Q: What was the ancient capital of Ireland? A: Kilkenny

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1 Q: What was the ancient capital of Ireland? A: Kilkenny Kilkenny Castle Ancient Ireland Hope Vere Heritage Tours July 19-29, 2019 (11 day tour: $5,950 double occupancy*) Hosted by Hope Vere Anderson, Baron of Bannockburn New for 2019 and planned just for those of you who have been yearning to experience the magic of ancient Ireland, this tour will cover some of the more famous sites, but it will also offer insight into undiscovered Ireland, the true Ireland, away from the harried crowds and long lines that plague Ireland in the summertime. We have deliberately avoided Dublin because of the incredible hoards of people and largebus traffic. The city is at a gridlock during the popular summer months and there are long lines for the major attractions. In addition, we have planned the tour so that driving times are not too long. It has been our experience that a thoughtful experience requires a more leisurely pace. Personally Escorted by Hope Vere. As with all of Hope Vere Heritage Tours, Hope Vere will personally escort the group, making sure that every special need is met and catered to. Itineraries are subject to change according to conditions on the ground and opportunities that may arise. Guided by Hope Vere Anderson, these are truly like private visits. Meals: All breakfasts are included. Lunches are on our own. For lunch we will often just stop and purchase snacks or sandwiches from a local place and eat there quickly or onthe-go. This gives us more time for touring. Most dinners are on our own. For dinner we will usually stop at a nice hotel restaurant or pub and take our time reliving the day s events. Dinners: We provide a Welcome Dinner either the day we arrive or the day after, then an early Farewell Dinner in Limerick the night before we leave for the airport in Shannon. *See the last page of this itinerary for payment details. 10/14/18 Ancient Ireland 1

2 Accommodations: Day 1: July 19: flight out to Shannon, Ireland from US Day 2: July 20: Shannon Airport Area or Limerick Day 3: July 21: Westport Day 4: July 22: Westport Day 5: July 23: Galway Day 6: July 24: Limerick Day 7: July 25: Kilkenny Day 8: July 26: Kilkenny Day 9: July 27: Kilkenny Day 10: July 28: Shannon Airport area Day 11: July 29: Depart Shannon to return home Day 1, Friday, July 19: Departure Depart the United States on the airline of your choice bound for Shannon Airport, the Republic of Ireland, on an overnight flight. Day 2, Saturday, July 20: Arrive in Shannon Upon arrival at the airport, you will taxi to your hotel either at the Shannon Airport/OR IN Limerick on your own. Check-in time for hotels is usually around 2:00 pm. The hotel will check your bags in their storage room until your room is ready, usually some time after 2:00 pm. Hope Vere will be meeting you at your hotel to welcome you and will arrange for an early Welcome Dinner. We are considering Durty Nelly s in Shannon, a popular Irish pub with typical food. Overnight: Shannon airport hotel or Limerick hotel, County Clare, Ireland Day 3, Sunday, July 21: Shannon to Killaloe (45 min), then to Galway City (1 hr), then Westport Sunday morning we leave to drive north. Our first stop will be at Killaloe on the River Shannon. Here we will visit the Cathedral of St. Flannan, Church of Ireland, on whose grounds we will search for the above-ground stone tomb of William Brown (d. 1719) and Elizabeth Rock Brown, ancestors of Martha Hartzog. Elizabeth Rock, of English ancestry, was born in Dunluce on the northern tip of Ireland where the ruins of Dunluce Castle now stand. William Brown was born in Belfast, of Scots parentage, and he distinguished himself at the Seige of Derry (1698), the Battle of the Boyne and the Battle of Limerick, fighting on the Protestant side. Subsequently he and his wife were given lands in County Clare in the Killaloe area. 10/14/18 Ancient Ireland 2

