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ITINERARY -- SUBJECT TO CHANGE -- HERE'S THE TENTATIVE 2012 TRIP ITINERARY -- LOTS MORE INFORMATION TO FOLLOW
Wednesday, September 19 - 6:10pm flight on
US Airways to Philadelphia and on to Dublin Airport. You'll need
to check in at the airport by 4:00pm, to make sure there are no
problems along the way. We'll be waiting for you in the Frank
& Theresa's Anchor Bar nearest the US Airways
gate.
Thursday, September 20 - Arrive Dublin at 8:30am, we'll be met
by the one and only Dave Spillane, our guide and driver for the week,
then pile into the luxury coach for the drive to Galway. We'll have a
two-hour bus trip across the middle of Ireland. We'll be staying at
the Jury's Inn in the center of Downtown Galway. If all travel plans
go without delays, we should be in Galway in time for lunch, and
checking into the Jurys Inn Spanis Arch Hotel, at the foot of Shop
Street, Galway's famous shopping district. I recommend lunch at
McDonough's Fish & Chips, just steps from the hotel. We'll
have a pint at the Tig Ceoil, which has a music session underway most
every afternoon, followed by a general pub crawl. This is a jet lag
day, so many of you will be on the tired side. On our own for dinner,
as we are every night. Lots of amazing choices for fine and casual
dining in Galway.
Friday, September 21 - We'll have a coach tour of Connemara,
including a stop at a marble factory, this morning. We'll also stop
at the famous Staunton's in the town of Spiddal on the way back into
town. Staunton's is a deceptively large store, and was the first to
sell Aran Knit sweaters and other clothing from the nearby islands.
That tradition continues. The smart shopper will "post" their goods
back Stateside, saving VAT and other taxes. This is an optional
trip, and we should be back by lunchtime. Then it's all day and
evening on our own for shopping, eating and pubbing in Europes
fastest growing town.
Saturday, September 22 - Fairly lengthy day trip today. We'll
board the bus after a full Irish Breakfast, which is included every
morning. Our destination is Killarney. We'll stop for coffee and
lunch along the way, and arrive in Killarney in county Kerry in
mid-afternoon. We'll spend three nights at the Eviston House Hotel,
right in the middle of the action. Killarney is a great pub town, and
also a great starting point for a variety of day trips.
Sunday, September 23 -- Depending on the weather, our day
trips on Sunday amd Monday will include Blarney Castle and the
Blarney Woollen Mills, the Ring of Kerry, the Gap of Dunloe, the
Lakes of Killarney, etc. Another night in town, the hotel is the home
of the Danny Mann Pubm which features a nice Irish menu, and a great
pub with entertainment every night! They're not shy about keeping the
pub open after hours for we "residents", either!
Monday, September 24- Another day and night in and around
Killaney. We'll run a day coach trip, and be back in time for another
great dinner and pub crawl.
Tuesday, September 25 - Off to Dublin! Probaby a stop in
beautiful Killkenny for an early lunch, on the way to Dublin. We want
to get there as early as possible, to get to know the town as well as
we can! Dublin is an amazing collection of sights and sounds, history
and art, poetry and music, pubs and restaurants. Stop for a beer in
the famous Shelbourne Hotel. Chance running into the Dubliners in
O'Donoghue's (we dis last year!). Visit the oldest bar in Ireland,
just steps from our hotel. (We'll be staying at the Jury's
Christchurch,), and then venture into exciting Temple Bar for some
amazing nightlife. We're just steps from the Liffey River, and
Trinity College, home of the Book of Kells. All day and evening of
touring and pub crawling.
Wednesday, September 26 - Our last full day in Ireland, we'll
start out with a bus tour that may include Glendalough and Avoca,
where the show Ballykissangel was filmed. A nice drive through the
beautiful Wexford Mountains, overlooking the Irish Sea. Then it's
back in town for a full afternoon and evening of touring one of
Europe's most exciting and friendly cities. We hope to arrange
a tour of the Guinness Brewery, with a pint on top of the city in the
Guinness Storeshouse.
Thursday, September 27 - We'll fly out of Dublin at around
noon, and arrive back in Buffalo at about 4 or 5pm EST.
A deposit of $300 will guarantee your seat, and is refundable until July 15th, when the balance of the trip is due. We recommend your consider a Trip Insurance investment (usually about $120 per person) to provide for a return of your trip payment in the case of sickness, etc. After full payment in July, any potential for cancellation reimbursement is subject to the trip re-filling to its maximum 50 people, and subject to change fees at the minimum.
