Depart Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport aboard Aer Lingus, the Irish Airline, for an overnight flight across the Atlantic. Enjoy in-flight entertainment and meal service as you travel to start your vacation.

                                 Proleek Dolman

Tuesday, June 30 – DUBLIN ARRIVAL, DUBLIN CITY TOUR & BOYNE VALLEY VISITOR CENTER

After your morning arrival at the Dublin Airport, complete customs and immigration formalities. Then your CIE Tours driver/guide will welcome you to Ireland and escort you and your luggage to the coach. Enjoy a driving tour around Dublin to see many prominent sites and learn about the city's rich, colorful history.  Afterwards, drive north to the Boyne River Valley to learn about Newgrange and Knowth, both of which are over 5,000 years old. Visit Knowth tomb to see how people, using primitive tools and knowledge, managed to align these buildings precisely with the sun or the moon. Then continue north to Dundalk to check into your hotel.  The rest of the afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the hotel's beautiful grounds, including the Proleek Dolman, contructed circa 3000 B.C. Later, join your fellow travelers for dinner in the hotel.

DINNER & OVERNIGHT: BALLYMASCANLON HOUSE HOTEL, DUNDALK www.ballymascanlon.com

                            Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland

Wednesday, July 1-  BELFAST CITY TOUR & GIANT'S CAUSEWAY        

Today cross over the border into Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, and head north to Belfast for a guided tour of this industrial and business hub of the North.  Afterwards, continue along one of Ireland's popular scenic coastal routes to see the wonderful views of the "Nine Glens of Antrim".  Visit the famous Giant's Causeway, an astonishing geological formation of more than 36,000 hexagonal basalt columns formed over 60 million years ago.  Then drive west to check into your hotel outside Derry.  Enjoy the peaceful grounds and facilities of this comfortable resort before joining your group for dinner in the hotel. 

DINNER & OVERNIGHT: RADISSON SAS ROE PARK RESORT, LIMAVADY  www.radissonroepark.com

Thursday, July 2 - DERRY CITY WALKING TOUR & MUSEUM

Derry is nicknamed the "Walled City", and today we explore its rich past starting with a guided walking tour of the ancient city walls, which kept Derry safe during the turbulent 16th and 17th centuries.  Continue with a visit to Derry's award-winning Tower Museum for a fascinating tour through the ages.  Learn about the pivotal role this oldest city has played throughout history, and gain an understanding of the "Troubles" from the 1970's to today's historic peace.  Afterwards, you'll feel comfortable to wander past the famous murals and structures of the area, including the striking Guild Hall, before returning to your hotel with plenty of time to freshen up before dinner.  

DINNER & OVERNIGHT: RADISSON SAS ROE PARK RESORT, LIMAVADY

                                           Donegal Castle

Friday, July 3 - DONEGAL CASTLE & W.B. YEATS COUNTRY

This morning cross the border back into the Republic of Ireland and head south through the hazy Blue Stack Mountains to Donegal to take a delightful tour of Donegal Castle.  Originally built in 1470, it was expanded in the 17th century and has recently been restored and furnished with authentic period pieces.  Learn about the Four Masters and their important work while viewing the impressive framework of this showpiece castle.  Continue south to County Sligo to visit the grave of famous poet W.B. Yeats, whose writings were inspired by the local scenery.  Then travel southwest to check into your city centre hotel in charming Westport.   

DINNER & OVERNIGHT: HOTEL WESTPORT, WESTPORT  www.hotelwestport.ie 

                                  A view from Achill Island

Saturday, July 4 - ACHILL ISLAND TOUR & WESTPORT

This morning drive around Clew Bay to reach Achill Island, joined to the mainland by bridge.  Follow the Atlantic Drive to capture wonderful, wild views of steep mountains plunging into the shimmering Atlantic Ocean, stretches of golden beaches and windswept bogland.  Near Slievemore, see the Deserted Village, the remains of 100 cottages abandoned in the 1840's Famine.  Return to Westport for an afternoon at leisure, exploring this attractive town full of inviting shops, restaurants and pubs.  Following dinner in your hotel, you may choose to mingle with the Irish people and enjoy traditional Irish music in the friendly pubs of charming Westport.  