3 Our next destination will be Galway City. Galway was founded in the mid-13 th century by Anglo Normans who fortified their settlement against the native Irish. It is a very busy town and if there is time, we will visit the old central part of the city, where there is much to see, including Eyre Square, Salthill and its seaside promenade, the 1584 Spanish Arch, and Galway Cathedral. It was here in Galway that the famous Claddagh Ring consisting of two hands clasped around a heart with a crown on top, was designed some 400 years ago. We ll arrive in Westport in time for dinner and check-in at our hotel Overnight: Westport Day 4: Monday, July 22: Westport Westport is our next destination and it is the most attractive town in County Mayo and a special heritage town built during the Georgian period and earlier during the reign of Elizabeth I. It looks out on Clew Bay charmingly dotted with tiny islands. The showpiece of the town is Westport House and Country Park, a stately home built on the site of an earlier castle. The house was begun in 1730 and completed in 1788 by architect James Wyatt for the Marquess of Sligo of the Browne family and sits on the shores of a beautiful lake. It has a large collection of Old Irish Silver and Old Irish Waterford glass. It has been set up very much for family outings today. We ll take a drive to Achill Island, only 20 feet from the mainland and connected by a bridge since Here we can enjoy the wide open spaces of unspoiled bogs and long empty beaches. Dugort on the north shore is a small village with a beautiful golden strand. Above it is the 2,204 foot Slievemore, the island s highest summit. At its base is the Deserted Village, a settlement of 80 ruined one-room stone houses, abandoned since the 1845 famine. This evening we will consider driving a few miles out of town to the Tavern Bar an Restaurant, at the foot of Croagh Patrick. Family run, the Tavern Bar specializes in local seafood, Connemara lamb, and local cheeses. Day 5: Tuesday, July 23: Westport to Kylemore Valley and Connemora National Park. From Westport we drive south to the remarkably beautiful Kylemore Valley and Kylemore Abbey, a storybook Gothic Revival built between 1861 and 1868 and one of the most magical castles in all of Europe with a romantic backstory. Mitchell Henry, a member of Parliament for County Galway, built it for his wife Mrgaret because they had fallen in love with the spot during a carriage ride while on their honeymoon. A Neo-Gothic Chapel on the grounds is a tiny replica of Norwich Cathedral and there is a six-acre walled Victorian Garden. There is a crafts center here and a cafeteria where we can have lunch. 10/14/18 Ancient Ireland 3

4 As we drive through Connemara National Park we may see the herds of wild ponies, strong, hardy and intelligent. They are assumed to be a cross between a native Irish breed and Spanish-bred Arab horses imported in the Middle Ages. We ll next pass through Clifden, perched high above Clifden Bay with its back to the spectacular Twelve Bens Mountains. Because the traffic in summer is so intense, we ll push on to Galway for the evening. If there s time, we ll divert to the tiny village of Cong, set on a narrow isthmus between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask on the County Mayo border near Maam Cross. It was here that John Ford filmed The Quiet Man and the village is still as pretty as it was then. Nearby are many stone circles and burial mounds, but its most notable ruins are those of the 12 th century Augustine Abbey, overlooking a river. The Abbey retains some finely carved details and a cloister. Alternatively, we could skip the village of Cong and head in to Galway in time to do some shopping. Overnight: Galway City Day 6: Thursday, July 24: Galway City south to Limerick via the coastal road We ll leave Galway City taking the coastal road and driving through the Burren, a craggy landscape which extends from the Black Head to the Cliffs of Moher with their breathtaking sights. Because of the wildflowers found in the Burren, there is a perfumery, where they mix their own perfumes and make soaps and the like, and we could stop there (five miles south of Bally Vaughn before the Black Head). Burren s ancient landmarks are exceptional, like the Caherconnell Stone Fort, the Cathedral of St. Fachtna, and the Paulnabrone Megalithic Tomb. The Cliffs of Moher (Fodor s p ), are one of Ireland s most breathtaking natural sights, rising vertically out of the sea in a wall that stretches over a five mile swatch. These cliffs were sacred in the Centic era and a favorite hunting retreat of Brian Ború, the High King of Ireland. O Brien s Tower, built in 1835, is a defiant, broody sentinel on the Cliff s highest point. There is a grass-roofed, subterranean visitor center with exhibits and a tearoom. The Clare Archeology Center (10 miles northwest of Ennis on the N85) has exhibits on the antiquities of the Burren. On the way to Limerick we ll stop at the Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. The castle was built in 1460 and has been fully restored and decorated with 15 th to 17 th century furniture and furnishings. The Bunratty Folk Park re-creates a 19 th c. village street and has examples of traditional rural housing. There s a Traditional Irish Night, with folk music and a simple meal held there. 10/14/18 Ancient Ireland 4

