Ireland Itinerary 2013

Okay, pretty much everything is locked down. This is the way my vacation is going to go – barring any last-minute changes, weather infringements, or errors of transit.

Friday, May 24, 2013

Fly out of Winnipeg. Leave 14:22, about a three-and-a-half-hour layover in Chicago, then on to Dublin. Arrive 9:25 Saturday morning.

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Arrive in Dublin on Saturday. Bus from airport to Grafton Street to set up iPhone/iPad (unless I can get a good roving package at home), then head to train station for train to Belfast. Stay at the Old Rectory (Booked!). Try for dinner at The Barking Dog.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Get combined ticket from Belfast City Sightseeing for Hop On/Hop Off bus and Giant’s Causeway tour for £30 (booked, including admission for Crumlin Road Gaol tour). Spend today on the city tour. Things to check out:

• Stormont Parliament Buildings
• St. Anne’s Cathedral
• Shankill Road and Falls Road, the Peace Wall and Murals
• Titanic Quarter. This walking tour looks good, and I can join it at the Titanic Visitor Attraction. I haven’t been able to book this one yet; currently, they’re only booking up to the end of February. 10 £
• Crumlin Road Jail
• City Hall
• Queen’s University

That’s probably enough for my first full day in Ireland.

Monday, May 27, 2013

Continue with the Hop On/Hop Off sightseeing. If there’s time, head out to Belfast Castle¹ and climb Cave Hill. Need a whole after noon for that, though.

In the evening, try this ghost walk. £8. I’ve sent an e-mail to try and book this, but no response yet.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Giant’s Causeway tour. (Booked!)

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Giant’s Circle – This looks like a good way to see this. Check with Mary at the Old Rectory to see if she has other suggestions. Free (bus fare). Can probably fit in a bus trip to Downpatrick and Down Cathedral to round out the day.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Marble Arch Caves – Looks like a day trip by bus, but easily doable. 8.50 £ (plus bus fare).

Friday, May 31, 2013

Bus to Dublin Airport, change to Galway, change to Doolin. Leave Euorpa Bus Centre 12:00, arrive Doolin 19:45.

Stay at McGann’s Pub – Booked!

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Boat trip to the Aran Islands. Day trip to Inisheer and Cliffs of Moher combined trip from Doolin Ferries looks like a good bet. Booked for the 10:00 am trip!

Music in the pub tonight. Or if full, try one of the other pubs.

Sunday, June 2, 2013

See about getting to the Doolin Cave today, and maybe walk the Burren paths. Can probably walk to the cave, and there are nature paths around it.

Music in the pub tonight. Or if full, try one of the other pubs.

Monday, June 3, 2013

Take the Burren Cliff Walk at 10:00. Takes three hours, leaving and returning from O’Connor’s Pub in Fisher Street.

Music in the pub tonight. Or if full, try one of the other pubs.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Bus to Galway, train to Dublin, train to Killarney. Leave Doolin 8:45, arrive Killarney 20:12.

Stay at Larkinley Lodge – Booked!

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Gap of Dunloe tour with Deros Tours.

Evening – Killarney Ghost Tour.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Dingle Peninsula tour with Deros Tours.

Friday, June 7, 2013 – Sunday, June 9, 2013

Train to Mallow, change for Dublin, then train to Kilkenny. Leave Killarney 9:36, arrive Kilkenny 14:41. Stay at Butler House – Booked!

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Take the Tynan Walking Tour in the morning (10:30 am). In the afternoon, go visit some of the sites that we didn’t get a lot of time at during the tour, walk the canal, etc.

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Take Kilkenny Taxi out to Dunmore Cave for a tour in the morning. In the afternoon, take Kilkenny Taxi out to Kells Priory.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Train to Dublin. Depart Kilkenny 8:28, arrive Dublin 10:00. Stay at Kilronan House – Booked!

I’ve got day tours booked for the first three days, but depending on when I arrive back in Dublin, I may be able to get in some other activities. Of course, this is getting near the end of the trip, so I may be tired enough to just want to eat and rest.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Day tour: Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough, Malahide Castle – Booked!

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Day tour: Tara, Newgrange, Monasterboice – Booked!

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Day tour: Cashel, Blarney, Cork City – Booked!

Friday, June 14, 2013, and Saturday, June 15, 2013

Hop on/Hop off bus tour. Some sites to visit:

• GPO. I saw the outside last time, but never went in.
• Natural History Museum
• Take a tour of Dublin Castle, especially the Chester Beatty library.
• Take a tour of Christchurch Cathedral.
• Take a tour of St. Patrick’s Cathedral and visit Marsh’s Library.
• Take a tour of the Guinness Storehouse.
• Kilmainham Gaol, time permitting. Took the tour last time, but wouldn’t mind doing it again. It was fascinating.
• Phoenix Park and Dublin Zoo.
• Take a tour of the Old Jameson Distillery.
• Take a tour of the Custom House.

I’ve also booked the Irish Folklore and Storytelling Night at the Brazen Head for the evening of the 14th. Because it looks like fun.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Fly back to Winnipeg. Leave at 11:25, about a two-hour stopover in Chicago, home in Winnipeg around 19:58.

1. For some reason, I keep typing Dublin Castle when I want to type Belfast Castle, and have to go back and correct it. [↩]