Aldine Travel

 

 

IRELAND & SCOTLAND for THE FREEMAN FAMILY

 

 

 

 

Wednesday 25th  July

 

Transfer to The Blackford Hotel Moray Street , Auchterarder PH4 1QF

A former 1830s Coaching Inn set in the heart of Perthshire and very close to Auchterarder and the famous Scottish golf courses of Gleneagles. The Stevens family welcomes a relaxed and traditional atmosphere with burning open log fires and plenty of local banter within the hotel. They have 8 individually decorated comfortable en-suite rooms that overlook the village of Blackford and rolling Perthshire hills. The restaurants serve an extensive A’la Carte menu varying form light bites to full dinners, using the finest of local produce available.  Two rooms are reserved - a twin bedded room and a room with a double bed, 2 single beds and a Z bed.

 

 

 

Sunday, 29th July

Depart Gleneagles and transfer to Glasgow Airport.  Fly to Dublin.    The Aer Lingus flights depart at 10.45 pr 22.15.  

Ryanair flights depart from Glasgow Prestwick at 10.45, 14.35 and 22.30.  

The flight is 50 minutes.  Prestwick is 90 minutes from Gleneagles and 45 minutes from Glasgow.  Glasgow Airport is 20 minutes from the city centre.

If required a driver guide would be available for the day, or a straight transfer can be arranged, or taxis can be taken from the hotel.

 

Arrive at Dublin airport. Driver will meet you or you will pick up you car at the Arrival Halls and transfer to Waterloo House.  Waterloo House has combined two imposing Georgian buildings to offer the finest in accommodations. And, with parking at a premium in Dublin, the off street spaces are a real bonus. Wireless internet access available. It has 17 bedrooms, all are ensuite, with TV, direct dial telephones and tea/coffee making facilities. There is a lift to all floors.is situated on one of Dublin's premier tree lined avenues in the heart of the city. The location is tranquil yet only minutes away from St. Stephen's Green, Grafton Street and many of Dublin's key attractions.

 

   

 

Dublin has long been a centre of art and culture. Stroll through the elegant Georgian streets of Merrion and Fitzwilliam Squares, shop in the elegant emporiums of Grafton Street and Powerscourt Townhouse, explore the collections of the National Museum and National Gallery, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, and many fine small private collections. The range of art and artefacts is enormous, and you will have no problem spending many hours enthralled.. The city is over a thousand years old, and many of the towns and settlements that surround it are equally ancient. Successive centuries have left their distinctive overlays of character and architecture which means that Dublin has a wealth of historically significant and fascinating sights to explore such as Dublin Castle, where the Normans ruled from the 12th Century, St Patrick's Cathedral, of which Jonathan Swift was Dean, and Trinity College, famous for The Book of Kells and for its alumni who include Oscar Wilde and Oliver Goldsmith. And no visit to Dublin could be complete without visiting either the Old Whiskey Distillery or the Guinness Storehouse!  To chill totally wander down to Meeting House Square in Temple Bar and check out the Food  Market.

 

