Join Ed Humber as he tours

The Highlights of Ireland June 5 - 15, 2012

	From Stone Age monuments to urban city buzz, the land of saints and scholars is just waiting to be explored! We’ll visit wild and romantic Connemara; the historic Ireland of castles, sacred sites and legends, and vibrant Dublin – a centre for much of modern Irish social and cultural life. Highlights of our tour include the Chester Beatty Library and Gallery, the National Gallery, the Guinness Storehouse, Powerscourt Gardens, the Rock of Cashel, Cork, Desmond Castle, Blarney Castle, the Ring of Kerry, Muckross House, Bunratty Castle, the Cliffs of Moher, Kylemore Abbey, Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre and much more. Join us for the music, the storytelling and a bit of “craic.”
	Your Executive Worldwide Travel Tour Itinerary

	June 5– Depart Ottawa for Dublin via London on Air Canada June 6 – Upon our arrival at the Dublin airport, meet our local guide who will assist with the transfer to our motorcoach which will take us to the landmark Gresham Hotel, centrally located on O’Connell Street. Check in and enjoy the balance of the day at leisure. Welcome dinner and overnight at the hotel. D

		June 7 – Dublin's Fair City Full Irish breakfast. Discover Dublin today with a panoramic city tour including the National Art Gallery, the Guinness Storehouse and the Chester Beatty Library & Gallery of Oriental Art. Housed at Dublin Castle in a restored 18th century building, the Chester Beatty Library exhibits open a window on the artistic treasures of the great cultures and religions of the world. Its rich collection includes manuscripts, prints, icons, miniature paintings, early printed books and objects d'art from countries across Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. Opened in 1864, the National Gallery of Ireland houses some fine pieces from artists such as Jack B. Yeats, Rembrandt, El Greco, Goya and Picasso. More than 600 works are on display, and, although there is much emphasis on Irish landscape and portraits, every major school of European painting is well represented. A Caravaggio ~ the Taking of Christ, was rediscovered in a Dublin Jesuit study in 1990 and it now proudly hangs in the Italian room of the Gallery. The Dargan wing houses the imposing Shaw room lined with full-length portraits illuminated by a series of spectacular Waterford crystal chandeliers. The Central Milltown Rooms, added in 1899, house the Russborough House collection, while the North wing, added in 1964, houses British and European artists. The Millennium wing was added in 2000. In the afternoon, continue your tour of Dublin with a visit to the Guinness Storehouse. The Guinness Brewery in Dublin is Europe’s largest stout producing brewery and home to the Guinness Storehouse. Opened in 1904, The Storehouse was an operational plant for fermenting and storing Guinness. Today it houses a very fine exhibition dedicated to the Guinness story. The visit ends with a visit to the 7th floor Gravity bar to sample first-hand a pint of Guinness and enjoy a fabulous 360 degree view of Dublin. Remainder of the afternoon and evening at leisure. Dinner on your own. Overnight at Gresham Hotel. BL

June 8 – Dublin - Wicklow- Cork Today travel South of Dublin to County Wicklow, known as “the Garden of Ireland” and home to Powerscourt, Mount Usher and Russborough, to name a few of its many houses and gardens. We’ll visit Powerscourt Gardens, a magnificent example of aristocratic gardens from the 19th century. There are many rare plants and wonderful views of the Great Sugar Loaf Mountain. Not to be missed is the pet cemetery with its headstones dedicated to the family dogs. Continue to County Tipperary and a visit to the Rock of Cashel. Towering over the town of Cashel from its perch on a 200-foot high outcrop of limestone, the Rock of Cashel was once the seat of the Kings of Munster. Impressive stone walls enclose a round tower, a cathedral, a twelfth century Romanesque chapel and high crosses. Transfer to Cork and check in at the Clarion Hotel in the heart of the city, ovelooking the river Lee. Dinner on your own and evening at leisure. Overnight, Clarion Hotel. BL

		June 9 – Cork Breakfast at the hotel and morning at leisure, with time to visit the English Market before a guided tour at Desmond Castle, also known as the French prison, in Kinsale. The Earl of Desmond originally built it as a customs house in the 16th Century. It has a colourful history, ranging from Spanish occupation in 1601 to use as a prison for captured American sailors during the American War of Independence. The castle is known locally as 'The French prison' after a tragic fire in which 54 prisoners, mainly French seamen, died in 1747. A variety of window forms, beneath the Irish stepped battlements, add interest to the main facade. Return to Cork city and enjoy the balance of the day at leisure. Lunch and dinner on your own. Overnight, Clarion Hotel. B

