Itinerary

The Wild West Irish Tour Itinerary

Tour locations

**Click here for our 2012 tour dates ** Our travelers have happily come to “expect the unexpected” in the Wild West of Ireland, and with our small groups, we can be much more spontaneous and flexible than the average tour. We cater to people of all ages and abilities. Whether you fancy a rigorous hike, or a leisurely stroll along a country road, we will accommodate you. This is the beauty of our small group approach – flexibility. We become intimate with both the people and the land, and go to places and events only the most local of the locals would know about. But we do set out initially with an itinerary!

Day 1:

You arrive in Dublin International Airport and we will be waiting for you in a very comfortable mini-bus. We help you with your luggage and exchanging money and perhaps have a bite to eat before setting off for a scenic drive across the Midlands. We arrive in your very comfortable accommodation in the most stunning surroundings in Ireland. You will be within walking distance of sparkling Sligo Bay and ever mighty Irish Sea. We will acquaint you with your new environs and take you to places the local folks have named and cannot be found on Google! We visit places like Natures breathtaking “punch bowl,”and “Serpents Head.” We go back in time to visit the Sea Pilot lookout, the 1921 war ruin, the Faerie Fort, and the Strand.  In the evening, perhaps we will head to the little town of Grange for dinner and perhaps some traditional Irish music.

Day 2:

Breakfast is served and off we go to see more of the very local hidden places. You may meet Border Collie “Tiny” at a hidden beach our travelers have described as “feeling like we are on another planet.” We will explore an ancient promontory Fort (a place of an eerie legend) and climb up past “famine house” ruins to see across Sligo Bay to Mayo. Want to take a dip? We go to another golden shore for a walk along the soft sand and take in the beauty. We may take some back roads and coast roads that no tour bus could fit into, and you will see the most magnificent sites in simplest of places. From here you can see as far as Slieve League in Donegal, to Croagh Patrick in County Mayo. We experience a small church ruin associated with the unfortunate story of the Spanish Armada in 1588. We then make our way up the coastline to some (optional) horseback riding on the beach. In the evening, we have a choice of wonderful restaurants and look for the best session or ceili. Sun sets after 2200 during the summer, and so we may find ourselves on a grassy cliff, looking west to the Americas, to close the day, and begin the night.

Day 3:

We drive south to south to County Clare. On the way we go through County Mayo, Connemara, Galway and eventually visit a family farm for a cup of tea in Clare. Before we get to Clare, we must stop in Connemara where scenes from “The Field” were filmed and we can arrange an (optional) adventure at Connemara…The Burren is always a possibility as we head toward Loop Head Peninsula on the coast of Clare. We take a gorgeous scenic route and make spontaneous stops along the way to snap photos and perhaps have a pint and a bowl of soup in a pub with the locals. We have a castle or two to show you and some hidden trails that lead to incredible places. We head out to town to take in the Ennis for its fantastic shopping and unique traditional dance and music scene.

Day 4:

We enjoy another home cooked “Irish Fry” and head out toward Strandhill Beach. We take the hike up Knocknarea Mountain, to Queen Maeve’s Cairn, visit a hidden “fairy Glen,” walk along Strandhill Beach (some of the best surfing in Europe) enjoy a hot “Celtic Seaweed Bath” and if the tide is low, head out to a wondrous Island where we go for a walk around ancient sites and take in the local color at the one pub on this Island that St. Patrick himself visited. If you fancy a round of golf, this would be a good day to take to Strandhill Golf Course, (optional) one of the most unique and beautiful courses in the world. We visit the little towns of this region and poke our heads in various pubs and cafes to hear traditional Irish Music. In the evening we take in an Irish Music and dance show at the local heritage hall.

Day 5:

It’s megalithic! We visit Carrowmore Tombs, Creevykeel Court Tomb and the Caves of Keash, and “Giants Grave.” All of these pre-historic places pre-date the Pyramids and the scenery surrounding them is just startling. We head down to South Sligo to go back in time in the Ox Mountains, visiting Ladies Brae and Augris Head. We head into Mayo to see a beautiful, small Titanic memorial park and a replica of the Titanic built by the local residents. We then journey on to Croagh Patrick to take in the majestic mountain named for St. Patrick, who was said to have spent much of his life here.