DINNER & OVERNIGHT: HOTEL WESTPORT, WESTPORT    www.westporttourism.com go to "activities" and "walks" at the bottom of their web page                    

                   Kylemore Abbey, Connemara Region

Sunday, July 5 -  CONNEMARA TOUR, KYLEMORE ABBEY & GALWAY  

Today, drive south past the pilgrimage mountain of Croagh Patrick and through the scenic Connemara region. As you drive, you will see many sheep that graze freely and also tracts of bogland where locals hand-cut peat for home heating.  Visit picturesque Kylemore Abbey, a 19th century mansion that is now an international girls' school.  Then travel to Moycullen for a visit to the Connemara Marble Factory.  The soft, green shades of this uniquely Irish marble, estimated to be 500 million years old, echo the colors of the countryside from which it is cut.  After browsing in the small jewelry shop, continue on to your hotel in Galway.  

DINNER & OVERNIGHT: WESTWOOD HOUSE HOTEL, GALWAY     www.westwoodhousehotel.com

                                       Cliffs of Moher

Monday, July 6  - CLIFFS OF MOHER & "TRAD ON THE PROM" EVENING ENTERTAINMENT

Drive around Galway Bay and continue south through the Burren, a unique region of limestone formations with its own distinct flora & fauna.  Visit the dramatic and majestic Cliffs of Moher - a five mile long rocky wall which plunges nearly 700 feet straight down to the foaming Atlantic Ocean.  Then travel inland to Kilfenora to visit the Burren Interpretive Centre which explains how this unique limestone region was formed, the distinctive flora that thrives in the sheltered crevices and the many prehistoric monuments.  Return to Galway for some free time on Eyre Square, the heart of the city, before dinner in your hotel.

After dinner, join your fellow travelers for entertainment at "Trad on the Prom", a contemporary Irish show featuring an electrifying mix of music, song & dance. 

DINNER & OVERNIGHT: WESTWOOD HOUSE HOTEL, GALWAY  

                         Street Band, Grafton Street, Dublin     

Tuesday, July 7 - CLONMACNOISE & DUBLIN

Travel from Galway to the center of Ireland to visit Clonmacnoise. This monastic settlement was founded 545 AD by St. Ciaran and was one of the main centers of learning in Ireland for over 1500 years. It is delightfully set overlooking the banks of the serene River Shannon.  Learn about the history of the site through an audiovisual presentation and take a walk around the ancient round tower and church remains  before continuing through the rolling pastures of Ireland's heartland to the greater metropolitan area of Dublin.  Visit the National Museum on Kildare Street to see collections of many priceless Irish artifacts.  In addition to Viking artifacts, many early Christian items in gold and precious stones are housed here in the magnificent  architecture of this fabulous building.  See the Tara Brooch, the Ardagh Chalice, the Shrine of St. Patrick's Bell and the Cross of Cong.  Then check into your city center hotel, located near Dublin's reknown parks of Merrion Square and St. Stephen's Green as well as excellent shops such as Blarney Woollen Mills, Kilkenny Design, and House of Ireland.   

This evening, choose among Dublin's many fine nearby establishments for dinner on your own.  You may wish to take a short walk with us towards the River Liffey to Dublin's famous Temple Bar area to experience Oliver St. John Gogarty's Traditional Irish Restaurant and Pub.  This restaurant features traditional live Irish music from 2 p.m to 2 a.m. every day along with an excellent reasonably-priced menu, which includes some traditional Irish dishes.  

OVERNIGHT: MONT CLARE HOTEL, DUBLIN www.ocallaghanhotels.com DINNER: NOT INCLUDED   

                  Oliver St. John Gogarty's, Temple Bar, Dublin 

Wednesday, July 8 - RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES

All too soon, your vacation in Ireland has come to an end. Transfer this morning to the Dublin Airport in plenty of time to check in for your flight, clear security, and claim your VAT refund. You may wish to do some last minute shopping at the many duty free stores. Then clear U.S. Immigration before boarding your aircraft, and fly west across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States. 

                 View of a runway at Dublin International Airport