St Michans Crypts:

St. Michan’s Church is an historic Church of Ireland church located in Church Street, Dublin 7, Ireland. The church is renowned for its unusual vaults, which house a number of mummified remains, as well as for its fine woodwork and historic organ. The church has a fascinating history, dating back over 900 years.

The earliest Christian chapel on the site of St. Michan’s Church dates from 1095 and was built by the Vikings. The current structure largely dates from a reconstruction undertaken under William Robinson in 1686, but it is still the only parish church on the north side of the River Liffey that has survived from a Viking foundation. Over the centuries, the church has served the spiritual needs of both Catholic and Protestant parishioners in Dublin.

Wicklow Gaol:

Wicklow Gaol was, for many years, a place of horrendous atrocities in which prisoners were subjected to torture, starvation and death. Many might scoff at the idea of ghosts. Many others believe that a place such as this, with its dark and sordid history, could very well harbour the spirits of those who previously lived or worked here.

Some of the strange unexplained events and encounters reported include:

• A man seen walking in front of the bars to the holding cell/dayroom on the ground floor.
• A woman in a full length black velvet cloak with the hood up seen walking towards the two rooms at ground level.
• A smell of roses or at other times bad smells sometimes emanate from Cell 5.
• A green mist floating around the main floor.
• A man seen walking from cell 19 to the end of walkway – some people have commented that he held his hands behind his back.
• A man seen standing in the far corner of the ship’s upper deck.
• Some women have reported feeling extremely uneasy on the upper deck, experiencing a sense of fear or apprehension.
• On the lower deck people often report seeing shadows out of the corner of their eye.
• On the top floor some visitors have reported seeing or hearing children crying.

Glendalough monastic Site:

Glendalough has been a place of pilgrimage since the 6th century when St. Kevin lived there as a hermit and ascetic, attracting followers and establishing a monastery there.  Little is known for certain about Kevin, since the many stories we have were first written centuries after his passing. These stories and myths continue to fascinate and offer inspiration today.

St. Laurence O’Toole was abbot in the Glendalough monastery and initiated reform before being appointed Archbishop of Dublin in 1162. It is believed that he remained a monk at heart and returned to Glendalough on retreat frequently.

Activity Level: Low

Itinerary is subject to slight change depending on weather and other conditions.

Charleville Castle:

Located in County Offaly, in the Midlands of Ireland, and bordering the town of Tullamore near the Shannon River, Charleville Castle is situated in Ireland's most ancient primordial oak woods, once the haunting grounds of Ireland's druids.

Charleville Castle grew from paper doodles in early 1798 to grandiose plans by the end of that very eventful year in Ireland. It was built by Charles William Bury, Earl of Charleville and was designed by Francis Johnston, one of the leading architects of the day.

Charleville Castle is said to be the finest example of gothic-revival architecture in the country. This is a veritable Gothic castle of grand proportions. It owes its "Tin Soldier Fortress" look to the celebration of victory over the third French revolutionary expedition to Ireland - the first decisive victory by Britain over the revolutionary republican movement, which was sweeping across the monarchies and their colonies at that time. 

It took fourteen years to complete this gothic dream, a monument not only to a now-forgotten power but also to the people who made it possible, the Irish craftsmen and impoverished people.

Tonight you will investigate the castle's many ghosts.

Activity Level: Low

The itinerary is subject to slight change depending on weather and other conditions.

St John's Castle:

King John's Castle also known as Limerick Castle is a 13th-century castle located on King's Island in Limerick, Ireland, next to the River Shannon. Although the site dates back to 922 when the Vikings lived on the Island, the castle itself was built on the orders of King John of England in 1200. One of the best preserved Norman castles in Europe, the walls, towers and fortifications remain today.

Aillwee Caves:

Expert guides will accompany and inform you during your leisurely tour. The tour consists of a 45-minute stroll through the beautiful caverns – over bridged chasms, under weird formations and alongside the thunderous waterfall which sometimes gently sprays the unsuspecting visitor! Marvel at the frozen waterfall and learn about the now extinct brown bears’ bones (ursos arctos).

