An Irish Honeymoonn
Day 1:Arrive at Dublin airport. Meet and greet at the airport and private transfer to the city centre.
Check-in at Merrion Hotel and rest
of the day at leisure just to chill out.
Right in the heart of Georgian Dublin, opposite Government Buildings, this luxurious hotel comprises four meticulously restored Grade 1 listed townhouses built in the 1760s and, behind them, a contemporary garden wing overlooks formal landscaped gardens.
Luxurious public areas include two interconnecting drawing rooms with log fires and French windows (giving access to the gardens), which are immensely popular for business meetings or afternoon tea, and an attractive cocktail bar for evening time. Irish fabrics and antiques reflect the architecture and original interiors with rococo plasterwork ceilings and classically proportioned windows - and the hotel owns one of the most important private collections of 20th-century art.
The hotel's Tethra Spa, with its Romanesque styled pool and marble steam room is predictably luxurious, and offers a compact gym and extensive treatment menu using E'Spa products. Dining options match standards elsewhere in the hotel: choose between the elegant vaulted Cellar Restaurant and Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, which is also on site.
Pearl, Town, Bentleys & Elys excellent restaurants all within a 2 minute walk. Pearl, Town and
Bentleys are
really top notch food, Elys is very good, but more of a wine bar. O'Donoghue's Bar, around the
corner at 15 Merrion Row, is great for traditional Irish music from about 10 pm.
Opposite The Merrion Hotel is the
National Gallery of Ireland - free, wonderful paintings and an excellent coffee
shop. The park of Merrion Square is also a pleasant and tranquil space to
explore.
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The Merrion |
Day 2
Meet your guide at 10am at the lobby of the Merrion and start a two hours walking tour of Dublin city
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DUBLIN
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 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!
Given the romantic nature of the holiday other sites of interest might include Isolde's Tower in the heart of Temple Bar, on the site of the home of The Princess Isolde, heroine of Wagner's opera Tristan & Isolde.
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Finn's Hotel, where Nora Barnacle was working when she met James Joyce and inspired the novel Ulysses |
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The Shrine of St Valentine (containing the saint's heart) in The Carmelite Church, Aungier Street |
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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 |
Overnight at The Merrion
Day 3
Day on your own.
Shopping in Dublin focuses on the two main pedestrianised shopping streets of Grafton Street/Stephen's Green on the southside centre and Henry Street on the northside and their surrounding streets. The two streets are just either side of the river, a few minutes walk apart, but are somewhat different.
Southside
Grafton Street, located between Trinity College and St Stephen's Green is the
more smart shopping area with fashionable stores such as Brown Thomas, the
department store catering for many designer showcases, both foreign and local.
Dublin's leading and most exclusive jewellers, Weirs, is also here, as well as
the most popular of the famous Bewley's Café. Other principal shopping streets
in the area include Wicklow Street, Dawson Street, and South Great Georges
Street. The nearby Powerscourt Towncentre is one of the nicer, albeit small,
shopping centres in the city. Also close by is The Georges Street Arcade, an
indoor market well worth a visit.
Northside
Henry Street has department stores such as the popular Arnotts, and an
assortment of popular clothing and footwear stores. The ILAC shopping centre,
the newer Jervis Street Shopping Centre are both here. The well-known outdoor
food market of Moore Street is always full of bargains. The nearby O'Connell
Street, Dublin's main thoroughfare, is home to the very traditional Clery's
Department Store and Eason's Booksellers as well as several other shops but not
the main shopping area by any means. Overnight at The Merrion.
We think the top 10 hidden delights of Dublin are:-
Day 4
Pick up
your rental car. Leave Dublin on the N7 and head for
Kilkenny. Kilkenny is about 2 hours from Dublin.
Possibly a quick stop at Moone High Cross - one of the tallest and best preserved High Crosses in Ireland. Drive through Carlow Consider visiting Shankill Castle, Paulstown.