A Tour of Dublin's Fair City

Bank of Ireland , College Green
The prestigious offices of Ireland 's national bank began life as the first purpose-built parliament house in Europe . Completed in 1739 it served as Ireland 's Parliament until the Act Of Union in 1801  
Trinity College
Founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth. Among many famous students to attend the college were playwrights Oliver Goldsmith and Samuel Beckett. Trinity's lawns and cobbled quads provide a pleasant haven in the hearth of the city. The major attractions are the Old Library and the Book of Kells, housed in the Treasury. Exit form the front of the Trinity complex and walk from College Green to Dame St and Continue west passing:
The Olympia Theatre - Dating back to the 1800s, this Victorian music hall-style theatre has a capacity of 1,300. It presents an eclectic schedule of variety shows, musicals, operettas, concerts, ballet, comedy, and drama. As a variation, for the late-night crowd, live bands are often featured after regular programs.  A brief diversion here will bring you into the trendy Temple Bar area. Across the Street is  
City Hall 
Erected between 1769 and 1779, and formerly the Royal Exchange. It is a square building in Corinthian style, with three fronts of Portland stone. Since 1852, however it has been the centre of the municipal government. The interior is designed as a circle within a square, with fluted columns supporting a dome shaped roof over the central hall. The building contains many items of interest, including 102 royal charters and the mace and sword of the city. Adjacent to City Hall is:
Du blin Castle
Built between 1208 and 1220, this complex represents some of the oldest surviving architecture in the city, and was the centre of English power in Ireland for over seven centuries until it was taken of by the Irish Free State in 1922. Highlights include the 13th-century record tower, the largest visible fragment of the original Norman castle and the State Apartments, once the residence of English viceroys and now the focal point for government ceremonial functions, including the inauguration of Ireland 's presidents. At this point Dame St takes on the name Lord Edward St , and leads to  
St. Patrick's Cathedral
 Ireland 's largest church was founded beside a sacred well where St. Patrick is said to have baptised converts around 450A.D. A stone slab bearing a Celtic cross and covering the well was un-earthed at the turn of the century(20th). It is now preserved in the west end of the cathedral's nave. The original building was just a wooden chapel and remained so until 1192 when Archbishop John Comyn rebuilt the cathedral in stone. Much of the present building dates back to work completed between 1254 and 1270.  Cut back to  
Powerscourt Town House Centre
The townhouse of a famous Georgian family. Today the building houses one of the cities nicest shopping centres. In the 1960's major restoration turned it into a centre of specialist galleries, antique shops, jewellery stalls, cafés and other shop units. Carry on to Grafton Street down the narrow Johnson Court Alley  

 
Explore the Great Georgian Squares and Doorways.;  Visit the famous Phoenix Park, Home of our President Mary McAllesse;  See the delights of the city of Roddy Doyle, James Joyce, Brendan Behan, Sean O' Casey, Oscar Wilde and Nobel Prize winners W.B Yeats, George B. Shaw and Samuel Beckett.; See Guinness Brewery, O' Connell Street;  The U2 Wall, The National Museum & Gallery

The U2 Wall

 

 

 And of course Molly Malone herself

"In Dublins fair city, where the girls are so pretty, I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone
As she wheeled her wheel-barrow, through streets broad and narrow, Crying cockles and mussels,
alive, alive o!"

Overnight at Waterloo House

Monday, 30th July 

   

Leave Dublin and head to the town of Kildare, founded in the 5th Century by St Brigid.  There visit the Irish National Stud and The Japanese Gardens.  Head on to Kilkenny for lunch

The medieval city of Kilkenny is noted for its tales of ghosts and witches. See St Canice's Cathedral named after the town's founder. Known nowadays as the creative heart of Ireland, Kilkenny is where ancient history and contemporary culture meet.  There are medieval shops,  perfectly preserved Elizabethan houses and its breathtaking Norman Castle on the banks of the River Nore. 

The Rock of Cashel is one of the most spectacular archeological sites in Ireland. It sits on the outskirts of Cashel on a large mound of limestone bristling with ancient fortifications. Mighty stone walls encircle a complete round tower, a roofless abbey, a 12th century Romanesque chapel, and numerous other buildings and high crosses. The Rock of Cashel is composed four structures which are the Hall of the Vicars Choral, the cathedral, the round tower, and Cormac's Chapel. 

 

Drive to Ballymakeigh, a wonderful old world romantic 400 year old farmhouse.

You can be sure of being well fed when you stay at Ballymakeigh House for Margaret is a well know chef—she has written cookbooks, and operated a very successful local restaurant. Margaret uses only the finest local meats, fish and vegetables. She does a set four course dinner having discussed your likes and dislikes beforehand—there’s an extensive wine list. At breakfast you’ll be spoilt for choice. Relax in the sunny conservatory or on the Victorian sofas in the cozy sitting room, all decked out in shades of green. Bedrooms are named after local rivers and are all attractively decorated with well-chosen antique furniture, wallpaper, and fabrics

Tuesday, 31st July

Head off to Cork City  via Macroom and  Blarney Castle, one of Ireland's oldest and most historic castles, built around 1446. An ancient stronghold of the MacCarthys, Lords of Muskerry and one of the strongest fortresses in Munster, its walls are eighteen feet thick in places. Located on the parapet of the castle is the famous "Blarney Stone". According to local legend, after kissing this stone, you will have the gift of eternal eloquence, or "the gift of the gab". To kiss the stone, you must first lie on your back, then leaning your head backwards and downwards, you kiss the underside of the stone.     

