Join Dirt Road Radio and the Crook County Extension Office for a once-in-a-lifetime tour of Ireland on September 17-25 2023. The Emerald Isle is famous for its breathtaking scenery, epic history, and charming small-town pubs. This excursion includes airfare from Denver International Airport, all ground transportation, lodging, and two meals each day. This tour focuses on private visits to real production agriculture farms, famous castles, and the Jameson Distillery as well as the Guinness Factory. There is even an opportunity for a golf outing. Check out the itinerary below for more information!

All travelers must be 18 years of age or older. Children age 16+ may participate with a parent.

Day One: September 17

Provided Meals:

on flight

Depart Denver International Airport for Dublin

Day Two: September 18

Arrive in Dublin, Ireland’s capital city, in the morning. Upon arrival, clear customs and meet the local driver-guide who will be with the group throughout their stay. En route to Galway, visit Clonmacnoise, an inspiring monastic ruin that played a vital role in Ireland’s history. Clonmacnoise was founded in the mid-6th century and provides a great example of Celtic crosses and towers.

Next, continue on to Galway, the “City of Tribes.” Galway is the capital of the West of Ireland. This ancient city of almost 70,000 is home to students, artists, writers, and craftspeople who flock to the city center and its shopping district. The streets and buildings of Galway have many interesting features including winding, cobblestoned streets, and colored row houses. At the end of the day, we will stop at “Sean’s Bar,” which is officially recognized as Ireland’s Oldest Pub for the customary afternoon ‘nip.

Day Three: September 19

Lodging:

Hotel Menlo Park Galway or similar

Provided Meals:

breakfast, dinner

Day three will begin with breakfast at the hotel and will be followed by a visit to a Connemara Pony Farm. The farm has an average of 200 broodmares and multiple studs. Connemara Ponies are famous worldwide for their athleticism, sweet personalities, and versatility. They are popular with horse showmen and can be found throughout the world.

After the pony farm, we will continue on to the Kylemore Abbey. Widely regarded as one of Ireland’s most romantic buildings, the abbey is nestled at the base of Duchruach Mountain on the northern shore of Lough Pollacappul, in the heart of the Connemara Mountains. Kylemore Abbey showcases stunning architecture and the traditional Victorian gardens are particularly noted for their beauty.

After lunch, we will continue on to the Connemara Abalone Aquaculture Farm. The company cultivates abalone, a highly-prized shellfish delicacy, on a state-of-the-art aquaculture farm on the austere rocky shoreline where the Atlantic Ocean meets Galway Bay. It specializes in growing the premium Japanese species known as Ezo. We return to Galway in the evening for our final overnight stay there.

Day Four: September 20

Lodging:

Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane in Cork or similar

Provided Meals:

breakfast, dinner

Day four will begin with breakfast at the hotel and will be followed by a visit to a Diviserified Farm Operation. Potatoes are the crop most closely associated with Ireland. This traditional Irish family farm grows, stores, weighs, grades, and packages potatoes for local supermarkets. Additionally, 400+ breeding ewes and lambs are raised on the farm for both wool and meat production. We will have the opportunity to see the operation and discuss it with the producers.

Upon leaving the farm we will travel down the Atlantic sea-board to visit the dramatic 650-foot-high Cliffs of Moher. The cliffs boast one of Ireland’s most spectacular views. On a clear day, the Aran Islands are visible in Galway Bay, as are the valleys and hills of Connemara. The cliffs are one of Ireland’s top visitor attractions and are a designated UNESCO Geo Park. Finally, we will take the ferry crossing at Tarbert on the way to Killarney where we settle in for two nights.

Day Five: September 21

Lodging:

Dromhall Hotel or similar

Provided Meals:

breakfast, dinner

Prepare yourself for one of the most gorgeous drives in Ireland, the Ring of Kerry. This famous route is a beautiful trail (170km) in the southwest of Ireland passing through the charming villages of Killorglin, Glenbeigh, Cahirsiveen, Waterville, Sneem, and Kenmare. The route features forests, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, historic country estates, and castles. Lucky visitors may see a wild stag or two. We will have lunch along the route.

In the afternoon, we will continue on to visit the Kissane Sheep Farm. The Kissane Sheep Farm has been in the same family for over 150 years and currently has approximately 1,000 mountain sheep and hundreds of lambs. While there we will watch a sheepdog demonstration featuring the talented Border Collies of Kissane Farm.

Our day will end in Killarney where you will have time to explore on your own. Killarney is full of historical hotspots including nearby castles, abbeys, and ancient pagan sites. You’ll find horses and carriages throughout town; they are affectionately called jaunting carts and are often booked for tours through town or the adjacent Killarney National Park, home to the only red deer population in Ireland.

Day Six: September 22

Lodging:

Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane in Cork or similar

Provided Meals:

breakfast, dinner

After breakfast at the hotel, we will drive to the southern coast via the small town of Bantry. This fishing village with a bustling town market is famous for being the location of a historic invasion of French forces in 1689 to support James II against William of Orange and an attempted invasion in 1796 to aid Wolfe Tone with the Irish uprising against the English. Several Irish songs feature the town.

