MRSPA PRESENTS Ireland in Depth IRELAND: DUBLIN, KILKENNY, CORK, KILLARNEY, GALWAY Arrival/DeparturArrival/Departure e Arrival/Departure NightsArriv atal/Departur destinatione Nights at destination2 2 NightsNights at at destination destination 22 I Included Tour Connemara I Included Tour ITINERARY I AUGUST 26, 2020 Connemara I IncludedIncluded T Tourour r Optional Tour ConnemaraConnemara r Optional Tour r Optional Tour r MotorOptionalcoach Rout Toure Dublin i Motorcoach Route Dublin i 3 3 Motorcoach Route Dublin i Motorcoach Route 3 Dublin 3 i Air RouteAir Route Galway 3 3 s Galway s 3 Air Route DAY 1 / Depart U.S. Galway3 s Air Route Galway Ireland s Ireland h Ireland h Burren Burren Ireland h GlendaloughGlendalough h PRE-TRIPPRE- EXTENSIONTRIP EXTENSION Burren Burren Glendalough PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Clis ofClis Moher of Moher Glendalough PRE-TRIP EXTENSION S Clis of Moher S LondonderryLondonderry DAY 2-4 / Dublin, Ireland Clis of Moher S S Londonderry 2 e 2 AtlanticAtlantic Londonderrye Atlantic Atlantic 2 Belfast Atlantic e Atlantic BelfastHOTEL Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane or similar Ocean Ocean2 Kilkenny 2 2 e Atlantic N. IrelandN. IrelandBelfast Kilkenny a AtlanticOceanOcean a 2 2 Kilkenny 2 Ocean N. Ireland Belfast Ocean a 2 INCLUDED TOURS Dublin, Guinness Storehouse Kilkenny 2 Ocean N. Ireland Ocean a 2 IrelandIreland Irish OPTIONAL TOUR Traditional Irish Night Cahir CastleCahir Castle IrelandDroghedaDrogheda1 Irish1 Cahir Castle IrelandDrogheda 1 IrisSeah Sea Cahir Castle DroghedaDublin1DublinIrisSeah Dingle WaterfordWaterford Dublin Sea DingleDingle Waterford Dublin DAY 5-6 / Kilkenny BlarneyBlarney Waterford POST-TPORIPST EXTENSIO-TRIP EXTENSION N DingleKillarneyKillarney3 Blarney3 POST-TRIP EXTENSION Killarney 3 Castle Castle POST-TRIPSco EXTENSIOtlanScod tlanN d HOTEL Pembroke Hotel or similar BlarneyCastle Scotland Killarney 3 2 Cork 2 Cork Ring Castleof 2 Cork GlasgoScoGlasgowtlan5 wd 5 INCLUDED TOURS Avoca Handweavers, RingRing of of Cobh Cobh Glasgow 5 Kerry Kerry 2 Cork Cobh Glendalough, Kilkenny Ring ofKerry Cobh Celtic Glasgow 5 CelticCeltic EdinburEdinburgh gh Kerry Sea IrelanIreland Edinburd ghEngland Sea Ireland England Celtic Sea GDublinEdinburDublingh DAY 7-8 / Cork IrelanGGal d Dublinalway Sea alwwaay England G Dublin HOTEL Maldron Hotel South Mall or similar alway INCLUDED TOURS Waterford Crystal factory, Cahir Castle, Cobh 15 Days from $4695 14 Days from $3395 with airfare from Baltimore Tour Only DAY 9-11 / Killarney HOTEL Killarney Towers or similar INCLUDED TOURS Blarney Castle, Ring of Kerry OPTIONAL TOURS Dingle Experience, National Folk IT’S INCLUDED Theatre Performance DAY 12-14 / Galway • Choose to purchase Grand Circle’s • Exclusive services of a local Grand airfare, and your airport transfers, Circle Program Director (assigned to HOTEL The Galmont Hotel or similar government taxes, fees, and airline no more than 42 travelers) INCLUDED TOURS Cliffs of Moher & the Burren, Galway OPTIONAL TOUR Connemara & Kylemore Abbey fuel surcharges are included. Or, • Gratuities on your main trip for local make your own air arrangements guides and motorcoach drivers DAY 15 / Galway • Return to U.S. • Accommodations for 13 nights in • Personal headset for all included and comfortable rooms with private baths optional tours on your main trip • 22 meals: 13 breakfasts, 3 lunches, • Private motorcoach land travel and 6 dinners (including 1 Home- Baggage handling for 1 piece of lug- Hosted Lunch) • gage per person, including tips Save $100 per person • 16 included features: 12 guided tours 5% Frequent Traveler Credit toward on this trip. Mention MRSPA and 4 exclusive Discovery Series • your next trip—an average of $263 events: Hurling demonstration • booking code G0-28192. Home-Hosted Lunch • Irish history & culture discussion • Sheep farm experience PLEASE MENTION THIS CODE WHEN BOOKING G0-28192 For reservations and information 1-800-221-2610 www.gct.com/eid2020 WHAT TO EXPECT Group Size • Travelers using walkers, crutches, or • Travel by 45-seat motorcoach, jaunt- • A maximum of 42 travelers, led by a local other mobility aids must travel with a ing car (horse-drawn carriage), Grand Circle Program Director companion who can assist them ferry, and boat Pacing • We reserve the right for Program Climate • 5 locations in 14 days Directors to restrict participation, or • Daytime temperatures range from in some circumstances send travelers 48-67°F during touring season Physical Requirements home, if their limitations impact the • Walk 2 miles unassisted and participate group’s experience • June-August are the warmest months in 1.5-2.5 hours of physical activities • Weather in Ireland can be unpredictable daily, including stairs Terrain & Transportation and change quickly • Uneven walking surfaces, includ- • Agility, balance, and stair-climbing are • Rain is common and should be expected required to kiss the Blarney Stone ing unpaved paths, hills, stairs, and cobblestones • Not accessible for travelers using wheel- chairs or