Follow the coast of West Cork via Drombeg stone circle to the town of Bantry.  Tour Bantry House   then cruise a short distance through Bantry Bay, passing families of seals en route to the magical island of Garinish and its splendid gardens and Martello Tower On return to dry land head on to the Beara Peninsula, and over The Healy Pass.

 

Overnight at the Lodge in Kenmare, a newly-built luxury 4 star guesthouse directly opposite Kenmare's 18-hole
golf course, surrounded by its own private gardens and within 3 minutes walk of some of the finest restaurants in Ireland.

The Lodge (purpose-built as a guesthouse and a substantial family home for the Quills and their four young sons) sits back from the road in 2 acres of grassy garden. Finbar works in the family’s woollen shop in town, which has the largest selection of sweaters in Kenmare, if not all of Kerry, while Rosemary runs the bed and breakfast. She is exceedingly personable as is her staff of local ladies. Not a thing in the place (with the possible exception of two gigantic vases) is older than the house, from the traditional furniture to the portraits that line the staircase. Bedrooms are spacious and have large, top-of-the-line bathrooms. All have large queen-size beds and nine are large enough to accommodate an additional single bed. 


Wednesday, 1st August

The Ring of Kerry is a circular route around the Iveragh Peninsula .  It is best to do it in an anti clockwise direction - Killorglin, Glenbeigh, etc.    Hightlights are :

Killorglin situated on a hill overlooking the wide and graceful River Laune, a river offering salmon and trout angling. Dominating the landscape to the south are the MacGillycuddys Reeks. It is the location of the famous "Puck Fair" festival - On the bridge into the town is a salmon smoke house called The Fishery.

The Bog Village is situated half way between Killorglin and Glenbeigh on the main Ring of Kerry route. It is a must for you to stop off and enjoy a step back in time to the early 18th century to recapture the way life would have been at that time. Peat, or turf as it is usually called in Ireland , is harvested from bogs and is still used as domestic fuel. The village is here to preserve the past for your enjoyment. This is a most worthwhile and historic visit to see the real Kerry life as it was, in the heart of Kerry's bogland. The Bog Village is adjacent to the Red Fox Inn Bar and Restaurant, which is open seven days a week.

 

Glenbeigh is a popular holiday base nestled at the foot of a well-wooded mountain and close to the head of Dingle Bay .  It is dominated by the strange ruin of Wynn's Folly, or Hedley Towers , once home of the Winns, Barons Headley. The Title dated from 1797. Wynn's Folly was burnt down in 1922. The view from 'Wynn's Folly is superb, and provides a breathtaking view of the village and surrounds of Glenbeigh.  After Glenbeigh you will pass through Kells Bay where a local shepherd gives demonstrations of working sheep dogs

From Cahirciveen you can divert to the right and take the car ferrry to Knightstown on Valentia Island .  Be sure to visit The Slate Quarry, Glanleam Gardens and The Tetrapod Trackway -   In 1993 an undergraduate geology student (Iwan Stossel) made the discovery of a lifetime. While examining rocks on the island's coast he came across a rock platform containing a set of ancient animal footprints. The tracks have since been dated to almost 400 million years ago and are regarded as among the earliest footprints known to science, and certainly the oldest known footprints in Europe .

Valentia is an island of unique scenic beauty, tropical vegetation, breathtaking cliffs and magnificent seascapes. The island is an excellent centre for sea angling and diving in unpolluted waters. The bridge was built at Portmagee in 1970. The island, about 11km long by 3km wide is one of the most westerly points of Europe . The surface is bold and rocky, two prominent features being Geokaun Mountain 268 meters on the north and Bray head 180 metres on the south, both are splendid vantage points for the sightseer. The Skellig Experience is located here. This is where the story of the Skelligs is told. The themes include the monastic settlement, the lighthouse, the bird and underwater life.

 

 Head on to Ballinskelligs via St Finans Bay .  In Ballinskelligs is the Cill Rialaig Centre - once a deserted and almost forgotten pre-famine village of thatched stone cottages situated on the Bolus road near Ballinskelligs, it is now an international artists' retreat .

