Ireland
Day 1
Depart on our overnight flight to Dublin, with meal service en route.
Day 2 Dublin
We arrive at Dublin Airport to be met by our USIT tour conductor and Irish driver/guide. After checking through passport control and customs with our luggage, we load up and we’re off to Dublin City. We’ll start with a visit to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells in the college library, and then we’ll go on to with our panoramic tour to see Christchurch Cathedral, the Phoenix Park, Dublin Castle, the houses of Parliament and the Georgian houses on Merrion Square. We could also walk over the Ha’penny Bridge to Temple Bar or visit the National Gallery. Dinner is provided at the hotel.
Day 3 Dublin
Remember to bring your concert clothes on the coach today. We have an early departure, 9.00 am this morning. Returning to Dublin, we visit the famous Christ Church Cathedral, founded c.1028, the spiritual heart of the city, where we will sing a lunchtime concert at 12:15 PM (rehearsal at 11:30). After changing back to street clothes, the rest of the afternoon is free to explore the city of Dublin. A little shopping on Grafton Street will make this a full day. Dinner is on our own tonight; we get a chance to explore the city.
Day 4 Dublin – Galway
This morning we travel across the country from east to west to Galway City. This ancient Celtic city has Spanish influences everywhere—our guide will tell us why. The Irish language is spoken here by the people of the Connemara region also traditional Irish music can be heard in many of the pubs each evening. We take a walking tour of
the city visiting the original site of ‘Lynching’, the Spanish Arch, the site of Columbus last prayers and more. Free time this afternoon to explore on our own. Dinner is provided at the hotel. Galway is well known for its Irish pub music, as many have discovered. Hotel & Dinner
Day 5 Galway
Today is the Figure of Eight Tour, which will take us around the wild and very scenic “Gaeltacht of Connemara”. The mountain of the 12 Bens, the village of Leenane Killary Harbour, and Irelands only fjord is some of the sights on today’s trip. Today will have many good photo stops, a very scenic day, all-in-all. We’ll make a stop at Kylemore, an extraordinary Gothic abbey that sits at the base of a heavily wooded lake overlooking the mirror like waters of Kylemore Lake. The highlight is the recently restored Gothic chapel, an exquisite cathedral in miniature, and we will perform a concert there. Then we return to Galway for the evening. Dinner is on our own.
Day 6 Galway – Killarney
After a (full Irish) breakfast, we drive to the west of County Clare visiting the spectacular Cliffs of Moher & the Burren, an ancient limestone ‘Carst’ region. On to Limerick City founded by the Vikings and captured by King John of Magna Carta fame in 1201 A.D. We’ll see King John’s Castle on the way. Then we drive south to Killarney to check in for two nights. We are right in town at this hotel. We check in to our hotel the Towers Hotel, Killarney, for 2 nights. Dinner is provided at the hotel tonight. Hotel and dinner: Killarney
Day 7 Killarney
Today is the famous “Ring of Kerry” tour–110 miles of spectacular scenery as we circle the Iveragh peninsula, enjoying the high cliff side views of the Atlantic. It’s a great day to relax, take our time, and enjoy the amazing scenery. One stop we make at Waterville, 60’s holiday home of Charlie Chaplin, to lunch (on our own) at the Scariff Inn overlooking the Atlantic near the westernmost point of the Ring. We continue the breathtaking ride along the cliffs to Sneem village for a rest stop, then over the mountains to Ladies View, made famous by Queen Victoria and her entourage. Through the National Park, Killarney, by the lakes we travel to back to our hotel in Killarney. Tonight, we have the privilege of singing at the 6:15 PM mass at St. Mary’s
Cathedral in Killarney. We arrive at 5:30 dressed for the mass. Dinner on you own tonight,
Day 8
Following a full Irish breakfast we depart early for Shannon Airport, we will arrive at least 2 hours prior to our flight time
Notes: All breakfasts are full hot breakfasts and are provided in the tour. Dinners are included a as indicated on the itinerary. All lunches are on your own.
