Day 1 Sunday May 13th Arrive Dublin. Your driver will meet you at the airport & take you to the
Merrion Hotel where you will be met by the tour manager who will be on call to answer any questions & help with arrangements. A
visit to the prehistoric gold at The National Museum followed by lunch in the
cafe of The National Gallery with one of Ireland's top art experts. A
relaxed afternoon tea with a talk on Irish design. Dinner at
leisure. LT
Day 2 Monday May 14th Your guide, one of Ireland's antique experts and archirectural historian, will meet you at breakfast. After breakfast you'll visit the highlights of Dublin, visiting St. Patrick's Cathedral, & Trinity College with The Book of Kells. Lunch in an elegant 18th Century restored town mansion on North Great George's street, the home of Dublin socialite & china restorer Desiree Shortt. After lunch you'll have a chance to explore Francis Street. Since the 18th Century, Francis Street has been synonymous with the finest furniture and skilled craftsmanship. Now with its array of antiques, curios, contemporary art, handcrafted stationery, objets d'art, artisan foods, antique jewellery, beautiful Irish silver and wealth of other collectible pieces, Francis Street is the perfect place to treat yourself to something special or pick up an original gift. On Clanbrassil Street there is a scattering of smaller, junkier antique shops, where, armed with copious amounts of time and alertness, you might just manage to unearth that oil-lamp you've always wanted. Early supper in a private Georgian house in Ballsbridge with a talk on what to look for and look out for in the world of Irish antiques. BLD
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| Georgian Interiors | Dublin | Georgian Interiors |
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| Powerscourt Townhouse |
Day 3 Tuesday May 15th Lovers of finer jewellery and silverware will enjoy your visits this morning: South Anne Street is home to several silver merchants, as well as an antique prints dealer and an antique bookshop. In Molesworth Street you'll visit the studios of old master picture restorer James Gorry. You'll have lunch at The Collins Barracks Branch of The National Museum with the curator and see their decorative arts collection. After lunch visit Dublin Castle, the centre of administration since the 12th century, but wiith some superb 18th century interiorsYou'll end the day at the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, an important 18th century townhouse of 1771 where you'll find plentiful riches and at John Farrington's elegant silver & jewellery shop. Tonight a pub supper with traditional Irish music and dance. BLD
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| Antique shops............ | Galore! |
Day 4 Wednesday May 16th
You'll start the day with a visit to The Georgian House on Merrion Square,
a bourgeois house of the late 18th century completely restored to about 1790.
The a visit to Clanwilliam House on Stephen's Green, an early 18th Century gem
by Richard Castle with interiors by The Francini Brothers. This afternoon
will be spent at the Interior Design Show at the Royal Dublin Society.
With over 100 exhibitors, visitors to the Interior Design Show will
have access to some of the country’s leading interior designers, including
Joseph Ensko and Helen Roden of Merrion Square Interiors, as well as a host of
designers, manufacturers and retailers who, collectively, will represent a
diverse range of decorative styles. Antique aficionados, for instance, can
pursue the stands of George Stacpoole, John Farrington and Oman Antique
Galleries while those with a penchant for art deco designs are likely to make a
beeline towards Mitofsky Antiques, Limited Edition and Wild Child Originals, all
of whom will be amongst the exhibitors. Kate Fine, Leo Scarff and Charles
O’Toole, all of whom are part of the Irish Furniture Designers’ Network
(IFDN) are included amongst the Irish designers who will be unveiling their
latest collections. A special private talk has been arranged on Italian
craftsmen in 18th Century Ireland. Dinner and Overnight at The Merrion. BD
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| Francis Street | Castletown | Clanwilliam House |
Day 5 Thursday May 17th
Depart Dublin for the Wild West, Castletown, is one of Ireland's most
important Palladian mansions. On to have tea with The hon Desmond Guinness
at Leixlip Castle. Leixlip was the seminal country house interior of the
1950s, and inspired Colefax and Fowler's "Country House Style" which
was then re-interpreted by Ralph Lauren. Arrive in time for a late
lunch at Cootehill, to John Coote's exquisite mansion where his interior design
work can be seen. Dating from the 1730s and built by the Coote family,
Bellamont is the first and remains the purest example of a Palladian villa
in Ireland. Its inspiration was Palladio’s Villa Pisani at Montagnana.
Bellamont Forest gives an impression of solidity, having been built of red
brick with a Doric limestone portico and pediments over the windows.
Architectural beauty reigns throughout this house, the entrance hall consisting
of black and white marble flooring and marble busts of Roman emperors set in
round niches high on the walls. The highly elaborate drawing room plaster
ceiling is dominated by a bold circular wreath. By contrast the library and
dining room ceilings are coved and coffered in geometrical patterns. Travel on to St Clerans for dinner and the night.
St Clerans, a superb neo-classical villa by Morrison, was the home of John
Houston, the film director, and now belongs to Merv Griffen. . Dinner in Hotel
BLD
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| Westport | Bellamont | Leixlip |
Day 6 Friday May 18th
Tour Connemara, first visiting Kylemore Abbey. Built originally as a Castle (1868), it is one of the best examples of Irish neo-gothic architecture.
On to Westport for lunch and to see Westport House, designed by Wyatt.
Visit to Satch Kiely's antique store in Westport. Dinner at Hotel BD
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Kylemore |
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| Glin Castle |
Day 7 Saturday May 19th
T
ravel first to see Bunratty Castle . Lunch in a pub beside
The Hunt Museum in Limerick. The Hunt Museum
exhibits one of Ireland's greatest private collections of art and antiquities,
dating from the Neolithic to the 20th Century in the elegant surrounding of the
18th Century Custom House. On to Adare, a chocolate box village of
thatched rooves and ancient abbeys, to see George Stacpole's gallery.
George is the president of the Irish Antique Dealers Association.
Overninght at Glin Castle, home of The Knights of Glin since the 1300s. The current Knight is Desmond Fitzgerald, father to three daughters. Educated at Harvard, he
has represented the art auctioneers Christies in Ireland,
is president of the Irish Georgian Society and has written extensively on Irish
decorative and fine art. BLD
Day 8 Sunday May 19th
Depart Shannon
Land only price per person sharing from €3250 / $4250 including:-
If time allows other houses and galleries will be included. As many of the properties that we are visiting are private homes it may be that the owners have to cancel our visit at the last minute. In the unlikely event that that does happen we will substitue something of equal interest.
Call your agent now!!!
Adams & Butler, Luxury Travel Specialists
Suite 9, Baggot Rath House Newbridge Avenue Dublin 4, Ireland
T 353 1 6607975 F 353 1 668 6578 E info@irishluxury.com
US Toll Free 1-800-8945712
Adams
& Butler Ltd. 2007