	June 10 – Cork to Killarney Breakfst at the hotel and check out before transferring to Blarney Castle. Built in 1446, Blarney Castle is famous for its Blarney stone - The Stone of Eloquence, which is traditionally believed to have the power to bestow the gift of eloquence on all those who kiss it. While in Blarney, visit Blarney Woolen Mills, perhaps the largest quality craft shop in Ireland. Continue to Killarney and check in at the luxurious Muckross Park Hotel, located in the majestic Killarney National Park. Dinner on your own. Overnight Muckross Park Hotel. BL

		June 11: Ring of Kerry After breakfast at the hotel, travel along the Ring of Kerry, the most famous and panoramic route in Ireland. Take in spectacular scenery - mountains, peat bogs, lakes and magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean, and panoramic views of the Dingle Peninsula and Dingle Bay. Visit Muckross House, a magnificent Victorian mansion built in 1843 and one of Ireland’s leading stately homes. The elegantly furnished rooms portray the life style of the landed gentry, while downstairs in the basement area one can experience the working conditions of the servants employed in the house. The front entryway has a plethora of mounted trophy heads, including an enormous rack of antlers from the Irish Elk, which is extinct, found preserved in a local bog. The Gardens of Muckross House are famed for their beauty worldwide. Overnight Muckross Park Hotel. BL

	June 12: Kerry - Galway via Adare Following breakfast and check out, transfer to Bunratty Castle, one of the most complete and authentic medieval castles in Ireland. Built in 1425 and plundered on many occasions, it was authentically restored in 1954 to its former medieval splendour. Within the grounds of Bunratty Castle is Bunratty Folk Park, which demonstrates everyday life in rural Ireland of the 19th century. Continue on to the Cliffs of Moher, one of Ireland's most spectacular sights. Situated on the Atlantic Ocean and bordering the Burren Area, the Cliffs of Moher boast one of the most amazing views in Ireland. On a clear day, the Aran Islands are visible in Galway Bay as well as the valleys and hills of Connemara. The cliffs reach their highest point just north of O' Brien's Tower built in 1835 by Cornelius O’Brien, a descendant of Brian Boru, the High King of Ireland. Continue to Galway via the Burren Region and check in at the Meyrick Hotel, an elegant Victorian hotel located on the very fashionable Eyre Square in Galway’s City Centre Overnight Meyrick Hotel. BL

		June 13: Connemara Tour Breakfast at the hotel followed by a tour of Connemara, a land of lakes and rivers, bogs and mountains and of small villages where Gaelic is still the spoken language. It is without a doubt the wildest and the most romantic part of Ireland. Connemara is a peninsula bordered by the arid and rocky coastline of Galway Bay in the south ~ a land characteristic for its stone walls and thatched cottages. On its northern shore the land is harsher, with spectacular views of the ocean and the beautiful fjord of Killary Harbour, as well as the steep mountains overlooking numerous lakes and large bog areas. Visit Kylemore Abbey, located in the Kylemore Pass in Connemara. One of Kylemore Abbey's most famous features is its miniature cathedral, built in 1870 and known locally as the Gothic church. Today, the abbey is home to the Irish order of Benedictine nuns. Having fled their convent in war-torn Belgium in 1914, they bought the house in 1920 and established a private school for young girls. Return to Galway for dinner on your own. Overnight Meyrick Hotel. BL

	June 14: Galway to Dublin Breakfast at the hotel and check out. Today, we return to Dublin via the Midlands with a stop enroute to visit Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre. The Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre, housed in the 1897 Bonded Warehouse, relates the story of Tullamore Dew Whiskey/Irish Mist liqueur and the development of the town. Visitors can wander through the various recreated working stations that were at the distillery such as malting, bottling or cooperage areas and learn how the whiskey was made. Throughout the tour visitors can interact with the artifacts, admire bees collecting honey for the production of Irish Mist, try out outfits worn on canal barges in the 1850's and learn about the history of Tullamore town. The Centre offers an Audio-visual presentation, guided and self-guided tours and complimentary tasting of Tullamore Dew Whiskey or Irish Mist liqueur. Following our visit, continue on to the 5-star Heritage Golf & Spa Resort, located near the village of Killenard in county Laois. The hotel is part of the Heritage golf club co-designed by Seve Ballesteros and Jeff Howes. Five lakes and a stream meander through the course and bring water into play on 10 holes. Enjoy an extensive health and fitness centre, an international Bowls Stadium with 8 Rinks, a floodlit walking track and The Thatch ~ a themed pub and restaurant. Farewell Dinner and overnight Heritage Golf & Spa Resort. BD June 15 – Farewell After a final Irish breakfast transfer to Dublin Airport for your departure flight home. B

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