Scone making and Glendalough

Scone Making:

Ballyknocken House and Cookery School is scenically located on a 280 acre farm in County Wicklow. Ballyknocken is home to celebrity chef and food writer, Catherine Fulvio who prides herself on continuing the family tradition spanning over one hundred years.  Upon arrival at Ballyknocken Cookery School, guests will be greeted by Catherine or a member of her team and taken on a tour of the gardens before entering the cookery school. Guests will then enjoy a hands-on tutorial on how to make traditional Irish Scones. This fun experience is suitable for all ages and once the scones are baked, guests will be invited into Ballyknocken Guesthouse to enjoy their baked goods with homemade preserves and tea/coffee.

Glendalough:

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 centre 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. Glendalough has an excellent visitor’s centre 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 his area of Wicklow.

Accommodation: Alex Hotel Dublin

The Titanic and a Local Lunch

Discover Cobh’s fantastic history, spiced with tales of tall ships, magnificent liners, coffin ships and naval firepower. Fun, education and fascination for all ages! See where Titanic anchored for the last time and be amazed by the number of direct connections between Cobh and the ill-fated ship.

Cobh Home-Hosted Lunch:

After your walking tour your guide will escort you to a local family home where you will enjoy a home hosted lunch. Enjoy a sumptuous traditional Irish meal in the company of a warm Irish Welcome. This is not a fine dining experience, instead expect traditional filling food – the kind of which has been cooked by families here for centuries. This is also a great opportunity to learn about local culture and ask questions. Your host will be delighted to give you an overview of how the local people live.

Accommodation: The Great Southern Hotel Killarney

The hotel is uniquely situated on 6 acres of beautiful gardens, directly adjacent to Killarney Train Station, right in the heart of Killarney town centre. Today, the Great Southern Killarney stands proudly as Killarney’s Premier Historic Hotel and has retained its striking original Victorian features.

Ring of Kerry and Killarney Brewing Company

The Ring of Kerry:

This is one of the most breath-taking coastal tours in Europe, encircling the Iveragh Peninsula; starting and finishing in Killarney –route map below; showing the 160km Ring of Kerry. From Killarney, we recommend taking the tour in an anti-clockwise direction; heading in the direction of Killorglin and to Glenbeigh, where the coastal scenery of Dingle Bay comes into view. Every turn in the road seems to offer a unique vista, and the Ring of Kerry provides many unforgettable memories as it passes through the many picturesque villages such as Waterville and Sneem and returns via Ladies View, the famous Lakes of Killarney and through the Oakwood’s of Killarney’s magnificent National Park. There are also many opportunities to enjoy remote walks in the mountains on one of the many nature trails.

Killarney Brewing Company:

The founding partners of Killarney Brewing Company have restored the old Killarney Mineral Water drinks facility to its former glory; it is now one of Ireland’s most exciting new independent craft breweries and tap rooms.

The Killarney Brewing Company specialise in the production of what they believe is Ireland’s finest range of craft beers. Additionally, all of their beers are named after local myths and legends, evoking emotions of all things Killarney. The tour, lasting approximately one hour, consists of a “cheeky” introductory film in the video room, a walking tour of the brewery, a ‘meet the brewer’ and finally a complimentary beer and storytelling.

Accommodation: The Great Southern Hotel Killarney

Kenmare Food Tour and Clonakilty Distillery

Kenmare Food Tour:

Join TV Cook and Irish Food Blogger Karen Coakley for a Walking Tour in one of Ireland’s much loved and best known food towns, Kenmare. Kenmare Foodie Tours is born out of a love for food. The people behind the food with such an eclectic mix of backgrounds make Kenmare’s food scene the thriving industry it is today. Artisan food is produced by local shopkeepers and traders alike, from locally roasted coffee to organically grown veg, there is much to explore and even more to taste.

Clonakilty Distillery:

Enjoy a fully guided sensory, immersive and cinematic behind the scenes tour of a working distillery. Learn about the importance of their Wild Atlantic Way location and the influence of this environment on Clonakilty’s unique spirit collection. At the end of the tour you will enjoy a tutored tasting with an expert tour guide, sampling Clonakilty’s premium quality whiskey. For those wanting a more hands on experience, their Gin School offers small groups the chance to make their own special gin.

Accommodation: The Great Southern Hotel Killarney

Wild Kitchen Experience, Cliffs of Moher and Burren National Park

Wild Kitchen Experience:

Wild Kitchen is a culinary exploration of Ireland’s edible landscape through foraging walks, cookery demonstrations and wild food experiences. Walks are individually tailored by native County Clare lady, Oonagh O’Dwyer, whose bountiful local knowledge inevitably leads to adventures down lesser known old Irish laneways and deserted beaches. Within visually stunning, secret panoramas of wide open skies, rolling green fields and blue waters, visitors can fully engage with nature.

Cliffs of Moher:

The Cliffs of Moher are the most popular tourist attraction outside of Dublin; attracting over 1 million visitors in 2015. Rising to over 200 metres in places, they are among the highest sea cliffs in Western Europe, and stretch for about for 8km along the Atlantic coast.

Burren National Park:

The Burren is the smallest of Ireland’s national parks and has been described as a lunar landscape; mirrored nowhere else in Ireland or Western Europe! Often described as a natural landscape, it is most likely that in pre- historic times, removal of the natural woodland induced soil erosion, enlarging the exposure of the underlying limestone. More than 700 different flowering plants and ferns have been recorded in the Burren.

Accommodation: The Hardiman Hotel

Superbly located, overlooking Eyre Square, The Hardiman is elegance itself and combines Victorian grace with the best in Irish hospitality. The hotel is located just a 1-minute walk from both the train and bus stations, and is within strolling distance of the best shops in Galway, theatres, bars with traditional Irish music and the many Galway restaurants of the Latin Quarter.

Connermara National Park, Kylemore Abbey and DK Oyster Farm

Connemara and Kylemore Abbey:

Connemara is a region of western Co. Galway, which is known for its rugged mountain scenery; blended on the western seaboard by stunning seascapes. It is loosely bordered on the north and east by Lough Corrib (Ireland’s 2nd largest lake) and reaches the Atlantic Ocean on the western seaboard. It is also home to Ireland’s only fjord at Killary Harbour, as well as the largest Gaeltacht in Ireland (Irish-speaking region). A tour of Connemara would not be complete without a visit to Kylemore Abbey, home of the Benedictine nuns, who settled there after fleeing Belgium during the First World War. Prior to that, it had been a home of Mitchel Henry –a wealthy doctor and politician – who had it built in 1871. The principle town in Connemara is Clifden.

DK Oyster Farm:

Before travelling back to Galway for your overnight, visit DK Connemara Oysters. The farm is one of the oldest oyster farms in Ireland dating back to 1893. Oysters take their taste from the bay they are grown in, giving them a unique flavour to their region. In this experience, you will visit the oyster farm and see how oysters have been grown for centuries in the crystal cold waters here. As part of the tour enjoy the taste of a Connemara Oyster fresh from the waters of Ballinakill Bay. During Spring tides an extended tour can be organised to include a walk to the oyster beds.

Accommodation: The Hardiman Hotel

Departure

Today, check-out of the Hardiman Hotel and make your way back to Dublin Airport. Return your car rental and check-in for your onward flight. We hope you enjoyed your stay in Ireland and safe onward travels!