COME EXPERIENCE THE BEAUTY OF IRELAND WITH KATE!

Mayo, Galway, and Clare
July 1 – 10, 2013

HOW DO I GET ON THE TOUR?

To sign up for the tour or to request more info, send an email here.

TOUR INFORMATION:

Our tours are small enough that they feel more like we are showing a group of friends around Ireland. Some of the most important concepts of this tour are:

• Tradition and culture
• History and understanding
• Music and camaraderie
• Breath-taking scenery and appreciation of the color green!

THE TOUR:

This is a 9-day tour of Counties Mayo, Galway, and Clare in the Republic of Ireland. These counties are known for their significant musical traditions, are home of some of the most breathtaking scenery, and have great historical relevance in Ireland.  The tour is guided by staff of Inishfree Tours, Inc. and is hosted by musician Kate Campbell. The maximum number of travelers, including the host, is 24. This small size allows guests to get to know and interact with the other guests, the host, and the Inishfree Tours staff.

Tour dates: July 1 – 10, 2013

Departure from Ireland is in the a.m. on July 10th.

ACCESSIBILITY:

This tour is appropriate for people who are physically fit and also for those who have physical limitations. Some guests like to keep busy and others like to rest and relax on their holiday. Most of the activities are easily accessible to all guests. Opportunities for more strenuous activities can be taken during “free” time built into the tour. Please inquire for additional information.

COST:

The tour costs $2250 (US Dollars) per person based on two people sharing a room. Airfare is not included.
The cost of a single room is $2600, which includes $2250 plus a single supplement of $350.
There are sometimes people looking to share a room for the tour. Please let us know if you would like to consider a roommate.

WHAT IS INCLUDED:

The cost of the tour includes:

• transportation beginning the day of the tour with pick up either from one of the selected B&Bs in Bunratty or from Shannon Airport
• all breakfasts and 3 dinners
• 9 nights’ accommodation in 3+ Star hotels (all with en suite rooms)
• entrance fees to included sights
• live scheduled music cover charges

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:

The tour cost does not include:

• flights to Ireland (guests fly in and out of Shannon Int’l Airport)
• all lunches
• 6 dinners on your own
• ferries and optional activities
• drinks, tips, souvenirs, etc.

TRANSPORTATION:

Your comfort and safety are paramount to Inishfree Tours. Guests travel in a small (30 seat) luxury coach. There are no restroom facilities on board but frequent stops are made for guest comfort. The bus has large windows for good viewing and is small enough to safely travel the small back roads for which Ireland is famous, as well as the major highways. Your driver is a professional and your safety is his foremost concern.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Guests stay in 3+ Star hotels. There are three nights spent in each county, generally having to move your luggage only once every three days. Rooms are all en suite (with private bathroom facilities), and WiFi is usually available in each hotel.

If you are interested in this tour, please read on for more detailed information.

MORE DETAILED INFORMATION

From the above summary, you can see the structure of the tour and get answers to the most important basic questions. This tour is operated by Inishfree Tours in Ireland. They don’t consider the participants as mere “tourists,” instead, you are “guests.” Over the years, many guests have returned several times, sometimes even entire groups have returned to tour together.

If you are interested in going on this tour, please contact us by email. Vicki Belinoski, Kate’s liaison, will be in contact with you and all of the guests on your tour throughout the planning time before your trip. Once it gets closer to the tour date, Vicki will be facilitating introductions between all of the guests so you’ll get to know a little bit about each other before you get to Ireland.

