2009 SHEPHERDS TOUR OF IRELAND
MAY 15 - MAY 27, 2009
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5/15/09 – Friday
4pm Meet at the Aer Lingus Terminal in Boston, far left side of lobby. Deb will check us all in.
7pm Leave Boston via Aer Lingus to Shannon Ireland
5/16/09– Saturday
6:15 am Arrive Shannon & meet our driver. Get euros from ATM.
8:30 - Stop for tea & scones.
10:30 am arrive Killarney – meet our jaunting carts and ride thru park to the Muckross House (incl). Here we will have a private tour of the house (incl), then have brunch (on your own) in the award-winning cafeteria overlooking the extensive gardens.
2:30 pm We’ll leave Muckross and drive up thru Molls Gap & down to Kenmare. Hold onto your seats—this is Ireland’s most amazing road. 3:15 pm We stop in Kenmare to get some groceries & get your first look at our home town for the next week. Time allowed to get groceries & breakfast items for each house group. We’ll pick up our catered supper from Jam (included) and drive out to the houses to get settled. Walk down to the ocean and catch your breath.
6-8pm Early evening we’ll go back into Kenmare to meet the ladies of the Spin a Yarn knit shop. Option :go to a local pub for your first pint with the husbands of the yarn shop owenrs.
5/17/09 – Sunday
8am Breakfast at home using the groceries you picked up yesterday.
9am Town tour of Kenmare, including the sacrificial Celtic stone Ring
10am Church in Bonane --- optional: Walk down the dirt country lane, past the donkeys, over the ancient stone bridge, and along the river.
12:00 – 2:30 Molly Gullivans Traditional Farm (Bonane) tour. We’ll have a Picnic at the Farm put on by owners (incl in tour price)
3pm Tour of Bonane Folk part, an ancient Celtic site, led by a local Irish resident (incl),
4:30 pm – Option 1: Nap option – back to house for a nap before dinner or
Option 2: Tea & Garden Walk ---Tour of the gardens at The Park House -- Rhododenden tunnels, bat house, river walk
7-10pm Private dinner (7pm) at The Lansdowne (included) in Kenmare with Jo giving talk on Irish legends & customs – several courses & choices. Then back to the pub for Irish music & more pints
5/18/09 – Monday
8am Breakfast at home
9am: Visit to a Jacob Sheep Farm in the Black Valley
Lunch at Pancake Cottage (on your own)
3pm we’ll end up in Kilgarvan for a Shearing Demo by World Champ blade shearer and his friends (weather permitting --- we have to have a dry day for this as the Irish definitely don’t bring their sheep into barns to dry out!)
5/19/09 – Tuesday
9am Drive into Kenmare & stop at Jam for tea & scones.
Morning : Glengarriff national park where we’ll go for hikes, walks, and just sit for a quiet time under a tree. Then we'll go into Glengarriff village to shop at Quills & other shops for Irish handknits, caps, shepherds crooks, capes and have lunch (on your own).
2pm Tour of Ganish Island, a tropical garden in the bay via a little ferry boat (included)
5pm - back to Kenmare where you can either join us for dinner & pints with our friends who live in town, or go back to the cottages for a quiet evening.
5/20/09 – Wednesday
8am Breakfast at home
8:30 We leave houses for the farmers market in Kenmare, pick up some snacks for the day
10am private Tour of Kenmare Lace Museum, where ‘Irish Lace’ was born and the lace for Queen Victoria’s wedding dress was made.
12 pm Lunch at a private Park & waterfall (incl) which also is home to a rare flock of Soay sheep. Peg’s husband will take us to meet the flock & we can hike up the path to the top of the waterfall for great pictures!
4-6 pm Seafari Seaboat tour of Kenmare Harbor (incl)
The evening is free time on your own in Kenmare.
5/21/09 – Thursday
9am leave Kenmare & go Up & over the Gap of Dunloe, stopping at Avocca Café for Breakfast, scones & tea/coffee – try the rhubarb crumble! Great craft shop, cookbook, and great views. A few miles down the road we'll visit the Kissane Sheep Farm with John & Anne Kissane who have an innovative way of making a living with sheep in Ireland.
For lunch we'll go back to Muckross House cafeteria , then we'll tour the Traditional Farm museum (included)
At 4pm we arrive at the Kerry Knitting Mill Tour – a 300 year old family mill, where the owner Andrew will give us a tour. THIS is the place to buy your Irish woolens. Then Andrew will then take us to his own pub (yes, he owns a pub too!) for a private Wine, cheese, & Salmon Tasting, all locally made (incl). You can even buy some to bring home or to bring back to the houses. Andrew is quite a character and has a dry sense of humor --- you’ll love him!
5/22/09 – Friday
8am Breakfast at home
9:00 Leave for Bantry town market – shop, eat, look – watch out for the gypsies selling puppies & shoes! History tour of Banty, led by Caolann (Kay-lin), Karen & Vincent’s 15year old Irish son or his 11 year old brother Aodhan (A-don) with red hair, freckles, and who is the ultimate Irish imp! Then on to our private tour of Bantry House followed by a luncheon in tearoom(incl) prepared just for our group.
In the afternoon some of you will go with Brandon in the car Up & over Priests Leap where tour buses can’t go . Learn the legend of the Priest & his horse – cut your own little bit of peat. See our tiny little stone house in Bonane.
It’s our Last night in Kenmare and we’ll spend it back at Molly Gullivans Traditional farm for a tour & a celi with Irish Dancing, music, storytelling (incl).
5/23/09 – Saturday
6:00AM Up bright & early to check out of the houses. We Leave Kenmare & drive thru stunning mountains & valleys back past Shannon. We’ll take the Ferry to Aran islands (incl) – just bring backpack/overnight bag, not lots of luggage – you will be hauling it! The rest of the luggage can stay on the bus.
First we stop at the smallest of the Aran islands, Inishere (Inis Oirr) for a tour via jaunting carts with Eanna Joyce & Sam the horse (incl) We’ll stop for a visit with the only remaining knitter on Inishere who sells handknits from her tiny cottage. Sweaters go for E85-E95 and socks E20.
At 3 pm we take the ferry to Inish Mor, the largest of the Arans. Where Bertie Mullin will meet us at ferry & take us to Kilmurvey house on the back side of the Island. We have booked a private dinner for our group at the Mainister House (incl) . Then back into town to check out the pubs or back for an early night to bed.
5/24/09 – Sunday
8-9am B’fast at B&B (incl) then off on a tour of the island. Lunch on your own in the village.
We have a private tour of An Pucan, the thatched roof sweater shop, in the afternoon with Frances
3pm back to Kilmuvey House where you can either take an optional basket making course or hike to the fort or explore the craft village. we’ll have dinner with Frances & her husband who is a ferry boat captain for the Aran Islands.
5/25/09– Monday
After Breakfast (incl) we Leave Aran Islands via ferry to Doolin & drive to the Cliffs of Moher (included). Then we'll go to Shannon to check into our B&Bs. Dinner on your own in the little village.
5/26/09 – Tuesday visit the Bunratty Folk Park (incl) . Have lunch at Durty Nellies, Ireland's oldest pub. At 8pm we go to the Medieval Feast at Bunratty Castle (incl). The final dinner is included in your tour. This is a highlight of the tour and you’ll love it!
5/27/09 – Wednesday
After breakfast (incl) we’ll board the bus for a final 30 minute ride to the airport. Check in at 11:30 to fly home to Boston at 1:30 pm. The duty-free shop is extensive and will gladly take your last euros before boarding the plane!
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