Exposed Northern Ireland / Aran Islands 2024
Aug 30 - Sept 09 2022
A photography and cultural experience that will leave you wanting more. Guided by Con O’Leary to some of the most beautiful locations in Ireland and under the watchful eye of a photography mentor, you will capture the true essence of Northern Ireland the West Coast, Connemara and the Aran Islands and take it home with you…..
- Guinness Storehouse, visit the home of the famous Black stuff
- Titanic Museum Experience
- Dunluce Castle visit
- Giants Causeway visit
- Carrick a Rede Rope Bridge
- The City of Derry.
- Sliabh Liag Cliffs visit 2000 foot high Atlantic cliffs.
- Kylemore Abbey visit.
- Visit to the Connemara Marble factory outlet.
- The Aran Islands.
- Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey Distillery.
- The Merry Ploughboy. Gala Dinner and evening of Irish Dance music and song.
€3863 per person, double occupancy
€799 single occupancy supplement.
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Please be aware that from May 28 2021 it is the sole responsibility of each traveller to Ireland from the United States to ensure that they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and its variant viruses and in this regard must present a valid US Vaccination Card on arrival in order to gain entry to Ireland.
DAY 1
Arrival in to Dublin city airport where you will be met by your Photography mentor and your tour guide / coach driver Con O’Leary . We will immediately check in to your hotel to allow time to unpack and freshen up. Beginning our adventure with a guided panoramic city tour, along the way we visit one of Dublin’s most charming pubs, Nancy Hands where we can relax with a complimentary welcome drink and get to know each other and of course enjoy an Irish pub lunch Following lunch, we will return to our hotel for the evening.Our hotel is centrally located directly across the River Liffey from the famous Guinness brewery and right outside the hotel main door you can hop on a tram if you dont Later this evening at 6:30pm we will enjoy our first group dinner hosted by your photography mentor and Con in the hotel restaurant.
Overnight Ashling Hotel Dublin.
LDBB
Day 2
Today following a hearty Irish breakfast we set off on our luxury motor coach from where we will enjoy a detailed panoramic tour of Dublin city viewing iconic sights such as the historic and beautiful Georgian squares and houses, visit Trinity College which was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth and is Ireland’s oldest University. View the Book of Kells which contains the four Gospels of the Christian scriptures which was created around the year 800AD and researchers believe that it was originally produced in a monastery on the island of Iona off the coast of Scotland.
This afternoon we will visit the home of Guinness the Guinness Storehouse to experience the history, heart, and soul of Ireland’s most iconic beer. Explore the story of Guinness before taking in the views of Dublin from the Gravity Bar while enjoying your perfectly poured, perfectly chilled pint of Guinness.
Overnight Ashling Hotel Dublin.
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Day 3
This morning following a hearty Irish breakfast we say farewell to dear old Dublin for a while and drive to Belfast City and begin a tour of the major city sights such as Belfast City Hall, Queens University and of course the Falls Road and the controversial political murals including a visit to the world-famous Titanic Experience.
We will explore the shipyard, walk the decks, travel to the depths of the ocean and uncover the true legend of Titanic in the city where it all began.
There are very many photography opportunities to be found whilst exploring Belfast on foot.
Overnight Jurys Hotel Belfast City centre.
DBB
DAY 4
This morning following breakfast we say goodbye to Belfast and begin our tour of the North East Co Antrim coastline the stunningly beautiful Causeway route. Out tour today will afford us many opportunities for Photography along the way. We will pass through tiny historic coastal towns and villages such as Carrigfergus, Carnlough, Cushendall, Ballycastle and Bushmills. We will soon arrive at Glenariff Forest park which is our main photography location for today where we will explore and photograph the nearby series of waterfalls with your photography mentor who will be on hand to give instruction and tips on how to best photograph the waterfalls.Following lunch we continue with our tour arriving in to Derry City in time to check in and freshen up for the evening.
Dinner will be served in the hotel this evening.
City Hotel Derry
LDBB
Day 5
This morning following breakfast we have a full day of adventure and stunning photography locations ahead of us as we are visiting the iconic Giants Causeway, the Carrick-a Rede rope bridge and Dunluce Castle on the Causeway coast. Next on our planned visits will be the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge situated in one of the most picturesque parts of the Co Antrim coastline, and also a major filming location for the “Game of Thrones” HBO series.As soon as we depart Carrick-a-Rede we continue our tour along the coastal road until we arrive at the magnificent cliff edge ruins of Dunluce Castle which we will visit and photograph. Dunluce Castle is a now-ruined medieval castle, the seat of Clan McDonnell. It is located on the edge of a basalt outcropping in County Antrim (between Portballintrae and Portrush), and is accessible via a bridge connecting it to the mainland.
Following our visit we will return to Derry where there will be time to explore the extensive mediaval city walls before dinner in your hotel.