The guides will bring you back to the overground world where you can browse and shop in a distinctly different gift shop which is housed in the award-winning complex that guards the entrance to the Burren underground.

Kinvarra Castle:

In the early 17th century the castle passed into the hands of the Martyn’s of Galway.

Richard Martyn, Mayor of Galway lived here until 1642 and the Martyn’s of Tulira Castle, owned the castle until this century.

Halloween Cnámha La Loba (bones of the Wolfes) Parade:

Inspired by the legend of La Loba, a wild Wolf-Woman who wanders the world, collecting the bones of animals, humans and demi-gods that are in danger of being lost to the world and singing them back to life by moonlight.

This artistic parade is created by the theatre group "Macnas" who travel the world with their designs and puppet shows. 

This is am amazing, creative parade to behold.

Activity Level: Low/Moderate

Itinerary is subject to slight change depending on weather and other conditions.

Day out in Galway.

Galway is a bustling city that you will love exploring. Galway City is a thriving, bohemian, cultural city on the western coast of Ireland. Along with being a popular seaside destination with beautiful beaches and long winding promenade, it also has a buzzing cosmopolitan city centre. The city is a joy to explore with its labyrinthine cobbled streets, colourful shop facades and busy café/ bar culture. The city is also well known for its many festivals throughout the year with huge crowds gathering for the annual  Galway Arts Festival, Races and numerous other events. Old Ireland is present too with turf fires and traditional music featuring in many pubs to compliment your enjoyment of a well earned pint of Guinness. Take an evening stroll along the promenade and watch the sunset over Galway Bay or watch the salmon fishermen in the River Corrib from the perfect vantage point of the Salmon Weir Bridge.

Pat Noone's Fairy Farm:

Fairies, she-wolves and fertility stones: Strange tales from a hidden Ireland,

Pat Noone will welcome you to his farm with a warm Irish welcome, he will bring you on that hallowed ground past the standing stone, the fertility stone down the path to the cairn and then you walk into the fairy field. You will stand at the portal between the hawthorn trees which is where the Fairies come and go. It truly is a magical place and we know you will enjoy it and the stories Pat has to tell.

Activity Level: Low

Itinerary is subject to slight change depending on weather and other conditions.

Leap Castle:

One of the longest continually inhabited Castles in Ireland, Leap Castle has a rich and fascinating history.  Leap Castle is thought to have been built in the early 1500’s by the O’Bannon clan.   The O’Bannon clan were the secondary chieftains under the ruling of the O'Carroll  clan.  The current building is thought to have been built over an earlier castle.  Before that the site was used by Druids for initiation ceremonies.   The castle has been home to much bloodshed and violence over the centuries.

The O’Carrolls were a fierce and brutal people, bent on domination.  They were known for their ruthless tactics, often killing others and each other on the path to supremacy.  The O’Carolls called Leap Castle their home until it was wrenched from their hands in 1642 by an English soldier of the Cromwellian forces named John Darby. 

 The Elemental is one of the most interesting spirits that reside at Leap Castle.  It is an entity that is shrouded in mystery and intrigue.  The first encounter, origin and exact nature of the Elemental are unknown but there are many theories that have circulated over the years. 

Two young girls have also been seen at Leap Castle. Emily & Charlotte. Emily is thought to be aged around 11 or 12 and Charlotte around 6 or 7. They are mainly seen playing in the main hall and running up the stairwell. They are believed to have lived at the castle during the 1600’s and are thought to be the last of the O’Carrolls or the first of the Darbys. These are just two examples of spirits in this place, Sean Ryan will tell you all the stories and his experiences, and he might just play a few tunes for you too.

Rock of Cashel

Set on a dramatic outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale, the Rock of Cashel, iconic in its historic significance, possesses the most impressive cluster of medieval buildings in Ireland. Among the monuments to be found there is a round tower, a high cross, a Romanesque chapel, a Gothic cathedral, an abbey, the Hall of the Vicars Choral and a fifteenth-century Tower House.

