IRELAND TOUR

JULY 14 – 23, 2012

Then come on a 10-day trip to Ireland with Sparky and Rhonda “O’Rucker” !

This is the chance of a lifetime to enjoy a special holiday exploring the wonders of Ireland. We will be hosting this tour along with our Irish tour leader, Tom Pigott, who has been in the tour business for many years. Tom has many great contacts among musicians all across Ireland, and every tour features at least a couple of private concerts just for us.  

The group is limited to 20 guests (on a first come, first served basis).  
Email us at ruckweb@aol.com if you are interested.
We encourage you to check out Tom’s website: Enchanted Way Tours

We will explore ancient stone circles, museums, historic castles, fishing villages, beaches and bogs. We’ll be traveling in a 28-seat luxury bus and at night we’ll rest in lovely hotels. In the evening, we’ll have dinner and hear some great Irish music. There will also be opportunities for you to present a song or story if you want. Or you can just relax and enjoy the fun, as you lift a pint to toast the evening.

The cost for the tour is $2000 per person based on double occupancy.  For a single room it’s $2350.  We will do our best to match up roommates if preferred. The fee covers all ground transportation, all lodging (including full breakfasts each morning), 3 evening group meals, and the costs for our featured Irish musicians, poets, writers, etc.  A $500 deposit is required to hold slots after confirmation from us.  The balance is split between two payments, which are required 6 months and 3 months before the tour start date.

Refund policy is that all money is refunded up to 3 months before, but after this time, money is only refunded if a replacement traveler can be found.

Guests will pay for their own flights to and from Shannon International Airport, all lunches, the remaining 6 dinners, ferries boats, any optional activities, and of course drinks, tips, etc. We highly recommend that you arrive a day early, if possible, to avoid any stress caused by a cancelled flight, bags not showing up, etc.  If you can afford the time and an extra night lodging at a local B & B, you won't regret it. 

Keep in mind that all flights from the USA are overnight flights, arriving in the morning, which means that in order to arrive on July 13th (a day early), you would actually be departing North America on the 12th. All return flights leave Ireland in the morning and arrive in North America on the same day.   If this is something you’d like to do, Tom can help find you accommodations. Your return flight should be booked for July 23rd. Before booking flights, please confirm with Tom at tom@enchantedwaytours.ie

Ireland requires a passport, and it can take up to 10 weeks for your passport to arrive, although typically it takes less time.

Note that nothing is written in stone, as in Ireland the weather can sometimes interfere with outdoor plans!

Day  1:  Pick up at Bunratty B & Bs, (for people who have come in a day early) and Shannon Airport between 9.00am and 10.00am.  We drive through Limerick city and our first stop is at Adare,  (approx 45 minute drive)  Adare is one of Ireland's most picturesque  villages and we usually go to the town park where we do the introductions.  After a one hour stop we start our drive to our hotel in West Cork.  We stop for lunch in Kinsale and usually arrive in our hotel in Skibbereen at approx 4.00pm.  We like to have an afternoon nap, (after all we are on vacation) and then have a private concert with John Spillane,  who is one of Ireland's best known folk singers.  Google him.  He has a great web site.

Day 2:  Today we first look at The Irish Famine Heritage Centre.  This is in memory of almost 2 million people who died in our Great Hunger of 1845 - 1850.  We lunch in the beautiful village of Glandore and then go to Drumbeg Stone Circle.  this is one of the most important ancient sites in Ireland.  We go to Clonakilty tonight and take part in our first IRISH SESSION.   We will listen to some great Irish ballads and of course some of us will also be contributing to the session.

Day 3:  We go to Mizen Head today,  which is the most southerly point of Ireland.  There is an Interpretive centre here,  which is very interesting.  We lunch in Crookhaven, by the water and also spend some time on Barley Cove Beach,  weather permitting.   There is an alternative to this day for people who are interested in Irish History.   We do the Civil War Trail.   This area was the hotbed of the Irish Civil War, 1921 - 1922 and we can explore battles etc., and look at the life of Michael Collins.   Tonight you will be set free to explore the pubs and restaurants in the town.

Day 4:  Today we move to County Kerry.   Our first stop is in Bonane,  which is just accross the Cork/Kerry border.  there is a wonderful craft shop here and the owner will take us on a short visit to the farm,  where we will learn how to cut peat and most important,  we will get a lesson on how to make POTEEN.  This is mountain dew, Irish Style.  We then drive along the Ring of Kerry,  which is one of the most famous drives in the world.  We drive through Killarney,  we don't stop here as it is a tourist trap and head out the Dingle Peninsula to Ballyferriter,  which is where we will be staying for the next 3 days.  It is just 6 miles to Dingle.   Ballyferriter is just a charming little village.  Tonight, we have a private concert in the hotel with Pauline Scanlon,  who is, (in my opinion) the best female singer in Ireland.  This time google Pauline Scanlon and Lumiere, (this is a new Irish group, featuring Pauline)

Day 5: Today we do the Slea Head Drive.  This is my favourite drive in Ireland.  The scenery is breathtaking.  We will visit some ancient sites and walk on a couple of beaches before visiting the Blasket Island Centre.  tonight,  we go to Dingle,  where we will hear some great Irish music.

Day 6:  Today is a rest day but there are many activities available for the fearless and brave.   There is,  golf,  horse riding,  trekking,  canoeing,  boat trips,  fishing etc. available and dingle is also a great town for browsing.  For some,  it is just a day of catching up on lost sleep.  Tonight we will have an Irish music session in the hotel.

Day 7:  We are on the road again today to Co. Clare, (God's own county)  It's back home for me,  as I live here.   On the way,  we drive through Tralee and then get the ferry across the Shannon Estuary.  We will visit the world famous Cliffs of Moher and also see the wonderful St. Bridgets Well.  Our hotel will be in Doolin, which is the Mecca of Irish traditional music, (that's the reason I live there)  We go to McDermott's famous pub tonight and will be entertained by my favourite Irish group, Foolin in Doolin featuring Blackie O'Connell on the unique Irish Uilleann (elbow) Pipes

Day 8:  We go by ferry today to Inis Oirr,  which is one of the Aran Islands.  We will be going back in time 300 years today.  This is a day not to be missed and we finish our day with a cruise UNDER the Cliffs of Moher.  This is INCREDIBLE. Tonight we experience more Irish music in one of Doolin's great pubs.

Day 9:  This is our last full day in Ireland and we keep the best for last.  We travel on to the Burren today, which is a 250 square mile Limestone region and meet with my friend P J Curtis, (please google him)  P J has many hats.  He is Ireland's best musicologist,  a writer and historian,  We spend a wonderful day with P J.  Tonight, our last night,  we spend a couple of hours over dinner talking about our trip and then head out to learn how to SET DANCE.  This is a uniquely Irish style of dancing,  not quiet like RIVERDANCE,  but think Riverdance and you will get the idea.  this is also a wonderful night.

Day 10: Back to Shannon Airport and REALITY

We hope you will join us in Ireland and aquire memories that will last forever!