scooters YOUR ITINERARY Day 1 • Depart U.S. Guinness Storehouse. A guide will walk you transforms a plank of ash into a hurley (the through the museum, and you’ll conclude stick used to play the game) in his workshop. Day 2 • Dublin, Ireland your tour in the building’s Gravity Bar, Then, discover Kilkenny’s well-preserved Your arrival time will depend on your where you’ll enjoy panoramic 360-degree departure city. A Grand Circle representative medieval ambiance on an included walking views of Dublin, and a perfectly-poured pint tour. You’ll wander the compact city’s will meet you at the airport and assist you (on the house). to your hotel to meet your Program Director narrow lanes, and visit the immaculately and fellow travelers arriving from their The rest of the day is yours to spend at manicured, sprawling gardens of Kilkenny optional Northern Ireland extension. leisure, with lunch and dinner on your own. Castle, built around 800 years ago, and a delightful destination for locals and visitors B— Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane or similar Tonight, get to know your group members alike today. over a Welcome Drink and Dinner at After an included lunch this afternoon, the your hotel. Day 5 • Dublin • Glendalough • rest of the day is yours to discover Avoca Handweavers • Kilkenny D— Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane or similar Kilkenny at leisure. This morning, depart toward Kilkenny, stopping along the way at the rustic monastic B,L— Pembroke Hotel or similar Day 3 • Dublin • Optional site of Glendalough, founded in the sixth Traditional Irish Night century by St. Kevin. Next, continue on to Day 7 • Kilkenny • Waterford Crystal After breakfast today, you’ll begin your the river town of Avoca, made famous by the discoveries of Dublin, Ireland’s political and factory • Cahir Castle • Cork Avoca Handweavers. During our visit, you’ll Travel from Kilkenny to Cork today, stopping cultural center. Discover the city on a guided hear about what it’s like to work at the oldest panoramic tour, and stop at Trinity College en route to visit Waterford and Cahir Castle. clothing manufacturer in all of Ireland. You’ll visit the Waterford Crystal factory, to view the ancient Book of Kells. Believed to Then, travel south to Kilkenny, where you’ll have been crafted in AD 800, the Book of renowned globally as the standard for the arrive later today and check into your hotel highest quality lead-cut crystal. After Kells is a stunningly illustrated collection of before an included dinner with your the four Gospels of the New Testament. your tour and free time to shop, depart for fellow travelers. Cahir castle. Situated on a rocky island in This evening, join us for an optional B,D— Pembroke Hotel or similar the River Suir, Cahir Castle once featured a Traditional Irish Night, for a hearty three- state-of-the-art defensive design, and is now course meal accompanied by lively tunes one of Ireland’s best-preserved castles. Later Day 6 • Kilkenny from local musicians. Feel free to raise your today, transfer to Cork, where you’ll enjoy an EXCLUSIVE DISCOVERY SERIES EVENT voice and join in the chorus as the merriment included dinner at your hotel. takes you away into the evening. This morning, learn about hurling—an ener- getic and uniquely Irish sport, not unlike B,D— Maldron Hotel South Mall or similar B— Clayton Hotel Cardiff Lane or similar field hockey or lacrosse—when you visit a former player who will show off the skillful Day 8 • Cork • Cobh • Day 4 • Dublin • Guinness Storehouse moves of the game, and watch as a craftsman Home-Hosted Lunch This morning, learn about the history of This morning, enjoy an included tour Ireland’s famous brew during a tour of the of Cobh, a seaside town that served as a For reservations and information 1-800-221-2610 www.gct.com/eid2020 Itinerary continued Day 11 • Killarney • Ring of Kerry • Day 13 • Galway • Optional Optional National Folk Theatre Connemara & Kylemore Abbey tour major emigration point for families leaving performance Join our optional Connemara & Kylemore Ireland during the Great Potato Famine. On this morning’s included tour, you’ll Abbey tour today. You’ll explore the former The city was also the last port of call for two discover the Ring of Kerry, enjoying breath- Mitchell Henry mansion before enjoying famously doomed ships: the RMS Titanic and taking views of Ireland’s majestic mountains lunch onboard The Connemara Lady cruise the RMS Lusitania, the sinking of the latter and rugged coastline. We ride most of the boat while viewing the spectacular scenery being the event that brought America into way, making scenic stops and disembarking of Ireland’s only fjord. Then move on to World War I. in the picturesque village of Sneem for lunch. Clough Na Mara, where you’ll learn about the hardships of life in early Ireland. Or take EXCLUSIVE DISCOVERY SERIES EVENT After, return to Killarney, where the after- the entire day today to explore Galway at This afternoon, learn about contemporary noon is yours to explore on your own.