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Irish Welcome 7 day CIE7S2

2010 Irish welcome 7 Days
Highlights:

• Medieval Banquet with Entertainment
• Kate Kearney's Cottage Dinner & Music
• Abbey Tavern Dinner & Traditional Show
• Stay with an Irish Family in Killarney
• “Titanic” History Walk around Cobh
• Guided Tour of Dublin

Itinerary:
Day 1 - Fri: Bunratty & Medieval Banquet
Land in Shannon Airport! Proceed to the CIE Tours desk in the Arrivals Hall. CIE Tours staff will arrange a group transfer to your Bunratty hotel. Spend the day at leisure in Bunratty. There's plenty to do right beside your hotel - Bunratty Folk Park, Durty Nelly's Pub and shopping. This evening meet your fellow travelers over a welcome drink and join in the fun of a medieval banquet at nearby Bunratty Castle. (D)

Day 2 - Sat: Cliffs of Moher & Killarney
Drive to the coast to view the dramatic Cliffs of Moher, which rise to almost 700 feet above the wild Atlantic breakers and stretch along the coast for five miles. Then head south for a short ferry ride across the River Shannon. Stop in the charming village of Listowel for a stroll around before continuing through the mountainous countryside to Killarney. Take a look around this bustling and compact town before checking into your country home and meeting your Irish family. In the evening drive to the Gap of Dunloe to Kate Kearney's Cottage for dinner. Afterwards sit back and enjoy traditional Irish entertainment with popular songs, dances and a lot of laughs. (B, D)

Day 3 - Sun: Ring of Kerry & Skellig Experience
Admire breathtaking vistas of mountains, cliffs and beaches on Ireland's most popular drive - the 100-mile Ring of Kerry. Enjoy the variety of scenery as you travel to the westernmost part of the Iveragh Peninsula. Stop at Kells to meet a local farmer, Brendan Ferris, for a taste of farm life with a sheepdog demonstration of herding flocks and see different breeds of sheep. Cross to Valencia Island by bridge to visit the Skellig Experience, which explains how early monks lived in harsh conditions on the rocky offshore islands. Today the islands form a haven for seabirds. Take a brief walk around the colorful village of Sneem and pause at Moll's Gap for stunning views of the Lakes of Killarney. Return to Killarney and enjoy a home-style dinner with your host family this evening. (B, D)

Day 4 - Mon: Blarney & Titanic Walk
Leaving Killarney, head to the Blarney Woollen Mills where you can find excellent Irish merchandise. You will have time to walk around the village green or, if you feel energetic, you will have the opportunity to climb Blarney Castle to kiss the “Stone of Eloquence.” Drive through the outskirts of Cork to the harbor town of Cobh, the last port of call for the Titanic. Take a guided walk around this picturesque town and the dockside with a local historian to see places relating to the Titanic's last scheduled stop. Travel north past the Galtee Mountains and stop for photos at the Rock of Cashel on the way to the charming little city of Kilkenny. (B, D)

Day 5 - Tue: Kilkenny Castle & Abbey Tavern
This morning tour the massive Kilkenny Castle, home of the Butlers, Earls and Dukes of Ormonde, who held power over the region for centuries. The castle was first built in 1192 and was constantly remodeled until the 19th century. See wonderful paintings and furniture as you learn about the history of the region. Travel into the metropolitan area of Dublin to your hotel in the upmarket area of Ballsbridge. Drive to Howth on the north side of Dublin to the Abbey Tavern. Here sit down to a traditional dinner followed by a great show with plenty of Irish music and intricate step dancing. (B, D)

Day 6 - Wed: Dublin Tour & Dublinia
Take a half-day guided tour of Dublin, founded by Vikings over 1,000 years ago. See elegant Georgian squares with townhouses and their famous brightly-painted doors, view the lush vegetation of St. Stephen's Green and the stark figures of the Famine Memorial on the banks of the River Liffey, drive along O'Connell Street and pass the General Post Office where the 1916 Rebellion started. Finally visit Dublinia and the Viking World, which explains the Viking and Norman influences on the development of Dublin and shows how people lived during the 13th to the 16th centuries. The balance of the day is at leisure and you may choose to return to your hotel or use your voucher for an open-top bus tour and visit Guinness or Jameson. (B)

Day 7 - Thu: Depart for Home
For clients on our 8-day vacation, your tour ends today with a group coach transfer to Dublin Airport. Check in for your flight in good time and you may like to shop at the duty-free stores. (B)
Tour includes:
·  Group transfers on arrival and departure
·  Sightseeing by luxury coach throughout
·  Dublin open-top bus tour
·  Visit and a drink at Guinness Storehouse or Old Jameson Distillery
·  Services of a professional Irish driver/guide
·  Accommodation with private bath/shower for 6 nights - Superior & first class hotels in Bunratty,Kilkenny and Dublin; country homes in Killarney
·  Full Irish breakfast daily (B)
·  5 dinners (D) including
- Medieval banquet and entertainment in Bunratty Castle
- Dinner and show at Kate Kearney's Cottage
- Traditional Irish evening with dinner and entertainment at the Abbey Tavern
- 1 home-style dinner in Killarney
- Table d'hote dinner in Kilkenny
·  Welcome get-together drink
·  Ferry ride across the River Shannon
·  Sheepdog trials on Ring of Kerry
·  “Titanic” walking tour of Cobh
·  Tour of Dublin with a local guide
·  Visits and admissions to Cliffs of Moher, Skellig Experience, Blarney Woollen Mills, Kilkenny Castle and Dublinia and & Viking World
·  Deluxe flight bag, ticket wallet, luggage tags & strap
·  All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per person

Your Accommodations:
Stay at the following (or similar):

• 1 night Bunratty Castle Hotel, Clare
• 2 nights Town & Country Homes , Killarney
• 1 night Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel, Kilkenny
• 2 nights Bewleys Hotel Ballsbridge, Dublin

Dates & Rates:
May 7 – Sep 24: $1338
Oct 1 & Oct 8: $1258
Oct 22: $1168

Single supplement: $295

All Prices in US Dollars
Tour departs Shannon Fridays and Return to Dublin Thursdays