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O'Flaherty's Celtic Tours
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Join us for this extraordinary excursion as we travel in Ireland |
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July 9th, Thursday, Day 1
We're traveling
Aer Lingus flight #108
leaving at 9:30 pm from
JFK
airport and arriving at the
Dublin
airport at 9:00 am on Friday, July 10th. |
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After arriving in Dublin, we collect our luggage and pass through customs on our way to the motor coach for boarding. We then do a “highlights” tour of Dublin on our way to the hotel for some relaxation before dinner. The hotel is just a short and pleasant walk from many popular attractions such as St. Stephens Green, Temple Bar, and Grafton Street - one of Dublin's most prestigious and fashionable shopping areas. We enjoy a welcome ‘get together’ before dinner in our hotel. Hotel: Camden Court Hotel in Dublin
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Built in 1818 halfway along O'Connell Street (formerly Sackville street), The General Post Office (GPO) became a symbol of the 1916 Easter Rising. Members of the Irish Volunteers and Irish Citizen Army seized the building on Easter Monday and Patrick Pearse read out the Proclamation of the Irish Republic from its steps. Inside the building is a sculpture of the legendary Irish warrior Cuchulainn, dedicated to those who died for their part in the Easter Rising. We return to the hotel in the early afternoon so you can explore Dublin on your own during the afternoon and evening. Dinner is on your own tonight. Hotel: Camden Court Hotel in Dublin |
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Saint Peter’s Church was built in 1791, designed by Francis Johnston and the present church incorporates part of that building, which was opened in 1884. The facade is an imposing structure in the Gothic style, built of local limestone. St. Oliver Plunkett was born at Loughcrew near Oldcastle, Co Meath and trained for the priesthood abroad, being ordained in 1654 and becoming Archbishop of Armagh in 1669. He spent a lot of time in Drogheda and is credited with bringing the Jesuits to town and opening a number of schools. Because of the Penal Laws, Catholics were not allowed to practice their religion openly but Plunkett managed to defy them for a period but later he had to go into hiding, travelling only in disguise. He was arrested in Dublin in 1679 and found guilty of high treason and on the 11th of July 1681, having spent some time in Newgate Prison, he was taken to Tyburn (now Marble Arch) and hanged, drawn and quartered. He was declared a saint by Pope Paul VI in 1973. His preserved head forms the center piece of the shrine in St Peters Church. We take a “highlights” tour of Belfast by motor coach before we checking into our hotel. Hotel: Hilton Hotel in Belfast |
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This morning we’re be on our way up the Antrim coast to Carrickfergus Castle, which is said to be one of the finest and best-preserved Norman castles in Ireland. The castle was shaped to fit the crag overlooking the harbor. Next, it’s on to the Giants Causeway. The remarkable geological features of the Giant's Causeway have earned it the title of the 8th Wonder of the World. This World Heritage Site enjoys international acclaim for its outstanding natural beauty, significant scientific interest and accumulation of age-old traditions, resulting from lava eruptions over 60 million years ago. There’s a short but spectacular walk from the Giants Causeway along a narrow path past the strange formations of symmetrical columns with names like the Honeycomb, Wishing Chair and Chimney Pots. The facts and the legends of the area are vividly presented in the Giants Causeway Centre where there is an audio-visual theatre, tea room and gift shop. Hotel: TBD |
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Today, we visit the famous Walled City (Derry) where you can take a guided walking tour along the great 17th-century walls, about a mile round and 18 feet thick, which withstood several sieges and even today are unbroken and complete. The great siege lasted for 105 days. It is one of the only places in Europe not to have its defensive walls breached (though the original fortified gates have been replaced). Derry is very near the border with County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland. Next, we’re on to Donegal Castle for a visit. Donegal, or in Irish, Dún na nGall, translates as Fort of the Foreigner possibly coming from a Viking fortress in the area destroyed in 1159. However, due to hundreds of years of development, no archaeological evidence of this early fortress exists. The elder Sir Hugh O’Donnell, wealthy chief of the O’Donnell clan, built the castle in 1474. At the same time, he and his wife Nuala, built a Franciscan Abbey further down the river. A local legend tells of a tunnel connecting the two but no evidence for this has been found. The castle was regarded as one of the finest Gaelic castles in Ireland. Afterwards, we’re headed to our hotel in County Sligo. Hotel: Sligo Park Hotel in Sligo
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This morning we leave Sligo with a stop at Creevykeel Court Tomb, which is one of the best examples of a court tomb in Ireland. Next, we visit Drumcliffe; this site is a monastic settlement and also the burial place of the famous Irish poet W.B.Yeats. The importance of Drumcliffe dates from 574 AD when St. Colmcille founded a monastery here.
