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| The Chalks & Meieres recently traveled to Ireland. John wanted to track down his Irish ancestors and the rest of us said "Can we come?" |
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Day 1: Bunratty Castle & Medieval Banquet Check into Bunratty Castle Hotel, near Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, a reconstructed Medieval Village, have a drink in the 200-year-old Durty Nelly's Pub and shop at Bunratty Mills. Later, head to Bunratty Castle in the Great Hall of the castle for a medieval-style feast of excellent dishes and plenty of wine. During and after the meal the lords and ladies will serenade you with song and harp music, evocative of the Middle Ages. Day 2: Cliffs of Moher & Kilarney Drive along the Clare coast to the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular wall of limestone that reaches to almost 700 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Take a ferry ride across the River Shannon with a stop in the charming village of Listowel before heading for Kilarney. Check in with your Irish host before heading for Kate Kearneys Cottage for dinner. Enjoy entertainment of dancing & music on traditional Irish instruments. During our stay with an Irish family, the local Kilarney Football team won the Irish National Championship -- their Super Bowl! Day 3: Ring of Kerry & Skellig Experience Embark on Ireland's most popular scenic drive of 100 miles - the Ring of Kerry. This winding route reveals breathtaking sights of the Macgillycuddy's Reeks as well as coastal views of beaches and cliffs. Cross to Valencia Island and visit the Skellig Experience. Here learn about the life of early Christian monks who inhabited the rocky offshore islands, living in round stone huts. Also learn about the abundant bird life that thrives on the rocky ledges of the islands. Stop at Moll's Gap for a view over the three lakes of Killarney. Day 4: Blarney Stone and Titantic Tour Head for the Blarney Woolen Mills for shopping and visit Blarney Castle. The brave can climb to the top and kiss the "Blarney Stone". We all did this and have certified pictures to prove it! Drive to the port city of Cobb, the last port of call for the Titanic. Take a guided tour with the author of a book about the Titanic's last call. |
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Day 5: Waterford Crystal and Abbey Tavern Tour the Waterford Crystal Factory and see how this elegant is made. Drive to Kilkenny, a midieval city with a huge castle in the city. A traditional dinner is served at the Abby Tavern followed by rousing Irish music. Day 6: The Book of Kells and Guinness Brewery Tour Dublin city center, visit Trinity College's Old Library to view the early illuminated manuscript of the Book of Kells and learn about its creation. Visit the Guinness Storehouse to see how it was established and how the popular black brew is created. Have a creamy pint at the rooftop bar, Ireland's highest drinking spot. Day 7 & 8: We left the tour and stayed in Dublin John had arranged for a geanologist and staff member at the National Archives to meet us at our hotel and show us the best way to use the genealogical resources in Ireland. Can you believe that? Incredible! John spent most of these two days engrossed in his research. The rest of us lasted one morning and took off for shopping and sightseeing. We all took in a play one night in Dublin's theater district. Dublin is great but it is not Broadway. |
Day 1: Bunratty Castle & Medieval Banquet
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| Top of Bunratty Castle | Durty Nellys | Inside the Folk Park |
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| Our First Night: Bunratty Castle Hotel | Our Midieval Banquet | Four couples were crowned "Royalty" |
Day 2: Cliffs of Moher & Kilarney
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| Top of the Cliffs of Moher | View of the Cliffs of Moher | Pat's Favorite Ferry Ride |
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| Our Hosts were Gaelic Football Fans | Irish Music on Traditional Instruments | Close Up of One of the Instruments |
Day 3: Ring of Kerry & Skellig Experience
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| Interesting Character Along the Way | One of the stops on the Ring of Kerry | View from an Early Christian Island Monastary |
The rest of Our Tour and John's Ancestor Search.
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