Ireland August 2006

This  itinerary takes in some stunningly unspoilt parts of the Irish countryside and goes through mountainous areas, the rolling landscape of river valleys, and seascapes. They will be able to visit some of the finest gardens, historic mansions and splendid medieval ruins, as well as museums art galleries and wonderful little shops in the cities of Dublin, Kilkenny, & Cork. They will be in places where some of the best golfing, walking, fishing and riding is available and there are really outstanding restaurants in the areas that we would suggest for overnights. With a pub to every 300 of the population they are never far from a convivial meeting place, often with impromptu music sessions. :-

Day 1 - Aug 11 + Aug 12th   Arrive Dublin. Explore the city and surrounding countryside. 5 * Overnight  at The Four Seasons, or The Merrion, or 4* overnight at Brooks

The Four Seasons	The Merrion	Brooks

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 artifacts 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 12^th 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 the North is Newbridge House, a Georgian manor with a delightful farmyard, and the haunted Malahide Castle, which is also home to a huge model railway and collection of dolls' houses. The valley of the River Boyne, where the world famous Brugh na Boyne monuments (Newgrange, Knowth & Dowth) have stood for over 5,000 years, is about 1 hour. Nearby are the early Christian sites of Mellifont Abbey and Monasterboice. Following the Boyne towards its source you could visit the Hill of Tara, ancient seat of Ireland's High Kings, and Trim with is great castle. On the way back to Dublin is Castletown, the largest Palladian stately home in Ireland.

Some of the best golf courses are to be found around Dublin - especially Portmarnock, Druids Glen and The K Club

Aug 13th & 14th Tour to Kilkenny in the South east Stay at Mount Juliet with its great golf course

Mount Juliet

The Wicklow mountains may detain you for most of the day if you explore Powerscourt House and gardens, where Barry Lyndon was filmed (now with an excellent shop and restaurant), and the valley of Glendalough where St Kevin founded his monastery in the 6^th Century. However be sure to leave time to explore the west side of the Mountains - Russborough House, home of the Beit collection of old master paintings, Castleruddery Stone Circle, the mysterious fort of Rathgall, the gardens of Altamount, the brewery in Carlow.

From Kilkenny you should first explore the city, full of medieval laneways, inns with tales of witches, a great castle and of course lots of shops. Follow the valley of the River Nore to Bennetsbridge, with its many craftworkers studios, Thomastown with the Cistercian abbey of Jerpoint and the Jack Niclaus golf course on the rolling estate of the Earl of Carrick's mansion, Mount Juliet (now a hotel) and Inistioge with its romantic gardens surrounding the shell of Woodstock House. The adventurous could visit the Kennedy homestead at New Ross, the gardens of Kilmokea at Campile, Tintern Abbey and The Lighthouse on Hook Head and the Dunbrody, a replica sailing ship. Another day could be spent exploring the little villages of Graigue and Borris, the Blackstairs Mountains, the valley of the River Slaney and the splendours of Huntington Castle, not forgetting the miniature Salisbury Cathedral at Myshall..

Aug 15th Tour to Kinsale in County Cork  Overnight at Glen Country House, Perryville House or Hayfield Manor.

From Kilkenny there are two alternative routes towards Kinsale,

Head south, visiting the Kells Priory and mill, and stopping for a tour of Waterford Crystal (be sure to see the cathedral whilst you are there). From there a very scenic road follows "The Gold Coast" through Tramore and Annestown to Dungarvan. Shortly after Dungavan the church and holy well at Ardmore is a must see, as is the church in Youghal, where Sir Walter Raleigh worshipped. The famous cookery school of Ballymaloe, with its shell house and associations with William Penn, is just to the South of Midleton, home of Irish Whiskey. The Cobh Heritage centre presents a fascinating story of emigration to America and as you rejoin the main road to Cork the gardens of Fota Island and Barryscourt Castle should not be missed.

The alternative route brings you to Cashel, a limestone outcrop rising from the plain and crowned by the cathedral and round tower. Sheltering at its foot is Bru Boru, a entertainment of Irish music and dance. The back road to Cahir, through Golden, will bring you past the riverside ruins of Athassel Abbey and the legendary Motte of Knockgraffon. Cahir has a huge castle in a fine state of repair and a wonderful "Swiss Cottage" built as a folly in the Regency period. It is also a centre of antique shopping. From Cahir you should follow the road over the Vee, climbing high up into the Knockmealdown mountains (watch out for the sheep & the monster of Bay Lough!) and coming down into Lismore whose castle was for many years home to Fred Astaire's sister Adele. From Lismore follow the Blackwater to Fermoy pausing to visit the Barry mausoleum at Castlelyons on the way into Cork.

