Deluxe Crafting Tour of Ireland
For centuries Ireland has been known for its fine crafts and exceptional artisans. Allow us to show you the heart of Ireland’s crafting community, while you also tour the sights and sounds of Ireland. Experience the deeply traditional history of handmade Irish crafts, and how these traditions are still kept alive today. This is a hands on experience, not to be missed. We can customize the itinerary for you however you wish. We can accommodate specific crafting interests, groups, couples, corporate events, etc. Speak to one of our Irish local experts at our office for assistance.
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ItineraryDay 1: Arrive in Dublin Ireland! Stay 2 nights in DublinArrive in Dublin Airport. Enjoy your private transfer to Brooks Hotel for a 2 night stay. Dublin is a prosperous and dynamic capital city, with a proud colorful past and a thriving present. Enjoy getting settled in and exploring your vibrant surroundings. Perhaps you’ll have a delicious dinner of oysters and Guinness tonight in Davy Byrnes gastro pub, just a leisurely walk from your hotel. Day 2: Explore Dublin City.Explore Trinity College and The Book of Kells, a beautiful manuscript created by monks ca. 800. Check out Dublin Writers Museum, Dublin Castle, and The Kilkenny Design Centre; whose unequalled supplier list, drawn from Ireland’s most eminent craftspeople and designers, gives visitors a uniquely special experience.Dublin city never sleeps; in the evening, enjoy traditional live music and dinner in one of the many fine pubs. We’ll give you an insider’s list of our favorite places! Day 3: Drive to Connemara. Stay 1 nightPick up your rental car in Dublin City this morning and enjoy the scenic countryside as you drive west to Connemara, Co. Galway. Take part in the Connemara Gealtacht Craft Trail. This craft trail travels through the picturesque Connemara Gaeltacht and the scenic Aran Islands. Visit Connemara Candles, Living Ginger Designs, and Alan Gaillard Stoneware Pottery.Enjoy visitingAn Ceardlann, Spiddal Craft and Design Studios which is located at the entrance to Spiddal Village, just beside the beach, overlooking the beautiful Galway Bay, Cliffs of Moher and The Aran Islands.Here you will find 10 Craft workers designing, creating, making and selling their work. Stay 1 night at the Abbey Glen Castle. Day 4: Drive to Co. Clare. Stay 2 nightsDrive to Co. Clare today. En route, stop and see the magnificent Cliffs of Moher up close and personal. Don’t miss the opportunity to walk on the Burren, with its lunar landscape, druidic altars, and exotic plant life. Visit Kylemore Abbey, and enjoy its beautiful Irish pottery studio, tea room, romantic castle, and vast Victorian gardens. Stay 2 nights at The Old Ground Hotel in Ennis Co. Clare. Day 5: Explore Co. ClareWeather permitting, you might take a ferry to the Aran Islands, where Ireland’s native Gaelic is still spoken. Visit the thatched cottage shops in Kilmurvey Craft Village in Dun Aonghasa, featuring traditional Irish crafts. Traditional music sessions both organized and impromptu are held in the pubs on the islands. Enjoy lunch, culture, and genuine local hospitality as you explore the islands today. Make sure to visit Mary O’ Flaherty’s knitting shop on Inishmor, chances are she’ll be there hand knitting a new Aran sweater for her shop. Day 6: Drive to Kerry. Stay 2 nightsEn Route to Co. Kerry today, visit Kenmare, “little nest” in Irish, nestled between high mountains and the sea.Visit Kenmare Lace and Design Centre, and see some spectacular lace craftsmanship. From Kenmare, travel the winding route of the Ring of Kerry through the Iveragh Peninsula. Enjoy dramatic coastal panoramas, majestic mountains, ancient sites, and quaint towns along this popular route. Visit the 17th-century Kerry Woollen Mills in Beaufort, situated on the Ring of Kerry, they’ve been creating fabrics and yarn from fine wool for over 300 years. Stay 2 nights at the Earls Court House Hotel in Killarney, Co. Kerry. Day 7: Tour KillarneyStop into Blackwater Wood turners in Killarney, for fabulous demonstrations and a warm welcome. Walk or take a horse-drawn carriage through the breathtaking Gap of Dunloe, found within the highest mountain range in Ireland, also, see Kate Kearney’s cottage. Visit the breathtakingly beautiful Dingle Peninsula, once called “the most beautiful place on earth” by National Geographic.Explore and enjoy all that Killarney has to offer. Day 8: Stay in Kinsale Co. Cork for 1 nightDrive through west Cork on the way to Kinsale, where you will stay 1 night at The Trident Hotel. Visitors to Kinsale are captivated by its beautiful setting, with its long waterfront, narrow winding streets, colourful shops, galleries and cafes, and its picturesque, bustling harbor. Visit the Kinsale Pottery and Arts Centre, where you have the option to participate in a variety of classes! Tour the Cobh Heritage Centre, the port from which the Titanic set sail on her final voyage, and where 6 million Irish left their shores between 1848 & 1850 in search of a better life. Day 9: Stay 1 night in Birr, Co. OffalyVisit Cork City today before you head inland to Birr, County Offaly, for your final night stay at Kinnitty Castle. Tour theBarbara Hubert Bookbindery Gallery in Cork City; her handmade journals are simply beautiful. En route to Birr, visit the Rock of Cashel, a spectacular group of medieval buildings set on an outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale. For your last night in Ireland, relish in the splendor of Kinnitty castle, and enjoy a delicious dinner in one of their restaurants. Day 10: Drive to Dublin Airport for your return flight homeThis morning, after a big Irish breakfast, drive to Dublin airport. Return your rental car and prepare for your return flight home. Slan Abhaile! Your Ireland Trip Includes:
AirfareAirfare is not included but may be booked with us at competitive rates – just let us know your preferred dates and U.S. Departure airport* PricingPlease contact our travel experts for current pricing 1800-832-1848
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