Day 6:

We then head down through Boyle to Lough Key and sail way to the enchanted Church Island and Trinity Island. You will have a choice of taking a tour on a comfortable boat, or go for the (optional) fast outboard boat ride and walk within an old castle and an old monastery. For those seeking an unconventional thrill, we can arrange the (optional) zip-lining for you in Lough Key Adventure Park. There are also boat rides to Church Island and Castle Island, tree-line walks, and beautiful paths to explore in this lovely park. There is a lovely diner here where we can get a much needed bite to eat before heading into Boyle to visit Boyle Abbey and take in the town. At night, perhaps a visit to the local pub to take in some traditional music and great “craic”!

Day 7:

This is a day where we start by the ocean and look up at the mountains and by the end of the day we are up in the mountains looking down at the ocean. We begin by visiting our friend, folklorist Michael Roberts. If the weather is right, we may find our way out to Inishmurray Island. Once we hear a few stories from our friendly storyteller, we make our way inland to the heart of the Dartry Mountains. We go up the roads which were built for an “ass and cart” and gently take in the “famine house” ruins which are dotted along the valley as we make our way up, following a rushing river, to a hidden viewing spot for a picnic. For those interested in a more challenging walk in the hills, we will arrange to have our friend Mick, take you further up Benbulben Mountains. Our day includes a visit to majestic Glencar Waterfall. This is fairly well known but we take you up further to 2 waterfalls that are just as spectacular. If Michael knows of a good Ceili or Traditional session going on locally, he will be sure to have us there for the “craic.” Imagine watching the sun set up on a beautiful hill overlooking Donegal Bay.

Day 8:

Donegal Day! We begin the day by visiting a secret Holy Well which is respected for its pre-Christian and Christian St. Bridget. On we go and visit the busy town of Bundoran and look out across Donegal Bay toward the highest sea cliffs in Europe: Slieve League. Within an hour you have the choice of walking up to the top of Slieve League, or going for a picnic at the viewing area below. Either way, you will be in awe of these cliffs. Glencomcille is just up the road and chances are the main language you hear spoken will be Irish Gaelic. Take in some of the old fashion shops here and perhaps take in the wee beach in a hidden cove near the town. We stop for dinner in either Killybegs or Donegal Town before heading back to our warm comfortable cottage by the sea.

Day 9:

W.B. Yeats called Sligo the “Land of Heart’s Desire” and we venture out to Yeats Country where we visit some of the enchanting places of his poetry, including Dooney Rock, Inishfree, Creevlea Abbey, Dromahair, County Leitrim, Lough Gill, Parkes Castle, Tobernalt Holy Well, and other secret places that have no name. We head south to the mysterious southern coast of Sligo and go to a thatched pub for lunch on the beach, then head up the Ox Mountains where we find ourselves drifting magically back in time in a place called “Ladies Brae.” A traditional music session will likely be found in Gurteen, Ballymote, Tubbercurry, or maybe across the border in Mayo.

Day 10:

Dublin’s Fair City Day! We say beannacht agus ádh mór (goodbye and good luck) to our friends on the Maugherow Peninsula and skip across the heart of Ireland to Dublin City to check into your comfortable hotel for your last full day in Ireland.  This will give you ample time and opportunity to do a little shopping and to see this beautiful historic city. You can choose to visit extraordinary places like Dublin Castle, Trinity College–where you see the Book of Kells, Kilmainham Gaol which is famous for the Easter Rising of 1916, the Dublin Zoo, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Guinness Brewery, Stephens Green, Grafton Street (for great shopping, pubs and some of the best street musicians in the world), Phoenix Park, the National Museum, and the National Museum of Natural History. There is always great “craic” in the lively Temple Bar area and then walk across the Half Penny Bridge to famous O’Connell Street for more Irish culture, history and shopping. The nightlife is mighty with traditional Irish music and your last night in Ireland will be one to remember!

Day 11:

Depart from Dublin Airport

What’s included in the tour price:

• 10 nights of B&B / guesthouse-style accommodations based on double occupancy.
• 10 days of touring and sightseeing
• All admissions into historical sites
• Daily Irish breakfast
• Touring in a comfortable mini-coach with your experienced tour guides
• Our upfront price has no hidden costs or excursion fees.

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