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10 am The National Stud, home of Irish race horses, and the Japanese Gardens in Kildare.

The world famous Japanese Gardens are just outside Kildare Town in the 1,000 acre Tully estate, now known as The Irish National Stud. The gardens were laid out in their paths of beauty between 1906-1910 by Tassa Eida and his son Minoru, and have been carefully preserved as one of the gems of Ireland’s Heritage. The significance of the Japanese Gardens is not only artistic and horticultural but also religious, philosophical and historical. St. Fiachra’s Garden was created to celebrate the Millenium. There are 4 acres of woodland and lakeside walks. The centre of the garden is dominated by fissured limestone Monastic cells and within these cells there are hand crafted Waterford Crystal rocks and plants such as ferns and orchids. Guided tours are given of the Irish National Stud, which is home to some of Ireland’s finest thoroughbred racehorses.
11.30 Depart

Pass by the stately house and gardens of the Earl of Portarlington at Emo, the ruined castle at Dunamase, the gardens at Heywood House, and Kilcooly Abbey

12.45 Arrive at The Rock of Cashel. A spectacular group of Medieval buildings set on an outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale including the 12th century round tower, High Cross and Romanesque Chapel, 13th century Gothic cathedral, 15th century Castle and the restored Hall of the Vicars Choral. A good place for lunch in the Cashel Palace Hotel, an important 18th century building, once the Bishop's palace.

3.00 Arrive Cahir Castle. Once the stronghold of the powerful Butler family, the 13th and 14th century castle retains its impressive keep, tower and much of its original defensive structure. It is one of Ireland's largest and best preserved castles. It is situated on a rocky island on the River Suir. Depart 4.00

Pass by the Swiss Cottage, over the wild mountain pass of The Vee, through the town of Lismore, and eventually to Midleton.

Castle Martyr once the stately mansion of The Earl of Cork. The grand 17th Century manor house within a heritage site of the original old castle, now a ruin, has been stunningly restored and it is now an amazing new hotel on a 250 acre park, the first of the 6 star Capella Hotels, taking the Ritz Carlton one level higher! Though not battlemented, the castle is 200 years older than Dromoland, and is a bit more like a stately home than a castle, but still very romantic. The village of Castlemartyr , with its charming pubs and shops, is a 3 minute walk from the hotel.

9.30 Cobh is a beautifully picturesque town which was for many years the port of Cork. It always had a stong connection with Atlantic crossings. In 1838 the Sirius was the first steamship to cross the Atlantic, sailing from Cobh. The town was renowned for the last port of call of the Titanic. It is also near Cobh that the Lusitania was torpedoed in 1915. All these facts combined ensures the towns great maritime history. The town itself is dominated by the beautiful St. Coleman’s Cathedral. It is a French Gothic style of architecture. The cathedral is noted for its 47 bell carillon, the largest in Ireland. Other places of interest in the town are the Cobh Heritage Centre detailing the Transatlantic emigrations. There are also Harbour cruises Consider returning here this evening for a ghost walk. The Ghost walk of Cobh offers a unique insight into a world where the strange and mysterious are brought to life (or put to death) as the case may be. Authentic reports of paranormal activity are related. All stories are told against a historically accurate background. Suitable for all ages.

11.00 Blarney Castle is said to one of the most striking castles in Ireland. Dating from 1446, the castle is a tower house built on solid limestone in wonderful grounds. Whilst visiting the castle you can kiss the blarney stone! Bending over backwards to kiss the sacred rock required a head for heights. By kissing the stone you are said to receive the gift of the gab! Near to the castle is Blarney woollen mills where every type of Irish souvenir can be purchased, some fantastic woollen and cashmere garments, and the entire range of Irish crystal.

12.30 Cork City is Ireland's third city (after Dublin and Belfast) and has always been an important seaport. It began on an island in the swampy estuary of the River Lee (the name Corcaigh means a marsh), and gradually climbed up the steep banks on either side. Today the river flows through Cork city in two main channels, so that you find yourself constantly crossing bridges. Some of the main streets are built over channels where ships nuzzled their anchor-chains a century ago. Along the South Mall, you will see large gateways at street level, under steps leading to a higher main door. These were once boathouses, when merchants arrived at their warehouses by water.

