Valerie Reilly Tour – Ireland Tour – October 2025

Day Eleven – Tuesday October 21st

07.00hrs  –  Check-out and depart your hotel
10.30hrs  –  Arrive Cairnryan
11.30hrs  –  Depart Cairnryan on Stena Superfast
13.45hrs  –  Arrive Belfast
14.30hrs  –  Arrive the Titanic Centre

Titanic Belfast This a visitor attraction and a monument to Belfast’s maritime heritage on the site of the former Harland & Wolff shipyard in the city’s Titanic Quarter where the RMS Titanic was built.

17.30hrs  –  Check-in to your hotel – Holiday Inn, Belfast City Centre x 2 nights

The 4* Holiday Inn Belfast is centrally located, close to major public transport and road links, Ulster Hall, Grand Opera House and Victoria Square Shopping Centre are all within 10 minutes’ walk of the hotel. With free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and secure discounted overnight parking nearby. The hotel features a Starbucks coffee station, 24-hour room service and a fitness centre. All bedrooms feature a flat-screen TV, a pocket sprung mattress, a safe, a bathroom, and tea and coffee making
facilities. Premium Rooms are also available with the following additional features: Espresso coffee machine, a mini-fridge with complimentary soft drinks, a bathrobe and slippers. The bar and media lounge serve Starbucks coffees and a wide range of drinks, including local beers. Guests can enjoy the comfy seating, games, magazines and TV. They can also work in the E-Bar, which features power points and a wireless printer. The To Go Café offers quick take-away food and drinks 24 hours a day.

Dinner is in your hotel this evening.

Day Twelve – Wednesday October 22nd

10.00hrs  –  We depart our hotel
We start the day with a City Tour of Belfast

Belfast is Northern Ireland’s capital. It was the birthplace of the RMS Titanic, which famously struck an iceberg and sunk in 1912. This legacy is recalled in the renovated dockyards’ Titanic Quarter, which includes the Titanic Belfast, an aluminium-clad museum reminiscent of a ship’s hull, as well as shipbuilder Harland & Wolff’s Drawing Offices and the Titanic Slipways, which now host open-air concerts

From the City we head out to Hillsborough Castle & Gardens

Hillsborough is a late 18th century Irish Big House rather than a castle. It was very common for the rich, predominantly Anglo- Irish upper classes to call their grand country houses ‘castles’, as this reinforced the antiquity of their families. In this case the name refers back to the original ‘fort’, which was the first home of the successful Hill family who gave the town its name. The grand Big House of Hillsborough replaced this earlier fortified home, which we now call The Fort.

We return to the City mid-afternoon and the rest of the day is at leisure
Dinner is under your own arrangement this evening.

Day Thirteen – Thursday October 23rd

09.00hrs Check-out and depart our hotel
10.30hrs Arrive at the Giants Causeway

Welcome to one of the most amazing places on the planet; The Giant’s Causeway. The Giants Causeway comprises around 40,000 thousands of mostly hexagonal basalt columns  escending gently into the sea. Depending on who you believe, the stones were formed either by an underwater volcano’s geological actions or by a giant named Finn McCool, who lived and battled along the north Antrim Coast.

“You are standing on, or are about to visit, one of my favourite places. The jewel in the crown of the fabulous coast of Antrim. A site of World Heritage and therefore ranked alongside Mount Everest and the Giant Redwoods of California for it’s importance to humankind. Volcanic activity helped Finn Mc Cool forge this wonder of the World some 60 Million years ago. It is today the habitat of rare plants and animals. Please treat their home with the pride and the care it deserves.” – David Bellamy

12.30hrs  –  Depart The Causeway
13.00hrs  –  Arrive at the Bushmills, after some free-time for lunch we have a Distillery Tour

Bushmills is home to the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery. Official records stretch back to 1608, when the area was granted its license to distil. Over 400 years later, whiskey is still being made in Bushmills, thanks to experience and craft passed down from generation to generation.

Bushmills is more than just a whiskey. It’s a village, where family, friends and neighbours work side by side at the distillery. As we often say, “without the village there would be no whiskey, and without the whiskey there would be no village”.

16.00hrs  –  Depart Bushmills
17.30hrs  –  Arrive at the Maldron Hotel, Derry x 1 night

The 4-star Maldron Hotel Derry is located within Derry’s historic city walls, offering luxurious accommodation and easy access to the city’s theatres, restaurants and shops. All rooms have free WiFi access, a work desk and seating. Some rooms have views of the River Foyle and the 400-year-old city walls. The Grain & Grill Restaurant serves a variety of seasonal and local dishes. A full Ulster or continental breakfast is available. The Lyric Bar boasts a varied menu with a relaxed atmosphere and complimentary live entertainment at weekends. The fitness suite is free for guests to use. Parking in the underground car park is also free and offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please note parking cannot be guaranteed and is extremely limited.

