Recess 4 Grownups

UNITED STATES TO DUBLIN

Depart your hometown and take an overnight flight across the Atlantic. Enjoy in-flight entertainment and meal service as you travel to start your vacation.

DUBLIN ARRIVAL & SIGHTSEEING

After landing at Dublin Airport, complete customs and immigration formalities. Then your CIE Tours driver/guide will welcome you to Ireland and escort you and your luggage to the coach. Take an orientation drive around Dublin city center. Dublin is one of the liveliest capitals in Europe but there are plenty of historical places also. See the main thoroughfares of O’Connell Street and Nassau Street, the shopping streets and some lovely public parks. Then drive to your hotel and check in. This afternoon at 2:00 pm meet your Dublin guide for a sightseeing tour of the city. Then visit the Guinness Storehouse to see exhibits on how this world famous stout was first created and why it is so popular today. Finish your visit in the roof-top bar, Gravity, overlooking the city center where you can sample a draft Guinness and enjoy the view of the city. After you settle into your room you may like to rest or explore some of the city on your own.

DINNER: This evening travel to the Rathfarnam section of Dublin to Taylors Three Rock for an evening of rousing entertainment. The show starts off with a 4 course Dinner at 6.30pm including an Irish coffee, with the sparkling entertainment show starting at 8pm.

You will enjoy a traditional evening of quality Irish Food and entertainment, celebrating the best of everything Irish in comedy, music, song & dance from Irelands leading entertainers.

OVERNIGHT: Bewley's Ballsbridge Hotel

DUBLIN – TOURING AT GLENDALOUGH AND POWERSCOURT

Depart in our private coach and drive south from Dublin and through the mountains to visit the scenic valley where Glendalough is located. Glendalough was an important monastic settlement, founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century, which became one of the most important centers of learning in Europe. Today, the well-preserved round tower and church ruins are interesting to explore and the Visitor Center explains the history of the settlement. Then travel back towards Dublin stopping to visit Powerscourt Gardens, a superb collection of trees, shrubs and flowers gathered from all around the world. Situated near the charming village of Enniskerry, this former home of Lord Powerscourt is a delightful experience with terraced Italian gardens and abundant floral displays. Return to Dublin where the balance of the day and evening are at leisure.

OVERNIGHT: Bewley's Ballsbridge Hotel

NOTRE DAME VERSUS NAVY FOOTBALL GAME

Board your coach and drive to Aviva Stadium, a sporting stadium with a capacity for 51,700 spectators. It is also commonly known as Lansdowne Road while UEFA refers to it as the Dublin Arena. The stadium opened May 14, 2010 and is built on the site of the old Lansdowne Road venue, which was demolished in 2007, and replaces that stadium as home to its chief tenants: the Irish rugby union team and the Republic of Ireland national football team. Here, attend the Notre Dame versus Navy football game who last played in Dublin in 1996. Enjoy the game, atmosphere and festivities. After the game, return to your hotel where the balance of the day is free for independent activities and dining. You may like to explore Temple Bar or visit some of the traditional pubs.

OVERNIGHT: Bewley's Ballsbridge Hotel

DUBLIN AT LEISURE

Enjoy some leisure time in Dublin where you can choose from a wide variety of pursuits. There are plenty of museums of Irish interest such as the National Museum, the National Gallery or the Writers Museum. There are plenty of shops along Nassau Street and the pedestrianized Grafton Street or Henry Street and you may like to explore Temple Bar or visit some of the traditional pubs. In the evening you are free to choose from the many restaurants and pubs that Dublin has to offer.

OVERNIGHT: Bewley's Ballsbridge Hotel

BLARNEY CASTLE & KILLARNEY

Drive in our private motorcoach through the prosperous farming country and marketing towns of the midland region of Ireland. Stop for photos at the Rock of Cashel, a stately limestone outcrop topped with medieval church ruins. Continue south past the gentle slopes of the Galtee Mountains to visit Blarney Castle where you may climb to the battlements to acquire the “gift of eloquence” by kissing the famous stone. Also visit the Blarney Woollen Mills, which has an excellent range of Irish products of all types. Travel through the rugged countryside of County Kerry where the town of Killarney is charmingly located with a backdrop of mountains and lakes. Upon arrival check into your hotel and enjoy some time to relax and settle in before joining your group for dinner.

