DAY    1            DEPARTURE FROM NORTH AMERICA
Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight to Dublin.

DAY    2            ARRIVE DUBLIN (2 NIGHTS)
We will be met at the airport by our Tour Manager/Guide, and transfer to our hotel in Dublin, Ireland's magnificent capital city. Upon our arrival, we will take an Introductory Walking Tour of Southeast Dublin. We begin outside the Bank of Ireland, one of Dublin's most treasured landmarks, before strolling along Grafton Street, the spine of Dublin's most popular and stylish shopping district. After viewing the Molly Malone statue, we continue to St. Stephen's Green, a beautiful 22-acre park in the heart of Dublin filled with beautifully landscaped flowerbeds, fountains, a lake and memorials to important Dubliners. Our walking tour concludes with a walk around Merrion Square, a marvel of Georgian architecture known for its colorful doors and the famous literary figures that once lived here, including Yeats and Wilde.

DAY    3            DUBLIN (SAINTS & SCHOLARS)
Our morning begins with a visit to St. Patrick's Cathedral, the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland. It is said that St. Patrick baptized converts on this site, and consequently a church has stood here since A.D. 450, making it the oldest Christian site in Dublin. St. Patrick's is closely associated with Jonathan Swift, who was dean from 1713 to 1745 and whose tomb lies in the south aisle. Our day continues with a visit to Trinity College, the oldest university in Ireland, with cobbled squares, beautiful gardens, a picturesque quadrangle, and buildings dating from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The college is also home to the Book of Kells, an 8th-century version of the four Gospels with elaborate scripting and illumination. This afternoon we visit the National Museum, established in 1890; the museum is a reflection of Ireland's heritage from 2000 B.C. to the present. The museum houses many of the country's greatest historical finds, including the Treasury Exhibit, with the Ardagh Chalice, Tara Brooch, Cross of Cong, and an extensive exhibition of Irish Bronze Age gold ornaments. This evening we will dine and wander through the lively Temple Bar area.

DAY    4            DUBLIN - CLONMACNOISE - WESTPORT AREA (2 NIGHTS)
This morning we leave Dublin and journey into the Irish countryside as we travel to Ireland's beautiful west coast. En route, we will stop for a visit to Clonmacnois, one of Ireland's most profound ancient sites, resting silently on the east bank of the Shannon. St. Ciaran founded the monastic community in 548 at the crucial intersection of the Shannon and the Dublin-Galway land route, and it soon became one of Europe's great centers of learning and culture. We will view the remains of a cathedral, a castle, eight churches, two round towers, three sculpted high crosses, and more than 200 monumental slabs. Our visit will also include the exemplary Visitor Center, with a beautifully designed exhibition, a first-rate audiovisual program, and pleasant tearooms. We continue to the attractive Georgian town of Westport, where we will visit Westport House, a splendid Georgian mansion with an imposing interior, complete with a sweeping marble staircase, an elegant dining room and antique Waterford chandeliers.

DAY    5            DAY TRIP TO ACHILL ISLAND
This morning we will journey to Achill Island, which offers moorland, mountains, rugged cliffs and long beaches. We will take the scenic Atlantic Coast Drive, which circles the entire island, and is highlighted by: the Minaun Cliffs, Cathedral Rocks, the village of Slievemore and the view over Keem Bay. We return to Westport for the evening.

DAY    6            WESTPORT - CONNEMARA COAST - GALWAY AREA
                          (1 NIGHT)
This morning we will explore Ireland's holy mountain, Croagh Patrick, which has a long history in Ireland. It received its current name from St. Patrick, who spent 40 days fasting and praying for the Irish atop the mountain. We will make the pilgrimage to the summit (shoes are optional) and visit the modern chapel, as well as enjoy the spectacular panoramic views over Clew Bay. We continue with a drive to the rugged and tempestuous Connemara Coast, an area of outstanding scenic grandeur and where Gaelic is still the everyday language. We will visit Kylemore Abbey, one of the most beautiful sights in Ireland, sheltered by the slopes of the Twelve Bens. This lakeside castle is a romantic, battlemented Gothic revival fantasy, and today houses a girls' boarding school. We will view the abbey, explore its gardens and visit the Craft Shop, before continuing down the coast to Clifden, a beautiful Irish town known for its craft shops and lively pubs. After a bit of free time to explore Clifden, we will continue with a scenic drive along the Sky Road, a 7-mile circular route with stunning ocean views. We continue to our hotel in the Galway area.

DAY    7            GALWAY AREA - CLIFFS OF MOHER - KILLARNEY AREA
                          (2 NIGHTS)
This morning we will visit Galway, an important university city in Ireland. We will take a Walking Tour of the city center where we will view many of Galway's most important areas and landmarks, including Eyre Square, Shop Street, the Latin Quarter, Lynch's Castle, the Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas, The Quays, the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, and the Spanish Arch. Our day continues to the Cliffs of Moher, a dramatic sheer rock face, rising 700 feet from the Atlantic Ocean and stretching for five miles. During our visit, we will have the opportunity to climb O'Brien's Tower, a viewing point built for the benefit of Victorian tourists. We continue to our hotel in Killarney.

DAY    8            THE RING OF KERRY
Today we will enjoy a leisurely tour around the famed Ring of Kerry, a beautiful drive around the Iveragh Peninsula. We will enjoy a splendid variety of outstanding coastal panoramas and magnificent mountain views. During the course of our tour, we will have the opportunity to stop and explore many small towns and villages on the peninsula, including Killorglin, Glenbeigh and Caherciveen. We continue to Valentia Island, then through the Coomaskista Pass, before stopping to visit Staigue Fort, the best-preserved Iron Age drystone fort in Ireland. Other highlights will include: the Hog's Head, Moll's Gap, Ladies View, Torc Waterfall and our visit to Sneem, a small village with brightly painted cottages. We return to Killarney for the evening.

DAY    9            DEPARTURE FROM SHANNON
Our enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to an end as our guide accompanies us to the airport for the return flight home.