IRELAND:
A TASTE OF THE NORTH EXPLORER
ULSTER
3 days / 2 nights - Wednesday to Friday
DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES FOR 2008
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Tour
Code
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Depart
Dublin
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Return
Dublin
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ULS
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Wednesday
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Friday
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ULS
01
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23 Apr
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25 Apr
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ULS 02
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07 May
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09 May
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ULS 03
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21 May
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23 May
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ULS 04
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04 Jun
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06 Jun
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ULS 05
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18 Jun
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20 Jun
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ULS 06
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02 Jul
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04 Jul
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ULS 07
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16 Jul
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18 Jul
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ULS 08
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30 Jul
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01 Aug
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ULS 09
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13 Aug
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15 Aug
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ULS 10
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27 Aug
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29 Aug
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ULS 11
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10 Sep
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12 Sep
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ULS 12
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24 Sep
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26 Sep
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ULS 13
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08 Oct
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10 Oct
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PRICES: GBP £365 pp twin share / GBP £380 single room
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What
your tour price includes
- Your
accommodation for 2 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
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TENTATIVE
ITINERARY
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NIGHTSTOP |
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DAY
ONE - WEDNESDAY
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We
depart Dublin and collect other tour participants from Drogheda or Navan,
where they will have stayed overnight if combining this tour
with 'Galway, Aran Isles and the Midlands'.
Our touring
programme takes us first to the site of the Battle of the Boyne.
This marks one of defining events in Ireland history. Next,
to the Hills of Tara, the foremost spiritual and political centre
of Ireland for 1000 years and the seat of power until the coming
of St Patrick. Thence to the amazing prehistoric site at Newgrange
(entry to the tomb itself conditional on availability). Here
we step back into the mists of time, to the time almost at the
very start of history. These New Stone Age Passage Graves are
regarded as among the most impressive prehistoric monuments
in Europe. Newgrange is dated to around 3200 BC and predates
Stonehenge, Mycenae and indeed the pyramids of Egypt. Nearby
Knowth dates back to 3000 BC. No visit to Drogheda and the lower
Boyne Valley area is complete without a visit to the interpretative
centre.
As we progress northward we'll enjoy an introduction to Armagh.
Armagh was the seat of the High Kings of Ulster. Saint Patrick
built his first stone church here and with its twin cathedrals
the city is rich in cultural heritage graceful architecture
and ancient legend.
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Omagh |
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DAY
TWO - THURSDAY
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We've
a day of choices; a day that can be decided upon according to
group interests, weather and time of year you'll travelling. Our
first visit can either be at the Ulster-American Folk Park or
the Famine Village near Innishowen. The Folk Park is probably
the best of its kind in the world, the park examines why two million
people left Ulster of America and Australia in the 18th and 19th
centuries. It has more than 30 historic buildings brought alive
by costumed guides. There's even a reconstructed emigrant ship
and Pennsylvania farmstead and smoke room.
Next, to Londonderry. Here you'll enjoy a fascinating walk of
the 'walls' and hear the story of how the shutting of this walled
town's gates to a King of England led to over 300 years of 'Troubles'.
This afternoon
we see the Northern Island coastline, stopping at the Victorian
seaside resort of Portstewart, and the famed Giant's Causeway.
The sheer strangeness of this place and the bizarre regularity
of its 37,000 basalt columns has made it the subject of numerous
legends.
If there's time
before we turn back to Omagh, we'll tour Old Bushmills Distillery
where they've been producing whiskey since 1608!
Tonight, we
enjoy an evening in one of the town's many musical pubs.
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Omagh |
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DAY
THREE - FRIDAY
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An
early start, with our touring programme taking us alongside
Lough Neagh to Belfast. Here we'll enjoy a tour of this tremendous
Victorian city, currently enjoying a cultural and economic resurgence
thanks to the end of the 'Troubles'. Our Belfast discovery will
include a panoramic tour taking you into both sides of this
divided sectarian city. The trip up the Falls Road and down
the Shankill, seeing the famed political wall murals (which
are fast disappearing as the communities learn to live side-by-side),
is just one of the memorable and unique experiences we'll have.
Finally, we
head south for Dublin, our two-hour touring drive taking us
beside the Mountains of Mourne, Dundalk and to see the Monasterboice
Tower and High Crosses. These historic ruins are of an early
Christian settlement situated north of Drogheda. Founded in
520 AD by St.Buite, the ruins include the 35 metre high Round
Tower (built for the monks as a safe haven against the attack
of the Vikings) and, most famous, the three High Crosses. These
crosses date back to the 10th Century.
Accommodation tonight is in Dublin but is not included in your package. We can book additional arrangements as required.
Those wishing to continue their Ireland adventure can join our Classic
Southern Ireland tour tomorrow.
>> Go to tours departing from Dublin
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Return Dublin |
Note:
This tour
also combines with UK 3-day tour of the Lake
District departing Manchester on Saturdays. Tour participants
wishing to join this will fly to Manchester on the Friday evening.
This tour also combines with our In
Search of Arthur, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall tour departing
every Saturday from London. The tour also combines with Saturday
tour departures from Manchester and Glasgow. Tour participants
wishing to join any of these will fly to the appropriate city
on the Friday evening.
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