Schedule is done. Even scheduled some very light and free days. Also scheduled some tours that I’ve been on before, but kinda want to go on again – Ring of Kerry, Connemara, Cliffs of Moher.
May 11
Flights from Winnipeg to Toronto, Toronto to Dublin.
May 12
- Arrive Dublin really early. Take advantage of Revival Lounge at aiport, then bus into the city.
- Get the phone set up on the Irish network
- Get toiletries, etc.
- Train to Kilkenny city. First train is 7:25 from Heuston Station, then roughly every two hours ( 1:50 or 1:55) after that.
- Check into Kilkenny Hibernian Hotel.
May 13
- Tynan Walking Tour, 11:15 at the tourist office in city centre
- Ghost Tour, 20:00 at Lanigan’s Bar, Rose Inn Street
May 14
- Taxi to Kells Priory in the morning. Spend some time exploring.
- Taxi from Kells Priory to Jerpoint Abbey.
- There are guided tours of Jerpoint Abbey at 12:00 and 14:00. Catch one of those.
- Taxi back to Kilkenny.
- E-mail in to Killkenny Taxi for a quote on the price for such a trip.
May 15
- Train to Waterford at 9:05
- Jack Burtchell Walking Tour at 11:45 from the Waterford Tourist Office.
- Train back to Kilkenny 14:50 or 18:25, after seeing what other bits of Waterford I want to see after the tour.
May 16
- Train to Killarney. Best bet is the 11:41 train – three changes at Kildare, Portlaoise, and Mallow, but it’s a 4.5 hour trip, rather than 6.
- Check into Larkinley Lodge.
- Look at O’Connor’s Pub for some dinner and music.
May 17
- I’ve got an e-mail message in to Killarney Shuttle Bus about one of their day tours, visiting Ross Castle, Muckross House, the Torc Waterfall, and Ladies View. Want to see if there’s time at Ross Castle to take the boat out to Innisfallen Island. If the day tour doesn’t work, then their shuttle bus service should let me see most of that in a day.
May 18
- Ring of Kerry tour.
May 19
- Free day. Relax, look around, go see anything I missed on the 17th.
May 20
- Train to Galway City. Most direct is 14:30, one change at Portarlington, arrive at Galway 19:06.
- AirBnB – Mairead. Check in.
May 21
- Liam Silke walking tour of Galway City, 11:30 at the tourist office on Foster Street.
- Check out Thomas Dillon’s for a ring from my trip.
- Check out the music in one of these pubs.
May 22
- First day of the three-day Tour of the West: Connemara. 9:45 at the Galway coach station.
- Pick up ticket/boarding pass for tomorrow’s tour at Lally Tours office at 4 Forster Street.
May 23
- Second day of the three-day Tour of the West: Inis Mór. 9:30 in front of Victoria Hotel on Queen Street.
- Trying to book a tour of the island. May have to wait until I get off the ferry to see what’s available.
May 24
- Third day of the three-day Tour of the West: Cliffs of Moher and the Burren. 9:45 at the Galway coach station.
May 25-26
- Hop-on-hop-off bus tour of Galway city. First bus leaves Eyre Square at 10:00.
- Ticket is good for two days, so I can take it easy and see what I want at a leisurely pace.
- Mostly, these are free days, for relaxing and checking out whatever I think I’ve missed.
May 27
- Train to Dublin. Ideally, make the 8:05 train, or else the 11:00 train.
- AirBnB – Daragh. Check in.
- Chester Beatty Library is right nearby
- Some pubs to check out for music.
May 28
- Walk around, see some of Dublin
- Maybe take the DART to Dun Laoghaire if the weather is nice
- Irish House Party at 18:30 at the Landsdowne Hotel
May 29
- Tour of Newgrange, Monasterboice, and Hill of Tara. Be at the Molly Malone statue by 8:10 for the tour.
May 30
- City Sightseeing Hop On Hop Off bus tour
- Includes a guided tour of Glasnevin Cemetery today
- Bus leaves from St. Stephen’s Green, first bus at 9:00 (9:30 for Blue Route)
- Take the Blue Route to get there
May 31
- Day two of the Hop On Hop Off bus tour
- Red Route gets me to Phoenix Park and the Dublin Zoo
June 1
- Tour to Malahide Castle.
- This is a half-day tour in the morning, and there’s a possibility of getting of the bus in Howth to tour that, and catch the afternoon bus or train back to Dublin. We’ll see what the weather is like, and how tired I am.
June 2
- Last day for sightseeing. Maybe check out Howth if I didn’t yesterday and the weather is good.
June 3
Flights from Dublin to Toronto, Toronto to Winnipeg