DINNER & OVERNIGHT: Malton Hotel, Killarney

JAUNTING CAR & RING OF KERRY TOUR

Today an old-fashioned horse drawn jaunting car will bring you through the Killarney National Park, which is closed to motorized vehicles. Drive along the shores of Lough Leane to Muckross House, an elegant 19th century mansion set beside the tranquil Muckross Lake. Enjoy some time to stroll the grounds and take photos. Then depart to explore the Ring of Kerry 100 miles of marvelous scenery consisting of the highest peaks in Ireland on one side and a coastline scattered with golden beaches and rocky headlands on the other. Stop en route to meet a local farmer who will introduce you to a flock of his sheep and provide a sheepdog demonstration. Then travel through Glenbeigh and Cahirciveen and on to Waterville and the colorful village of Sneem. Stop at Moll’s Gap for a view of the three lakes of Killarney with the mountains and the town in the background. Return to Killarney for some free time to look around the town.

OVERNIGHT: Malton Hotel, Killarney

DINGLE PENINSULA & BLASKET CENTRE

Today discover the beauties of the Dingle Peninsula, made famous by David Lean’s movie, “Ryan’s Daughter.” Drive along the south shore of the peninsula for plenty of vistas of heathery mountains, sandy stretches of beach and rocky headlands. There will be frequent stops at strategic locations to admire the views and take photos. Stop in Dingle before continuing to the western tip of the peninsula. Visit the Blasket Centre in Dunquin to learn about the Blasket Islands, inhabited until 1953 by hardy families who eked out a living by farming and fishing. Return to Killarney for a free evening.

OVERNIGHT: Malton Hotel, Killarney

BANTRY BAY & MIZEN HEAD

Leaving Killarney travel south through lovely mountain scenery to Glengarriff and Bantry Bay where the mild climate allows sub-tropical vegetation to thrive. Continue to Mizen Head, a fog signal station located on Ireland’s most south-westerly point. The station dating from 1910 was made to function automatically in 1993 and today you can enjoy wonderful views of the coastline and Atlantic waves and imagine what life was like for the keepers. Take a drive through Gougane Barra. The name Gougane Barra comes from Saint Finbarr, who is said to have built a monastery on an island in the lake nearby during the 6th century. The present ruins date from around 1700 when a priest called Denis O'Mahony retreated to the island. During the times of the Penal Laws, Gougane Barra's remoteness meant that it became a popular place for the celebration of the Roman Catholic Mass. Then drive back to Killarney where the remainder of the afternoon is at leisure.

OVERNIGHT: Malton Hotel, Killarney

CLIFFS OF MOHER & DROMOLAND CASTLE

Leaving Killarney travel via Tralee and Listowel to Tarbert where you take the ferry across the wide mouth of the River Shannon. Drive via Lahinch to view the Cliffs of Moher. The impressive wall of rock rises to a height of almost 700 feet about the churning Atlantic Ocean and stretches for five miles along the coast. Journey through Burren Country, a region of limestone hills containing a wealth of rare flowers and prehistoric stone monuments on the way to your lovely castle hotel. Check into Dromoland Castle where you will have some free time to explore this wonderful setting in the afternoon. In the evening enjoy gourmet dining in the elegant dining room of your hotel.

DINNER & OVERNIGHT: Dromoland Castle Hotel, Shannon

RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES

Sadly, today your Irish vacation has come to its final day. Transfer to Shannon Airport in good time to check in for your flight. You may do some last minute shopping at the duty free stores. Then clear U.S. Immigration before boarding your aircraft and flying across the Atlantic Ocean back to the United States.