Tour Overview

‘Excellent’

Your tour begins in Dublin where we pay a visit to the National Museum of Decorative Arts. Here you can catch a glimpse of how Irish people in the past lived through their clothing and textiles. The next day in Dublin we will have a ‘knitting with wire’ workshop and you will be introduced to Tunisian crochet with one of our expert designers. Leaving Dublin, we will head for Connemara in the West of Ireland. Connemara is characterised by coastal coves and bays, fishing villages and by its vast expanse of mountainous scenery. Before we leave Galway we will enjoy a knitting workshop with Anne O’Maille of Ó'Máilles of Galway. Established in 1938, this shop became famous in the 1950s for outfitting the entire cast of the film The Quiet Man. The next two days of your trip will be spent on Inis Oirr (Inisheer), one of the famous Aran Islands located at the mouth of Galway Bay. You will enjoy knitting and dyeing workshops and learn the traditional methods and stitches the Aran Island way! Your time on the islands will include sightseeing and even a bit of Irish music and dance! The next part of the tour takes place in the south of Ireland where we visit the famous Ring of Kerry with its stunning ocean vistas and we will enjoy a knitting workshop with Carol Feller and Liz Spillane. Return to Dublin via the famous Blarney Castle where legend has it if you kiss the stone you will never be lost for words and have as the Irish say, ‘the gift of the gab’!

Departure Dates

  • 18th September 2023
  • 15th April 2024
  • 16th September 2024

What's included

  • Transfers on arrival and departure by private coach (for arrivals prior to 10.30am on tour start date and departures on tour end date)
  • Sightseeing as per itinerary in a luxury coach with an experienced driver and licensed guide
  • Accommodation in rooms with private facilities for 10 nights
  • Irish breakfast daily
  • 5 hotel table d’hote dinners
  • 4 sit down lunches
  • 1 farewell meal in a Dublin restaurant
  • Entrance to the following attractions: National Museum of Decorative Arts and History, Christ Church Cathedral, Kylemore Abbey, Glen Keen Sheep Farm, The Cliffs of Moher, Blarney Castle
  • Ferry to Inis Oírr, Aran Islands
  • Inis Oírr guided tour
  • Aran Island baking & butter making demonstration
  • Ring of Kerry guided tour
  • Connemara guided tour

Workshops/Knitting Activities Included in This Tour:

  • Knitting with wire workshop with Pauline Gallagher
  • Knitting workshop with Anne O’Maille in Galway
  • Aran Island knitting workshop with Una McDonagh
  • Aran Island spinning & dyeing workshop
  • Knitting class with Carol Feller in Killarney
  • Traditional knitting with Liz Spillane
  • Basket weaving demonstration with Ciaran Hogan
  • Kerry Woollen Mills tour
  • Hedgehog Fibres Studio
  • Important Note: Attractions, Workshops and Demonstrations May Change According to Availability and Scheduling 

Tour highlights

  • Conor Pass
  • Dingle Peninsula
  • Gap of Dunloe
  • Muckross House, Gardens & Traditional Farms
  • Ring of Kerry
  • Blasket Centre
  • Crag Cave & Kingdom Falconry
  • Molly Gallivans Cottage & Farm
  • Skellig Experience
  • Skellig Islands
  • Valentia Island
  • Muckross House, Gardens & Traditional Farms

Overnights for this tour

  • Dublin 2 Nights (Camden Court Hotel (or similar)
  • Galway 3 Nights (Galway Bay Hotel or similar)
  • Inis Oirr, Galway 2 Nights (Quality en-suite B&B on Inis Oírr)
  • Killarney 2 Nights (Lake View)

Accommodation options

  • Optional pre-night packages available should you wish to spend a night or two extra in Dublin before the tour starts. Please see pricing section for details.

Tour itinerary

Day 1 - Arrive Ireland

Arrive Kerry, Shannon or Cork Airport and after collecting your luggage, proceed to the arrivals hall to meet your friendly driver/guide. Transfer to your hotel where, after checking in, visit their bar for a welcome pint of Guinness. Overnight Killarney DBB

Day 2 - Ring of Kerry & Gougan Barra Forest Park

After breakfast, drive to Ladies View, a spectacular stop on the famous Ring of Kerry. Named after Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting who stopped to look at the scenery from this spot during the Queen's visit to Killarney in 1861, the view towards McGillycuddy's Reeks and the Purple Mountain Range, with The Upper Lake and all its fairy islands below, is truely magnificent. Continue on to Moll’s Gap where you will see how the rocks have been rounded as the glacier from Kenmare moved over them giving their dramatic form. Onwards to Guagan Barra Forest Park, stopping en-route for lunch. The park and surrounding countryside boasts a rich diversity of plant, animal and bird life. Ling heather and Moor grasses are abundant on the slopes while rock faces are sometimes covered with Mosses, Lichens and primitive plants. A rare plant called Fox’s Cabbage is to be found on rock faces near to mountain streams. The name Guagán Barra is derived from St Finbarr, who, according to tradition, built his monastery on the lake island in the 6th century. There is an Oratory on the island which is to this day a major site of worship. After returning to the hotel to freshen up, we shall go to Kate Kearney’s Cottage for dinner followed by a show of traditional music & costumed dancers. Overnight Killarney BB

Day 3 - Dingle Peninsula

This morning check out of your hotel and travel around the Dingle Peninsula. Travel through Annascaul, the birthplace of the famous Antarctic explorer, Tom Crean, stopping for a drink at his pub, The South Pole Inn. Onwards to Dingle,a charming harbour town with lots of cafes and places to have lunch. To the far west of the peninsula the high road rises around Slea Head, a dramatic mountain and seascape route that has become one of the most photographed scenes in Ireland. Whilst traveling around, we will see a variety of archaeological monuments, such as the fascinating Gallarus Oratory and the beehive huts. Return via the Conor Pass. The views from the lookout at the top look back towards Dingle or across to the north over Tralee Bay past Mount Brandon, Ireland's second highest mountain at 950m, with its peak shrouded in mist. Return to your hotel for dinner. Overnight Killarney DBB

Day 4 - Depart Ireland

After breakfast, depart for your flight home. Depending on the time of your return flight, there may be some sightseeing included.

BB = Bed & Irish Breakfast DBB = Dinner, Bed & Irish Breakfast

Route map

 

Tour attractions

Tour Prices

  • Non-Knitter Partners & Friend

Do you have a partner or friend that doesn't knit? They are welcome to come along, ask our sales representatives about our non-knitter discount!

10 Night Southern Ireland Knitting Tour with the Aran Islands

Accommodation Type

Notes

Pre Tour Arrangements (Optional/Additional): 

Package A

  • 2 x Pre-Nights at Camden Court (or similar)
  • Arrival Transfer
  • 2 Day Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Ticket
  • Per person sharing one room - €375
  • Supplement if single room is required - €125

Package B

  • 1 x Pre-Night at Camden Court (or similar)
  • Arrival Transfer
  • 1 Day Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Ticket
  • Per person sharing one room - € 233
  • Supplement if single room is required - €68

Prices in other currencies are indicative only. Please note that we charge in Euro.

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