The Celtic Sojourn
By Celtic Tours World Vacations
05/27/2008
The Celtic Sojourn, This popular tour takes you back in time to the roots of Ireland’s culture, history and geology. Visit Galway, Donegal, Derry, Belfast and Dublin. Marvel at the scenic Cliffs of Moher, Galway Bay, Antrim Coast and the Giants Causeway. Enjoy a medieval cast banquet and a traditional Irish night in Dublin, plus much more!
Contact Information:
t: view phone 800-833-4373
e: view email operations@celtictours.com
w: view URL http://www.celtictours.com
- Walking tour in Derry, visit the Giants Causeway & overnight in Belfast
- Visit the Guinness Brewery and Kilmainham Jail in Dublin
- A Medieval 16th Century Castle Banquet
- Dinner and traditional Irish entertainment in Dublin
- Donegal
Tour Dates:
Start Tour Date: 10/15/2008
End Tour Date: 04/22/2009
Number of Days: 9
Ireland – The Celtic Sojourn
Day 01, Tuesday: U.S. to Ireland. Evening departure for our overnight flight from the U.S. to Ireland. Dinner is served shortly after take-off.
Day 02, Wednesday: Shannon – Limerick. Morning arrival at Shannon Airport. Having cleared Irish Customs we are met by our Celtic Tours representative and transferred to our nearby hotel. Some free time to rest. Tonight we enjoy a medieval castle banquet. Overnight in Limerick. D
Day 03, Thursday: Limerick – Galway. Morning departure from our Limerick hotel. We travel via Ennis to the scenic Cliffs of Moher where we stop for a photo-op. Continue to Ardrahan in County Galway where we pause for morning tea/coffee and scones at Rathbaun Farm. Here we will see a farming family carry out everyday chores including sheep shearing and watch as the sheepdogs maneuver the flock. We continue on to Galway City. Dinner and overnight in Galway.
B/D
Day 04, Friday: Galway – Sligo – Donegal. Morning departure from Galway. Our tour takes us north via Counties Mayo and Sligo, birthplace of W.B. Yeats to Donegal and Letterkenny, the chief town and ecclesiastical capital of Donegal. Poised at the mouth of the deep and lovely Lough Swilly, Letterkenny grew in the 17th century from a small fishing village to a prosperous town in Donegal and the Ecclesiastical Seat for the Diocese of Raphoe. Dinner and overnight in Letterkenny. B/D
Day 05, Saturday: Donegal. Today we visit the Glenveagh Castle -- itself surrounded by one of the most spectacular gardens in Ireland -- and the Glenveagh National Park, with 40,000 acres of mountains, lakes, glens, and woods, not to mention its own red deer population. A quick drive from there and we'll step back in time to the days of St. Colmcille (521 - 597), who introduced Christianity from the end of the Roman Empire to the early Medieval pagan period: The Colmcille Heritage Center offers a fascinating display on the life and times of this outstanding figure among the Irish missionary monks. From there, sightseeing continues via Horn Head (on the Atlantic coast), and we return to Letterkenny for dinner and overnight. B/D
Day 06, Sunday: Donegal – Derry – Giant’s Causeway – Antrim Coast – Belfast. Morning departure from our Donegal hotel. We travel the short journey to Derry where our local guide joins us for a tour of this historic city which includes the medieval city walls and St. Columbus Cathedral. Departing Derry, we travel via Limavady to Portrush on the Atlantic Ocean. Visit the Giant’s Causeway museum before we are ferried by small bus to the Causeway and its volcanic columns, which were formed over 60 million years ago. Our tour continues along the scenic Antrim Coast to our Belfast hotel for dinner and overnight. B/D
Day 07, Monday: Belfast – Titanic tour – Newry – Dublin. This morning we depart on a historical tour of Belfast and its harbor and dock area, where the Titanic and her sister ships, Britanic and Olympic, were built. The Titanic keel was laid here in 1910 and the majestic ship sailed from Belfast to Southampton in England on April 03, 1912 where she took on supplies, coal and crew for her fateful journey into destiny. Leaving Belfast, we travel south via Newry to Dublin, arriving at our hotel approximately 3:00 pm. Tonight we depart our hotel for an Irish Cabaret show and dinner at The Merry Ploughboy. Overnight in Dublin. B/D
Day 08, Tuesday: Dublin. Depart our hotel at 9:15 am for a half-day city tour of Dublin, including a visit to historic Kilmainham Jail, which covers some of the most historic and tragic events in Irish history from 1780 to the 1920’s. Next, we visit the famed Guinness Brewery Storehouse to learn about the world famous Irish brew and enjoy a sample brew in the rooftop bar. Have your camera ready for some magnificent panoramic views of Dublin City. A guide will show you around the Guinness shopping experience as your tour ends. Your half-day sightseeing tour ends in central Dublin, where you are free to shop or browse or you may stay on board and return to our hotel. B
Day 09, Wednesday: Dublin – U.S. Early morning transfer to Dublin Airport for arrival at 7:00 am. Passengers who have later departures can avail of a second transfer to Dublin Airport, arriving at 10:00 am. Ample time allowed for check-in and duty free shopping before boarding your flight home. Arrive home in the U.S. the same day.