First of all, here are some answers to some of the most basic questions about the tour in a little more detail. Kate’s tour starts on Monday, July 1, 2013 and ends on Wednesday, July 10, 2013. It is highly recommended that you come in a day early to help with the jet lag, and to alleviate any delays if flights are running late. That would mean that you would arrive onJune 30th. In order to arrive on June 30th, you would leave the US on June 29th and arrive the next morning. All flights to Ireland that originate in the US are overnight flights. If you choose to arrive on Day 1 of the tour, July 1st, you will need to leave on June 30th, and choose a flight with an arrival in Shannon no later than 8:30 a.m. since you have to go through customs upon arrival in Shannon. If you arrive a day early, we will help you arrange for accommodation at a specific Bed and Breakfast in the village of Bunratty, not far from the Shannon Airport. Inishfree Tours works with the one of the proprietors who will book you into one of two B&Bs that are next door to each other. The proprietors take extra special care of our guests and while the fee for the B&B is an additional cost not covered by the tour, the costs are in line with other B&Bs in the area. If you stay at the specified B&B, you will be collected there at 9 a.m. on Day 1 of the tour. Most tour participants stay at one of these specified B&Bs and often spend the pre-tour day getting to know each other and touring around the village, which is home to the 2nd most visited castle in Ireland, Bunratty Castle and the wonderful adjoining Bunratty Folk Park. If you act early, you can even secure a seat at the Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet Dinner with lots of singing, harp playing and merriment. If you choose to stay elsewhere, you will need to return to the Shannon Airport to be collected there at 9 a.m. on Day 1 of the tour.

This tour is 9 full days and nights of sightseeing, and incredible Irish music. Day 1 starts with picking you up at 9:00 a.m. at the Shannon Airport or at the B&B in Bunratty. On Day 10, you will be delivered back to the Shannon Airport for your departure. The earliest drop off at the airport is at 8:00 a.m. If you choose an earlier flight, we will assist you in arranging a taxi to take you to the airport. The last night of the tour generally is about a 45-minute drive to the airport, so a taxi ride could be costly. Choosing a departure time of 11:00 a.m. or later is a good idea.

As mentioned before, our tours are small enough that they feel more like we are showing a group of friends around Ireland. You won’t find any written-in-stone itineraries for our routes like the big-bus companies. Of course, we know where we are sleeping and eating, and, of course, where to find the music. And we have several tried and true options lined up at all times. But Ireland moves at its own pace, and if you follow it, wonderful things happen. This style of travel is not for everyone – but for those who are open to the adventure, the rewards are many.

At the end of the tour, some people rent a car and drive around Ireland on their own to do some additional sightseeing. Ireland is a small country, about the size of Indiana, or about 3 times the size of Massachusetts or one-sixth the size of California.

Kate will be heading the tour that goes to three of the most beautiful and historic counties in The Republic of Ireland: Mayo, Galway, and Clare. Keep in mind that the tour is flexible and any itinerary may change a little, depending on weather or local activities or other issues.

Keep checking this website for more specific info about the daily tour itinerary.

This trip is something you will remember for years to come. You will be able to experience Ireland, see things that most tourists never get to see, hear music that you may never get to hear anywhere else. And if that weren’t enough, you get to do it all with the wonderful Kate Campbell. It will be the trip of a lifetime. I hope you will be able to come.

Please let us know what other questions you might have. We are happy to help you prepare for this enchanted journey to Ireland!

To sign up for the tour or to request more info, send me an email.

PRE-TOUR EXCURSION IN DUBLIN 

Because a number of current guests are interested in seeing Dublin, Ireland’s largest city, Kate is offering a pre-tour excursion to Dublin. This is not part of the official Inishfree Tours trip. It is a 3 day add-on to your trip to spend a few days in Dublin with Kate. You arrive in Dublin on the morning of June 27th, spend 3 nights there and leave on June 30th for Bunratty to spend the pre-tour night at a B&B. All charges for this pre-tour excursion are separate from the official tour charges. If you are interested, please ask for additional information. This Dublin excursion is only being offered to people who are signed up for the official tour. The charges are what you will spend in Dublin, including your accommodation, food, tickets, transportation, and any other relevant charges you incur.  Keep checking this website for more info to follow about the pre-tour excursion to Dublin.

All Ireland photos courtesy of Vicki Belinoski