Welcome to Ireland! After clearing Immigration and Customs procedures, the group will be met by your national guide for the transfer to city center.  

On arrival enjoy a panoramic tour of Dublin City. Discover the north and south side of the River Liffey. This area offers great striking monuments such as the GPO (General Post Office) on the city main thoroughfare, O'Connell Street, or the Custom House along the quays, as well as the Phoenix Park, the largest public park in Europe. The south side appears more sophisticated with its vast Georgian squares, such as Merrion Square, where Oscar Wilde’s House can still be found (today owned by an American College), its colorful doors, along with Grafton Street and its quality shops. Not so far from St. Stephen’s Green, in Kildare St., you will see the house of Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula. This part of the city is also dominated by the students at Trinity College, where the famous Book of Kells is permanently exhibited in its library. 

Lunch is on your own this afternoon in the city.

Visit EPIC, The Museum of Irish Emigration. EPIC is a state-of-the-art interactive experience located in the beautiful vaults of the 1820 Custom House Quarter building in Dublin’s Docklands, the original departure point for so many of Ireland’s emigrants. It will inspire and guide you on a journey to discover the stories of Irish emigration around the world, from early times to the modern day.

Enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel this evening.

Overnight: Camden Court Hotel (or similar)

Included meals: Dinner

After a leisurely breakfast discover the splendor that is St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Explore the church and learn about the long history, their place in the life of the city and their tradition of worship. Founded in 1911 as a Roman Catholic Cathedral, they are currently the national cathedral for the Church of Ireland and have a complex of buildings that are still very actively used to this day.

Later today visit the Pearse Lyons Distillery. With over eight hundred years of history, awaken your senses with a whiskey tour and tasting. Located in the former St. James’ Church in Dublin’s city center, this small and intimate family-owned distillery offers guests a unique blend of Irish history, culture and the very best of whiskeys. Winner of the Irish Tourism Industry Award for Dublin’s Best Visitor Experience 2019, Pearse Lyons Distillery is a working distillery like no other. See how Pearse small batch Irish Whiskey is made and chat with the team of distillers. Each tour and tasting experience celebrate the Irish tradition of storytelling.

Lunch will be provided this afternoon before returning to the hotel to relax.

Enjoy some free time with dinner on your own arrangements tonight.

Overnight: Camden Court Hotel (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast & Lunch

After breakfast, check out and depart for Belfast. In route, enjoy a hands-on farmhouse baking experience with Tracey in her 18th century thatched cottage on the shores of Strangford Lough. Tracey will teach all about the traditional Irish baking and walk you through the steps to make your very own Irish fruit soda cake, potato bread (or fudge as it is known locally) and Soda bread. You will not only leave with all your handmade goodies, but also all the yummy recipes so you can bake for your friends when you get home. 

Continue to Belfast, Northern Ireland. Upon arrival enjoy a guided city tour. The tour will take in the leaning Albert Memorial Clock tower (Irelands answer to the Tower of Pisa) and the Opera House, which is one of Belfast’s great landmarks. Your tour will pass by the City Hall, the Opera house, The Crown Bar (dates from 1885), Queens University and the Botanic Gardens. Some tours will take in a visit to the Harland and Wolfe Shipyard, where the Titanic was built and launched in 1912. A visit to the Shankill and Falls Road will be of interest as it will give the visitor an indication of how life was in Belfast during the troubles.

Check into your hotel and enjoy some time free in the afternoon. Enjoy dinner at a local pub/restaurant.

Overnight: Clayton Hotel (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

This morning, depart your hotel and travel along the Causeway Coast. Enroute visit Glenarm Castle which has been the family home of the Earls of Antrim for over 400 years. The Castle is the home of Viscount and Viscountess Dunluce and their family. You will see superb examples of Irish furniture as well as portraits of family members from the early 17th Century through to the present day. The Walled Garden is one of Ireland’s oldest and was originally created to supply the Castle with its fruit and vegetables. It is now filled with exciting flowers and specimen plants to interest the keenest garden enthusiast.

Enjoy lunch on own today - your guide and driver will choose a great location to help you enjoy some more of Ireland's wonderful hospitality and scenery. 

Later this afternoon, encounter Northern Ireland’s favorite giant Finn McCool at the new Giants Causeway visitor center. According to legend Finn created the causeway by building steppingstones to Scotland to challenge the Scottish giant Benandonner! The new center explores the major themes of mythology, geology, landscape, ecology, culture, and social history based on the UNESCO World Heritage site that consists of 40,000 basalt polygonal columns formed 60 million years ago after a volcanic eruption.