You could spend a week exploring the Cork area and still not have seen all the highlights. The bells of Shandon, The English Market, St Finbarre's Cathedral & The Crawford Gallery are a few of the highlights of the city. Blarney Castle, with its eloquent stone is a short drive to the north. The town of Kinsale, gourmet capital of Ireland, is a place to spend a day. The Old Head golf course, south of Kinsale, is uniquely challenging being surrounded by cliffs that fall steeply down to the sea.

The Park Hotel	Killarney Park	Sheen Falls Lodge

Aug 16th & 17th .Tour to Killarney in County Kerry  Overnight at the Park Hotel, the Sheen Falls or The Killarney Park

Touring to the west you will find brightly painted villages, mad folk museums, amazing sub tropical gardens and host of craft workers, farmhouse cheese producers and enchanting cafes, bars and restaurants. As you carry on down the coast the golden beaches begin to disappear. By the time you reach Mizen Head the seascape is as wild as anywhere in the world with the Fastnet light flashing its warning in the distance. Bantry House is an essential stop. The house, with its "staircase to heaven" gardens is a wonderful example of a landlord's home and has a stunning collection put together by the 2^nd Earl of Bantry who did well at Napoleon III's bargain basement sale at Versailles. Pick up a picnic at Mannings Food Emporium in Ballylickey and then visit Garnish Island, a garden with no house laid out in the early 20^th century by the great designer Harold Peto to take advantage of the gulf stream. On the boat ride out there watch out for seals. There are several boats going to the island but the prettiest harbour is definitely the Blue Pool, particularly when the rhododendron are blooming. The fearless driver should follow the Priest's Leap road, a single track laneway across the mountains that comes down to Kenmare close to the Kilgarvan Motor Museum. Leave plenty of time for Kenmare, or even consider staying there - it has excellent pubs and restaurants, some beautiful shops, and a generally relaxed air.

Whether you stay in Killarney or Kenmare you'll want to explore one of the three famous peninsulas of Kerry - The Ring Of Beara, The Ring of Kerry and The Dingle Peninsuala. Each takes a full day of over 100 miles of stunning seaside with the mountains always beside you. Kerry is a land of contrasts - velvet green golf courses, empty golden beaches, rugged cliffs, exotic gardens, wild scenery, unchanged since the ice age, hidden communes of artists and writers, stone age monuments, and fish filled rivers and lakes. When going around the Ring of Kerry be sure to visit St Flanans Bay where the the wild fuchsia carpets the countryside and the Skellig Chocolate Company for the best chocolate in the world. A very spiritual place is the shrine in the slate quarry on Valentia island - take the car ferry from Cahirciveen and rejoin the mainland by the bridge to Ballinskelligs. On the Dingle Peninsula do explore the early Christian beehive huts and visit Louis Mulcahy's pottery. Fungi the dolphin is another must in Dingle - a wild dolphin who shows off for the fishermen. And if you seek complete tranquillity then explore the Ring of Beara, whose roads are too narrow for the tour buses so it has remained far wilder than the other peninsulas.

Dromoland Castle	Thomond House

Aug 18th + 19th Tour to County Clare  Overnight at Dromoland Castle,  or Thomond House

From Kerry you'll head up through Limerick, passing Rathkeale and Adare, a very pretty village and well worth a stop. There are three abbeys here as well as the Desmond Castle and the Trent Jones golf course surrounding the neo-gothick Adare Manor Limerick is a busy city and has several major attractions - the Hunt Museum in the 18^th century customs house, King John's Castle, St Mary's Cathedral and the Georgian House on Pery Square. After Limerick head out towards Shannon, stopping off at Bunratty Castle and folk park on the way. You'll also see Cratloe Woods house. Dating from the 17th Century, this is the only example of an Irish longhouse which is still lived in by a family. The house is steeped in history and features works of art, curios and in the yard horse drawn farm machinery and a pets corner. The primeval Garranon Oak Wood, which provided the timbers for Westminster Hall in London, also forms part of the estate. If you take the old road into Newmarket on Fergus you will see a turn to the right just at the end of the village. When you reach the top of the hill walk up through the trees to Moohaughan Fort, the iron age seat of some great ruler.

To explore the Burren properly you need Tim Robinson's Folding Landscape map. Be sure to see Dysert O'Dea near Corofin, the sulphur Spa at Lisdoonvarna, St Bridget's Well at the Cliffs of Moher, the Doolin Craft Gallery, the internationally renowned karst limestone habitat of the Burren, with its orchids, gentians and ragged robin, and stop for a drink in Kinvara, home of the Galway Hooker and of King Guaire the Generous, whose right arm was longer than his left from so much giving. If you stay on the main road through Gort then Coole Park with its autograph tree and Thoor Ballylee, home of the poet WB Yeats are essential stops. At Kilcolgan, where the roads rejoin, take a moment to explore the Turlough down a laneway opposite the blind poet's graveyard and then stop for refreshments at Morans of the Weir, a thatched oyster bar patronised by John Wayne & Noel Coward.

Overnight at Dromoland Castle, Moy House or Thomond House

Aug 20th Depart Shannon