As the hilly streets go up and down, so do the voices of the citizens. They have a characteristic sing-song cadence, beloved of national comedians, and Corkonians are regarded as the most talkative of all the Irish.

The northside of Cork is dominated by St. Anne's Church, Shandon, an18th century church and its curious steeped tower. The church was built in 1722 and its tower is faced with two limestone and two sandstone walls. From these the colours of the Cork hurling and football teams are taken. You can climb the tower and ring the bells of the cathedral or simply admire the amazing view of Cork city and the Lee Valley from this spectacular vantage point. Also view of the interior of the Church and its collection of 17th century books including letters by the poet John Donne.

The Crawford Art Gallery is housed in a building which was used partly as the Old Customs House of 1724. It was also used by the Cork School of Art of 1884. There are displays of sculptures and handcrafted silver and glass works. However it is the excellent permanent collection of works by Irish artists such as Jack Yeats, Sean Keating, Nathaniel Grogan, William Orpen, Sir John Lavery, James Barry, and Daniel Maclise. The gallery has an excellent café for a light lunch, though Green's Restaurant at Isaacs Hotel is also worth exploring, if only for its alfresco tables beside the waterfall.

St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Dean Street Built at the end of the 19th century on a site that dates back to the 7th century. The castle like prison once housed 19th C. prisoners, often in wretched conditions. Wandering through the wings of the Gaol, the atmosphere suggests you are accompanied by the shuffling feet of inmates, each representing their particular period in Irish history. Cells furnished with life-size figures, sound effects and fascinating exhibitions together with a spectacular sound and image presentation tell the social history and contrasting lifestyles of 19th Century Cork and why some people turned to crime.

Kinsale

3.00 Charles Fort, constructed in the late 17th century on the site of an earlier coastal fortification, is a classic example of a star-shaped fort. William Robinson, architect of the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham, Dublin, and Superintendent of Fortifications, is credited with designing the Fort. As one of the largest military forts in the country, Charles Fort has been associated with some of the most momentous events in Irish history. The most significant of which include the Williamite War in 1690 and the Irish Civil War of 1922-23. Across the estuary is James Fort, an earlier structure, which was designed by Paul Ivy in 1602.

4.00 Kinsale offers so much to the visitor. Without doubt the gourmet capital of Ireland. It is also a town of great historical significance. There are so many things to do in Kinsale: Sailing, Harbour Trips, Fishing, Golf, Horse Riding, Shooting, Archery, Paintball, Windsurfing and many more watersports. Kinsale was the site of a battle in 1601 that was a turning point in Irish history. For over 300 years it was a garrison town and port of consequence, leaving a legacy of Georgian and Victorian architecture. Since the wife of the poet Louis MacNeice set up the first restaurant here in the 1960s Kinsale has also been known as the gourmet capital of Ireland, with over 100 eating places in a town of less than 3,00 inhabitants.

Return to hotel at 5.00 or consider visiting Fota and Barryscourt on the way back

Fota Wildlife Park and Arboretum Park is one of Europe's most progressive Wildlife Parks with over 90 species of wildlife from five continents. It is set on 70 acres of open countryside, with many of its species wandering freely around the park's natural and attractive environment. FOTA Wildlife Park has achieved international success in breeding cheetahs and aims to be a leading contributor to the conservation of wildlife worldwide. The House is a celebration of fine craftsmanship and has a particularly well appointed kitchen. It reflects well the life-style of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It was originally an 18th century hunting lodge of The Earl of Barrymore. The arboretum which was started in the 1840s features tropical plants from South America, the Canary Islands as well as many local species.

Barryscourt Castle was the seat of the Barry family from the 12th to the 17th centuries. The present castle is a fine example of a 15th century tower house with 16th century additions and alterations. The bawn wall with three corner towers is largely intact.