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The island has some of the highest and most spectacular sheer cliff faces in Europe. We return to Westport in the afternoon with time for you to explore the city on your own. Hotel: Clew Bay Hotel in Westport
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Leaving Westport, we make our way to Renvyle in Connemara passing by Croagh Patrick, Ireland’s holy mountain and Killary Harbor before arriving at the Renvyle House Hotel which nestles between the mountains and shores of the Atlantic Ocean on the unspoiled coast of Connemara. Here you can roam the grounds and explore Hotel: Renvyle House Hotel
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![]() Renvyle House swimming pool |
July 18th, Saturday, Day 10 Today, you have a free day with several options for you to choose. The hotel offers several free amenities for you to enjoy such as: 9-hole golf links, fly fishing, relaxing, croquet, snooker, swimming pool, lawn bowling, walking tours, learning a little tune, or sitting in front of a turf fire with a good book.
Also, you can
take a tour of
Kylemore Abbey
or go horse-back
riding
(we will provide transportation to the Abbey and horse-back riding)
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July 19th, Sunday, Day 11
Leaving Renvyle we make our way to
Galway City
for a couple of hours for you to explore on your own before we
Hotel: Old Ground Hotel in Ennis
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After a bit of Duty-Free shopping and turning in our VAT (Value Added Tax Vouchers) at the airport, sadly we leave from Shannon airport on Aer Lingus #111 departing at 1:30 pm and arriving in JFK at 3:35 pm.
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Take the next steps to Ireland . . .
Reserve your place now:
The Dady Brothers' July 2008 tour sold out in only six weeks. Here's
your chance to sign up for the 2009 tour and to give a memorable, |
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Price includes: § Roundtrip flight from JFK to Dublin, Ireland and return from Shannon Airport to JFK § Traveling by luxury motor coach § Deluxe hotel accommodations § Full Irish breakfast daily § Evening meals (except the one evening dinner in Dublin) § Welcome ‘get together’ beverage § Local taxes, hotel service charges § Departure tax § Porterage for one suitcase per person § Tour attractions admissions § O’Flaherty Tours luggage tags and name tags, etc. Not included in the price:
§
Gratuity for your motor coach driver § Transportation from your home city to JFK
§ Optional
(but highly recommended!) Travel
Insurance per person – you need to purchase the insurance with your 1st
deposit § Lunches not included on itinerary § Personal shopping
Join us
by mailing your $500 per person deposit
plus money for optional trip insurance to:
Note: $100 of your deposit is non-refundable
For more information,
call us at |
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*Single rooms are limited so book early |
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We highly recommend you also purchase Trip Insurance in case a medical condition may prevent your taking or completing the tour. It should be ordered with your deposit. |
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Reminder: Tour itineraries
are always |
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Reserve your place now . . . |
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Please make the check out to O’Flaherty Tours. |
or |
Email Laurie to
Please included your email address and phone number plus your home address. Thank you! |
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If you have a special request or question, please email Laurie or call 775-626-9225 |
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Click here for a printer-friendly PDF six-printed-page version of this web page
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