THE
HEART OF IRELAND EXPLORER
The Midlands, Galway and Aran Isles
4 days / 3 nights - Saturday to Tuesday
DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES FOR 2008
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Tour
Code
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Departs
Dublin
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Returns
Dublin
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IMID
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Saturday
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Tuesday
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IMID
01
|
19 Apr
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23 Apr
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| IMID
02 |
03 May |
06 May |
| IMID
03 |
17 May |
20 May |
| IMID
04 |
31 May |
03 Jun |
| IMID
05 |
14 Jun |
17 Jun |
| IMID
06 |
28 Jun |
01 Jul |
| IMID
07 |
12 Jul |
15 Jul |
| IMID
08 |
26 Jul |
28 Jul |
| IMID
09 |
09 Aug |
12 Aug |
| IMID
10 |
23 Aug |
26 Aug |
| IMID
11 |
06 Sep |
09 Sep |
| IMID
12 |
20 Sep |
23 Sep |
| IMID
13 |
04 Oct |
07 Oct |
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PRICES: GBP £465 pp twin share / GBP £495 single room
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What
your tour price includes
- Your
accommodation for 3 nights while on the tour is included
in your tour price and this includes both full breakfasts
and dinners. Your price also includes all entrance
fees to attractions, transportation, services of driver/guide-companion
and all taxes and tips other than those you may wish
to give your guide. Airport transfers and accommodation
pre and post tour is not included but can be reserved
at a specially discounted price
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TENTATIVE
ITINERARY
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NIGHTSTOP |
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DAY
ONE - SATURDAY
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| We
depart our centrally located Dublin hotel at 08.30. Tour participants
who are not staying at our base hotel the night prior have to
make their way there independently.
Our route across
the Ireland's midlands takes us past a range of interesting
and historic sites including the Rock of Dunamase where an Iron
age hillfort and remains of a mediaeval castle loom dramatically
above the plains of Portaoise. We then drive across the dramatic
landscape of the Slieve Bloom mountains. Next on our voyage
of discovery is Birr. Set in Ely O'Carrol country (ancestral
home of any who bear the O'Carrol name), the town of Birr is
not one normally found on tour itineraries which tend to neglect
this region, yet it is one of Ireland's gems. The town boasts
approaching 2000 years of inhabitation, and today its famed
for its authentic Georgian street layout, traditional shop fronts
and the 'Steffin Stone'. This is said to be the "Navel
of Ireland", supposedly marking the centre of Ireland.
What Birr is perhaps most famed for, however, is Birr Castle
where, in magnificently landscaped gardens, we'll discover the
famed Birr telescope.
Continuing
our journey westward our next stop will be at the historic town
of Athenry, one of Europe's walled towns. The heritage centre
here maps out both the local and national history and is a fascinating
visit. |
Galway
or nearby Anthery |
|
DAY
TWO - SUNDAY
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|
| This
is a day of choice with tour participants deciding what you'd
most enjoy doing. Always remember; a Back-Roads touring Co. tour
is a flexible tour. You have a say in your holiday.
Either you may
spend a very special day with a boat trip out to the Aran Isle
of Inishmore. The islands, are renowned for a way of life that
has changed little for generations. Irish is the traditional
language and the islanders have a rich fund of stories and legends.
Amongst today's highlights are the 2000 year old Celtic fort
of Dun Aengus, the early Christian monastic remains of St. Enda,
cliffs and sandy beaches and quiet walks to discover local birds,
wild flowers and plants.
Alternatively,
there will be a day's explorations of the wilds of Connemara
National Park, Kylemore Abbey, the pretty habour town of Westport.
This evening
we'll together again to enjoy the Galway City nightlife. This
compact but busy university city is an intriguing place with its
narrow streets crammed with interesting sites, pubs and shopping
opportunities! Some participants may wish to spend an evening
at of the local theatres.
|
as
above |
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DAY
THREE - MONDAY
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We've
a wonderful day planned today with a typical Back-Roads Touring
Co. mix of 'must-see' icons and sights and a range of additional
attractions that are not always visited by the tourist masses.
As ever, we'll be taking you behind the tourist façade
but we'll begin our day with a visit to the world-famed Cliffs
of Moher. En route, you'll probably see some turf-cutters and
perhaps a stop at the commemorative Great Famine site will prove
interesting. Then we tour through the lunar-landscape of the
Burren with stops at the Aillwee Cave and some incredible prehistoric
burial sites. Following the coast road, we'll visit some Galway
Bay harbours before enjoying another evening in Galway City
itself.
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as
above |
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DAY
FOUR - TUESDAY
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Our
return across central Ireland takes us though the county of
Westmeath. This is a region that abounds with Celtic myths,
magic - perhaps explaining its more contemporary literary connections.
On our day we have many choices, according to weather and group
interests, from historic sites including abbeys, churches, castles
and stately homes, to the two historic towns of Athlone and
Mullingar. Whatever is chosen, it will a memorable day's touring.
Our first
stop will be Shannonbridge. Firstly, we'll take a tour by pint-sized
train across the bogs for a fascinating insight into the history
and development of the bogs and peat gathering. The small lakes
that punctuate the bogs are a paradise for wetland birds and there's
distinctive flora to admire.
Then to Clonmacnoise
to explore the impressive remains of a 6th century monastery.
Many kings of Tara and Connaught are buried here and there was
reputedly a direct chariot route to Tara! If we've time, and
the group express an interst, we'll build on the them of the
ancients later at Fore Abbey - the largest group of Benedictine
remains in Ireland and marvel at the Seven Wonders of Fore which
include the Water That Flows Uphill, the Tree that won't burn
and the Monastery Built in a Bog!
Next to Athlone,
(Ath Luain - the Ford of Luan), situated on the principal fording
point of the middle Shannon is most famed for its thousand year
old castle with a unique museum of military uniforms through the
ages.
Finally, a visit
to the Emerald Isle would not be complete without acknowledging
whiskey and we'll visit either the Tullamore Dew distillery
or Locke's distillery which is believed to be the oldest licensed
pot still distillery in the world. The distillery has made pot
still Irish Malt Whiskey for almost 200 years.
Tour ends upon arrival in Dublin. We can book additional arrangements to your requirements.
>>Go to tours departing from Dublin
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Return to Dublin
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Note:
Make this
a 7-day tour by combining with our Taste
of The North. Those doing so will be dropped at our chosen
accommodation in the historic town of Drogheda where they have
the evening to explore independently. Make it an eleven-day
tour by then adding our Classic
Emerald Isle tour of the South and South West. You can also
combine this with our 3-day tour of North Wales, Snowdonia and
Anglesey.
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This
tour also combines with UK tour Red
Dragon, South Wales, with joiners flying to London from
Dublin on Tuesday evening. It also combines with selected theme
tours depending on the day of travel, and with Scotland tours
departing from Glasgow.
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