ITINERARY
Galway at night
Day 1 (Friday, Sept. 7) - Arrive at Shannon airport in the morning (located near the city of Limerick)
Activities:
- Bus pickup from airport
- Cliffs of Moher and other sights in County Clare
- Light Lunch
- Arrive at the hotel in Galway (4-night stay) in early afternoon
- Relax at hotel
- Welcome group dinner at hotel approximately 6 p.m.
Street musicians in Galway
Day 2 (Saturday, Sept. 8) - Leave Galway for Carraroe in Connemara
Activities:
- Irish language school (Aras Mhairti Ui Chadhain)
- Morning: brief introduction to the Irish language
- Lunch
- Traditional Irish music, dancing and song
- Return to Galway city
- Evening: free time; dinner on your own
Aran Islands
Day 3 (Sunday, Sept. 9) - Aran Islands and Connemara
Activities:
- Board bus in late morning
- Ferry to Aran Islands
- Guided tour of Inishmor, largest of the Aran Islands
- Walk to Dun Aengus, a large ring fort (a rough uphill walk)
- Return from Aran Islands
- Return to Galway through Connemara (tour of part of Connemara)
- Evening: free time; dinner on your own
Music at an Irish pub
Day 4 (Monday, Sept. 10) - An Insider's look at Galway city
Activities:
- Walking through Galway city
- A talk on Irish history at NUI Galway
- A talk on archeology in Ireland at NUI Galway
- Lunch on your own
- Guided tour of Galway city
- Evening: free time; dinner on your own
National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI Galway)
Day 5 (Tuesday, Sept. 11) - On the road to County Mayo
Activities:
- Bus leaves Galway at 9:00am (in and out of the bus all day)
- Guided tour of Connemara
- Guided tour of County Mayo, including Achill Island
- Arrive at hotel in Westport, County Mayo (1-night stay)
- Evening: free time; dinner on your own
Typical coastal view in the west of Ireland
Day 6 (Wednesday, Sept. 12) – On the road to County Sligo
Activities:
- Bus leaves Westport at 9:00am (in and out of the bus all day)
- Guided tour of County Mayo continues (various sites)
- Guided tour of County Sligo (various sites)
- Arrive at the hotel in Sligo town (1-night stay)
- Evening: free time; dinner on your own
Galway street scene
Day 7 (Thursday, Sept. 13) - On the road to County Donegal
Activities:
- Bus leaves Sligo at 9:00am (in and out of the bus all day)
- Guided tour of Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery (walking - rain or shine)
- Drumcliff – burial site of W.B. Yeats
- Passing through County Lietrum
- Guided tour of County Donegal
- Arrive at the hotel in Donegal town (2-night stay)
- Evening: group dinner at the hotel
Dunluce Castle
Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetary
Day 8 (Friday, Sept. 14) – On the road to Northern Ireland
Activities:
- Bus leaves the hotel at 9:00am (in and out of the bus all day)
- Guided Tour of Grinan of Aileach, an impressive early ring fort (built in 1700 BC)
- Guided Tour of Derry, second largest city in Northern Ireland, a walking tour
- Guided Tour of Dunluce castle, an excellent example of a medieval Irish castle
- Guided Tour of Giants Causeway, Northern Ireland's number one tourist attraction
- Return to Donegal Town and the hotel
- Evening: group dinner at the hotel
Donegal town
Day 9 (Saturday, Sept. 15) - Return to Galway city
Activities:
- Bus leaves the hotel in Donegal town in the morning
- Return to Galway with some stops along the way
- Arrive at Galway hotel in late afternoon
- Evening: group dinner at the hotel, approximately 6 p.m.
- Last night on the town
Giant's Causeway
Day 10 (Sunday, Sept. 16) - Return to Shannon airport and to the United States
Activities:
- Bus leaves for Shannon airport in the morning
- Arrive at Shannon airport 2 hours before scheduled return flight
Slainte (goodbye) to Ireland
- Arrive in the United States
The itinerary is preliminary and is subject to change.
