National Park Society
Discover Your National Parks
IRELAND
IRELAND'S PARKS, PUBS AND POETS
With Kent Taylor - author, guide, photographer and
Director of the National Park Society
12 Days, 10 Nights with an optional Dublin stay
- Charming 4-star hotels
- 5 magnificent national parks
- Knowledgeable local Irish guides
- 17 wonderful meals included
- All activities and entry fees included
Kent Taylor is one of America's favorite guides. An lover of all things Irish, he will teach you about Irish history, geology, plants, animals, culture, music, literature and legend. Kent has walked 500 miles of Irish backroads and considers Ireland his second home. His Irish ancestors are from County Cork.
Kent is the founder and director of the National Park Society. He is a Certified International Tour Manager and is in demand managing tours around the world for leading travel companies. Kent is a former park ranger and college professor and is a professional photographer. He has authored books on the national parks of the United States and Canada and is a contributor to the best selling book, The Experts Guide to Doing Things Faster.
Traditional Irish Musicians
Muckross House in Killarney National Park
Gallorus Oratory on the Dingle Peninsula
Cliffs of Moher
Kylemore Abbey
Hands Across the Divide statue, Derry
Giants Causeway
Entrance to Newgrange Neolithic Tomb
Glendalough
Dublin, Ireland's Capital City
A Page from the Ancient Book of Kells
James Joyce Statue in Dublin
Dublin Pub
Kilkenny Castle
Irish Dancers Await Your Arrival
Céad míle fáilte
The Emerald Isle bids you a hundred thousand welcomes on this exploration of Ireland.
Splendid scenery, fascinating history, the works and lives of literary giants Joyce, Yeats, Shaw, Wilde, O'Casey, Beckett and more, a vibrant culture and warm, hospitable people all add to the great charm of Ireland.
Itinerary Highlights
Killarney 3 nights
Galway 2 nights
Derry 2 nights
Belfast 1 night
Dublin 2 nights
Optional post-tour Dublin 2 nights
Light walking is required most days, the weather is temperate and dress is casual.
Day 1 - Overnight flight to Shannon Airport. We can assist booking air transportation if needed.
Day 2 - Arrive in Shannon, Ireland. Visit Adare, one of Ireland's loveliest villages, with thatched stone cottages and a charming riverside location. Continue to Killarney in County Kerry. Tour Killarney National Park and enjoy an Irish jaunting cart ride to the Muckross House Museum of Irish life in the 18th century. Enjoy the colorful gardens before an included welcome dinner. Check into the four-star Killarney Royal Hotel, or similar, for a three-night stay. D
Day 3 - Irish breakfast included. Drive the scenic Ring of Kerry, one of the world's most beautiful roads. Experience sweeping ocean views, tidy villages, Ireland's highest mountains, green pastures and ancient stone forts. Included dinner tonight. BD
Day 4 - Irish breakfast included. Tour the spectacular Dingle Peninsula, one of Ireland's most picturesque spots. Visit Dingle, Slea Head, Blasket Island Center, Gallorus Oratory and Mulcahy's Pottery. Learn the sad romantic story of the Rose of Tralee. Tonight, enjoy the pubs, restaurants and traditional Irish music of Killarney. B
Day 5 - Irish breakfast included. Cross the Shannon River by ferry to Country Clare. Gaze upon the Cliffs of Moher rising 700 feet above the sea and extending five miles along the coast. See the lively villages of Doolin and Lisdoonvarna, known for their pubs and festivals. Drive through the Burren National Park region - an area of limestone hills hosting unusual flora. Arrive into Galway and the centrally located, four-star Park House Hotel, or similar, for two nights. Dinner included. Tonight enjoy pub hopping and great traditional music in youthful Galway. BD
Day 6 - Irish breakfast included. Travel through Connemara and James Joyce Country, a scenic region of rugged beauty and stonewashed cottages. Tour mountainous Connemara National Park. Explore Kylemore Abbey, a splendid Gothic-Revival castle. See the town of Clifden, the village of Cong - the setting for the John Wayne film The Quiet Man, and nearby Ashford Castle. Return to Galway for close shopping, walking and dining. B
Day 7 - Irish breakfast included. Travel to Sligo and Yeats Country. Cross into Northern Ireland to explore the Ulster-American Folk Park. This open-air living museum reveals the experience of immigrants from Ulster to the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries. Continue to the historic walled city of Derry for two nights at the four-star Beech Hill House, or similar. Dinner included. BD