After Bantry, we will continue on to the historic fishing village of Baltimore where we will tour Dun na Sead Castle (Fort of the Jewels). The castle overlooks Roaring Water Bay and Carbery’s hundred isles, making it a strategic stronghold. The site has seen multiple castles and forts built on the location starting in 1215. The current tower and buildings were once the stronghold of the O’Driscoll Clan who ruled the coast for over 400 years as fishermen and occasional pirates.

Upon our return to Cork you’ll have time to explore on your own. Cork is known as the “foodie capital” of Ireland. Its biggest attraction is its English Market which is a great place to pick up traditional specialties like drisheen and pigs’ trotters, freshly baked bread, just-caught fish, or locally produced fruits and vegetables. Interestingly, the city center is an island situated between two forks of the River Lee.

Day Seven: September 23

Lodging:

Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane in Dublin or similar

Provided Meals:

breakfast, dinner

After an Irish breakfast, we will visit an Irish Dairy Farm. The farm features a modern milking parlor and innovative production techniques. The farmer/owner is the former Vice-President of the Irish Farmers Association. After the farm tour, he will be available to discuss the broader topics of agriculture and food production.

Next, we will visit the famous Blarney Castle, which was built in 1446 as a defensive fortress. The Castle, as it stands today, is in fact just the keep of a much larger structure. Visitors from around the world have carried on the tradition of kissing the famous Blarney Stone, high up on the Castle battlements, in hopes that they will be endowed with eloquence –“the gift of the gab” as the locals call it.

Those who wish to shop will enjoy our stop at Blarney Woolen Mills. You will be amazed at the selection of Irish gifts, music, crafts, woolens, and more at this spectacular store, next to Blarney Castle.

Our last tour of the day will be to an award-winning farm specializing in Sheep Dairy products. The farm boasts around 1,700 sheep (1,000 for milking and 700 commercial). The farm also has top-class sheepdogs and year-round lambs. On this farm visit, you will have the opportunity to sample sheep milk, and byproducts such as cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and lattes.

Day Eight: September 24

Lodging:

Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane in Dublin or similar

Provided Meals:

breakfast, dinner

Following breakfast at the hotel, we will take a guided tour of Dublin, the cosmopolitan capital of Ireland, which is famous for its friendly people and elegant Georgian architecture. The city was founded by Dublin Vikings in the 8th Century and has since been an important part of Europe’s maritime history. The Normans remained on the island for over 800 years and their influence is evident in most of the castle architecture.

Our tour of Dublin will include a walking tour of Trinity College, one of the world’s elite colleges. Trinity College was founded in 1592 and has since educated some of the most decorated researchers, writers, and philosophers in modern history. Its library is widely regarded as one of the best in the world. It includes a copy of every book published in Great Britain and Ireland; it receives over 100,000 new items every year. The library contains 4.5 million books, including 30,000 current serials and significant collections of manuscripts, maps, and printed music.

The Old Library at Trinity College is famous for its Long Room, built between 1712 and 1732. It houses around 200,000 of the library’s oldest and rarest volumes in two stories. Busts of famous authors and philosophers line the stacks. Thousands of historians and researchers from around the world make the pilgrimage to the Long Room each year. The Long Room is one of the most photographed locations in Dublin.

There will be an option to visit the Treasury and see a display of Irish medieval gospel manuscripts, principally the Book of Kells. The ancient text contains a Latin text of the four gospels copied and intricately decorated by Irish monks around the year 800 AD. The Book of Kells has been called Ireland’s greatest cultural treasure and is viewed by half a million visitors each year.

The visit to Trinity College will be followed by a visit to Christ Church Cathedral, built in 1038, and officially claimed to be the seat of both the Church of Ireland and the Roman Catholic archbishop of Dublin. The church is renowned for its stunning architecture, exquisite floor tiles, and exceptional history. The church is the reputed tomb of Strongbow, a medieval Norman warlord whose arrival marked the beginning of English involvement in Ireland.

In the afternoon we will make a stop at the Guinness Storehouse to learn more about the famous Irish beer. The Storehouse was originally built in 1904 to house the Guinness fermentation process. The core of the building is modeled on a giant Pint glass. The tour takes you step-by-step through the brewing process, finishing at the Gravity Bar where you will receive a complimentary pint of Guinness whilst enjoying the panoramic views over Dublin City.

We will also tour the Jameson Distillery on Bow Street originally established in 1780 by John Jameson. Irish Whiskey is the national drink and one of their biggest exports with Jameson being the most widely recognized brand. The tour will end with a tasting, but feel free to stay late for a cocktail mixing class or to fill a bottle of your own. The remainder of the day is open for exploring on your own in Dublin. Dublin has several great museums, a variety of parks and of course, many pubs!

We will celebrate the end of our tour with a farewell dinner and live entertainment at the famous Merry Ploughboys Pub. The Merry Ploughboys is billed as the best traditional music show in Dublin with a menu featuring traditional Irish dishes.

Day Nine: September 25

Provided Meals:

on flight

Depart Dublin for Denver; arrive the same day