☘️THE IRISH CULINERY EXPERIENCE -9 DAY -SELF DRIVE TOUR

Arriving in Dublin City, take the remainder of the day to explore the capital city with its many historic buildings, Georgian streets and colorful gardens. Take the opportunity to visit some of the City's many attractions such as the Christchurch Cathedral.You can also visit the Guinness Storehouse. Opened in 1904, the Storehouse was an operational plant for fermenting and storing Guinness. Today it houses a very fine exhibition dedicated to the Guinness story. After visiting the exhibition, you are invited to The Gravity Bar to enjoy your pint of Guinness. Overnight, B&B in the Dublin Area

DAY -2/ DUBLIN & WICKLOW

Visit Butler’s Chocolate Experience

which is located at the Butler’s Chocolate factory in north Dublin, close to the junction of the M1 and M50 motorways. Enjoy a 90 minute interactive tour which allows you to experience the key elements of chocolate production. There are workstations set up where guests get an opportunity to be a chocolatier and decorate their own novelty to bring home. At all stages of the tour, there is lots of chocolate sampling!

Ballyknocken Country House & Cookery School

Leaving Dublin, travel along the east coast through Bray before arriving in Ashford and on to Ballyknocken Country House & Cookery School. Ballyknocken House is a charming Victorian farmhouse operating as a 4* guesthouse.

Run by Catherine, the third generation Byrne to reside there, Catherine also runs Ballyknocken Cookery School and entertains with Brown Bread Making Demonstrations and Cookery Courses. Overnight, B&B in the Wicklow Area

DAY -3/ WICKLOW & GLENDALOUGH

You may have the opportunity to participate in a class at the cookery school (not included in the price and subject to availability). In the afternoon you can use Ballyknocken House as a base to explore Wicklow, known as the Garden of Ireland.

Visit the Glendalough Monastic Site.

The English name Glendalough originated from the Irish “Gleann Dá Locha”, which translates as "The valley of the two lakes". It was here that St. Kevin, son of the king of Leinster, founded a monastery in the 6th century. From a simple beginning the site grew to become famous as a center of learning throughout Europe. Standing for 600 years, it was destroyed in 1398. Much of what is to be seen today dates from the 10 to 12th century. One of the most attractive features is the fine 34m high round tower.

A cathedral, stone churches and decorated crosses also survived albeit as ruins. Beautifully scenic walking trails take visitors on a circular route by the lakes from the Car park. Glendalough has an excellent visitor's center and display area, which is located at the entrance to the Valley. It houses a very comprehensive exhibition on Glendalough detailing the history, archaeology and wildlife of this area of Wicklow.

An entrance charge applies to the Visitor Center and is not included in your Tour cost.

Overnight, B&B in the Wicklow Area

DAY -4/ WICKLOW, WATERFORD & KINSALE

Visit the Harty Oysters Farm

Travel south from Wicklow to Waterford. Visit the Harty Oysters Farm, located in the scenic area of Dungarvan Bay. Jim Harty was a pioneer of Irish oysters as he was one of the first people in the country to recognize the potential for growing Oysters in the Celtic Sea.

The Harty family aim to give their customers the highest standard of Oyster and they consider their Oysters to be one of Ireland’s top luxury food products available today.

Leave Waterford and travel the short distance to Shanagarry and stop at Ballymaloe Gardens which surrounds Ballymaloe Cookery School and the Garden Café, which is run by TV chef Darina and Tim Allen.

Ballymaloe includes an Herb Garden, formal Fruit Garden, a formal Vegetable Garden and Water Garden.

Overnight, B&B in the Kinsale  Area

DAY -5/ CORK CITY

The English Market

You will travel to the Cork area, where you will want to take some time to explore The English Market. Situated in the heart of Cork City, the English Market is a roofed food market and has been trading since 1788.

Developed and still owned by Cork City Council, the Market is one of the oldest municipal markets of its kind in the world.

Continue to the Cork Butter Museum which dominated the world butter trade in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the museum explores the development of the exchange and the history of dairying in Ireland. Afterwards, return to the Town of Kinsale. Make a few visits, including Desmond Castle and the Wine Museum. Built as a custom house by the Earl of Desmond in circa 1500, Desmond Castle has had a colorful history. Before completing your tour of Kinsale, a visit to Charles Fort just outside the town is a must. Constructed in the late 17th Century, Charles Fort is a classic example of a star-shaped fort. Overnight, B&B  in the Kinsale Area

DAY -6/ KINSALE TO THE DINGLE PENINSULA

Killarney National Park

Today, travel towards the Dingle Peninsula and pass by Killarney National Park.  The Killarney National Park features beautiful lakes and mountain scenery. The park is famous for its native natural habitats and species including oak holly woods, yew woods and red deer.

The National Park visitor center (located at Muckross House) and the information point at Torc Waterfall provide information on all aspects of the park.

