Travel Leaders Exclusive Space Travel Leaders Group eBook | Page 3

October 14, 2017: Enjoy your continental breakfast at leisure before departing Killarney by road to Limerick to
join the Bunratty Castle and Cliffs of Moher Tour. Arrive into Limerick where we will join our Railtours Ireland tour
coach. Limerick has a population of about 90,000 and its city charter was granted in 1197AD, making it older than
London! As we cross the river Shannon which is Ireland’s longest river you will see views of King John’s Castle to
the right. The castle was completed in 1200 and marks the origins of the city. Limerick’s most famous author, Frank
Mc Court, grew up here and was the setting for his book, ‘Angela’s Ashes’. Limerick is also the birthplace of
celebrated BBC radio DJ, Terry Wogan and Hollywood star, Richard Harris. We will pass the GAA grounds of Páirc na
nGael –the home ground of County Limerick’s Hurling and Gaelic Football teams. Limerick is also the home of Irish
Rugby and we will pass Thomond Park, the Rugby stadium. After a brief city tour we travel onto Bunratty Castle
and Folk Park. The castle was completed in 1425 and, after many years of neglect, has been restored to its former
glory. There is also a folk park here which you will have time to explore. After the visit to Bunratty Castle and Folk
Park we make our way to Co. Clare. There is a lunch stop at O’ Connor’s Pub in Doolin before arriving at the Cliffs of
Moher, among the highest sea cliffs in Europe. There is plenty of time to visit Ireland’s second most popular tourist
attraction and your host will advise you of the departure time. From here we take the coast road for much of the
way to Galway, with time for photos along The Burren. This is a national park and the word Burren comes from the
Irish Language, it means ‘rocky place’. It is a unique lunar landscape of limestone which was described in 1649 by
one of Oliver Cromwell’s men as: “No tree to hang a man, no water deep enough to drown him and no soil deep
enough to bury him”. Today the Burren is noted for its diverse Flora with few parallels elsewhere in Ireland or
indeed, Europe. We continue along the coast road to Bl ack Head, passing the quaint coastal villages of
Ballyvaughan and Kinvara before joining the main road to Galway. Return by train from Galway. Returning to
Dublin Heuston at 9:45pm. Overnight Stay: Jurys Inn Parnell Street.
October 15, 2017: Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before you have the day to do whatever it is you want.
Overnight Stay: Jurys Inn Parnell Street.
October 16, 2017: Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before you check in for 7:35am departure from Connolly Train
Station. Arrive into Belfast Central Station for 9:45am where we will be met by our tour coach to continue on
our journey along the Causeway Coastal Route, along Northern Ireland’s Antrim Coast. Upon arrival, you will
see one of Belfast’s most well-known landmarks, the two Harland & Wolfe Cranes which are nicknamed Samson
and Goliath. Leaving Belfast we proceed to the town of Carrickfergus for a short photo-stop and take the coast
road north from here. Further north we arrive at the fishing village of Carnlough, where we stop for about 15
minutes. We continue on passing the coastal villages of Glenariff, Cushendall and Cushendun. There are
stunning views of the sea to the right and the mountains or the Glens of Antrim to the left; you can even
glimpse the Scottish coast on a clear day. Lunch stop is at Bushmills Distillery – lunch is not included and a tour
of the distillery is not possible due to time restrictions. Our next stop is the famous Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.
Traditionally fishermen erected the bridge to Carrick-a-Rede Island over a 23m-deep and 20m-wide chasm to
check their salmon nets. Today visitors are drawn here simply to take the rope bridge challenge! We then head
for Dunluce Castle for a photo stop before arriving at the Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage site,
where we stop for about 2 hours. Leaving the Giant’s Causeway, we head back to Belfast to return to Dublin.
Arriving at Dublin Connolly Station at 10:15pm. Overnight Stay: Jurys Inn Parnell Street.
October 17, 2017: Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before you have the day to do whatever it is you want.
Overnight Stay: Jurys Inn Parnell Street.
October 18, 2017: Enjoy one last breakfast at your hotel before you transfer to the airport for your 6:00am
flight home. You are on Delta/KLM flights and you’ll change planes in Amsterdam before arriving back home.