Day 2
CONNEMARA EXCURSION
Irish breakfast this morning. Tour along the shores of Galway Bay with the Aran Islands in the distance. We enter the area known as Connemara with its deep blue lakes and streams, purple mountains, rock walls, and white-washed stone cottages dotting the landscape. Tour to the fishing village of Roundstone and home to Malachy's Bodhran factory where you will see how they hand-craft the goat-skin drums used in traditional Irish music. On to Clifden the market hub of Connemara. Enjoy the exhilarating views from the Sky Road as we tour along to Kylemore Lake and make a stop at Kylemore Abbey. Travel along the shores of Ireland's only fjord, Killarney Harbor and on to the Village of Leenane. Return to Galway down the picturesque Lough Inagh Valley. Stay at the 4 star Park House Hotel in the center of the city. Dinner is on your own this evening. There are many pubs and restaurants nearby to give you a choice of menus.

Click the links below to view the linked websites and then click the back arrow on your browser to return to this page.

Links to sites mentioned in the itinerary that you may wish to visit:

Click here:Connemara
Click here:Malachy's Bodhran Factory
Click here:Kylemore Abbey
Click here:Killary Harbour
Click here:Leenane Village
Click here for hotel website and photos: Park House Hotel, Galway

Day 3
CONG & WESTPORT
Irish breakfast this morning. On to Moycullen where we stop to see how the exquisite hand-crafted crystal is made. Tour up the picturesque Maam Valley and along the northern shores of Lough Corrib. The lake is dotted with hundreds of islands. On to the village of Cong, made famous in the movie, The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne. Just outside of the village is Ashford Castle, once the home of the Guinness family and now a 5 star resort hotel. Continue to Westport situated on the shores of Clew Bay. Westport is an attractive, hilly place with a very continental air. The area is noted for its famous Pirate Queen, Grace O'Malley. She lived in nearby Rockfleet Castle, which is still in excellent condition and can be visited. View Westport House whose estate adjoins the town. It was designed by Richard Cassels. It's one of Ireland's noblest mansions with a really exquisite interior. It is owned by the Maquess of Sligo, a direct descendant of Grace O'Malley. Tour on to Castlebar where during the 1798 Uprising, French General Humbert defeated the British Army who retreated south from here and it came to be known as the Castlebar Races! On to Ballina which is the largest town in County Mayo and an angling center on the River Moy. Stay at the 4 star Ice House Hotel on the banks of the River Moy. Dinner is on your own this evening. There are many pubs and restaurants nearby to give you a choice of menus.

Click the links below to view the linked websites and then click the back arrow on your browser to return to this page.

Links to sites mentioned in the itinerary that you may wish to visit:

Click here:Celtic Crystal
Click here:Maam Valley
Click here:Cong Village
Click here:Westport, County Mayo
Click here: Rockfleet Castle
Click here:Westport House
Click here:Castlebar, County Mayo
Click here:Ballina
Click here for hotel website and photos: Ice House Hotel, Galway

Day 4
CEIDE FIELDS & DOWNPATRICK HEAD
Irish breakfast this morning. Tour to Ballycastle and continue along the Atlantic shore to the Ceide Fields. At Ceide Fields, turf cutting has in recent years revealed the oldest intact field system in existence. The Stone Age landscape of regular fields, dwelling areas and megalithic tombs has been preserved since the bog grew over it 5,000 years ago. Nearby at Downpatrick Head is Dun Briste where a Druid Chieftain, named Crom Dubh, lived. He refused to convert to Christianity so Saint Patrick struck the ground with his crozier and the stack was separated from the mainland, leaving Crom Dubh to die on the top. Return to Ballina via Killala Bay. Explore Ballina this evening. Stay at the 4 star Ice House Hotel on the banks of the River Moy. Dinner is on your own this evening. There are many pubs and restaurants nearby to give you a choice of menus.

Click the links below to view the linked websites and then click the back arrow on your browser to return to this page.

Links to sites mentioned in the itinerary that you may wish to visit:

Click here: Ceide Fields
Click here:Downpatrick Head
Click here:Killala Bay
Click here for hotel website and photos:Ice House Hotel, Galway

Day 5
CARROWMORE & SLIGO
Irish breakfast this morning. Tour south to County Sligo, a county of gentle mountains, lakes and coastline. Continue to Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery to view passage graves that date back 7000 years! County Sligo is associated with the great writer, W. B. Yeats. Sligo Town dates to 750 years ago and has traditional shop fronts and a riverwalk. Tour north from Sligo Town making a stop at Drumcliff and the Yeats Center. Yeats is buried here in Drumcliff Churchyard. On to County Donegal and the beautiful Lough Eske. You stay this evening overlooking Lough Eske at the 5 star Lough Eske Castle Hotel. Dinner is on your own this evening. You may wish to enjoy the Cedars Restaurant in the castle.

