A Honeymoon in Ireland

Day 1  Dublin

Arrive in Dublin Airport where you will be met by your driver who will transfer you to your first hotel.

Dublin is where the heart of St Valentine is enshrined, where Graham Greene began the affair in “The End of The Affair” where James Joyce and Nora Barnacle fell in love, where Tristiam and Isolde eloped. Our top guide will give you a two hour walking tour of the city.  He will be with you within 30 minutes of your arrival at the hotel, unless you would prefer to organise a set time in advance.

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.

Day 2 Dublin

 Sightseeing on your own in Dublin

Start on Nassau Street at 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: 

Bank of Ireland, College Green   The prestigious offices of Ireland 's national bank began life in 1739 as the first purpose-built parliament house in Europe and was Ireland 's Parliament until the Act Of Union in 1801.

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.  Adjacent to City Hall is:  

Dublin 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.   Wander through the courtyards and visit what is for many the highlight of Dublin Castle   - the Chester Beatty Library, hiding behind the castle.  It is also an excellent place for lunch. 

At this point Dame St takes on the name Lord Edward St , and leads to  Christchurch Cathedral.

Standing on high ground in the oldest part of the city, this cathedral is one of Dublin 's finest historic buildings. It dates back to 1038 when Sitric, the then Danish king of Dublin , built the first wood here. In 1171 the original simple foundation was extended into a cruciform and rebuilt in stone by Strongbow, although the present structure dates mainly from 1871 to 1878 when a huge restoration was undertaken. Only the transepts, the crypt, and a few other portions date from the medieval times. Highlights of the interior include magnificent stonework and graceful pointed arches, with delicately chiselled supporting columns. Strongbow himself is among the historic figures buried in the church, as is Archbishop Browne, the first Protestant to occupy the church, during the reign of the English King Henry 8th.

 Cut back to through Stephen Street to

Powerscourt Town House Centre was 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.

On Dawson Street if open St Anne’s Church is a fascinating stop – look for the remarkable charity of Lord Newtonbutler’s bread shelf  and Laetitia Pilkington’s Memorial. 

Other sites to which you will be close -

General Post Office was built in 1818 halfway along O'Connell Street (formerly Sackville street), the GPO (right) became a symbol of the 1916 Easter Rising. Members of the Irish Volunteers seized the building on Easter Monday and Patrick Pearse read out the Proclamation of the Irish Republic from its steps. Inside the building is a sculpture of the legendary Irish warrior Cuchulainn, dedicated to those who died for their part in the Easter Rising.

A gem often missed by tourists visiting St Patrick's Cathedral is Marsh's Library, just up the Cathedral Close from St Patrick’s Cathedral. For a small charge you can see the beautiful eighteenth century library in almost original condition.

Tonight be prepared to be chilled to the marrow as you enjoy a Ghost Bus tour of paranormal Dublin .  Be at 59 Upper O'Connell Street , just by  the General Post Office  at 7.45 pm . You will be introduced to the dark romance of a city of gaslight ghosts and chilling legends.   The bus itself is a unique attraction, it is a mobile theatre decorated in the gothic style and features a live storyteller who takes you on a spellbinding trip through Dublin . Once onboard,  the actors take advantage of this atmospheric setting to spirit you away to a world of felons, fiends and phantoms and put you in the mood for being both charmed and spooked at the same time.   En route you learn the real origins of Dracula and his Dublin born inventor, Bram Stoker. You’ll stop at the College of Physicians to recreate the strange activities of Dr. Clossy, whose spirit is still seen walking the corridors carrying a bucket of human entrails. Visit the site where Walking Gallows, the notorious judge, jury and hangman dispatched his victims in a most gruesome fashion.      Overnight at the Fitzwilliam Hotel.

Day 3  Dublin

Today you can either relax in the Hotel, or take one of the many Hop on Hop off bus tours that will take you to the distant tourist attractions around Dublin , such as Phoenix Park , The Hugh Lane gallery in Parnell Square , and the Kilmainham Jail, where the 1916 rising is vividly commemorated.

There are also bus tours out of the city to the Wicklow Mountains and Powerscourt. Another very popular activity is to take the Dart around Dublin bay, from Howth Head to Bray Head. This commuter train runs every few minutes and follows the cost with stunning views. It takes just over an hour.

You might enjoy a Dublin Literary Pub Crawl which starts from the Duke Pub on Duke Street , just around the corner from The Fitzwilliam  and runs from 7:30 pm - 9:45 pm . 

Colm Quilligan kicks off the Literary Pub Crawl with a song - Waxie's Dargle, with cheerful lines such as "When food is scarce and you see the hearse / You'll know you've died of hunger" - then takes you from the Duke pub through the cobbled square of Trinity College and into several pubs in a nearby maze of narrow streets. He quotes at ease from Joyce, Behan, Beckett, Yeats and even James Larkin and Flann O'Brien. This is not included and would need to be booked – the hotel concierge will be able to do it or ask your guide on the first day to arrange it for you.  

Day 4                       Killarney    5 hours driving without stops

Make your way to the city centre car hire pick up (less than a 10 minute taxi ride.)  to pick up your car. Then start your journey to Killarney.

The first 60 miles are all on highways.  A good place to stop for coffee, shopping and a stretch on this first part of the road would be the Avoca Shop, just off the motorway beside the Citywest Hotel.   You could divert off the highway to see Kildare, with its Japanese Gardens and The National Stud, home of the racing industry.  You could also divert to see Emo Court , one of the finest neo-classical mansions in Ireland .  

