The City and the Sea: Dublin, Galway & Moher With Your Family

In the hotel for those who have arrived by 12:30 p.m., we will have a plated and served lunch with coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Travel and transfers will be via private motorcoach unless noted otherwise. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

In the hotel dining room, we’ll have a plated and served dinner with coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

In the hotel dining room, the full Irish breakfast includes choices such as a variety of eggs, bacon, sausages, tomato, potatoes, cereals, fruit, toast, pastries and jams, milk, juices, coffee, tea, water.

We’ll board a motorcoach for a field trip to Galway, the cradle of Gaelic culture in the West, with our Group Leader. Galway is often referred to as the “city of tribes” as it was once home to 14 famous merchant families. Upon arrival we’ll enjoy expert-led walking field trips through Galway city. Grandparents will see historic landmarks including Galway Cathedral and the Spanish Arch, while grandchildren explore the city in a fun, educational way with their group leader. We’ll regroup at the Galway City Museum for some time for independent exploration. The museum houses a variety of permanent and temporary exhibitions featuring archaeology, the local area from prehistoric times to the present, arts and crafts.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give directions.

From Galway, we’ll travel onward with our Group Leader by motorcoach to Coole Park. Now a nature reserve spanning more than 1,000 acres (400 hectares), it was the centre of the Irish Literary Revival in the early 20th Century, the home of Lady Gregory who co-founded the Abbey Theatre with W.B. Yeats. The house that provided hospitality to many who shaped the literary movement is gone, but the seven woods celebrated by Yeats can all be found within its confines. Here we will be able to trace our fingers across the historic Autograph Tree, its bark deeply engraved with the initials of many of the authors who helped Ireland rise to literary prominence during the revival.

Hotel plated meal.

We’ll enjoy an evening of traditional Irish music and dance.

Hotel buffet.

We’ll set out for a full day field trip to explore two of Ireland's most iconic locations: The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher. Together, they comprise the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark. The Burren — meaning “rocky place” — is what remains of a tropical sea from 350 million years ago. The starkly beautiful karst limestone surface is almost moonlike in appearance. Geologists, botanists and zoologists flock to this region to learn about its rare flora and fauna. We’ll take a gentle hike with a local expert to see and learn about the area’s stones and stories.

In the village of Kilfenora, we’ll have a traditional 2-course pub lunch tea, coffee, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

The world-famous Cliffs of Moher are a spectacular sight to behold. Rising boldly at more than 700 feet (214 meters) from the sea, these Namurian shale cliffs stretch for 5 miles. On a clear day, we can view the Aran Islands and the Dingle Peninsula. Human activity here dates back at least 2,000 years. The location is also home to one of the major colonies of cliff-nesting seabirds in Ireland. We’ll have some time for self-directed exploration at the Visitor Center, then return by motorcoach to the hotel.

On your own to enjoy what you like.

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Hotel buffet.

After checking out of the hotel, we will transfer by motorcoach to the historic city of Limerick. En route we’ll stop for a field trip at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park in County Clare, now a designated National Monument and the most complete and authentically restored castle in Ireland. Originally built in 1425, Bunratty Castle was restored in the 1950’s and now mainly reflects how it would have looked in the 15th and 16th centuries with period furnishings. We’ll have a self-directed exploration to see what interests each of us most. We’ll also look through the window to the past in Bunratty Folk Park, a “living” village vividly recreated through actors, volunteers and painstaking attention to detail. Its buildings and streets represent what would have been seen in the 19th century. We’ll meet costumed “villagers” who will be happy to answer questions and discuss their ways of life.

On your own to enjoy what you like at Bunratty.

As we continue our transfer by motorcoach, we'll stop en route for a walking field trip in Adare, regarded as being one of Ireland's prettiest and most picturesque villages. Steeped in history, the village has been the subject of many rebellions, wars and conquests, leaving behind a great legacy of historical monuments. We’ll learn about its heritage as we walk. We'll continue to the hotel to check in with some time to relax before dinner.

In the hotel dining room, we’ll have a plated and served dinner with coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room, the full Irish breakfast includes choices such as a variety of eggs, bacon, sausages, tomato, potatoes, cereals, fruit, toast, pastries and jams, milk, juices, coffee, tea, water.

We’ll board a motorcoach and travel to Killarney National Park, home to magnificent native oak woods and one of the oldest yew woods in Europe. At the Education Centre in the park we’ll enjoy a field trip taking part in activities including capture and release of small animals, scavenger hunts, games, quizzes, and scientific experiments.

On your own to enjoy what you like in Killarney.

We’ll continue our outdoor fun with a ride in a traditional jaunty car. These are small carriages drawn by a horse.

Hotel plated meal.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

We’ll set out via motorcoach for a field trip to visit a local farm. The farmer will welcome us to his land, where we will learn about rural traditions and the challenges of farming in modern Ireland. We’ll then return to Limerick.

On your own to enjoy what you like.

Free time. This block of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

On your own to enjoy what you like.

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Hotel buffet.

We’ll check out of the hotel and begin our transfer by motorcoach to Dublin, Ireland’s bustling capital city. Along the way we’ll visit the Irish National Stud & Gardens in Tully — a 1,000-acre holding owned by the Irish government — where some of Ireland’s best racehorses are conceived and cared for. The site is also, somewhat surprisingly, the home to what is often considered to be the finest Japanese Gardens in Europe — a perfect place for quiet contemplation as we wander through its tranquil surrounds. We’ll explore with local experts and our Group Leader.

On your own to enjoy what you like at the Stud & Gardens.

Our field trip will continue and then we will proceed to Dublin for hotel check-in with time to freshen up and relax before dinner.

In the hotel dining room, we’ll have a plated and served dinner with coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

At leisure.

In the hotel dining room, the full Irish breakfast includes choices such as a variety of eggs, bacon, sausages, tomato, potatoes, cereals, fruit, toast, pastries and jams, milk, juices, coffee, tea, water.

We’ll start our day at the National Museum of Ireland, which hosts a collection of four million objects from all over the world – with a specific focus on the history of Ireland. Our Group Leader will provide an introduction, followed by time to explore on your own. Following our field trip to the museum, we’ll explore Dublin aboard a DUKW amphibious vehicle traversing the streets and waterways of this famous city. Led by a curious collection of Viking experts, we’ll don “traditional” horned helmets and hear about the history of Dublin in an entertaining, informative, and engaging commentary. The real Vikings from the far north began raiding Ireland more than 1,200 years ago!

A lunch allowance will be provided in a local Farmer's Market.

Free Time. On your own to see and do what interests you most.

Early at a local eatery, we’ll have a pre-theatre dinner.

We’ll attend a performance from current offerings at a Dublin theatre. Our program was planned far in advance when details of performances were not confirmed. When available, the information will be posted on the Road Scholar website under this program number and will also be included in preparatory materials sent following enrollment.

Hotel buffet.

We’ll travel by motorcoach to Croke Park, Ireland’s national stadium. The stadium is home to the museum of the Gaelic Athletic Association, where we’ll learn about the history of distinctive Irish sports including hurling and Gaelic football before trying our hands at some of these in the Interactive Games Zone! We'll continue our field trip at Trinity College where we’ll see the Book of Kells, one of the finest examples of illuminated manuscript in the world. The artistry and attention to detail in its spellbinding calligraphy and illuminations truly is a sight to behold. The book, dating back to 800 AD, is considered Ireland’s finest national treasure.

On your own to enjoy what you like.

Free Time.

At the hotel, share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

Enjoy traditional Irish music after dinner. Then prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

Hotel buffet. For participants departing before breakfast, a boxed breakfast will be provided. This concludes our program.

If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!