Are you ready for a unique, off the tourist map, real Ireland experience? Join us in May and experience the Irish Heartlands
Highlights
Itinerary
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Tour Highlights
An Authentic, Once A Year Local Experience in Ireland
Journey to the sacred center of Ancient Ireland and experience the annual fire festival of Beltane on The Hill of Uisneach.
Visit Ireland's royal sites of Emain Macha and Rathcroghan, along with many other mystical treasures and iconic attractions.
Enjoy food, music, meet lots of friendly locals, and immerse yourself on a journey back in time for an authentic experience to the real Ireland of an ancient past we've long forgotten, but a past that remembers us well! Don't miss this departure because you will have to wait another year for the next opportunity!
Top off your experience with a full day in the heart of Dublin.
Trip Highlights
Hill of Uisneach Bealtaine Festival
Cahir Castle - One of the finest in Ireland
Monasterboice High Crosses
Clonmacnoise Monastic Site
Emain Macha - Royal seat of Ulster
Lough Gur - Mystical Lake and The Grange Stone Circle
Uragh Stone Circle
Rathcroghan Archaeological Site - Royal seat of Connacht
Cliffs of Moher
Wild Atlantic Way
Scenic Burren
Majestic Irish Midlands
Loughcrew Cairns Archeological Site
Dublin
Meals and Dining
7 Breakfasts
Hotel for 7-Nights
Dublin (1 nights)
Mullingar (3 nights)
Ennis (1 night)
Cahir (1 night)
Killarney (1 night)
2023 Itinerary is TBD. The following is based upon our 2022 trip and is representative of the 2023 offering.
Ancient Ireland Bealtaine Festival Tour 8 days | 7 Nights | 7 Meals
Day 1 - Arrival, High Crosses and Ulster Kings
After clearing Customs, your tour heads north for a stop to view the magnificent high crosses at Monasterboice before continuing to the ancient royal seat of Ulster, Emain Macha. After touring the archeological site and visitor center, your busy day concludes in Mullingar where you are free to explore this charming town in the Irish Midlands.
Day 2 - Queen Medb and Monastic Ruins
Continue your experience immersed in Ancient Ireland today as your tour immerses you in part of the Táin Bó Cúailnge, (Cattle Raid of Cooley). After breakfast, your tour heads to County Roscommon where you visit Rathcroghan, ancient royal seat of Connacht and residence of the legendary Queen Medb. After an orientation in the visitor center, your group visits many of the archaeological sites around the area including a visit to what some believe to be an entrance to the Irish Otherworld at Oweynagat (Cave of the Cats). Note that for safety reasons, we do not enter the cave.
Leaving Rathcroghan, enjoy your next stop at the ancient monastic center of Clonmacnoise before your day concludes in the town of Ennis.
Day 3 - Cliffs of Moher and Killarney
Your tour departs Mullingar this morning after breakfast and heads to the Cliffs of Moher with a stop photo stop in Kinvara along the way at one if Ireland's most photographed castles, Dunguire Castle. There is ample time at the Cliffs of Moher to enjoy the visitor center as well as explore the varied views along the cliffs.
Your experience continues upon arrival in Killarney, where you are free to explore the town on your own, or perhaps visit Muckross House, Ross Castle, or take a carriage ride through Killarney National Park.
Day 4 - Ancient Stones and Irish Rebels
Besides endless green scenery, if there is one thing Ancient Ireland has an abundance of it is stone circles and monuments. Today, experience one our favorites, The Uragh Stone Circle on the Ring of Beara.
Along the way to your hotel in Cahir this evening, enjoy a short stop at Béal na mBláth, where Michael Collins was ambushed near the end of Ireland's civil war in 1922.
Day 5 - Medieval Castles and Mystical Lakes
We can't let you leave Cahir without a stop at Cahir Castle, one of Ireland's largest and best-preserved castle, which represented the cutting edge of castle design in the 13th century.
After a castle tour experience mythical Lough Gur and Ireland's largest stone circle, The Grange.
Your day concludes back in Mullingar where you are free to enjoy the town.
Day 6 - Ancient Cairns and Sacred Center of Ireland
This morning, experience Cairn T at Loughcrew. Slightly less famous than nearby Newgrange, similar alignments are present and the sunrise shines into the passageway at the equinox.
Your afternoon is free in Mullingar until boarding transport to The Hill of Uisneach for the annual Bealtaine Fire Festival.
The fire ceremony begins at dusk and your return to your hotel in Mullingar is expected around midnight. All participants are encouraged to come dressed in traditional cultural attire representing ancestry from all over the world, creating a truly global gathering!
Day 7 - Dublin
Your Irish experience could not be complete without a day to explore Ireland's vibrant capitol of Dublin. Departing Mullingar after breakfast for a short, one-hour ride into the city, our team drops your luggage at your hotel in city center and you are free to explore Dublin's many sites and attractions.
Day 8 Departure
Your tour ends today after breakfast. Airport transfers are arranged to allow sufficient time to process through Dublin airport and USA Pre-Clearance for your return flight to the USA.
All prices listed below are per person, based upon double-occupancy.
If you would prefer a single room, we are happy to accommodate your request and apply a single-room supplement which can be selected during booking.
All charges will be made in local currency, (euros) at the time of purchase.