Click the links below to view the linked websites and then click the back arrow on your browser to return to this page.

Links to sites mentioned in the itinerary that you may wish to visit:

Click here: Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery
Click here:Sligo Town
Click here:Yeats Center Drumcliffe
Click here for hotel website and photos:Lough Eske Castle Hotel, Donegal

Day 6
GLENCOLUMCILLE & SLIEVE LEAGUE
Irish breakfast this morning. Tour to Killybegs, Ireland's largest commercial fishing port. On to Glencolumcille, a village of thatched roof cottages and links to St. Columcille of the 6th century who founded the city of Derry. On to Slieve League and the Cliffs of Bunglass which are higher and more magnificent than the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare. Continue via Ardara, the center of the woolen industry in County Donegal. We tour into Donegal Town and visit "Woolens & Things," for tweeds and woolens. Visit 15th century Donegal Castle, with its fully restored Jacobean wing. Enjoy a chance to explore the town. Enjoy a relaxing evening overlooking Lough Eske. You stay this evening overlooking Lough Eske at the 5 star Lough Eske Castle Hotel. Dinner is on your own this evening. You may wish to enjoy the Cedars Restaurant in the castle.

Click the links below to view the linked websites and then click the back arrow on your browser to return to this page.

Links to sites mentioned in the itinerary that you may wish to visit:

Click here:Killybegs
Click here:Glencolumcille Folk Village
Click here:Ardara Woolen Mills
Click here:Donegal Town
Click here:Donegal Castle
Click here for hotel website and photos:Lough Eske Castle Hotel, Donegal

Day 7
BELLEEK & DUBLIN
Irish breakfast this morning. On to Ballyshannon where you cross into Northern Ireland and County Fermanagh to the town of Belleek, home of the famous Belleek China factory. Enjoy a visit to the showrooms. Continue on along the southern shores of Lough Erne to the town of Enniskillen. There is a British army military museum in the Maguire Castle. Return to the Irish Republic and on to Dublin Airport where you stay at the Clayton Airport Central Hotel. Dinner is on your own this evening. There are two restaurants in the hotel to give you a choice of menus.

Click the links below to view the linked websites and then click the back arrow on your browser to return to this page.

Links to sites mentioned in the itinerary that you may wish to visit:

Click here:Belleek Pottery
Click here:Enniskillen
Click here:Enniskillen 'Maguire' Castle
Click here for hotel website and photos: Clayton Dublin Airport Central Hotel, Dublin Airport

Day 8
DEPART FOR HOME
Irish breakfast this morning.  Transfer by Clayton Hotel courtesy vehicle to Dublin Airport departure terminals. Check in for your flight.   Depart  for Home.

SLAN LEAT

PRE/POST-TOUR DUBLIN PACKAGE: One or Two Nights
Extend your Ireland Tour with one or two nights in Dublin, Ireland's Capital. Package includes: Private Car Transfer from airport to hotel, Accommodation for one or two nights, Irish breakfast each morning, Dublin Literary Pub Crawl evening, Departure Private Car Transfer and porterage at airport and hotel. Click here: Dublin's Fair City Package

Combine with the Southwest & South of Ireland Tour
Extend your Ireland vacation and contonue your touring through the beautiful Southwest and South of Ireland. Ask Conn about a special discount for the combination. Click here: South & Southwest of Ireland Tour

WE'VE ADDED FUN, FEATURES & EXTRAS TO YOUR TOUR!
You'll See more, Experience more & Get More out of each touring day!

YOUR CUSTOMIZED PREBOOKED TOUR INCLUDES:
• Room with private bathroom at accommodation selected
• 4 Star Hotels or 5 Star Hotels for 7 nights
• Itinerary Consulting Time by Email and Telephone
• Luxury Touring Vehicle for 7 Days
• Experienced Driver-Guide for 7 Days
• Luxury Private Touring Vehicle for 7 Days
• Driver-Guide's accommodation and meals
• Full Irish breakfast daily in Ireland.
• Porterage for baggage handling and local taxes
• Driver-Guide Gratuity
• Day-by-day itinerary that allows you to get more out of your touring day!
• Books on Irish History, Culture and Humor - to prepare you for your tour
• Folding Ireland Road Map
• Government Taxes of 13.5%

ADMISSIONS: We have NOT included any site admissions as you may wish to choose which ones you wish to enter and take the guided tour. You can choose to pay admission when you get there.