Gaelic speaking isle of Inis Mór
> Derry’s walled city
> The Giant’s Causeway
> The perilous Carrick–a-Rede Rope Bridge
> The stories behind the ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland
> ‘Pa’, the legendary story-teller of Killarney
> Meet the locals at a traditional music session
> Discover the vibrant streets of Galway with its many buskers
> Cycle the Gaelic island of Inis Mór Take an award winning walking tour of Derry
> View the political murals of Belfast in a black cab
> Your fan-feckin-tastic Irish Guide
> All transport around the Emerald Isle
> Transfer and ferry to Inis Mór
> FREE entry to Blarney Castle
> FREE entry to Cliffs of Moher
> FREE entry to Giant’s Causeway
> FREE entry to Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
> FREE Lonely Planet guidebook
Click here for more info on Free Stuff!
> Accommodation is guaranteed on all trips - we reserve the beds and you pay as you go. The price is between €18 and €20 per person per night in shared dorms. For more information and upgrade options click here.
TRAD MUSIC FESTIVAL 2012
Traditional Irish music is known locally as ‘trad music’ and among those in the know, Co. Clare is often regarded as the home of this great Irish music tradition. We’ve combined the best that Ireland has to offer with our Shamrocker trips to give you an authentic local experience.
The Fleadh Nua and Ennis Trad Festival both bring together all the best of traditional Irish culture, music, dance and song. Mix with street performances, parades and a Guinness or two and you will get a unique insight and amazing time in Ireland amongst its people.
Highlights
• Traditional Irish Music sessions in County Clare
• The chance to experience the very best of local Irish culture
• Shamrocker trip highlights
Ennis Fleadh Nua 26 and 28 May departures
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Day 1: Dublin - Killarney
We leave the city and head south west into the lush green Irish countryside. Pass the River Liffey on the way to the imposing Rock of Cashel, once the seat of the Kings of Munster. Through the Golden Vale to Blarney Castle in the rebel county of Cork. Now’s your chance to give the stone a big juicy smacker to get the legendary ‘gift of the gab’. You will now realise your Guide has kissed the stone many, many times…Tonight is in the party town of Killarney.
Day 2: Killarney - Ennis
Today it’s all about breathtaking scenery and adventure. We spend the day exploring the dramatic Dingle Peninsula and we take you to the edge of the ancient world…We stop at the stunning Coumeennole Beach then on through Tralee until we cross the mighty Shannon River to County Clare. We spend the night in Ennis where the pubs are filled with locals playing traditional Irish music.
Day 3: Ennis - Galway
Hold on to your hats because today we’ll visit the awesome Cliffs of Moher rising hundreds of feet over the Atlantic Ocean. Vertigo sufferers beware! After lunch we’ll explore the weird and magical world of the Burren, Ireland’s lunar landscape and home to fairies and leprechauns. Hear the Celtic legends surrounding the ancient burial tombs, or dolmens. Our stop for the night is Galway, Ireland’s cultural capital and festival city.
Day 4: Inis Mór Day (Aran Islands)
We spend a whole day on Inis Mór, the largest of the Aran Islands. Inis Mór has over 3,000 miles of stone walls! The locals here are fluent Irish (Gaelic) speakers and you’ll be free to explore the island and get chatting to them over a pint. You can take a walk, a horse and cart or for the more energetic, explore the island by bike. You can’t miss the awe-inspiring fortress of Dun Aonghasa, a 3,000 year old Iron Age ring fort perched on the edge of a 300 foot high cliff. After a tremendous day it’s time to head back to the main land for a pint of Guinness or two in Galway’s buzzing pub scene.
Day 5: Galway - Enniskillen
Today we make our way through the wild, rugged and rural countryside of Connemara with its mountains, streams and peat bogs. We take the opportunity to stop at the famous drinking house of Matt Molloy (he was in the band The Chieftains) for a swift half before crossing the border into Northern Ireland (or ‘Norn Iron’ as the locals call it). Tonight we spend in the island town of Enniskillen, surrounded by spectacular freshwater lakes.
Day 6: Enniskillen - Belfast
North to the medieval walled city of Derry. Much has happened here over the centuries that have shaped Ulster’s present and more recently the setting of infamous events such as Bloody Sunday. Take the option to go on the award-winning walking tour to hear of Derry’s dramatic past. We then follow in the footsteps of Giants to the eighth natural wonder of the world, the Giant’s Causeway. We’ll take you to the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge (weather permitting) where you can sway over the precarious drop to the rocks below. Then it’s party time in the North’s vibrant capital, Belfast.
Day 7: Belfast - Dublin
This morning take the chance to do a Black Cab tour of Belfast City with a local at the wheel. You’ll visit the Loyalist and Republican heartlands, see the famous political murals and learn about the ‘Troubles’. Belfast has gone through some remarkable changes in the last few decades and is a highlight of many travellers trip to the North. We head south for a stop at Monasterboice ruined monastery with high Celtic crosses and then the site of the Battle of the Boyne, a pivotal even in Ireland’s turbulent history.