Day 8 - Irish breakfast included. Travel to Letterkenny to see the imposing spire of St. Eunun's Cathedral. Drive into the scenic hills of County Donegal to Glenveagh National Park. Tour Glenveagh Castle, a Scottish style castle surrounded by one of the finest gardens in Ireland. Return to Derry for a 1.5 mile guided walking tour around the city's 17th century defensive walls including views of St. Columb's Cathedral. Tonight enjoy dinner on your own. B
Day 9 - Irish breakfast included. A lovely drive along the Causeway Coast leads to the Giants Causeway - some 40,000 basalt columns often called the 8th wonder of the world. The unique geology has earned the status of World Heritage Site. Travel to Dunlace Castle and the gorgeous Glens of Antrim before arriving in historic Belfast. Explore Belfast past and present focusing on the outstanding Victorian architecture including City Hall and Queens University. Overnight at four-star Europa Hotel or similar. Dinner included. BD
Day 10 - Irish breakfast included. Travel through the fabled Mountains of Mourne this morning. Tour another World Heritage Site - the Boyne Valley Center with Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth Neolithic burial tombs. At over 5,000 years old the site predates the pyramids. Continue to Dublin for a guided city tour to see historic buildings, Georgian Squares and landmarks. Stay two nights at four-star Alexander Hotel, or similar, in the heart of the city within walking distance of shopping on Grafton Street. Dinner included. BD
Day 11 - Irish breakfast included. Travel south on a day-trip through Wicklow Mountains National Park - the region known as the garden of Ireland. A scenic coastal drive takes us to the Avoca Woolen Mills. At Glendalough take a guided tour of the 6th century monastic settlement with its round tower and Celtic crosses. Return to Dublin for a literary pub crawl to experience the haunts of Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett and more. Tonight enjoy a very special included farewell Irish dinner and cabaret with Irish step dancing, music, wit and humor. BD
Day 12 - Irish breakfast included. For those doing the main tour only transfer to Dublin Airport. Depart for home. B
Optional Dublin Stay
Day 12 - Irish breakfast included. Continue your exploration of Dublin with your guide Kent and visit Dublin Castle and the State Apartments, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Christ Church Cathedral, the National Gallery, Trinity College to see the historic Book of Kells, and more! Extend your stay at the Alexander Hotel for two nights. You will find many restaurants and pubs within a few blocks of this centrally located hotel. B
Day 13 - Irish breakfast included. Enjoy free time to pursue your own interests today. Shop on Grafton Street and visit the Temple Bar quarter of town for off-beat shops, restaurants and pubs. An optional activity is a day-tour to Kilkenny, Ireland's ancient medieval capital with the finest Norman castle in the country. Gather for an included final dinner before a last night of Irish music and storytelling. BD
Day 14 - Irish breakfast included. Transfer to Dublin Airport. Depart for home. B
Accommodations
You will be staying at four-star quality, first class hotels enjoying the architectural charm and the gracious hospitality of Irish life.
Price of Main Tour TBA
Main Tour Price Includes:
Small group touring, ten full Irish breakfasts, seven dinners, ground transportation in a luxury motor coach, four-star hotels, professional Irish driver/guide, tour manager Kent Taylor, a Pillar representative, admissions to all activities listed in itinerary, gratuities for driver and tour manager, airport transfers, porterage of one bag per person at airports and hotels, and government taxes of 13.5%.
Price of Optional Dublin Stay TBA
Air Transportation
You are responsible for air transportation arrangements. Kent Taylor and staff will provide assistance as needed. We will inform you of the best airfares for our schedule.
Deposit: TBA
Final Payment: TBA
Cancellations: No refunds after TBA
Payment accepted: Deposit and final payment may be paid by credit card or check made to Pillar. A 2% discount is offered for final payments by check.
Travel insurance is highly recommended and should be purchased at time of booking. Call us for premium rates. We will send you a policy to review.
Book now!
This small group tour will fill quickly. For reservations and tour questions contact:
Kent Taylor
National Park Society
National Park Society
5335 Whip Trail
Colorado Springs, CO 80917
719-322-5694
info@nationalparksociety.com
www.nationalparksociety.com