S
hankill
Castle started as a Bulter tower-house near the ruins of an old church. In 1708
it was rebuilt and set in a formal landscape, vista to the front and canal to
the rear by Peter Alyward who had bought the lands from his wife's family. In
the 19th century, it was enlarged and castellated, serpentine bays added to the
canal and an unusual polyhedral sundial given pride of place on a sunken lawn. A
gothic porch bearing the Alyward crest and a delightful conservatory were other
additions. The stable-yard and the castellated entrance to the demesne are
attributed to Daniel Robertson. In the garden there are remnants of
18th century lime allées, 19th century laurel lawns, some Victorian favourites
such as the now gigantic Sequoias and 20th century, self-sown ash trees. The
moated garden, once a rose garden then forgotten and planted with Sitka spruces
is now a spring garden, and the graveyard blooms all year round. The walled
garden has a charming apple arch under-planted with red tulips; and some antique
goblet-shaped pear trees trained against a mellow brick wall. Since 1991
Shankill Castle is home and studio to the artist Elizabeth Cope, whose paintings
are on display
Long renowned as Ireland's Medieval Capital, Kilkenny's origins date back to more than 1,500 years ago. The great building prowess of the Normans is very evident in the 11th and 12th century building they bestowed on the city. Not alone in the large "set piece" buildings, such as Saint Canice's Cathedral, the great Butler Castle and the four medieval abbeys, but also the linear streetscape, especially the attractive covered "slipways".
On the way to Thomastown you pass through Bennetsbridge where the Nicholas Mosse Pottery might detain you. Nicholas Mosse has been a potter since he was seven, and a visit to his river-side shop will explain why. Nick's current range of brightly coloured earthenware is made from Irish clay, it is fired with home grown Irish water power, and is decorated with traditional motifs inspired by old Irish spongeware. Its universal charm and appeal have made it loved and sought after throughout the world. For refreshment an excellent cafe is housed upstairs in the attractive mill.
After
Thomastown you will turn right for Mount Juliet at Jerpoint. Jerpoint
Abbey is a very romantic Cistercian ruin. Jerpoint Crystal, opposite the
gates of Mount Juliet, is a superb crystal studio, one of the most famous
craftworkers of Ireland.
Overnight at Mount Juliet. Mount Juliet is a 1500 acre walled estate dating from the 15th century. The trees in the present landscape are most likely those of the 18th century, with remnants from the original plantings. The most dominant species are mature, magnificent oak and beech. The extensive walled garden has lawns, flowering shrubs and double herbaceous borders. The 18th century stately home was built by The Earl of Carrick and became a hotel in the 1990s. On the estate is a Jack Nicklaus golf course, riding stables and fishing.
Day 5
Visit the Dunbrody, a replica of the type sailing ship that brought immigrants from Europe to America in the mid 19th Century. The Kennedy homestead is just south of New Ross. Further down the peninsula are the gardens of Kilmokea at Campile, Dunbrody Castle, Tintern Abbey and The Lighthouse on Hook Head. Wexford Town is a busy merchant town, and also well worth a visit.
Return to Mount Juliet.
The best food in the area is at Mount Juliet itself. If
you want to eat out then Ethos on Low Street in Thomastown has earned a local
following, and its situation on the main street means that visitors find it very
easily. It's an inviting spot and the set-up - café by day and bistro by night
- is very customer friendly. Specialities include seafood dishes like mussels
with Thai green curry, or sea bass with chorizo & red pepper - and there
will always be good local meats, including Kilkenny beef, but also pork. Duck
also features, and vegetarian dishes too - and there's a lovely choice of
desserts.
Day 6
From Kilkenny there
are two alternative routes towards Kinsale, Head south, and a
very scenic road follows "The Gold Coast" through Tramore and
Annestown to Dungarvan. Shortly after Dungavan the church and holy well at
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
Overnight in Kinsale, which is the gourmet capital of Ireland, and is a place to spend a day walking and relaxing.
Day 7
If you do not spend your day exploring Kinsale, then 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.
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OvernightKinsale
Day 8
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 2nd Earl of Bantry who did well at Napoleon III's bargain basement sale at Versailles.
Derrynane House
Overnight at the trendy Ross Hotel in the centre of Killarney town. Guests at the Ross can also use the facilities of the nearby Killarney Park Hotel. The Ross has one of the best restaurants in Killarney, but an alternative is Chapter 40 at 40 New Street Killarney. A fairly recent arrival on the Killarney dining scene, this smart high-ceilinged restaurant feels spacious and is attractively set up, with simple darkwood tables echoing the polished wooden floor, and contrasting cream leather used on high-backed chairs and bar stools. Menus offered are international in style and include an early dinner which is very good value, a wide ranging á la carte and daily specials for all courses. Begin perhaps with the seafood chowder, which is thickened with potato and carrageen moss, and gluten-free, followed perhaps with the seafood plate, which is always good; for dessert, fresh fruit & mixed berry salad with basil sabayon is a favourite. Bricínon High Street is upstairs, over a craft shop (which you will find especially interesting if you like Irish pottery, of which there is a very wide range). This country style restaurant has been delighting visitors with its warm atmosphere and down to earth food since 1990. And during the day DO try Murphy's Ice cream at 37 Main Street - the best home made ice cream in Ireland.
