DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY:

Day 1 - Departure

We leave from Boston Logan in the evening for an overnight flight to Shannon, Ireland.

Day 2 - From the Shannon Estuary to Donegal Bay

We arrive at Shannon Airport, rendezvous with our tour escorts, Alice and Sean, and board the comfortable motor coach for our hotel in County Sligo. On route we stop in County Galway for a traditional Irish breakfast. We proceed through the rugged Connaught landscape to our hotel in Mullaghmore, a picturesque fishing village on Donegal bay. At the hotel, we have the rest of the day to explore the village or catch up on sleep. After dinner we will have the first of our nightly traditional music sessions.

Day 3 - A Waterfall, A Country House and Megalithic Tombs

We visit Glencar Waterfall and the grave of Ireland’s Nobel prize-winning poet,
W. B. Yeats at Drumcliff Churchyard before exploring the megalithic tombs at Carrowmore, the largest megalithic cemetary in Europe. After lunch in Sligo town, we visit Lisadell House and Gardens, one time home of the Countess Markievicz, one of the major figures in the 1916 Rebellion.

Day 4 - A Neolithic Court Tomb, World Famous Pottery and an Ancient Stone Circle

Creevykeel Court Cairn, is our first stop dating from the neolithic period, 4000 to 2500 BC. Then it's on to Belleek, and its world famous pottery museum and visitor center . From there we go to Donegal town for lunch and a tour of its fine castle built by Irish Chieftain, Hugh O'Donnell, in 1474. We continue on to the ancient Beltany stone circle in Raphoe before checking in to our hotel outside Letterkenny, overlooking beautiful Lough Swilly.

Day 5 - Fanad Drive and Glenveagh National Park

The Flight of the Earls Heritage Center, housed in a Napoleonic era fort in Rathmullen is our first stop. From there we take a stunningly beautiful drive along the coast of Lough Swilly with breathtaking views of surrounding countryside. We continue on to Doon Rock the traditional inaugural place of the O'Donnell chieftains. We stop for lunch at the spectacular Glenveagh National Park where we spend the afternoon exploring its lakes, gardens and castle.

Day 6 - Grianan of Aileach, Bushmill's Distellery and the Giant's Causeway

The Grianan of Aileach is a majestic stone fort from the early Christian period, commanding a spectacular view of Lough Swilly and Lough Foyle. Old Busmills distillery, the world's oldest licensed whiskey distillery is our next stop for lunch and a tour before we visit the Giant's Causeway, a natural phenomenon of thousands of basalt columns that appear to have been chiseled out of the cliffs of North Antrim. We explore the ruins of Dunluce Castle teetering on a rugged cliff top before reaching our hotel in the seaside town of Portrush.

Day 7 - Glenarriff, Carrickfergus and the Ulster Folk Museum

The Antrim coastline is one of the most scenic parts of Ireland and we experience it in all its glory as we wind our way to Glenarriff, one of the legendary nine glens of Antrim. We continue down the wild coastline to Carrickfergus and its impressive castle. Next stop is the Ulster Folk Museum, an enthralling recreation of village and rural life where we take a step back in time a hundred years. From there we continue on to our hotel in Newry.

Day 8 - A Medieval Village, Ancient High Crosses and a 5000 Year Old Burial Mound

We begin the day with a walking tour of the medieval streets of Carlingford settled by the Norman knight Hugh De Lacy in the 12th century. Then we visit the magnificent High Crosses at Monasterboice and continue on to Knowth, part of the Newgrange complex and one of the crown jewels of ancient Irish sites. Built about 3000 BC, its construction predates the Egyptian pyramids by 500 years. Then it's just a short trip to our hotel in Navan.

Day 9 - Dublin's Fair City

We spend the day in Dublin, Ireland's capital city. We begin at the National Museum and the National gallery. Then the afternoon is free for exploring the city center. Whether it's shopping on Grafton Street, people watching in Temple Bar or sampling the Guinness at some of the city's legendary pubs, Dublin has something for everyone. We cap off the day with dinner in Ireland's oldest pub, The Brazen Head, where we will have our final nightly music session.

Day 10 - Heading for Home

We depart our hotel for Dublin Airport with time to spare for some last minute shopping at the airport Duty Free shop.

Don’t want to go home?
If you would like to extend your stay, please contact Robbie O’Connell at
401-396-9424 or email: robbie@celtica.com before you send in your registration form.

CALL 1-800-299-CELT!

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