The Dingle Peninsula

This afternoon you will explore the Dingle Peninsula, famous for its Celtic, pre-Christian monuments and Christian churches. It is also a “Gaeltacht” – Irish speaking area, where the Irish language and traditional ways of life are preserved. Dingle Town, itself is a thriving fishing town, with its "friendliest people on the planet”, offers plenty of opportunity for shopping or simply savoring the atmosphere of a typical country Irish town with its plentiful pubs, narrow streets and busy working harbor.

Visit Murphy’s Ice Cream Shop and taste, what may just be Irelands best, handmade Ice Cream. They only use natural ingredients and have very special flavors like Brown Bread and Sea Salt.

The road between Dunquin and Slea Head is dotted with beehive huts, forts and church sites.  Prehistoric Dunbeg Fort is on a cliff top promontory with a sheer drop to the Atlantic and had four outer walls of stone.  Inside are the remains of a house and a beehive hut as well as an underground passage.

Beehive huts are circular stone buildings shaped like a beehive which were inhabited by the Kerry monks.

Overnight, B&B in the Dingle Area.

DAY -7/ DINGLE TO GALWAY

Depart Dingle and head towards Adare, County Limerick

Adare is a village dating from the time of the Norman conquest. Desmond or Adare Castle is regarded as a fine example of the medieval fortified castles in Ireland and is one of a number of outstanding castles situated in County Limerick.

It is sited on the north bank of the River Maigue in a strategic position on a substantial earlier ringwork where it was able to control traffic on the  river. It was an important stronghold of the Earls of Desmond.

Continue to visit St Tola’s Goat Farm.

St Tolas is an organic goat farm of 65 acres located in North County Clare near the Burren and 30 minutes from the famous Cliffs of Moher. Siobhan Ni Ghairbhith took over the farm in 1999 and 2 years later, St.Tola  became a registered organic cheese producer.

Siobhan has developed the business from a local industry to an internationally recognized and award winning brand, but the cheese is still hand made in small batches as the artisanal quality of their cheese is paramount.

The Majestic Cliffs Of Moher

Situated on the Atlantic Ocean and bordering the Burren region, The Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland's most spectacular sights.  Standing 230 metres above the ground at their highest point and 8km long, the Cliffs boast one of the most amazing views in Ireland. On a clear day, the Aran Islands are visible in Galway Bay as well as the valleys and hills of Connemara. The cliffs reach their highest point just north of O' Brien's Tower built by Cornelius O’Brien, a descendant of Brian Boru, to entertain his lady friends.

Before you reach your final destination of Galway, make a stop at The Burren Smokehouse.  At Burren Smokehouse Visitor Center, you can get a tasting of Burren Smoked Salmon.

You will discover mosaics inside and outside the shop and look at the first kiln used when the Burren Smokehouse was first set up. You can also watch a DVD presentation about the smoking process.

Overnight, B&B in the Galway Area

DAY -8/ GALWAY TO DUBLIN

This morning, leave Galway and visit The Rathbaun Farm. The farm is situated in a rural area of Southwest County Galway near Ardrahan.

The Burke and Connolly family have been farming the 80 acres of land for over 200 years and Fintan Connolly continues this tradition today.

The main livestock are sheep with some cows and horses.

Visitors to Rathbaun Farm

will become enchanted by its thatched cottage home, turf fire, stone walls and an array of animals. The land is limestone, free-draining soil currently in permanent pasture and in organic conversion. Time spent here gives a glimpse into the daily workings of a sheep farm with plenty of time to see the animals, feed the lambs in season, talk to the family and explore the farmyard.

Guests can also visit the 150-year-old farmhouse, where you will have the opportunity to have lunch, sampling some home baking and local produce. You may also have the opportunity to bake your own scones, following the traditional Irish recipe.

Continue to visit Kilbeggan Distillery

Start your tour in 1757 and discover how Irish whiskey was made in the time of the Lockes ownership of the distillery on one side of the courtyard and then follow on to see how Kilbeggan Irish whiskey is now being made in the traditional manner which includes a 180-year-old pot still.

Kilbeggan Distillery, established in 1757, is believed to be the oldest licensed pot still whiskey distillery in the world. For almost 200 years, until it closed in 1954, the distillery produced a traditional pot stilled Irish malt whiskey.

Today the distillery hosts a museum and since 2007 when distillation commenced again in Kilbeggan, visitors can experience a real working distillery run by a team of young enthusiastic craftspeople (and a few wise old heads too), skilled in the traditional ways of making Irish whiskey.

The guided tour follows the process of making triple distilled Irish Whiskey, from the grinding of the grain to the casking of the final product. Watch and listen as the 19th century water wheel drives the machinery.

Most of the original machinery has now been restored and can been seen working daily. Peer into nine-meter-high fermentation vats. Learn about the lives and the working conditions of the people that worked here. At the end of the tour, you will receive a complimentary sample of Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey.

Overnight, B&B in the Dublin Area

DAY -9/ FAREWELL

On the final day of your tour, if time allows, visit Howth, a picturesque fishing village which is situated at the foot of a huge rock peninsula. Howth, a huge rock massif with footpaths ideal for small walks, offers beautiful views of Dublin Bay. You can also visit one of the numerous seafood restaurants. Make your way to Dublin Airport, for your flight home.