IRELAND TOUR & SCRABBLE TOURNAMENT AUGUST 18-26, 2012 Day 1: Saturday, August 18: Individual arrivals in Dublin. Check in at the Shelbourne Hotel. A national treasure built in 1824, the Shelbourne Hotel has been magnificently restored while keeping its historic charm. The Shelbourne is a luxury 5 star hotel in Dublin city centre overlooking St. Stephen's Green, Europe's grandest garden square. Day 2: Sunday, August 19: Explore the city at your own pace with fellow group members or make use of the included Hop On Hop Off tour ticket. This guided bus tour includes 23 stops at historical and cultural highlights that you may visit. Tonight our group dinner has an enchanting evening of Irish Folklore and storytelling while enjoying a traditional Irish candlelit dinner at Ireland s oldest pub, The Brazen Head. Day 3: Monday, August 20: This morning we leave Dublin and the Shelbourne Hotel and head to the Rock of Cashel. This is a spectacular group of Medieval buildings set on an outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale including the 12th century round tower, High Cross and Romanesque Chapel, 13th century Gothic cathedral, 15th century Castle and the restored Hall of the Vicars Choral.
Following this, we visit the impressive Cahir Castle. An imposing 13th-15th Century structure, Cahir Castle was skillfully designed by Conor O Brien to be a state-of-the-art defensive castle. Appearing to grow from the actual rock on which it stands, the castle has been the scene of sieges and bombardments for centuries. Today, the castle retains much of the original structure and is one of Ireland's largest and best preserved castles. We continue onto the Blue Haven Hotel in Kinsale. This medieval coastal town is full of beautiful buildings, narrow streets, and colorful shops and galleries. In the afternoon, the scrabble tournament begins. For those not playing, we will have a one hour guided tour of Kinsale. Day 4: Tuesday, August 21: Today we travel the scenic route to Glengarriff. The name Glengarriff comes from "An Gleann Garbh" - the rugged glen - which is derived from the rugged beauty of the mountains and wooded valleys surrounding the village. Magnificent views of the Caha Mountains and the bulk of Sugarloaf
can be seen from the numerous viewpoints along the roads which hug the coastline or wind along the steep sided valleys. On the way, we will visit the picturesque towns of Skibbereen and Bantry. Continuing on, we arrive in at the incredible Ballyseede Castle where we will be staying for the next two nights. Ballyseede Castle is an impressive building with a history dating back to the 1590 s. The castle is located on 30 acres of gardens and woodlands just outside of Tralee. Day 5: Wednesday, August 22: The Dingle Peninsula was once described as 'the most beautiful place on earth' by the National Geographic. It stretches 30 miles into the Atlantic Ocean from Ireland's southwest coast. Along the way can be seen Gallarus Oratory, whose dry stone walls have survived for 1,300 years.
We also visit the 13 th century town of Dingle, with its layout of hilly streets reflecting its origins as a walled borough. At the western edge of the Dingle Peninsula, we see the small village of Dunquin, renowned for its spectacular scenery and surviving Gaellic culture. Scrabble tournament continues in the afternoon. Day 6: Thursday, August 23: This morning we visit the Cliffs of Moher. The highest point of the cliffs stands 710 feet high, and the cliffs themselves stretch 5 miles along the coast. The Cliffs of Moher are also Ireland s largest seabird colony, home to 30,000 birds, the most famous of which are the Atlantic puffins. From atop the cliffs, the views to the Atlantic Ocean and beyond are simply breathtaking. We will also enjoy a short boat trip from Doolin to view the stunning cliffs from the sea. After visiting the cliffs, we travel on to Galway via the Burren. The Burren covers an area of 160 square km and is unlike any place else in Ireland, resembling a lunar landscape. Few trees manage to grow in this desolate place, yet other plants thrive. The Burren is a
unique botanical environment in which Mediterranean and alpine plants rare to Ireland grow side by side. Glaciation and wind and rain erosion have formed limestone pavements with deep crevices known as 'grykes'. The porous rock is easily penetrated by rainwater, which has gouged out an extensive cave system beneath the rocky plateau. Upon arriving in Galway, we check in at the Park House Hotel, our home for the next two nights. Day 7: Friday, August 24: Our first stop today is the award-winning Museum of Country Life in Castlebar. The museum, which shows the rural way of life of the Irish people between 1850 and 1950, is located on the grounds of the Victorian-Gothic Turlough Park House. There are displays on the home, the natural environment, trades & crafts, communities and working on the land and water. Next, we drive through the beautiful Connemara district. The natural terrain and unspoiled environment of Connemara offer the visitor a wonderland of sights, experiences, adventure and activities. We visit Kylemore Abbey, which was originally built as a castle in 1867 but founded for the Benedictine nuns who fled Belguim during World War I. Day 8: Saturday, August 25: Scrabble tournament concludes this morning.
Other travelers have option of exploring Galway and/or a trip to Clonmacnoise. Clonmacnoise is an Early Christian site founded by St. Ciarán in the mid-6th century on the eastern bank of the River Shannon. The site includes the ruins of a cathedral, seven churches (10th -13th century), two round towers, three high crosses and the largest collection of Early Christian grave slabs in Western Europe. In the afternoon, travel on to Limerick. After a short overview of the city, people will have time to explore the city on their own. Trip includes: Our last night in Ireland will be at the 5 star Savoy Hotel in Limerick. In the evening, join fellow travelers for a farewell dinner. Day 9: Sunday, August 26: After breakfast, say farewell to your fellow travelers. Transfer to Shannon International Airport 8 nights accommodation in superior 5* and 4* hotels and castles All sightseeing and entry fees as detailed in the itinerary Gratuities for guide and driver 3 dinners Breakfast daily at the hotels Transfer from Savoy Hotel to Shannon International Airport on August 26 th Price for this amazing trip is 1,350 Euro (US$1,850 as of 9/9/11). Single supplement is 550 Euro. There is also the option to join the tour in Dublin on the morning on Day 3. Price for this abbreviated tour is 1,120 Euro. Please indicate on the registration form if you are interested in this option.
Details and Registration Form For more information, please contact Rich Baker: Email: scrabbletours@yahoo.com Snail mail: PO Box 450, Eureka CA 95502 Telephone: 1-707-502-7518 Payments may be made in US$ or Euro. Amount due in US$ will be determined using the currency conversion rate published on website xe.com as of June 1, 2012. Full payment is due no later than July 2, 2012. To secure your place on the Ireland Tour and Scrabble Tournament, please send a deposit of US $500 per person (contact Rich if you prefer to pay in Euro) to: Rich Baker PO Box 450 Eureka, CA 95502 Please include the following information with your deposit: Name: email: Snail Mail: Roommate (if any): Special Needs or Requests: Are you interested in the option of arriving late and joining the group in Dublin early on August 20 th? Yes No If you are planning to play in the Scrabble Tournament, please indicate whether you intend to play OWL or CWS