GB Coach Tour Operators FAM

Wednesday 21st – Sunday 25th September 2016

Wednesday 21st September

11.00hrs Depart Dublin for , , Co. Kildare

11.30hrs Enjoy a guided tour of Castletown House Castletown House is 's largest and earliest Palladian style house. Built between 1722 and 1729 for William Connolly, Speaker of the and the wealthiest commoner in Ireland. The façade was almost certainly designed by the Italian architect, , while the Irish architect Sir Edward Lovett Pearce added the wings. Castletown House is now owned by the State. Contact: Claire Hickey/Helen Tel: +353 1 6288252 Website: www.castletown.ie (Depart 12.45hrs)

13.15hrs Arrive and enjoy lunch followed by a tour of the Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens, Tully, Co. Kildare A visit to the Stud symbolises all that is great about County Kildare, the beating heart of Ireland's thoroughbred horse industry. A unique attraction of outstanding natural beauty in Kildare, it is home to some of the most magnificent horses and sumptuous gardens to be found anywhere in the country. Contact: David Wardell Tel: +353 87 2341747/045 521617 Website: www.irishnationalstud.ie (Depart 15.00hrs)

15.30hrs Arrive and enjoy a tour of Lullymore Discovery Park, Rathangan, Co. Kildare. Imagine a rich green oasis rising gently from the Bog of Allen, Ireland’s largest peatland. That and much more is what you will find when you visit Lullymore Discovery Park, covering 60 breath taking acres, it explores Irish heritage, culture and environment with interactive and moving exhibits. Your guide will give a refreshingly informative and entertaining tour which will give you a real flavour of Irish culture and heritage going back over 9,000 years.

Contact: Ray Stapleton Tel: +353 86 3241219 & 353 45 870238 Website: www.lullymoreheritagepark.com (Depart 16.30hrs)

17.30hrs Arrive and enjoy a site visit at Castle Durrow Hotel, Durrow, Co. Laois

Castle Durrow Hotel, is one of Ireland’s most luxurious Irish country house hotels and is located on the N8 Dublin to Cork Road (one hour from Dublin), in the midlands of Ireland, adjoining the quaint village of Durrow, . Built by Capt. William Flower (later to become Viscount Ashbrook) in 1716 as his family home, its pre- Palladian design and formal gardens were the height of fashion in their day. Castle Durrow Country House Hotel has been completely restored and decorated by Peter and Shelly Stokes in a comfortable, relaxing and contemporary style without overlooking its past. Contact: Shelly Stokes/ Melissa O’Driscoll Tel: +353 57 8736555 Website: www.castledurrow.com (Depart 18.30hrs)

19.00hrs Arrive and Check in to the Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel Contact: Sinead Monahan Tel: +353 56 7750208 Website: www.kilkennyormonde.com

19.30hrs Meet Hotel Manager for a pre dinner drink followed by Dinner in Hotel Dining Room

Overnight in the Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel

Thursday 22nd September

Workshop (all day )in the Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel

19.00hrs Enjoy a Bodhran Session followed by Evening Dinner in Kytlers Inn, Kilkenny One of the oldest inns in Ireland, its first owner occupies a special place in the history of Kilkenny. The daughter of a Norman banker, Alice de Kyteler married four times and in the process amassed a considerable fortune. Local jealousies abounded and she was eventually accused of witchcraft and sentenced to be burned. Her excellent connections with local gentry ensured however that she was ‘spirited’ out of the country to England before the execution could take place. Her maid Petronella, however, paid the full price! Contact:Ritchie Tel: +353 87 6897107 Website: www.kytelersinn.com

Overnight in the Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel

Friday 23rd September

09.00hrs Depart hotel and enjoy/discover Kilkenny’s Medieval Mile

Walk along the city’s narrow streetscapes bringing to life 800 years of this city’s history stretching from St Canice’s Cathedral to .

09.30hrs Enjoy a quick tour of Kilkenny Castle!

Other attractions include Kilkenny Design & National Craft Gallery, St Mary’s Church & Graveyard, Grace’s Castle, Rothe House, The Smithwick’s Experience, The Black Abbey, The Watergate Theatre and Kyteler’s Inn.

10.30hrs Enjoy a visit to The Smithwick’s Experience, Kilkenny

With over 300 years of brewing experience, let your senses come to life as you immerse yourself in the history of Ireland’s favourite Ale. Go back in time to the 1300s, walk with the monks of St. Francis Abbey and discover how the beer was first born. Get a flavour for how the famous beer is made, from feeling the heat of the first malt to savouring the last drop of a refreshing pint! Contact: Mark McGovern Tel: +353 56 7786377 Website: www.smithwicksexperience.com (Depart 11.45hrs)

12.30hrs Enjoy a visit to the Kennedy Homested, New Ross, Co. Wexford. The Kennedy Homestead is a unique cultural museum dedicated to “the Kennedys who went away and the Kennedys who stayed behind” and plays a vital part in the continued preservation of the Kennedy legacy in Ireland. Contact: Patrick Grennan/Mary Tel: +353 51 388264 Website: www.kennedyhomestead.ie (Depart 13.30hrs)