5 Overnight: Ennis or Limerick Day 7, Friday, July 25: Limerick to Kilkenny On our way to Kilkenny, Ireland s Medieval Capital, we will stop at the Rock of Cashel, Ireland s greatest group of ecclesiastical ruins and where St. Patrick first plucked a shamrock to explain the Trinity; this is one of Ireland s most visited sites (!). Kilkenny is an impressively preserved city on the River Nore that has been called The Oasis of Ireland. It has a large number of historic sights and picturesque streets. The 900- year-old Norman citadel is now a place of Georgian streets and Tudor stone houses. It has a long history of repression of the Irish by the English. In the early 17 th century Irish Catholics, under Pope Innocent X tried to mount an attack on the Anglo-Irish Protestants, sending money and arms. In 1650, Cromwell responded by overrunning the town and sacking the 12 th c. Kilkenny Castle, which has now been restored. Kilkenny Castle is a mix of Gothic and Victorian styles. For more than 500 years it was the seat of one of the more powerful clans in Irish history, the Butler Family, who became the earls and dukes of Ormonde. The 13 th century Black Abbey is one of the most evocative and beautiful Irish medieval structures in Ireland. There is a justifiably famous 1340 five-gabled Rosary Window depicting the life of Christ. It is one of the few medieval churches still owned by the Roman Catholic Church, because most of them were built by the Normans and reverted to the Church of Ireland when England adopted Protestantism. Another gem is St. Canice Cathedral, one of the finest cathedrals in Ireland and the country s second-largest medieval church, after St. Patrick s Cathedral in Dublin. In its construction extensive use of local black marble gives the Gothic interior a somber grandeur. As could be expected, Kilkenny is rich with dining, entertainment, and shopping opportunities. Overnight: Kilkenny Day 8, Saturday, July 26: Kilkenny to Waterford It s less than an hour s drive from Kilkenny to Waterford City, Ireland s oldest city, founded by the Vikings in the 9 th century and conquered by Strongbow, the Norman invader, in Waterford has better preserved city walls than anywhere else in Ireland besides Derry. Outstanding attractions include Christ Church Cathedral, a splendid example of Georgian architecture and the Age of Enlightenment. Here can be found the House of Waterford Crystal, which is once again being produced in the city. 10/14/18 Ancient Ireland 5

6 The newest museum in Waterford is the Medieval Museum which focuses on Waterford s rich Norman history. Reginald s Tower, a circular structure on the east end of Waterford s quays, is a museum of Waterford s Viking history. One of Waterford s finest Georgian buildings is the Waterford City Hall, which sports an enormous Waterford chandelier. And there are other treasures here which justifies us spending the entire day in Waterford. We will return to Kilkenny to our hotel at the end of the day. Overnight: Kilkenny Day 9: Saturday, July 27: Kilkenny to Lismore and Ardmore Today we will visit two towns in County Tipperary, Lismore and Ardmore. Lismore, above Wexford, is an enchanting town built on the banks of the Blackwater River. From the 7 th to the 12 th century it was an important monastic center founded by St. Carthac. Here are two cathedrals, one a Roman Catholic from the late 19 th c. and the Church of Ireland s St. Carthage s, which dates from The Dukes of Devonshire arrived here to build their Irish seat, Lismore Castle (their main house being Chatsworth in England). Adele Astaire, the sister of the famous dancer Fred Astaire, married Lord Charles Cavendish, younger son of the 9 th duke, and so the Astaires would visit here in the 1940s. Continuing to the coast, we will visit Sacred Ardmore, a picturesque town on a small peninsula at the base of a tall cliff. Here is the 12 th c. ruin of the Cathedral of St. Declan, which boasts some pillar stones decorated with ogham script (an ancient Irish alphabet), as well as weathered but stunningly abstract biblical scenes carved on the west gable. Reputedly, St. Declan arrived in Ireland 30 years before St. Patrick. On the grounds of the ruined cathedral is the Round Tower. These were built by the early Christian monks as watchtowers and places of refuge during Viking raids. If we have time and the inclination, we might try to run in to Wexford which has the Irish Archeology Shop noted for its hand-picked selection of beautifully crafted objects, including jewelry, inspired by ancient Irish, Celtic, and Viking artefacts. Again we will return from our countryside exploration to our hotel in Kilkenny. Overnight: Kilkenny Day 10 Sunday, July 28: Kilkenny to Limerick This morning after breakfast we will depart Kilkenny for Limerick, where we will enjoy a free day. We will have a late afternoon tea or an early farewell dinner so as to be able to pack for the return trip to the States. Overnight: Shannon Airport Hotel 10/14/18 Ancient Ireland 6

7 Day 11, Monday, depart Shannon for home Ancient Ireland Hope Vere Heritage Tours July 19-29, 2019 (11 day tour: $5,950 double occupancy*) Early Bird Discount (if tour paid in full no later than December 15) is $300 Deposit to secure space by January 31, 2019: $1,000 Balance Due 60 days prior to departure: May 20, 2019 Single Supplement (if you room by yourself) add: $1,250 Payment Methods There are 3 convenient ways to pay: 1. Check made out to Hope Vere Heritage Tours & sent to PO Box 1577, Murfreesboro TN ( sent to Hope and to Martha to alert them that check has been mailed) 2. Wire transfer to Hope s bank ( Hope with your telephone number and he will call you with instructions) 3. Credit Card, which includes a 3% service charge ( Hope with your telephone number and he will take your credit card details over the telephone) Please note that option 3. will not be available until November 1st, Payment Contact Information Hope Vere Anderson hopevereanderson@btinternet.com Contact for Information about the Tours Martha Hartzog m.hartzog@mail.utexas.edu 512/ /14/18 Ancient Ireland 7