Originally the seat of the kings of Munster, according to legend St. Patrick himself came here to convert King Aenghus to Christianity. Brian Boru was crowned High King at Cashel in 978 and made it his capital.

In 1101 the site was granted to the church and Cashel swiftly rose to prominence as one of the most significant centres of ecclesiastical power in the country.

The surviving buildings are remarkable. Cormac’s Chapel, for example, contains the only surviving Romanesque frescoes in Ireland.

The Rock of Cashel is one of Ireland’s most spectacular and – deservedly – most visited tourist attractions.

Activity Level: Low

Itinerary is subject to slight change depending on weather and other conditions.

Titanic Museum Cork:

Titanic Experience Cobh is a unique visitor experience located in the historic White Star Line Building – the very place from where Titanic’s last passengers departed. Take a guided tour and retrace the footsteps of our Queenstown passengers. Featuring real passenger stories and eyewitness accounts of the tragedy.

Cork city:

We bring you to Cork city for lunch and a chance to explore and shop.

Dragon of Shandon Parade:

Re-emerging from the underworld, the 36-foot Dragon made by the hands of the Cork City community will once again prowl the streets escorted by her legion of loyal ghouls, beasts, misfits and spooky creatures to celebrate the ancient tradition of Samhain (Halloween) in a thrilling nighttime parade and Finale Show attracting thousands of spectators, young and old, to Cork City on the 31st of October.

Activity Level: Low/Moderate

Itinerary is subject to slight change depending on weather and other conditions.

Charles Fort:

Charles Fort is a trace italienne fortification, a bastion fort with one section of the outer wall built in star fashion. It is located at the southern end of the village of Summer Cove, on Kinsale harbour, County Cork, Ireland. First completed in 1682, Charles Fort was sometimes historically referred to as the "new fort" - to contrast with James' Fort which had been built on the other side of Kinsale harbour before 1607.

Drombeg Stone Circle:

The Stone circle originally consisted of seventeen closely spaced stones of which 13 survive. The stones are made from local sandstone. The circle spans 9.3 metres (31 ft) in diameter. As an axial or "Cork–Kerry" stone circle, it contains two taller entrance stones placed opposite a recumbent axial stone. Its axis is orientated south west towards the setting sun.

The most westerly stone (1.9m long) is the long recumbent and has two egg shaped cup-marks, one with a ring around it. An axial stone circle, also known as a "Cork–Kerry type" stone circle, it is flanked by a pair of 1.8m high axial portal stones, which mark the entrance to the stone circle, and face the recumbent altar stone.] This arrangement creates a south-west axis, and orients the monument in the direction of the setting sun during the midwinter solstice. 

Activity Level: Low

Itinerary subject to slight change depending on weather and other conditions.

Activity Level: Moderate

Kilkenny Castle Grounds/Town:

We stop in this midieval Castle and town for you to stretch your legs. We bring you to the Castle grounds and then you can explore the town.

A 12th century castle, a bustling crafts and design scene, time-honoured traditional pubs, cobbled lanes and secret alleys – the medieval city of Kilkenny mixes small-town charm and big-city buzz to perfection.

Ftizpatrick's Castle:

This 17th century Castle has all the charm of the old world but has all the modern conveniences of a 4 star hotel. It has two top class restaurants, bedrooms are big and comfortable with ensuite. There is a heated swimming pool, Gym, Sauna and you can have spa treatments. You are 5 mins walk from the beach and the walk into Killiney is not to long either. Bono from U2 and Van Morrison lives in the area and you might just see them in the castle in one of the 2 bars. 

Enjoy your last night in Ireland.

Activity Level: Low

Itinerary is subject to slight change depending on weather and other conditions.

We bring you back to Terminal 2 airport today and we wish you a safe flight. We don't say goodbye but hope to see you here in Ireland again in the future with Secret Ireland Tours.