  You could pass through the village of Abbeyleix , famed for Morrisey’s bar, whose interior has not changed for over 100 years.  Abbeyleix is also the village in which the carpets for the Titanic were manufactured. The gardens of the nearby Heywood House were designed by Luteyns, who also designed New Delhi .   Durrow, the next village has a very charming hotel in Durrow Castle , once the seat of Viscount Ashbrook.  It might be a good place to stop for a coffee if you are too early for anything  to be open in Abbeyleix.

Follow the main road by way of The Rock of Cashel and Cahir Castle   to Mallow 

Cashel is 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.  At Michelstown leave the main Cork road and follow the signs to Mallow and Killarney, following the Blackwater Valley .

Set deep in the Blackwater Valley, Mallow was traditionally an agricultural market town and famous in the 18^th century as a spa.  Kanturk is a market town set astride the Dalua and Allow Rivers Spencer mentions them in his 'Faerie Queene'. Just outside the town is the huge shell of a fortified house, Kanturk Castle . The story is that when the English Government heard of the elaborate structure, they decided 'it was much too large for a subject' and had the work stopped. MacCarthy, in a rage, scattered the blue glass tiles which were to roof it. So there it stands, almost five centuries later still unfinished, but firm.  Overnight in Killarney .

Day 5   Tour the Ring of Kerry  – a 120 mile full day drive.

 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.   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.  

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.  

 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 ferry 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 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.  

Through Sneem and back to Killarney by way of Molls Gap (the Strawberry Fields Pancake House is well worth a stop).    Overnight at Killarney.  Killarney is the spa capital of Ireland so on return relax with a  Swedish Double massage at one of the stunning spas around the town.

Day 6               Killarney  

Tour The Lakes of Killarney , The Killarney National Park and The Gap of Dunloe.

 At 9 am this morning bicycles will be delivered to the concierge for you.  You could choose to set off on them this morning, or you could drive to the Gap of Dunloe, about 7 miles, walk there, and then return to your car and drive back to the hotel for lunch, saving the bicycles for the afternoon.

The three main lakes of Killarney occupy a broad valley stretching south between the mountains. The three lakes and the mountains that surround them are all within the Killarney National Park . The Lower Lake is nearest to the town, it is studded with islands and has Muckross Abbey and Ross Castle on its eastern shore. The Lower Lake is separated from the Middle Lake (sometimes called Muckross Lake ) by the wooded peninsula of Muckross . At the tip of the Muckross Peninsula is the quaint Brickeen Bridge and Dinis Island is further on with its sub-tropical vegetation and views of the 'Meeting of the Waters'. A narrow straight called the Long Range leads to the island-studded Upper Lake , which is surrounded by lush vegetation.  

 The Gap of Dunloe (above) is a beautiful glacial valley in the Macgillacuddy Reeks mountain range, which dominate the skyline of Killarney. Here you may enjoy an energetic walk or cycle its rough path. The scenery all around the famous Lakes of Killarney is breathtaking and there are many viewing points around the lakes.

Be at your Hotel at 1 pm for a special treat – a  vintage car will take you to a romantic shore  where a picnic will be produced.    He will bring you back to the hotel from which you can set off on bicycle to explore the National Park.  

Day 7                    Killarney

Tour via Kenmare, Glengarriff, & Bantry.  Kenmare is a haven of tranquillity, gourmet food, superb accommodation and breathtaking scenery in one of the most natural, unspoilt environments in Europe . Cradled in the heart of Kenmare Bay , the picturesque town of Kenmare is the perfect location from which to discover the South West of Ireland, linking the internationally famous Ring of Kerry with the rugged Ring of Beara.

  Glengarriff  or "An Gleann Garbh" - the rugged glen -  is derived from the rugged beauty of the mountains and wooded valleys surrounding the village. Magnificent views of the Caha Mountains and the bulk of Sugarloaf can be seen from the numerous viewpoints along the roads which hug the coastline or wind along the steep sided valleys.  

Bantry, in the heart of West Cork , is a region of lush vegetation, palm trees and semi-tropical flowers. Hemmed in by high mountain ridges, an azure blue sea and cascading mountain streams, it is a place of unparalled beauty where the landscape changes with every mood of wind and sky. In this breathtaking splendour of mountain scenery, hilly pastures, meandering streams, lakes and woods, where megalithic monuments and ruins of monastic settlements dot the country-side, visitors can find peace and tranquillity.     

Alternatively head into Cork for the day. 

You could drive straight from Killarney, along the N22, diverting off to see Blarney Castle, just outside Cork City and then from the Cork Southern Ring Road take the R600 past Cork Airport to Kinsale.  The journey would take a little over 2 hours in each direction, plus an hour for Blarney Castle .   The town of Kinsale , gourmet capital of Ireland , is a place to spend much of a day – lovely seaside walks, and a village full of the quaintest stores.  Return to Killarney for the night.

Day 8             Dromoland Castle .    From Killarney to Dromoland without any stops is a 2 ½ hour drive

 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.  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. 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.

Return to the main road and follow the wall to Dromoland Castle itself.

Day 9                   Dromoland Castle

By way of the Burren and The Cliffs of Moher

The internationally renowned karst limestone habitat of the Burren, with its orchids, gentians and ragged robin, is unique.  Stop 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. At Kilcolgan take a moment to explore the Turlough down a laneway opposite the blind poet's graveyard and then stop for refreshments at Moran’s of the Weir, a thatched oyster bar patronised by John Wayne & Noel Coward.  Return to Dromoland for the night.

Day10                                     Depart Shannon   (a 20 minute drive from Dromoland)

Safe Home  - Slán agus beannacht!