Dinner is your hotel this evening

Day Fourteen – Friday October 24th

09.00hrs  –  Check-out of our hotel
We start the day with a walking tour of Derry

The walls are at the centre of the historic city of Derry and within them are a number of Derry’s most important landmarks including the Apprentice Boy’s Hall and St. Columb’s Cathedral (the first ever purpose-built Protestant Cathedral).

11.00hrs  –  Depart Derry
13.20hrs  –  Arrive Sligo
Some time at leisure in Sligo to avail of lunch
15.00hrs  –  Depart Sligo
16.10hrs  –  Arrive Foxford Woolen Mills

One of the last working mills in Ireland, Foxford Woolen Mills was founded by an Irish Sister of Charity in 1892 who harnessed the power of the River Moy to help drive prosperity in a region that had been hit hard by the great famine. The Mill had to overcome many challenges over the years, in order to survive.

Today, it is a thriving Mill in the village of Foxford, County Mayo. With the help of a new design team lead by award winning Irish Designer Helen McAlinden, Foxford embrace contemporary homeware alongside their classic weaves.

17.10hrs  –  Depart Foxford
18.00hrs  –  Arrive at the CastleCourt Hotel in Westport x 1 night

The family owned 4-star Castlecourt Hotel is located in the heart of Westport. It offers live music and dancing every night, a 20-metre indoor pool, gym and spa and beautifully decorated rooms. The spacious rooms at The Castlecourt Hotel, Spa & Leisure all feature TVs and free WiFi. Some rooms have 4-poster beds. With an outdoor rock pool hot tub, the luxurious Spa Sula offers a range of massages, body wraps and beauty treatments. There is also a sauna, steam room and a fully equipped gym. The Orchard Restaurant offers a bright and stylish space, whilst the Courtyard Bistro provides light lunches and pastries throughout the day.

Dinner is in your hotel tonight.

No visit to Westport would be complete without a visit to Matt Molloy’s Pub.

MATT MOLLOY’S IS THE BEST KNOWN WESTPORT PUB IN JAPAN, ALASKA, AND PROBABLY TIMBUCTOO. IN THE COURSE OF THEIR INNUMERABLE WORLD TOURS, HE AND THE ILLUSTRIOUS CHIEFTAINS HAVE BROUGHT ITS NAME TO A VAST AND VARIED AUDIENCE, ALONG WITH A TASTE OF THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC THAT FLOWS FROM IT – DARK, DEEP AND UNPASTEURISED, LIKE ITS PINTS……. IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT MATT MOLLOY’S BAR OVERFLOWS ALL YEAR WITH VISITORS – FROM THE BEWITCHED TO THE BAFFLED – FROM ALL FOUR CONTINENTS. THOUSANDS MORE WHO HAVEN’T MADE IT TO THE DOOR, HAVE BOUGHT THE CD, MUSIC FROM MATT MOLLOY’S, PRODUCED BY REAL WORLD RECORDS.

Day Fifteen – Saturday October 25th

We depart Westport at midday. Prior to that, for those who wish the coach will take a run out to Croagh Patrick

Croagh Patrick, a soaring cone-shaped peak that rises above Clew Bay in Co Mayo, is where the Irish have always turned for guidance and reassurance before the harvest. People have been coming for well over 3,000 years, since our Neolithic ancestors first recognised its potency as a sacred site. Later, people come to worship the Celtic sun god, Lugh, and then in 441AD the site was cannily coopted by St Patrick, who reputedly fasted here for 40 days and nights before banishing the snakes from Ireland. Croagh Patrick is the perfect spot to experience a sense of the inclusive, exultant form of early Irish Christianity when it was still infused with the innate love of nature – the Pagan biophilia – of the Irish people.

12.00hrs  –  Depart Westport
13.15hrs  –  Arrive Kylemore Abbey

Nestled in the heart of Connemara, on the Wild Atlantic Way, Kylemore Abbey is a haven of history, beauty and serenity. Home to a Benedictine order of Nuns for the past 100 years, Kylemore Abbey welcomes visitors from all over the world each year to embrace the magic of the magnificent 1,000-acre estate.

15.30hrs  –  Depart Kylemore
17.00hrs  –  Arrive Connaught Hotel Galway x 2 nights

Galway, a harbour city on Ireland’s west coast, sits where the River Corrib meets the Atlantic Ocean. The city’s hub is 18th-century Eyre Square, a popular meeting spot surrounded by shops and traditional pubs that often offer live Irish folk music. Nearby, stoneclad cafes, boutiques and art galleries line the winding lanes of the Latin Quarter, which retains portions of the medieval city walls.

