VIP Ireland Experience

Arrive Dublin Airport where your driver guide will be waiting with a warm welcome. Once the introductions and boarding of the coach is complete we make our way from Dublin to Cong (over 2 hour drive). We arrive in Ashford Castle early afternoon and your driver will provide an overview of the town of Cong before getting you settled into Ashford Castle. Use the first tour day to acclimatize and enjoy the splendor of Ashford Castle. If you feel up to it, enjoy one of the many estate activities including Falconry, Fishing, Golf, Walking, Shooting and Archery.

Overnight at Ashford Castle.

Today we will explore the Connemara Loop which takes us to Clifden and through Joyce Country, including sights such as Kylemore Abbey.

In the interest of allowing some free time for guests to enjoy Ashford, your tour will return in the early afternoon or continue touring.

View Ireland's most spectacular sights from a helicopter. Standing 754 ft. above the ground at their highest point and 4 miles long, the Cliffs 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. Located in county Clare, the Cliffs of Moher are among the most impressive places to see in Ireland. To the south of the cliffs is Hag's Head and the cliffs reach their highest point just north of O' Brien's Tower. The seastack, Breanan Mór, stands over 229 ft. above the foaming waves. This tour will be about 40 min.

Overnight at Ashford Castle.(b)

Say farewell to Ashford Castle Cong and begin your drive south along the coast. The Burren is the highlight of today’s touring. We’ve a treat in store for everyone this evening when you will spend the night at Dromoland Castle – one of Ireland’s finest. You will want to savor your time at Dromoland so we will get you there in the early afternoon to capture the spirit. The Burren, from the Gaelic word Boireann is an area of limestone rock covering imposing majestic mountains, and tranquil valleys with gently meandering streams. With its innate sense of spiritual peace, extraordinary array of flora and wildlife, and megalithic tombs and monuments older than Egypt’s pyramids, the Burren creates a tapestry of color and a seductively magical aura which few people leave without wanting to experience again.

Free time and Overnight at Dromoland Castle.(b)

We allow a later start for today and you can enjoy a leisurely breakfast at Dromoland Castle before we get on the road.

Set sail on Ireland’s Lakelands and experience Lough Derg from a whole new perspective on-board your Luxury Motor Yacht. Board your luxury motor yacht in the picturesque village of Killaloe, Co Clare. Witness a scenic tour by water of the villages of Ballina, Co Tipperary and Killaloe, Co Clare linked by their 13 Arch Bridge. Enter the wider lake of Lough Derg and take in the sights of the Tipperary and Clare hills to either side. Shortly after arrive with exclusive access to your architecturally designed contemporary lakeside villa, appropriately named “The Lakehouse”. Enjoy a tour of this beautiful private home with its owner and witness an eclectic array of Antique Furniture and Irish Contemporary Modern Art. Then enjoy a unique Irish Seafood Lunch as the family is highly recognized in the artisan fish sector.

After lunch, board your yacht once again and nibble on a handmade brownie stack with freshly brewed Espresso coffee or a Bailey’s coffee with locally handmade chocolate truffles as we return to Harbour. Continue your tour to Adare. Snuggled in a wooden and lush countryside setting, Adare is widely regarded as being Ireland’s prettiest and most picturesque village. Situated on the river Maigue, a tributary of the Shannon River, Adare dates back before the early 13th Century.

Overnight at Dromoland Castle.(b,l)

The lovely scenic area of Killarney lies just 2 hours from Dromoland. This is where time stands still in the silence of the lakes, but where all modern conveniences and great shopping and dining can be found in the bustling little town.

Ride in traditional jaunting carts (horses and buggies). Revel in the 12 mile jaunt (you can choose to shorten the trip around the park instead) up to the Gap of Dunloe: brooding mountains surround you on all sides as you emerge from the Black Valley climbing to the head of the gap. Eventually the panorama opens out again to reveal a myriad of glacial lakes and rock features. Then head towards Kenmare, known as Ireland’s little nest.

Overnight at Sheen Falls Lodge.(b)

Enjoy the must-see attractions of County Cork which include:

• Gourmet Capital of Ireland - Kinsale
• Blarney Castle & The Stone of Eloquence
• Cork’s English Market - unique active market trading since 1788

Start the day by heading down to the pretty fishing town of Kinsale and maybe visiting the old fort there, with its ghostly lady, and the museum of wine – many families left Ireland to set up French Vineyards in the 18th Century – Hennessey, Chateau Lynch Barges… Then tour to Cork and Blarney.

Overnight at Hayfield Manor (b)

Housed in restored Victorian railway station, the Cobh Heritage Centre is an entertaining and informative place recounting the journey of over 2.5 million emigrants departed from this port, as well as an exhibition on the Titanic – Cobh was its last port of call.

Exclusive experience at Tourin House - the home of Ireland's whiskey dynasty The three Jameson sisters, Kristin, Andrea and Tara, are the ninth generation direct descendants of John Jameson, whose name is synonymous with Irish whiskey. They would be honoured to welcome you to their home.

The five acre gardens were laid out at the beginning of the 20th century by Richard Musgrave, with the help of his friend the Cork brewer Richard Beamish. The walled garden produces fruit, vegetables, herbs and cut flowers, and is home to an important collection of over a hundred bearded irises – which flower in May and June.

Return to Cork via Middleton distillery.(b)

We leave Cork, and make our way north east towards Dublin. En route we will make some interesting stops. The Rock of Cashel was the seat of the High Kings of Munster, although there is little structural evidence of their time here. Most of the buildings on the current site date from the 12th and 13th centuries when the rock was gifted to the Church. Kilkenny Castle - The original Anglo-Norman stone castle was built for William Marshal, 4th Earl of Pembroke (c.1146-1219) during the first decade of the thirteenth century.

Kilkenny Castle later became the principal Irish residence of the powerful Butler family for almost 600 years.

Overnight at Mount Juliet (b)

Although Birr Castle Demesne is open to the public every day of the year and attracts an average of over fifty thousand visitors annually. The castle itself however, remains a private residence: still the home of the family which originally built it and has lived there ever since for some fourteen generations. Two hundred years ago, this family, called Parsons, inherited the Earldom of Rosse, and the present head of the family living at Birr Castle is Brendan Parsons, Seventh Earl of Rosse and proudly Irish.

Have exclusive lunch with Earl of Rosse.

Tour to Dublin and visit Kildare on the way back, where you can also visit the Irish National Stud, home of the Irish horseracing industry and Kildangan Stud, private stud farm of the Aga Khan. All the great stud farms and training stables are around this area. The Japanese gardens are also located here.

Overnight at Merrion Hotel (b,l)

No visit to Ireland would be complete without a visit to the capital city of Dublin. Dublin has changed dramatically over the past twenty years and is now as cosmopolitan as any major European city. There is so much to see in Dublin that many guests decide to extend their stay and enjoy a day extra at their own pace. We will take you to see the following on your final day in Ireland:

• Trinity College and The Book of Kells.
• Dublin Castle and The Chester Beatty Library
• Christ Church Cathedral and The Dublinia Viking Exhibit.
• The Guinness Store House Kilmainham Jail

Return to the hotel with a drive through the Phoenix Park Enjoy an evening of Irish music, dancing and dinner with a traditional Irish night in Dublin.

Overnight at Merrion Hotel. (b)

Private transfer to Dublin Airport.