Consider an early morning visit to Rostellan Lake and Ballycotton, famed for their beauty and for bird watching. Cloyne was the home of the philosopher Bishop Berkley, after whom the Californian town is named

10.00 Youghal is located where the River Blackwater meets the sea and is one of the few towns to retain its medieval city wall. Sir Walter Raleigh was the towns first mayor from 1588-89. Tradition has it he planted the first potatoes here after bringing them back from the New World. The town is dominated by the old Clock Gate at the south end of Main Street. There is also the elegant red brick Town Hall on the seafront. St. Mary's Collegiate Church is among the oldest medieval churches which is still in use in Ireland. Although a church has been on the site for over a thousand years, the present structure dates from around the 1220's..

11.30 There are about 70 round towers remaining in Ireland. These structures were built by early Christian monks as watchtowers and belfries. They were used as places of refuge during Viking raids, which is why the doorway to a round tower is 15 feet or more above the ground. During a raid, the monks would pull the ladder into the tower after them. Ardmore Tower is 97 feet high and is located at the top of a cliff overlooking the resort village

12.30 Located in the Sunny South East of Ireland, the Copper Coast is the name given by its local communities to the non-statutory and informally delimited region of Co. Waterford, extending roughly from Tramore in the east towards Dungarvan in the west; more specifically between Fenor/Kilfarrasy in the east to Stradbally in the west and up to Dunhill in the north. The Copper Coast gets its name from the 19th Century copper mines that lie at its heart. It comprises some 25 kilometres of spectacular coastline consisting of scalloped beaches and coves buttressed and enclosed by rocky headlands. Oceans, volcanoes, deserts and ice sheets all combined to create the rocks, which provide the physical foundation of the natural and cultural landscapes of the Copper Coast.

1.00 The Waterford Crystal visitor centre has a good cafe for a light lunch. It is a true centre of excellence boasting a splendid new showroom where the many prestigious pieces presented to presidents, sportstars and celebrities are showcased. The Waterford Crystal experience is unique in that you are visiting a real working, living, breathing factory. Reginald's Tower, located on The Quays, is the most historic urban monument in Ireland. It is likely that the Anglo-Norman lord Strongbow first met Aoife, the daughter of Diarmuid McMurrough, deposed King of Leinster, at the Tower, while their subsequent marriage, which changed the course of Irish history, took place at Christchurch Cathedral.

Pass by The 13th century Kells Priory, which is one of the largest and most magnificent mediaeval monuments in Ireland. Situated on the bank of the King's River, it comprises a collection of mediaeval tower houses spaced at intervals along and within walls which enclose a site of some three acres.

4.00 Kilkenny city- characterised by beautifully restored old buildings and winding slipways - is small and compact enough to explore on foot, yet full of fascinating historical buildings and contemporary shops, design galleries and restaurants.
The ancient city of Kilkenny - from the "Gaelic Till Cearmaigh" - was named after a 6th century monk called Saint Canice. His memory lives on in the beautifully preserved St. Canice's Cathedral built overlooking the city in the thirteenth century. The Normans arrived in the twelfth century and their legacy remains in the superb and fully restored Kilkenny Castle, and in the thriving and cosmopolitan merchant city. Kilkenny offers a unique selection of historic sites and buildings from the 7th century onwards reflecting a tradition of monastic settlement and gracious living.
At Kilkenny Castle go back in time to a 12th Century castle, remodelled and restored and set in 1830's splendor and extensive parklands: inclues art gallery, bookshop and playground. Beware Guided tours only and delays occur in high season.

Rothe House is a 16th century Merchants home which was built in 1594, consisting of 3 separate town houses with 3 interconnecting courtyards, and a burgage garden which is presently being recreated in the style of a 16th century Irish urban garden.

6.00 The epitome of gracious living, the 18th century Mount Juliet is set within 1500 acres of lush gardens and woodlands in the beautiful countryside of County Kilkenny, Ireland. The finest sporting estate in Kilkenny County, the Mount Juliet is an award-winning luxury hotel that blends grace with charm

10 am The Dunbrody is a full-scale reproduction of a 19th Century famine ship (three-masted Barque built in Quebec in 1845). Board the Dunbrody and Walk in the footsteps of famine emigrants on their journey of hope across the Atlantic Ocean. Re-enactors bring history to life. A digital database of ships passenger lists records over 2 million individual passengers. 11 am Visit the birthplace of the late President John F Kennedy’s greatgrandfather where you can enjoy an audio-visual presentation and guided tour, which takes visitors through the family history, and historical setting of the Kennedy legacy. Patrick Grennan, a descendant of the Kennedy family who have farmed the property at Dunganstown for 7 generations, operates the homestead privately. 12 am Dunbrody Abbey is a 12th Century Cistercian Monastery, also on site you can have fun in the full-sized Hedge Maze.

