Travel Ireland & Experience Irish History & Mythology

Landscape & Lore, Music & Myth Tour with Guide Dave Hogan

This extraordinary tour throughout Connemara (northwest of Galway City) has been described as “a sensory extravaganza” by previous enthusiastic travelers. Based in part in charming Clifden city, on the Atlantic coast, travelers enjoy day trips to sites throughout Counties Clare, Galway, and Mayo. This is a spectacularly wild and mostly still untamed region with stone fenced patchwork fields, bogs, mountains, valleys, lakes and streams.

Our tour guide is Dave Hogan, an academic ecologist, and wildlife biologist. He is without question one of Ireland’s most knowledgeable guides with keen interest in the early history of Ireland and mythology. He is fluent in the Irish language and a musician who has contributed to several CD’s.

Dave will guide us through ancient and historical sites seldom seen and introduce us to a variety of landscape features: the bog and burren regions, holy wells, Bronze Age stone circles, and ring forts. Travels include two boat trips to remote islands with ancient monastic sites, leisurely time in the city of Galway, Claddagh Village, Kylemore Abbey and Gardens, Maamturk Mountains, Connemara National Park, 13th Century Cong Abbey, Monk’s Fishing House, Cliffs of Moher, Brigit’s Garden and more!

Each day’s tour begins after a leisurely morning breakfast and ends late-afternoon, giving ample time to discover back roads or walk village streets on your own. The itinerary allows for generous time to rest, reflect, and photograph quiet places of stunning beauty throughout this region.

This tour has also been successfully designed for a University Study or Study/Service Tour.

Landscape & Lore, Music & Myth 2011 Tours | Dave Hogan, Guide

Discounted Airfare and Travel Insurance: Irish Byways recommends Travel Leaders/Suntime Travel, LLC. You may contact them by phone at 715 425 8200 or . Note that departure and arrival dates are not the same when you secure an overnight flight, as you arrive the day after you leave the USA. The travel experts at Travel Leaders/Suntime Travel, LLC will make certain your flights are purchased for the correct dates to match your Ireland tour after you have been notified by Irish Byways that your tour is proceeding.

Join one of our scheduled tours (below) OR schedule your choice of tour dates with your own group of 24-30 travelers. All tours are ten days in-Ireland, beginning on morning of arrival date and not including departure date.

LANDSCAPE, LORE, MUSIC, MYTH 2011 TOUR
Arrive Shannon Airport the morning of Monday, May 9, 2011
Depart Shannon Airport the morning of Thursday, May 19, 2011

JULY 2011 LANDSCAPE, LORE, MUSIC, MYTH TOUR
Depart USA on Saturday, July 9, 2011
Arrive Shannon Airport the morning of Sunday, July 10, 2011
Depart Shannon Airport the morning of Wednesday, July 20, 2011
NOTE: This tour includes Universities of Wisconsin Alumni and Friends (others invited)

OR

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2011 LANDSCAPE, LORE, MUSIC, MYTH TOUR
Depart USA on Sunday, August 28, 2011
Arrive Shannon Airport the morning of Monday, August 29, 2011
Depart Shannon Airport the morning of Thursday, September 8, 2011
NOTE: This tour includes friends and members of the Appleton, Wisconsin’s First Congregational UCC Church
(others invited)

OR

Join an additional September 2011 Landscape & Lore, Music & Myth Tour is in discussion (exact dates to be announced)

The cost of an Irish Byways tour makes possible an uncommon cultural experience into the heart of Ireland. We employ brilliant guides as well as the best of local musicians, authentic storytellers, artists, artisans, historians and authors. Travelers are offered more relaxed “off-the-bus” adventure in contrast to fast-paced and lower priced site-seeing tours. Rather than a different hotel every night we extend our stay at several quality B&Bs set in beautiful Irish landscape with day trips out from these central locations. A review of our itinerary details the vast richness of our tours.

1. “Landscape & Lore, Music & Myth” $2400 plus airfare and travel insurance.
2. “University Study or Study/Service Tours” $2400 plus airfare and travel insurance
3. “Pilgrimage to the Otherworld” $2400 plus airfare and travel insurance.

The Tour Highlights (basic Itinerary) and Description of all that is included in the tour cost is given below.

RESERVE YOUR SPACE ON THE MAY TOUR WITH A $200 DEPOSIT!

VIEW PHOTOS OF PAST TOURS.

Tour Highlights Include:

Galway City (a delight for shopping and eating, with its narrow cobblestone streets, old stone and wooden shop front, quaint pubs and fine dining)

Claddagh Village (home of the Claddagh Ring, a romantic icon in the hearts and songs of Irish-Americans for generations)

Kylemore Abbey and Gardens (currently a Benedictine all-girls boarding school)

Maumturk Mountains, Twleve Bens

Connemara National Park

Cong Village including Cong Abbey (Augustine, dating from early 13th Century) & Monk’s Fishing House

Cliffs of Moher (one of Ireland’s most spectacular natural features)

Castles, abundant throughout the tour, include the famous Ashford Castle in Cong, Bunratty Castle in Shannon and the recently opened 16th Century Aughnanure Castle in Oughterard

Thatched roof cottages

Boat excursion to one of two islands: Inchagoill (9th century church and many ancient remains and carvings) or Inish Bofin (population 200, a haven of tranquility, and breathtaking scenes)

Ancient Monastic Sites

Ancient stone circles in open fields (dating to the Bronze Age)

Holy Wells

Ring Forts

Kilnaboy with ruined church and seldom found sheela-na-gig over doorway

Dolmens (including 5,000-year-old Poulnabrone Dolmen)

Bog and Burren regions

Ample time for private reflection with the land and the sea

Ancient historical and sacred sites seldom seen

Famine ruins

The finest local craft shops

Intimate meetings with Irish musicians, artists, storytellers/historians

Music at local pubs available many evenings beginning about 10 pm

A Music Night with elegant dinner arranged for our group and featuring accomplished local musicians

Evening Banquet in Bunratty Castle

Most early mornings are free for leisurely awakening and preparations for the day. Other area activities not included on the itinerary can be arranged at reasonable cost for travelers. The majority of evenings give ample space for reflection on the day, conversation with friends and new acquaintances, exploration on one’s own, and visits to local pubs.

Tour cost includes:

Pre-trip and in-country contact with experienced tour managers who will be present with you throughout the tour.

Brilliant Guides providing interpretation following itinerary

Professional Bus Transportation which begins on arrival morning at Shannon Airport through departure morning to Shannon Airport.

Boat trip(s) to a significant island(s) off the coast of Ireland

Any and all entrance fees following our Itinerary

Meetings with local artists, musicians, authors, historian/storytellers.

Accommodations at exceptional B&Bs and Guest Houses known for Irish hospitality rather than five star hotels.

Meals covered by tour cost: Traditional Irish Breakfast each morning, one welcoming lunch at Brigit Gardens, three freshly packed lunches, and two festive evening meals.

Guides reserve the right to make changes to our Itinerary in the event of extreme weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances. Arrangements can be made (at additional traveler’s expense) for self-chosen local activities such as horseback riding or for additional self-chosen taxi service.