Day 9
From Killarney you'll almost certainly 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.
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| The Ross | Ring of Kerry | Kenmare |
Day 10
From Kerry you'll head up through Limerick, passing Rathkeale and Adare, a very pretty village and well worth exploring. There are three abbeys here as well as the Desmond Castle and the Trent Jones golf course surrounding the neo-gothick Adare Manor. On leaving Kerry you could either head straight for Adare (less than 2 hours) , or tour the Dingle Peninsula on the way ( a full day). Overnight at Adare Manor. Any pub in Dingle will offer an excellent lunch, or later in the day Allo's Bar in Listowel is also delightful. Adare Manor is a majestic five star hotel & golf resort, set around an 18th Century manor house within walking distance of the village. Situated on the banks of the River Maigue within an estate of 840 acres, Adare Manor was the ancestral home of the earls of Dunraven for over 250 years, set in the heart of the pretty village of Adare. The Manor is an architectural masterpiece of mock gothic turrets and towers and elaborate stonework. While inside original features of ornate woodcarvings, stunning staircases, and huge gothic archways grace the reception of Adare and throughout the hotel. One of the most renowned parts of the manor is the Minstrels Gallery, inspired by the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles and lined with 17th Century Flemish Choir Stalls, well worth a look. A dizzying array of exemplary facilities are on offer at the Adare Hotel, including the famous 18 hole championship golf course, designed by Robert Trent Jones. A full range of equestrian facilities is available nearby at the Clonshire Equestrian Centre with free complimentary transfers to and from the resort and angling for brown trout can be had on the River Maigue. For those seeking more relaxing times, Adare Manor has a Spa offering a full range of relaxation and beauty treatments to be pampered with.
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| Cliffs of Moher |
The Burren |
Adare Manor |
Day 11
Limerick is a busy city and has several
major attractions - the Hunt Museum in the 18th 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. 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. Returning on the main road through Gort, Coole Park with its autograph tree and Thoor Ballylee, home of the poet WB Yeats are interesting stops. A good place for lunch is the Doolin Craft Gallery, just North of the village of Doolin. Beautiful gardens, beautiful crafts, and excellent fresh food - mostly quite light.
Return and Overnight at Adare
Manor. The Wild Geese Restaurant at Rose Cottage in Main Street, Adare
Tel:+353 (0)61 396451 in one of the prettiest cottages in the
prettiest village in Ireland - and, with consistently good modern Irish cooking
and caring service, it's an irresistible package. The cooking style is
sophisticated - a luxurious main course example is pan-fried Castletownbere
scallops on potato & chive pancakes, with champagne cream sauce, although a
more homely rack of Adare lamb with traditional accompaniments such as potato
& garlic gratin and rosemary jus is an enduring favourite. Like everything
else in your meal, desserts (including ice creams) are freshly made on the
premises. Booking is essential.
Day 12
Drive back to Dublin.
Either head straight towards Dublin or deviate off to the South and see 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. Lunch here and then carry on up towards Dublin.
Nenagh
was a Norman settlement, which became a 19th century garrison town and the
capital of the new North Riding. 
A one hundred yard stroll down Roscrea's
main street takes in 600 years of the finest of Irish architecture. There is the
Romanesque facade of Saint Cronan's church, with an old Irish round tower and a
high cross to match, followed by the recently restored Norman castle, original
date circa 1280. Close by is the 18th century Damer House, mansion and home of
the town's heritage centre
Clonenagh,
just after Mountrath was the most important monastery of ancient Laois. Founded
by Saint Fintan, its location on the Slige Dala (road of the assemblies) ensured
its importance in early medieval
Emo
Court
The
rugged outline of the 13th C Rock of Dunamase Castle is visibl
e
to the South of the Motorway. It was here that McMurrough, the King of Leinster,
seduced Dervla, the wife of the Prince of Breffni, an action that lead to 800
years of British misrule!
Kildare
is an ancient cathedral town steeped in history. Saint Brigid, one of
It
is home to some of 
Day 13
Drive to Dublin airport.