On through Charlie Chaplin's Waterville and Cagerdaniel where, by golden beaches, stands Derrynane House, the ancestral home of Daniel O'Connell, lawyer, politician and statesman. Today some 120 hectares of the lands of Derrynane, together with Derrynane House, make up Derrynane National Historic Park . Plantations and garden walks were laid out in the 18th and 19th centuries, principally north and west of the house. Some features of the demesne are strongly associated with Daniel O'Connell, including the old Summer House. The main area of the gardens, set inland and to the north of the house, can be reached through a tunnel under the road.

Between Waterville and Derrynane you will see a Neolithic Stone alignment on the ridge above the LHS of the road.  Outside Caherdaniel is a ruined Iron Age fort on the RHS.

  At Castlecove, some distance to the left off the main road, is Staigue Fort - probably the finest example of a stone fort in Ireland , and is about 2500 years old. It is built of local stone and is almost circular, 27m in diameter. The walls are almost 4m thick at the base, and 2m thick at the top. The north side is still perfect with some of the old coping stones still in position. There are two small chambers in the wall, one on the west side and one on the north side. The stairways are probably the most interesting feature of the fort, and run inside the wall almost to the wall's full height. They lead to narrow platforms on which the fort's defenders stood.

  Through Sneem and back to Kenmare

 

Overnight at the Lodge

Thursday, 2nd July.

    

It is worth stopping at Bunratty Castle , which was built in 1425 by the MacNamaras and then passed to the O'Briens who were Earls of Thomond. The Castle is furnished with mainly 15th and 16th century furnishings.  Bunratty Folk Park recreates rural and urban life in the 19th century Ireland . Visitors can for example view farmhouses of various economic backgrounds, a watermill, church and village street. The Walled Garden at 19th Bunratty House has been sensitively restored and is a must-see for all garden enthusiasts

 

Rising 650 feet from the roiling Atlantic, the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare take our breath away. From their majestic height we see the Aran Islands in the distance, and we observe kittiwakes, puffins, razorbills, and other birds catch the dizzying coastal winds. “Not enough wood to hang a man, not enough water to drown him, and not enough clay to cover his corpse.” That was how one of Oliver Cromwell’s generals described the Burren. Words, however, simply cannot do justice to this eerie, peculiar 193-square mile area of ancient seabed that suffered glacial activity during its long history. Today we see treeless meadows of limestone karst that forms natural pavement interspersed with lush flora. Burren means great rock, and the rock formations do dominate the landscape, but many visitors come to study what grows between the rocks—an amazing mix of arctic, alpine, temperate, and tropical vegetation growing side by side. Twenty-two varieties of orchids thrive here, nourished by underground rivers and rich soil. Scholars of history can scour the Burren for tombs, chambers, and dolmens (two stones that support a horizontal slab), traces of Stone Age inhabitants.  

Overnight at Ardsollus Farm, - A spacious Agri-tourism award winning 300 year old farmhouse on 120 acre working farm overlooking Dromoland Estate, with its 18 hole golf course. The house is fully modernized, but retains its old world charm. There are antique furnishings throughout the house which is a fifth generation family home. There are show-jumping horses on farm.  Bunratty Castle is  within a fifteen minute drive.

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, 3rd August

Drive back to Dublin. En route stop at Birr Castle. The gardens are particularly noted for their spring flowering magnolias, cherries and crab apples.  The park of the castle also contains the remains of the giant 72 inch reflecting telescope built in 1845 and the largest in the world for 3/4 of a century.  Laid out around a lake and along the banks of 2 adjacent rivers, above one of those waterfalls, rises the early 17th century castle (whose interior remains a private family home).  The desmesne covers over 50 ha and contains more than 1000 different varieties and species of trees and schrubs.  The town has very fine Georgian architecture and has been designated a heritage town.  It stands between the Slieve Bloom Mountains and The Shannon River.

Carry on to Clonmacnoise, an early Christian site founded by Saint Ciaran in the 6th century on the banks of the River Shannon. The site includes the ruins of a cathedral, eight churches (10th-13th century), two round towers, three high crosses and a large collection of early Christian grave slabs. The original high crosses and grave slabs are on display in the Visitor Centre.

Overnight at Waterloo House

Saturday, 4th August

Transfer to Dublin Airport