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IRISH TOURS - SUMMER 2010
Anne Feeney's 2010 Enchanted Way Irish Tour Schedule
August 10-19 Clare, Galway and Kerry "The Best of the West" - lots of scenery on this tour breathtaking beauty from the charm of the villages to the drama of the Cliffs of Moher. (fly to Shannon SNN)
Start at Coole in Galway Park a romantic and lovely spot where we'll get a chance to introduce ourselves, walk about the beautiful grounds, tour the museum, and see the beautiful "Autograph Tree” an ancient copper beech autographed by W.B. Yeats, Sean O'Casey and many other famous Irish poets.
With three days at each of our lovely hotels there's no rush to pack every morning! We'll take the late breakfast (allowing for early morning hikes, work-outs, shopping or sleeping...) and take beautiful, unusual day trips each day. We'll see the Cliffs of Moher, visit skilled artisans, take a trip to the Aran Islands each day filled with unforgettable adventures and great company!
We'll return each day in time for some quick shopping, banking, post office visits, perhaps a pint or a nap. Three nights we'll treat you to beautiful dinners. The other evenings you'll be free to explore our host towns for dinner.
The nights are given over entirely to music and perhaps we'll be able to find a dance as well, if folks are interested. Upon retiring to our hotel when the pubs close, we'll have the hospitality of our hotel for some late night singing, if you're inclined.
August 22-31 “Urban Ireland” - Dublin, Belfast, Derry ... lots of Irish history on this tour, as well as scenery, pubs, music... (fly to Dublin -DUB)
With three days at each of our lovely hotels there's no rush to pack every morning! We'll take the late breakfast (allowing for early morning hikes, work-outs, shopping or sleeping) and take beautiful, unusual day trips each day. We'll be spending 4 days in fabulous Dublin. We have a great hotel just outside the city itself, right on the bus line. If weather permits, we'll start our look at Dublin from the ancient pagan site in the Wicklow mountains Glendalough. It became a monastery a hundreds of years ago, and the interpretative museum, ancient sites and lovely hikes are ours for the day.
In Dublin city we'll take you to many of the sites made famous in Irish history and literature. You'll see the General Post Office (site of the Easter uprising), Kilmainham prison (where the heros of Irish independence where executed), the Four Courts, Stephen's Green, the Guinness brewery and much much more. Once we've oriented you to the city and its sites, you'll have a day on your own to explore the Temple Bar, take a literary or historical walking tour, visit the shops on Grafton Street, take high tea at the Gresham. If you like, we can book tickets for the Abbey Theater.
Perhaps we'll take a day trip to see beautiful Dun Laoghaire harbor, or the Battle of the Boyne site, where Willliam of Orange defeated James Stuart &or go to Clontarf, where Brian Boru united Ireland as a nation as its first High King. We don't lock ourselves in with sightseeing plans unless absolutely necessary. That way we are free to take advantage of your desires, as well as the spontaneous, the unusual, and the best weather for each event.
From Dublin we'll travel to Belfast and tour the murals of this divided city and take in the full meaning of the Irish partition and the status of Ireland in the aftermath of the Good Friday accords. We'll go on to the walled city of Derry for an unforgettable night of music at Sandino's pub. We'll have lovely sightseeing as well as a moving tour of the Bloody Sunday museum and the murals of Derry. Each day is an adventure. You'll also have personal time to write postcards, journal, shop, nap, work out or visit with tourmates.
On both tours we'll be traveling in Paddy Downes' 25 seat luxury coach - we'll benefit not just from the comfort of our coach, but from the expertise of our amiable driver also a skilled Irish step dancer, bodhran player and turf cutter!
On both tours we'll benefit from my partner Tom Pigott's encyclopedicknowledge of the Irish nation, its people, its music and its history. Tom is also a very talented singer and storyteller. You're invited to learn more about Tom by visiting his website: http://enchantedwaytours.ie
Both tours involve tons of music, singing and pubs. Both tours will include visits with local activists.
Price is $2050 based on double occupancy and includes nine nights accommodations at lovely hotels, all ground transportation, admission to many many special events, all breakfasts and three lovely dinners.
Single supplement is $350. We can help to find you a roommate if you will be traveling alone.
$250 reserves your seat.
$500 is due on January 10 for the Best of the West, on January 22 for Urban Ireland
$500 is due on March 10 for the Best of the West, March 22 for Urban Ireland
$800 is due on June 10 for the Best of the West, June 22 for Urban Ireland
All the prices we are able to offer are based upon no cancellations from our group. Unfortunately, we are unable to make any refunds unless we are able to fill your seat. You should purchase travel insurance if you think you might have to cancel.
You'll be purchasing your own transportation to Ireland, all your lunches, and the other six dinners. If you can, we highly recommend arriving in Ireland at least one day early to sleep off some of the jet lag. So you should budget at least another $1000 for these expenses. If you develop a taste for Irish woolens, jewelry, crystal or beverages, you'll want to bring considerably more.
If you decide to double up and do both tours, we can offer you a $400 discount - i.e. $3700 for the combined tours - a fabulous bargain!
As far as I'm concerned, the most wonderful thing about these tours is the people that you get to travel with&the folks on my email list are some of the most interesting, dynamic and fun-loving folks you'll ever meet and not a bigot, homophobe or FOX news fan among them! You won't spend 9 days biting your tongue. You'll leave the tour with a wonderful network of friends from all over, and memories that will last a lifetime! This is a dream come true for me. When I used to come home from visits to Ireland and describe all my adventures, my friends would always say, "The next time you go, I want to come with you!" Now, thanks to Tom Pigott, I can take all my friends to Ireland. I hope you'll be able to join us!
The 2009 trip to Galway, Dublin and Clare was absolutely fantastic in every way. We had the most wonderful and exciting group of fellow travelers... I've posted a few of my photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/annefeeney/sets/72157622344873043/
Ireland does require a passport, but not a visa.
Please consider taking advantage of this fantastic opportunity. These trips are affordable, unique, and unforgettable. I hope you'll join me. You'll find the other tourmates to be interesting people and progressive thinkers. The conversation and company will be as lively as the music. You'll be welcome indeed!
In my opinion, the best part of the tours is the wonderful folks who come on them. You'll have perfect travelling companions, and a most congenial Irish host in my friend Tom Pigott - a fine singer, great storyteller and extremely thoughtful tour leader.
If you'd like more information, or have any questions, email me directly at anne@annefeeney.com
and check out these photos, taken by 2008 tourmates
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