Ireland - Youth & Adventure Buyers Guide 2018/2019

Get spooked on an evening tour of Dublin with Hidden Dublin walks. Take a walking tour of the city’s ghoulish ghettoes, cobblestoned streets – beware of the dark alleyways as they conjure up characters such as Darkey Kelley and regale the story of Dracula’s creator, Bram Stoker. Enjoy a fish and chip supper at Leo Burdock’s, Werburgh St. Get there early because there’s always a queue! Overnight Dublin DAY 3 IRELAND’S ANCIENT EAST Depart Dublin early morning for Ireland’s Ancient East. Continue to the Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens with its mix of stables, paddocks and gardens. Take a guided tour of the stud farm where you will meet champion race horses, spot mares and, in season, foals – the champions of the future! Meander through the Japanese Gardens, designed to reflect life’s journey. Head to the medieval city of Kilkenny. Walk the Medieval Mile to discover how people lived, and hear tales of witches and monks and merchants. Learn to beat an Irish drum and take a lunchtime bodhrán session with Irish Beats in Kyteler’s Inn. Climb to the top of 6th century St Canice’s Round Tower , 121 steps reached by a series of ladders with views of 5 counties, amazingly still standing even though it’s off-plumb by 0.7m! Overnight Kilkenny city DAY 4 IRELAND’S ANCIENT EAST Depart for New Ross. Take the New Ross Historical Walking Trail – first stop Dunbrody Famine Ship, then follow the Emigrant Trail of President Kennedy whose Great Grandfather, Patrick Kennedy, left for the US in 1848 and visit the Kennedy Homestead in Dunganstown, New Ross. Lunch stop as you head for the Hook peninsula and Loftus Hall, the most haunted house in Ireland. The Waterford Greenway fromWaterford City to the market town of Dungarvan in west Waterford is a spectacular 46km off-road cycling and walking trail. It travels through time and nature across eleven bridges, three tall viaducts and a long atmospheric tunnel, all the way from the river to the sea. Bike hire operators are in place to supply bikes for Groups and FITs. Overnight in Waterford city or the harbour town of Dungarvan DAY 5 IRELAND’S ANCIENT EAST ANDWILD ATLANTIC WAY Depart early morning for Cork city. Stop off at Cork City and visit the campus at University College Cork (UCC) . Check out the award winning art and architecture at Lewis Glucksman Gallery and the Crawford Observatory, the only astronomical observatory in a university in Ireland. Visit St Ann’s Church and view the internal faces of the clock, affectionately called the ‘Four Faced Liar’ by Corkonians. Try your hand at ringing the Shandon Bells . Lunch ‘on the go’ in the English Market. Continue to Kinsale and take the Kinsale Historic Stroll through the colourful gourmet capital of Ireland. Or Explore the coastline with Atlantic Charters – visit Oyster Haven, picnic lunch on board or hop off at any of the patchwork of harbour villages. Continue to Skibbereen, explore marine life and Irish history and discover nearby Lough Hyne where the waters come alive with bioluminescence and you feel you’re paddling through the stars! Dinner and overnight in Skibbereen 99 Irish National Stud & Japanese Gardens Kilkenny City Dunbrody Famine Ship Lough Hyne, Skibbereen University College Cork