This is not a drinking tour of Ireland, but an opportunity to visit friendly pubs throughout Ireland. Pubs are the center of Irish life, where you can have coffee, great food, and of course, Guinness as well.
Oldest pub in Ireland: Sean’s Bar in the town of Athlone in Co. Westmeath since 900 AD. It even has the certificate from the Guinness Book of World Records to prove it. Oldest pub in Britain: The Bingley Arms in Bardsey, North Leeds, which opened in 953 AD. |
Day 2: Glasnevin Museum & Medieval Kilkenny Walk
Visit Glasnevin Museum, Ireland’s national necropolis, which is a who’s who of modern Irish history. It is the final resting place of Daniel O’Connell, Michael Collins, Charles Stewart Parnell, Brendan Behan and other prominent people. Drive from Dublin to Kilkenny and check in to your centrally-located hotel. Take a walking tour through Kilkenny’s Medieval Mile to view merchants’ houses and historic pubs. Visit Smithwick’s Brewery and enjoy a sample. Enjoy free time to browse around the compact city before dinner. (B, D)
Day 3: Waterford Crystal & Blarney
Drive south to the port of Waterford to visit the House of Waterford Crystal. See how skilled craftspeople transform molten glass into elegant tableware and magnificent trophies of all types. Travel along the south coast to visit Blarney Castle and climb to the ramparts to kiss the "Stone of Eloquence.'"Do some shopping at the Blarney Woollen Mills or take a break in the pub hidden between the shops! Pass through County Cork and on to Killarney to your hotel in the center of town. In the evening explore some of the lively pubs where traditional Irish music is played. (B, D)
Day 4:Dingle Peninsula & Kate Kearney's Cottage Dinner
Today discover the glorious Dingle Peninsula, made famous by two movies, "Ryan's Daughter" and "Far & Away", which showed a lot of the wonderful scenery. Drive to Slea Head at the westernmost tip for awesome views of the Atlantic Ocean and see early Christian monastic beehive huts. Meet a farmer whose skilled dogs herd sheep and stop in the town of Dingle. Visit the cozy South Pole Inn for an Irish coffee and learn about Tom Crean, an explorer who bravely journeyed to the South Pole with "Scott of the Antarctic." In the evening drive to Kate Kearney's Cottage for dinner and traditional Irish entertainment with songs and step-dancing. (B, D)
Day 5: Cliffs of Moher
Cross the wide River Shannon Estuary by ferry and drive along the coast. In Doolin take a boat trip to view the majestic Cliffs of Moher from the sea. Next stop at the Aillwee Cave for a gentle guided stroll through the underground caverns. The walk will take you over bridged chasms, under weird formations and alongside the thunderous waterfall. Travel south to the village of Spanish Point, named after the ships of the 1588 Spanish Armada that were wrecked there. The village has many enticing pubs to check out before or after dinner. (B, D)
Day 6: Galway & Westport House
DDrive around the shores of Galway Bay and stop in Galway for a walking tour of the compact city center. Continue through Connemara with its hills, lakes and open country where mountain sheep roam freely. Stop in Leenane, where the movie, “The Field” was made. Continue to Westport, an attractive estate town built in 1780, with lots of interesting shops and traditional pubs, many with live music. Tour the stately Westport House, an 18th century mansion, set in superb parkland with magnificent views overlooking Clew Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. See stunning rooms with priceless furnishings, paintings, books and silver. (B, D)
Day 7: Teeling Distillery & 12th Century Brazen Head Pub
Drive from the west coast through the gentle scenery in center of Ireland to Dublin on the east coast. Visit Teeling Distillery, Dublin’s newest distillery in the heart of the city, and sample the aged whiskey. Head to the Brazen Head Pub, Dublin’s oldest, dating back to 1198 for an evening of “Food, Folk and Fairies” where story-telling will reveal Ireland’s myths and beliefs in times past. (B, D)
From the Irish Independent: Kavanagh's ("The Grave Diggers"), Glasnevin, Dublin This pub from 1833 is named after the former landlord John Kavanagh - who fathered 25 children. It is commonly known as "The Gravediggers" due to its proximity to Prospect Cemetery and the frequently observed custom to order a pint by throwing a shovel of earth from the cemetery against the pub's wall. The resident ghost is said to be an elderly man in old-fashioned tweeds, who sits at the bar enjoying a pint ... until he disappears without a trace. |
Day 8: Tour Ends in Dublin
Your program ends after breakfast. (B)
OR
Day 8: Independent Bus Tour in Dublin
Spend an additional day in Dublin with an independent Dublin open-top bus tour (valid for 48 hours), plus a visit to either Guinness Storehouse or General Post Office.(B)
Day 9: Tour Ends in Dublin
Your program ends after breakfast.
At one time Dublin had over 4,000 pubs. As time passed, laws came into being to control the amount of pubs in the city. Now Dublin has almost 750 licensed pubs, each with its own style and particular clientele, its own special character. Many have specialized – traditional music, song & dance, sport & literature and quality cuisine served in a relaxed informal atmosphere. All are centers of Irish life, where there are no strangers, just friends you have not met. |
Would you like a pub tour departure just for
you and a group of friends? Just ask!
You can generally bring a child into a pub at any age. Here is the actual law: If you are under 14 (18 in Northern Ireland) you cannot normally go into a pub or other licensed premises where alcohol is sold and consumed during opening hours unless you are the landlord’s child or live on the premises. However, a publican can apply for a children’s certificate that will allow children under 14 to be taken into a pub by an adult. Most pubs have them. Children would normally have to leave by 9 pm. |
LAND ONLY RESERVATIONS: If you do not book flights through us, a charge of $30 per person will apply andcovers both arrival and departure transfers onthe first and last day of all tours within time frames specified for each tour.In order to book transfers, we must receive complete arrival and departure details at time of booking.
If you don't see the date you are interested in, please call us. Availability changes often. The lowest prices are for a larger sized scheduled tour;the lower priced departures are guaranteed to be a shall group.
8 day | |
DUB/DUB | USD |
MAR 20 | $1,595 |
APR 24 | $1,995 |
MAY 15 | $2,145 |
MAY 19 | $2,145 |
MAY 22 | $1,940 |
JUN 16 | $2,185 |
JUL 7 | $2,185 |
JUL 17 | $2,185 |
AUG 7 | $2,185 |
AUG 25 | $2,185 |
SEP 1 | $2,185 |
SEP 15 | $2,185 |
OCT 16 | $1,595 |
9 day | |
DUB/DUB | USD |
MAR 20 | $1,795 |
APR 24 | $2,195 |
MAY 15 | $2,345 |
MAY 19 | $2,345 |
MAY 22 | $2,140 |
JUN 16 | $2,395 |
JUL 7 | $2,395 |
JUL 17 | $2,395 |
AUG 7 | $2,395 |
AUG 25 | $2,395 |
SEP 1 | $2,395 |
SEP 15 | $2,395 |
OCT 16 | $1,795 |
Here are the top ten pubs in Ireland according to the Irish Times: |
Cancellation Penalties: Airfare up to 100%; Land: Penalties per person apply:
70 days or longer: Forfeiture of deposit 69 - 46 days: 35% per person 45 - 8
days: 45% per person 7 - 1 days: 60% per person, On day of departure: 100% per
person Travel Insurance from $60
Call 1-800-221-2474 9AM - 5PM Mon-Fri Eastern Time
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