The Hook is one of the oldest operational lighthouses in the world, dating from the medieval period. Lunch here. Carry on to Tintern Abbey , a Cistercian Abbey founded c1200 by William, Earl of Marshall which became a country house and then a monastic ruin, in a beautiful setting with lovely walks. . Finish the day at the Heritage Park where you can experience 9,000 years of Irish history in fascinating setting of woodland, riverbank and native Irish dwellings and discover how the Celtic, Norman and Viking settlers left their mark on the countryside.

The journey will take you past the towers and turrets of Ducketts Grove, once the heart of a 12,000 acre estate. They have dominated the landscape for over 200 years. The mansion was transformed into a spectacular castellated Gothic fantasy in 1830. The ring-fort of Rathgall, a 4,000 year old hilltop stronghold with three concentric ramparts and ditches, with dry stone walls probably built in the early centuries A.D. as the seat of the kings of South Leinster. North of the fort can be seen the well-preserved Haroldstown Dolmen, with a double capstone borne on 10 uprights for the last 5,000 years. Through the mountains via the Wicklow Gap.

Because of its wonderful scenery, County Wicklow has been used as a location for many films over the years, including Excalibur, Braveheart, Far and Away and Michael Collins. The very successful Irish television series Ballykissangel was made in the pretty village of Avoca.

Arrive at Glendalough at about 11 am The monastic settlement at Glendalough was founded in the sixth century by the hermit Saint Kevin, and flourished as a place of pilgrimage until the 16th century, when it was almost destroyed. The surviving buildings, dating from the eighth to 12th centuries, include a round tower, which is in nearly perfect condition, a cathedral, seven stone churches, and some decorated crosses.Saint Kevin was looking for a place of solitude and having found it, remained and lived an isolated life of a hermit on this site. His simple life attracted thousands of people who were intrigued by St. Kevin's independent and scholarly ways. Over time, a school developed, which attracted thousands of students from Europe . St. Kevin died in the year AD 618 at 120 years of age but the remains of his monastery can still be seen today.

1.00 Powerscourt House and Gardens near Enniskerry just outside Dublin, were laid out magnificently in a 14,000 acre estate overlooking the Little Sugar Loaf in the Wicklow Mountains under the direction of successive Viscount Powerscourts. The first strategic castle built on the site was in 1173 and this was strengthened by the Norman le Poers in 1300. It passed through the hands of the Fitzgeralds and the O'Tooles, but the lands were finally declared forfeit to the Crown in the 17th century and James I gave the estate to the Knight Marchant of Ireland, Richard Wingfield, making him the first Viscount Powerscourt in 1618. The Wingfields incorporated the medieval castle into the Palladian manorhouse, which stands today, and commissioned the plans for the gardens in 1740. They collected tonnes of European statuary and the garden is beautifully decorated with marble and bronzes and fountains including Titan blowing into a conch in the Triton Lake, statues of Apollo, Diana, Fame and Victory and the Spitting Men fountain and even the Gate from Bamberg Cathedral in Bavaria. The most spectacular are two gigantic zinc winged horses from the Wingfield crest.

The Italian, Japanese and Walled gardens are masterpieces of landscape design: the terraced Italian Garden took 100 men 12 years to finish. Powerscourt House was totally gutted by fire in 1974 just after it had been completely renovated, however the building has since been partially restored and the downstairs rooms now house shops, a café which opens onto the terrace and an exhibition about the estate's history which includes an entertaining audiovisuals show.


Waterford Cathedral	Reginald's Tower, Waterford	Waterford Crystal


The Rock of Dunamase	Emo Court	Heywood


Kilcooley Abbey	Knockgraffon Motte	Athassel Abbey


The Vee		Lismore


Dunbrody Maze	The Famine Ship	The Kennedy Homestead