In Dublin, you’ll lean closer to the Book of Kells, following Celtic knots and mythical beasts through ancient ink and intricate lettering. then head for Killarney, where a chef shares traditional Irish recipes over a farm-to-table feast. Around the Ring of Kerry, green hills tumble towards seaside villages and the Atlantic, its salt air wafting along the peninsula. Then comes Giant’s Causeway. You feel the rough basalt beneath your hand as thousands of dark columns meet the coast, forged by volcanic lava millions of years ago.
Blarney: It is said that those who kiss the Blarney Stone, the famous stone of eloquence, are bestowed with the power to persuade, flatter and coax. Take your turn at giving it a peck knowing that the stone was sourced from 330-million-year-old limestone.
Derry/Londonderry: There's no better way to experience sightseeing than with one of Northern Ireland's best storytellers, Ronan, as he takes you on a tour inside the city walls. See the Gothic Guildhall and the Georgian houses of Shipquay Street.
Kildare: Horse racing is key part of Irish culture; and you'll gain a rare insight into it on your visit to the Irish National Stud. Set in Kildare at the breeding ground of champions and the birthplace of legends, explore the foaling unit, museum and the stallions that continue to make racing history. As the only stud farm in Ireland open to the public, learn the insights of horse-racing at a site whose former visitors include queens and presidents.
Kilkenny: Visit Kilkenny Castle to learn the history of this magnificent castle and that of the powerful Ormonde family that came to call it home for so many centuries. Amble through the Picture Gallery, library, drawing room, nursery and bedrooms decorated in 1830s splendour as well as the rolling parkland formal terraced rose garden, woodlands and man-made lake.