The Connacht Hotel is located close to Lough Atalia, 2.4 km from the city centre. It boasts a leisure centre with a 20 m pool, spacious rooms, free Wi-Fi, and free parking. Rooms at The Connacht are bright and modern in design and feature free internet access, a daily newspaper and an in room safe. They also include a hairdryer, ironing station and tea/coffee-making facilities. Breakfast and dinner is served in Reubens Restaurant, which has a warm and friendly atmosphere. Bar Solo offers a bright and spacious area that is perfect for mid-morning tea and scones, lunch or an evening snack with regular live music. Active Leisure & Fitness offers a sauna, steam room, hot tub and a gym.

Dinner is in your hotel this evening.

Day Sixteen – Sunday October 26th

08.30hrs  –  Depart the hotel
10.00hrs  –  Arrive the Cliffs of Moher

You simply cannot travel to Ireland without paying a visit to Ireland’s top tourist attraction, the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher, situated in County Clare along the wild Atlantic Way. The Cliffs of Moher have majestically faced the Atlantic for over 350 million years and their beauty is incomparable – it is Ireland’s most visited tourist attraction and when you visit you will understand why.

12.00hrs  –  Departing the Cliffs we head over to Caherconnell Stonefort & Sheepdog Demonstration.

Tucked away in a beautiful Burren valley, Caherconnell offers a sublime half day adventure for young and old, all ages will be captivated by a visit to our wonderful place. Caherconnell has been owned and managed by the Davoren family for over 5 generations and has developed organically to become an authentic incomparable Burren adventure. You are certain of an enchanting day with our energetic sheepdogs demonstrating their skill, a fascinating tour of the 5,000- year-old fort and a classic Burren farm experience. Maintaining a long tradition of hospitality to our guests here at Caherconnell the on-site café offers an array of delicious locally sourced food and a peaceful place to sit and enjoy the Burren landscape.

We take the opportunity to visit the nearby Poulnabrone Dolmen

Situated on the high Burren limestone plateau, Poulnabrone Dolmen is one of Ireland’s most iconic archaeological monuments and is the second most visited location in the Burren after the Cliffs of Moher. It is the oldest dated megalithic monument in Ireland.
15.00hrs  –  Depart Poulnabrone
16.20hrs  –  Arrive Galway

Dinner at your own arrangement this evening.

Day Seventeen – Monday October 27 th

09.00hrs  –  Check-out and depart your hotel
10.20hrs  –  Arrive Sean’s Bar Athlone

Sean’s Bar has a detailed and documented history right back to 900AD. During renovations in 1970, the walls of the bar were found to be made of “wattle and wicker” dating back to the ninth century. Old coins which were minted by various landlords for barter with their customers were also found. The walls and the coins are on display in the National Museum. One section remains on display in the pub. Sean’s Bar has been researched thoroughly by the Guinness Book of Records and proudly holds the record for “The Oldest Pub in Ireland” with an official dating of 900AD. Research is ongoing into the title of “The Oldest Pub in the World”; so far, nothing older has been found.

We learn the story of Whiskey Distilling

11.30hrs  –  Depart Athlone
13.15hrs  –  Arrive Dublin.

After some time for lunch we visit the EPIC Museum

Epic Museum was Winner of Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction at the World Travel Awards 2019, 2020 & 2021. You won’t find leprechauns or pots of gold here, but you’ll discover that what it means to be Irish expands far beyond the borders of Ireland through
the stories of Irish emigrants who became scientists, politicians, poets, artists and even outlaws all over the world. Discover Ireland from the outside in and find out why saying “I’m Irish” is one of the biggest conversation starters, no matter where you are.

17.30hrs  –  Check-in to your hotel – Ashling Hotel x 2 nights

Overlooking the River Liffey, The Ashling Hotel is beside Heuston Station in Dublin. This 4-star hotel has beautifully decorated interiors, spacious rooms with free Wi-Fi, and a stylish bar. The Ashling is located just a 5-minute walk from Dublin Zoo and the Guinness Storehouse. A 5-minute journey on the LUAS tram brings you to the lively Temple Bar area. Decorated in warm tones, rooms have comfortable beds with crisp white duvets. Rooms include flat-screen TVs and in-room safes. Chesterfields Brasserie serves cooked breakfasts in the morning, a lunchtime cavery and fine Irish and international cuisine in the evening.

Dinner is in your hotel this evening

Day Eighteen – Tuesday October 28th

Today we have a day at leisure in Dublin and this evening we head up to Taylors Three Rock for an evening of Irish Music and dancing.

18.15hrs  –  Depart hotel
19.00hrs  –  Arrive Taylors Three Rock

Ireland’s most loved pub and entertainment venue Taylors Three Rock involves a rip roaring evening of traditional Irish song and dance accompanied by a great selection of quality Irish food to delight your palate.

22.00hrs  –  Depart Taylors
22.30hrs  –  Arrive at your hote