Irish Royalty

Dublin

Welcome to Ireland! Arrive into Dublin Airport and meet your driver. Enjoy a private transfer to your hotel. As your room may not be ready yet, enjoy a private walking tour of Ireland’s capital city. Your guide will give you an introduction to the history of titles from ancient times to the present day.

Afterwards, take the remainder of the day to relax and acclimatize.

Killruddery House

Today, discover the Viking past with Dr Patrick F. Wallace during a private tour. Pat is a former Director Emeritus of the National Museum of Ireland, he has made numerous appearances on television and radio in Ireland and abroad and is an entertaining, well liked and enthusiastic communicator of Ireland’s cultural heritage and patrimony. As a Viking scholar, his contribution has been acknowledged by Queen Margarethe of Denmark, who honoured him by inviting him to become a Knight of the Dannebrog. A short drive outside Dublin to Wicklow Mountains will bring you to Killruddery House – private home of the Brabazon family. The Earl and Countess of Meath will be delighted to be your host and spend the afternoon with you followed by lunch. Lord Meath will take you for a tour of the garden and he will bring to live the history of this living, working house, gardens and farm. Killruddery has been home to sixteen generations of the Brabazon Family. The gardens at Killruddery are of outstanding importance as they are among the very few remaining 17th Century gardens in these islands.

Medieval Kilkenny

Today, tour to the medieval city of Kilkenny. There, stroll the cobble stone streets and visit the iconic Kilkenny Castle. Experience a premium glass blowing lesson. You will design your very own glass piece with the assistance of an expert glass blower. Your finished piece will be shipped to your home address shortly after your visit to Ireland. Evening at leisure.

Curraghmore House

Private visit and morning coffee with Lord and Lady Waterford. Curraghmore House is the historic home of the 9th Marquis of Waterford. His ancestors (the de la Poers) came to Ireland from Normandy. The present day de la Poer Beresfords are country people by tradition. Farming, hunting, breeding horses and an active social calendar continues as it did centuries ago. Weekly game-shooting parties are held every season (Nov through Feb). Polo is still played on the estate in summer. Some 2,500 acres of formal gardens, woodland and grazing fields make this the largest private demesne in Ireland. Next visit the three Jameson sisters for a chat over the lunch at their family home. Kristin, Andrea and Tara, are the ninth-generation direct descendants of John Jameson, whose name is synonymous with Irish whiskey. Later visit Lismore Castle, which is still a private residence of Duke of Devonshire. We will take you on a tour of its art gallery and magnificent gardens. King John originally built Lismore Castle in 1185 and it is owned by Devonshire family since 1753. The gardens are said to be the oldest continually cultivated gardens in Ireland and they offer spectacular views of both Lismore Castle and the surrounding countryside of the Blackwater valley.

Cork & Cobh

Today explore Cork and Cobh. Let our Titanic specialist, the author and The Titanic Trail founder, take you on a private journey through Titanic Experience and follow the story of the ship of dreams that was doomed to a nightmare after casting off from Cobh in 1912. Over a hundred years ago, it was this same harbour that attracted the RMS Titanic, making Cobh its last port of call on its first and only voyage.

Kenmare

Depart Cork for Kenmare today. Ideally positioned for exploring the Ring of Kerry and the Beara Peninsula, Kenmare is a pretty spot with a neat triangle of streets lined with craft shops, galleries, cafes and good-quality restaurants. One of the few planned towns in Ireland, Kenmare was laid out on an X-shaped street plan in the late 18th century by the marquis of Lansdowne as the showpiece of his Kerry estates. It earned its living as a market town and fishing port. Before reaching Kenmare, opt to visit the iconic Blarney Stone and Castle or explore Killarney and Killarney National Park.

The Ring of Kerry

Today tour famous Ring of Kerry. Visit Star Wars film location – UNESCO site – Skellig Michael on private boat. The Ring of Kerry affords visitors the opportunity to revel at Ireland’s immense natural beauty. It is a 179km circuit winds past pristine beaches, medieval ruins, mountains and loughs, with ever-changing views of the island-dotted Atlantic, particularly between Waterville and Caherdaniel in the peninsula’s spectacular southwest.

The Secret Ireland

Helicopter tour over the Cliffs of Moher followed by the amazing Secret Ireland Experience. You will see the parts of Ireland many rarely do. Untouched and undiscovered by commercial tourism, this is hidden Ireland at its best. You will gain exclusive access to a range of unique locations off the beaten track and some extraordinary private homes.

Glin Castle

Today meet Catherine FitzGerald at her home at Glin Castle. She is a member of the FitzGerald dynasty, an Irish royal and aristocratic dynasty that originated in Normandy. Her father, Desmond FitzGerald, 29th Knight of Glin, was the last Knight of Glin. Glin Castle stretches back 800 years of several colourful characters have held the castle, including Edmund, Knight of Glin, whose son was taken hostage and tied to the mouth of a cannon during the famous Siege of Glin; to the much loved 25th “Knight of the Women”, who installed mistresses in each of the Gothic lodges; to “Cracked Jack” the 26th knight, who used to ride his horse up the flying staircase to bed. Enjoy afternoon at leisure.

Birr Castle

Lunch & Private Visit with the Earl and Countess of Rosse in their Castle.

Birr Castle Demesne is open to the public every day of the year and attracts an average of over fifty thousand visitors annually. The castle itself however remains a private residence, still the home of the family which originally built it and has lived there ever since for some fourteen generations. Two hundred years ago, this family, called Parsons, inherited the Earldom of Rosse, and the present head of the family living at Birr Castle is Brendan Parsons, Seventh Earl of Rosse. It would not be feasible for Lord and Lady Rosse to open the doors of the castle to the general public, without rapidly putting an end to its remaining a family home. However, with Adams & Butler arrangements can be made for Lord and Lady Rosse to host you for and a day in the castle including lunch. Behind the castle door, you will find astounding collection of art, furniture, paintings and books. Lord and Lady Rosse take guests on a tour of the libraries, yellow drawing room and great Gothic Music Saloon, pointing out the treasures in each room and their history. In the castle’s magnificent formal gardens and terraces discover Birr’s world-famous engineering and astronomical wonder – the Great Telescope.

Equine Royalty

In the morning tour to Kildare and enjoy a private tour of the Irish National Stud & Japanese Gardens with David Wardell. David is closely connected to the aristocracy of Britain and Ireland – his great-grandfather was the Duke of Westminister. He is married to a member of Ireland’s Three-Day Event team and a hopeful for the Irish Horseriding Olympic Team. The Irish National Stud and Gardens symbolises the beating heart of Ireland’s thoroughbred horse industry. It is the home of equine royalty, immaculately bred stallions who can be seen and admired alongside protective mares, frolicking foals and athletic yearlings. The Irish National Stud’s Japanese Gardens, renowned throughout the world and the finest of their kind in Europe, are far more than simply a treat for the eye. They also provide comfort to the soul, achieving exactly the objective that was set out when the gardens were created. The aim was, through trees, plants, flowers, lawns, rocks and water, to symbolise the ‘Life of Man’. Very much representative of Japanese gardens from the early 20th century, the garden traces the journey of a soul from oblivion to eternity and portrays the human experience of its embodiment as it journeys by paths of its own choice through life. Birth, childhood, marriage, parenthood, old age, death and the afterlife are all brought to mind as the gardens, a seamless mixture of Eastern and Western cultures, are explored.

Departure

Private transfer to Dublin airport this morning, to board your flight directed home.