Overnight Derry City Hotel
DBB
Day 6
Today we say farewell to Derry City and tour through the mountains to Donegal town via a lesser travelled route by the mountains and through Glenveigh National Park, stopping along the way for photography with Ricky. We plan on arriving in the tiny village of Teelin which is the last stop on the way to the Sliabh Liag cliffs, this is also where we will enjoy lunch at the local restaurant and visitor centre.Following lunch, we will transfer to two smaller buses to take the challenging winding road to the viewing point of the Sliabh Liag cliffs, which is situated on a mountain on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal, Ireland. Although less famous than the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, Sliabh League’s cliffs reach almost three times higher. Following our visit to the Sliabh Liag cliffs we make our way to Donegal Town where we will overnight for the evening in the Mill Park Hotel where we will also enjoy a group dinner.
Overnight Millpark Hotel, Donegal town.
LDBB
Day 7
Today we change direction and head southwards towards Galway City. We make a photography and archaeology visit in Cliffony, Co. Sligo to visit Creevykeel Court Tomb. This monument is situated at the foothills of Tievebaun Mountain, near the sea at Mullaghmore, and is one of the finest examples in Ireland of what is known as a full-court tomb. Dating from the Neolithic period (c. 4000 – 2500 BC) it consists of a wedge-shaped cairn about 50m long, incorporating at its eastern end an oval-shaped court. Galway is one of the brightest and most intriguing jewels of the West of Ireland. The city is wild and bohemian, and at the same time full of culture, artistry, exceptional food and music. As well as being a popular seaside destination with long sandy beaches, Galway is also a thriving and cosmopolitan city centre. Following dinner in the hotel, you are free to explore the city and the many music pubs and enjoy the colourful artistic buskers playing along the city lanes.
Overnight Jurys Hotel Galway city centre.
LDBB
Day 8
Following breakfast, we make an early departure as we have a ferry to the Aran Islands, today visiting the largest of the series of three islands, Inis Mor. The Aran Islands are three rocky isles guarding the mouth of Galway Bay, in western Ireland. They are known for their ancient sites and unique way of life. The largest island that we will be spending our day on, Inish mor is home to the prehistoric fort of Dún Aonghasa. The 1,200 inhabitants primarily speak Irish. All islanders are also fluent or proficient in English. Your Photography mentor will of course be with you to give photography instruction and advice and of course, Con will have the opportunity to give an overview of the history and life on the islands. This is one of Con’s favourite tours, and as a native Gaelic Irish speaker he enjoys conversing with the locals in his native tongue.
This evening you are free to explore the city on your own and have dinner in one of the many pubs or restaurants.
Overnight Jurys Hotel Galway city centre.
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Day 9
Following breakfast, we depart Galway City for the magnificent Connemara region, an area of outstanding natural beauty where the colours of the landscape are continually changing before your eyes. Arriving in Kylemore Abbey Visitor Centre at 12:00 noon, we will visit for three hours with a departure time of 15:00, en route to Galway taking in a demonstration and some shopping at Connemara Celtic Crystal, one of Ireland’s last surviving crystal factories. We plan on arriving back at our hotel 17:30.
Following morning, early morning call at 07:00am, Breakfast at 08:00, Depart Hotel at 09:00.
Overnight Jurys Hotel Galway city centre.
BB
Day 10
This morning we bid a farewell to Galway until another time, departing for Dublin city, along the way we will pay a visit the quaint original Kilbeggan Whiskey Distillery. As the oldest licensed distillery of its kind in Ireland, the Kilbeggan Distilling Company has seen its share of trials and triumphs. Founded in 1757, the distillery spent the next 200 years making a whiskey beloved the world over. . Following a Guided tour of the distillery there will be the opportunity to have a light lunch in the adjacent café before we make our way to Dublin city. We hope to arrive at our Dublin city hotel early afternoon which will give you time for a final exploration and some shopping. This evening we will be having our gala dinner and an evening of Irish dancing music and singing at the Merry Ploughboy pub This event usually ends at 11:30 pm and we should be back at our hotel for 11:30. Next morning we are all up super early to grab a coffee and croissant and transfer to the airport for flights back to the US.
Overnight Ashling Hotel Dublin
DBB
Day 11
Day 11
This morning we rise super early and transfer from our hotel to Dublin Airport to board your flights back home, farewell to Ricky and your driver/guide Con and new found friends.
May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
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Your Guide
Con O’Leary is an approved Irish National Tour Guide and a Failte Ireland / Coach Tourism and Transport Council Tour Driver Guide, holding all driving license categories including large Touring Coach and Chauffeur Driver / Guide SPSV, combined with itinerary development and management skills, has many years of experience driving large touring coaches throughout Ireland and the British Isles. His experience of leading Cultural and Adventure Tours throughout the Island of Ireland is well documented.
Con has lived and worked in many overseas locations and has spent time living and working in San Francisco, England, the Netherlands and has travelled extensively in India, Thailand, and North Africa.
Cons love of Ireland and subsequent interest in the archaeology and ancient history of the country stems from an interest that was instilled by his father, also named Con at a very early age. An idyllic childhood rambling the hills and mountains of Co Kerry in The South West of Ireland as a young boy, with his best friend his Dad, nurtured a passionate love of Ireland and her history.
When not leading tour groups throughout Ireland and The British Isles, Con and his wife Samantha together with their three boys love to walk on the Wild Atlantic beaches and mountains where they live in the coastal village of Ballyheigue, County Kerry, South West Ireland.
