Arrive Shannon. Transfer to Ballinalacken Castle Hotel



It would be difficult to find a more beautiful place on the West Coast of Ireland in which to wake up. The Ballinalacken has been described in the press as one of the finest located houses in Europe. Our guest rooms offer spectacular panoramic views of the Aran Islands, the Cliffs of Moher and Galway Bay.  The 15th Century Castle is a ruin of the O'Brien Clan. It stands imposingly beside the Ballinalacken House which was built by Lord O'Brien in 1840 as his family home


Opportunity to ride on the beach at Fanore this afternoon

Day 2

Leave the girls at Willie Daly’s Stables, whilst their mothers explore the Burren of County Clare. In the afternoon the party gets together again to visit Bunratty Castle and the City of Limerick. Return to Ballinalackan for dinner.



Day 3 

Leave the girls at Fanore for riding whilst the mothers tour into Galway city. Late lunch in Ballyvaughan followed by a visit to Thoor Ballylee and Coole Park, centres of Ireland’s literary history. Return to Ballinalackan for dinner



Day 4



Tour to Kinnitty Castle, in the Slieve Bloom Mountains. By way of the Irish horse Museum at Dartfield.



Kinnitty Castle is located in the heart of Ireland, close to the picturesque village of Kinnitty in County Offaly. It nestles in the foothills of the beautiful Slieve Bloom Mountains and is in Ireland's only designated Environment Park. The whole area is steeped in Irish history and there is a wide range of things to see and do. After checking into your rooms this afternoon the coach will take the mothers into Birr for a tour of this attractive heritage town and an optional visit to the gardens of Birr Castle, whilst the daughters ride.



Day 5



This morning the girls will ride, whilst their mothers will tour some of the gardens of the midlands – Emo Court and Heywood and back through the mountains. In the afternoon a special visit can be arranged for the whole group to one of the most haunted castles in Ireland.



Day 6



Tour via Lockes Distillery in Kilbeggan and Belvedere House to Cavan to overnight at Castle Leslie. The Leslies can trace their ancestry back to Atilla The Hun. The 1,000 acre Castle Leslie Estate boasts the charming and eccentric Castle Leslie with its own Equestrian Centre, Cookery School and Hunting Lodge tucked away in unspoiled countryside. Guests experience the best of Ireland in this unique and original setting with the ancient hardwood forests, rolling hills, green fields, lakes and streams with one of the best pike fishing lakes in Ireland. On entering the grounds of the estate, guests have an immediate sense of freedom and total privacy, as the stresses and responsibilities of their world are left behind. Part of Castle Leslie's magic is its ability to envelop anyone who visits!


Day 7

The Girls can ride this morning whilst their mothers relax and enjoy the facilities of the hotel. This afternoon explore the Cathedral city of Armagh. Overnight Castle Leslie


Day 8



Tour via the prehistoric sites of Newgrange and the wonders of the Boyne valley to Dublin. Overnight Brookes Hotel, a delightful 4* hotel in the centre of the city



Day 9

Explore Dublin

A Tour of Dublin's Fair City

The U2 Wall


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!

Day 10

Depart