Rugby Ireland Tour

Included:

• Donegal Panoramic city tour
• Visit to Slieve League Cliffs
• Ulster Folk Park

• Derry city tour
• Belfast city tour
• Visit to Titanic Experience Belfast
• Giants Causeway UNESCO world heritage site
• Dublin city tour

Not Included: 

• Airfare – We can assist with booking airfare in the U.S 
• Driver- Guide Gratuities
• Travel Insurance – this is highly recommended and travel insurance information will be provided at the time of booking
• *If “included” visit becomes unavailable, it will be replaced by a visit of similar value or interest.

Itinerary

Saturday, April 19th–Depart USA

This evening you depart The U.S. by taking an overnight flight to Dublin, Ireland. Be sure to arrive at the airport 3 hours prior to departure.

Sunday, April20th–Welcome to Ireland!

This morning you will land in Dublin Airport, collect your bags, and proceed to the arrivals hall where you will be greeted by your driver guide. Once the group is assembled, we board our coaches we drive north westwards to County Donegal. We will travel through the heart of Ireland and meandering through the beautiful countryside of County Fermanagh. This is an unspoiled region famous for its lakes and cave lands. There is a diverse range of habitats and landscapes rich in wildlife in Fermanagh. We continue to County Donegal and to the spectacular views of the rugged north west. We will have a panoramic tour this quaint Irishtown known for its arts and culture before checking in to the hotel. Once we check in, feel free to relax or explore before your welcome dinner.

Monday, April 21st–Wild Atlantic Way

After a delicious breakfast we get up close and personal with the rugged landscape of the rugged northwest with avisit to the Slieve League Cliffs.On route, we’ll make a stop in the town of Killybegs, the largest fishing port inIreland. We’ll stop to grab some lunch, maybe try some local seafood in this heavily Irish speaking town. We then continue on to the Slieve League Cliffs, aka, the‘mountain of stone pillars.’We’ll hike from the visitor center to the breathtaking views nearly 2000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Atop the 2nd highest cliffs in Europe, you willbe able tolook southacross Donegal Bay to counties Leitrim, Sligo, and mayo. To the west, the vast expansion of the Atlantic Ocean as far as the eye can see. We then return to the hotel where you are free for the remainder of the evening.

Tuesday, April 22nd–Derry Tour

After a full Irish breakfast, we journey to Derry for a panoramic tour of the walled city–revealing a splendid city crammed full of history, heritage, interest and avibrant cultural scene. This is the only remaining completely intact walled city in Ireland and one of the finest examples of Walled Cities in Europe. The Wallswere built during the period of 1613-1618 as defenses forearly 17 thcentury settlers from England and Scotland.The tour of the city offers you 1500 years of social, cultural and religious history. Derry was initially amonastic settlement, which became a plantation townand in later years it was a center port for emigration toAmerica, Australia, England and Scotland. Derry is still making history as the opposing communities continueto work together towards a lasting settlement of disagreements. Enjoy your some lunch and free time at your leisure before we return to Donegal for a free evening.

Wednesday, April 23rd–Ulster American Folk Park

This morning after breakfast we will depart Derry and head to theUlster American Folk Park.Walk in the footsteps of bold Irish immigrants whoset sail for America in the 18thand 19 thcenturies. Learn more about the lifethey left behind and the hardships they endured on the journey. Wander the well-trodden pathways of rural Ulster, complete with a bustling streetand welcoming farmhouses. Board the Brig Union ship and experience the cramped quarters where hundreds of people live during their twelve-weekAtlantic crossing. Emerge from the crossing and learn how theseresourceful ancestors created new lives in a new land. We’ll then head back where you’ll be free for our final eveninging Donegal.

Thursday, April 24th–Giant’s Causeway

Following breakfast this morning, we will depart Donegal to seeknew adventures in Belfast, Northern Ireland’s capital city.  Along theway we’llvisittheGiant’s Causeway, an amazing geologic formation of approx. 40,000 basalt stone–some as tall as 130 feet,and mostly hexagonal in shape. As Northern Ireland’s Premiere landmark, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you’ll be free to decide for yourself whether the Causeway is a result of accelerated cooling of lava outflows 60 million years ago.You’ll have time to get a bite and enjoy the views before we continue onto Belfast, where we’llcheck into our hotel and enjoy a group dinner together.

Friday, April 25th–Belfast City

This morning after breakfast we will take a panoramic sightseeing tour of the cityto takein all of its historic and fascinating areas including the City Centre, the Protestant neighborhood of Shankill Road, the Catholic neighborhood of Falls Road and much more. We finish our city tour at the Titanic Experience, where we learn about the creation of the unsinkable ship at the same port that brought over 100,000 people to witnessits initial departure. Note the unique architecture of the facility as itis the same height of the ship. We will then proceed to check-in atthe hotel where you have free time to enjoy the remainder of yourday in Belfast, a city now renowned for its outstanding range and quality of food and drink establishments.

Saturday, April 26th–Dublin City

After a filling Irish breakfast, we head back to where our journey started in Dublin. On our tour of Dublin,we drive through the main thorough fare we see historic buildings like the GPO (General Post Office) on O’ Connell Street and Trinity College, housing the Book of Kells, we see the vast Georgian Squares, such as Merrion Square where Oscar Wilde’s house can still be found (today owned by the American College).We also see the Phoenix Park, the largest public park in Europeand home to Aras an Uachtarain (the Irish President’s Residence)as well as the American Ambassador’s Residence.We’ll pass bythe historic Guinness Storehouse, which is central to Dublin’s and Ireland’s heritage, and has been continually updated to create a blend of fascinating industrial tradition with a contemporary edge. In the early afternoon, we will take a tour of theEPIC museum where welearn that over the centuries more than 10 million people emigrated from Ireland–at the EPIC museum we can find out why they left, where they went and how they shaped the world. The museum was founded on the belief that emigration is one of the most interesting ways to fully understand a country.As we uncover the stories of our emigrants, we’ll realize that emigration is not about what people leave behind, but what they bring with them. We may evenbe able to trace our ancestry here! We’ll then meet for a group Irish Night dinner experience on our last evening in Ireland!

Sunday, April 27th–Homeward Bound

With bags packed, enjoy breakfast and head for the airport where you will board your flight home. Carry onyour photos and memories and bring a bit of the Emerald Isle home with you

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