13.45hrs Enjoy lunch followed by a tour at the JFK Memorial Park & Arboretum, New Ross, Co. Wexford Dedicated to the memory of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, President of the United States from 1960 to 1963, the Arboretum is a plant collection of international standing. It covers 252 hectares (623 acres) and contains 4,500 types of trees and shrubs from all temperate regions of the world, planted in botanical sequence. A Visitor Centre houses exhibitions and an audio visual show. Contact: Louise O’Brien Tel: +353 51 388171 Website: www.heritageireland.ie/jfkarboretum (Depart 16.15hrs)

16.50hrs Arrive and enjoy a tour of the National Heritage Park, Ferrycarrig, Co. Wexford. Irish National Heritage Park is an open-air museum which recreates the key stages in Ireland's cultural evolution. Contact: Maura Bell Tel: +353 53 9120733 Website: www. inhp.com (Depart 18.30hrs)

18.40hrs Arrive and Check in to the Ferrycarrig Hotel, Co. Wexford Contact: Fiona Delahunty Tel: +353 9120999 Website: www.ferrycarrighotel.ie

19.15hrs Meet Hotel Manager at Reception and enjoy a site visit of the Hotel followed by a complimentary pre-dinner drink

20.00hrs Dinner in the Hotel Dining Room

Enjoy some contemporary & traditional Irish Music in the Hotel Bar after dinner!

Overnight in the Ferrycarrig Hotel, Ferrycarrig, Co Wexford

Saturday 24th September

09.00hrs Depart hotel and travel to Glendalough, Co Wicklow

10.30hrs Arrive and enjoy a tour of Glendalough Visitor Centre For thousands of years people have been drawn to ‘the valley of the two lakes‘ for its spectacular scenery, rich history, archaeology and abundant wildlife. Glendalough is a remarkable place that will still your mind, inspire your heart and fill your soul. Glendalough is home to one of the most important monastic sites in Ireland. This early Christian monastic settlement was founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century and from this developed the “Monastic City”. Contact: George McClafferty Tel: +353 404/45325 or /45352 Website: www.glendalough.ie (Depart 11.45hrs)

12.15hrs Arrive and take a tour of Wicklow Gaol, Wicklow You can smell the terror in the air as the gate clangs shut and the gaoler turns the key. Somewhere, a prisoner groans, there are screams, footsteps echo. In these poky cells within the thick granite walls of Wicklow’s Historic Gaol you could easily be forgotten. Except that, remarkably, prisoners haven’t been. From 1702 to 1924, the brooding edifice on Kilmantin Hill shut away people deemed on the wrong side of history – rebels from the 1798 Rising, convicts to be transported to colonies in America and Australia, desperate women and children who stole simply to feed themselves during the 1840s famine. Contact: Tara Canavan Tel: +353 404 61599 Website: www.wicklowshistoricgaol.com (Depart 13.15hrs)

13.30hrs Enjoy Lunch in The Bridge Tavern, Wicklow Contact: Vivion O’Connor Tel: +353 404 64740 Website: www.bridgetavern.ie (Depart 14.30hrs)

15.00hrs Visit and take a tour in & Gardens Powerscourt House is a vast estate and gardens designed in the 18th Century for the 1st Viscount Powerscourt. Visit the Italian, American, Japanese, the Walled Gardens, Fountain and Triton Pool. Enjoy the arts & crafts in the restored House and the spectacular views from the Terrace. Contact: Carmel Byrne Tel: 353 1 2046000 Website: www.powerscourt.ie

17.00hrs Depart for Dublin and check in to your Hotel

17.30hrs Check in to the Alexander Hotel, 41-47 Fenian St., Dublin 7 Contact: Jeremy O’Keeffe Tel: +353 1 6073900 Website: www.ocallaghanhotels.com/alexander

19.00hrs Enjoy Dinner and Traditional Irish Music & Dance with The Irish House Party, Pembroke Road, Dublin 4. Contact: Gerry/Declan Tel: +353 86 8680026 Website:theirishhouseparty.com

Overnight in the Alexander Hotel

Sunday 25th September 09.00hrs Check out of Hotel and enjoy a short coach tour of Dublin!

10.00hrs Visit Epic Ireland, The CHQ Building, Custom House Quay, Dublin 1 EPIC Ireland is the story of 10 million journeys and the roots of 70 million people. The exhibition captures the footprint of the global Irish family in 20 interactive galleries that illuminate the incredible tales of the Irish communities past, present and future. Contact: Dervla O’Neill Tel: +353 87 7726051 Website: www.epicirelandchq.com (Depart 12 noon)

12.45hrs Enjoy Lunch in the Maldron Hotel, Dublin Airport Contact: Andrea Molloy Tel:+353 1 8080500 Website: www.maldronhoteldublinairport.com

Depart for Dublin airport for return flights

Fáilte Ireland Guide: Conor Ellard Mob:+353 87 2903407

Coach Company: Matthews Coaches Mob: +353 87 6899548

Fáilte Ireland Representative: Letty Cronin Mob: +353 86 0265190

Tourism Ireland Representative: Cormac O’ Suilleabhain Mob:+44 749 520 2399

Buyers must arrive either Tuesday 20th (PM) or early (by 10.00am at the latest) Wednesday 21st September

NB: This fam starts at 11.00hrs Wednesday 21st. Buyers must either arrive Tuesday 20th September or Wednesday morning for a departure at 11.00hrs sharp from Dublin Airport.

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