Continue to your hotel in Derry, where dinner will be provided

Overnight: City Hotel (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Explore Derry, the only remaining completely walled city in Ireland. Walk the famous city walls which date back to the early part of the seventeenth century and have been a place of several sieges. There are fine views from the top of the walls, which encircle the old city, a circuit of one mile. By walking on Derry’s Walls, you have splendid views of cathedrals and churches, you will learn about the historical events that shaped the city and explore attractions such as The Bogside, The People’s Gallery: The Murals, The Diamond, the Tower Museum, and the Guildhall. 

Put on your dancing shoes! Join a local dance teacher for a private introductory beginner’s Irish dance lesson.  

Enjoy lunch at a local pub/restaurant. 

This afternoon head to Glenshane Country Farm, set high in the heart of the Sperrin Mountains. They are the 4th generation of family sheep farmers, and you will enjoy a hands-on authentic experience of an Irish working farm. With over 250+ sheep on the farm you’ll observe the farmer working the sheepdogs to herd the sheep. This is a unique experience and is thoroughly enjoyed by all guests who visit this beautiful farm.  

Dinner is on your own this evening.,

Overnight: City Hotel (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

After breakfast, check out and head to Galway. Marvel at the majestic rolling hills, green fields, and scenic beauty of the Irish countryside. 

Stop for lunch at a local pub or restaurant in route.

On arrival in Galway enjoy a walking tour. The city center of Galway is mainly pedestrian, so a walking tour is the best way to enjoy its atmosphere and discover some of its most important monument. The tour starts on Eyre Square and finishes at the Claddagh. During the tour you will see Lynch Castle, home to the mayors of Galway, Saint Nicholas Church founded in the 13th century, and the famous Spanish Arch. You can walk along the Corrib River to the Claddagh village or to the majestic Cathedral.

This evening, enjoy dinner in a local pub or restaurant.

Later perhaps join your guide for a traditional Irish music concert and trad session with local musicians. Trad sessions are an integral part of local life in Ireland, and especially so in Galway. Local people join in the fun, and we hope you will too! 

Overnight: Menlo Park Hotel (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Say goodbye to Galway and head to Killarney this morning. Killarney is a vibrant town in County Kerry in southwestern Ireland known for its beautiful countryside. Chock full of history it is known for its delightful local people and hospitality. 

In route visit the Cliffs of Moher, which are situated on the Atlantic Ocean bordering the Burren region. One of Ireland's most spectacular sights the cliffs stand at 230 meters above the ground at their highest point and are 8 km long. They 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. 

Enjoy an Irish music session and learn how to play the Penny Whistle at the Doolin Music House today, where you will also have lunch. This delightful experience takes place in Christy & Sheila’s home. Christy Barry started playing music in Doolin in the 70’s and then went to live in New York and Chicago. He returned to Doolin in the late 90s and continues to play and teach music in Doolin. He is an All-Ireland Whistle Champion and has also received two different "Lifetime Achievement Awards", from the Doolin Folk Festival (2015) and the Corofin Trad Festival (2018). 

After your time with Christy, Sheila and friends, say your goodbyes and take the Shannon Car Ferry to Killarney. 

Dinner is on your own this evening after settling in at your local hotel.

Overnight: Killarney Towers (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

This morning the group will take a Gap of Dunloe Tour including a jaunting car ride and open boat trip. The Gap of Dunloe is a narrow mountain pass forged between the MacGillycuddy Reeks and Purple Mountain by glacial flows. The river running through the gap is the river Loe from where the Gap gets its name. The Gap begins at Kate Kearney's Cottage. The road narrows in many places, winds through the pass and descends into The Black Valley passing five lakes: Coosaun Lough, Black Lake, Cushnavally Lake, Auger Lake and Black Lough. Within easy walking distance from Kate Kearney's cottage is a picturesque old bridge known as the 'Wishing Bridge'. It is said that wishes made here really do come true! The Gap is approximately 11 km from north to south. 

Lunch is on your own today as you explore.

Return to Killarney for the balance of the day at leisure before enjoying a farewell dinner at a local restaurant accompanied by traditional Torc Dancers and Nos Singer. 

Overnight: Killarney Towers (or similar)

Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Check out of your hotel this morning and transfer to the Shannon airport for your flight back to New York (flight time pending).  

Meals: Breakfast

Please note: All itineraries are subject to change based on availability of hotels, flights and hosting organizations at the time of finalization of booking. Comparable meetings and activities will be arranged should an itinerary change be necessary. 30 days before departure, a finalized itinerary will be available and reflect final details.

Dr. Lynn M. Brinckmeyer is Professor of Music and Director of Choral Music Education at Texas State University. During 2006-2008 she served as President for The National Association for Music Education (formerly MENC). She has conducted all state choirs and honor choirs, lectured, presented master classes and performed in forty-eight states in the United States and thirteen different countries, including China, South Africa and Cuba, and in 2022 Ireland. She fell in love with the culture, music, people and landscapes and is eager to return with guests anew to share the beautiful Emerald Isle with them.

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