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Irish Gold

8 Days Dublin Return
Irish Gold
Irish Gold
Irish Gold

Overview

Read 9 reviews and enjoy exclusive savings on CIE Tours 8 Day Irish Gold. Take your time on this Ireland tour, which explores the most acclaimed sights in the south and west, including the mountainous beauty of Connemara.
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US$2,281 per person
Price shown based on twin share
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Trip Length
Trip Length

8 Days

Trip Starts
Trip Starts

Dublin

Trip Ends
Trip Ends

Dublin

Countries Visited
Countries Visited:
Operator
Operator
CIE
Trip Reviews
9 Trip Reviews
Avg. Rating: 4.6/5
Trip Style
Trip Style

Classic Tour

Accommodation
Accommodation

4 Star

Budget
Budget

Premium

Age Range
Age Range

8-99 Years

Max. Group Size
Max. Group Size

44

Guide Style
Guide Style

Fully Guided

Tour Code
Tour Code

GOA26

Itinerary

Your tour departs at 2:00 PM from your hotel in Dún Laoghaire, a charming seaside suburb. Get started with a panoramic tour of Dublin, seeing historic O'Connell Street, Georgian buildings and squares, and St Stephen's Green. Visit the historic Liberties section of the city to explore Pearse Lyons Distillery. Housed inside an old church, Pearse Lyons offers a distinctive experience; you'll hear fascinating stories about the church and the neighborhood as well as sample the whiskey.

Return to your hotel for a welcome drink with your fellow guests, and then enjoy an independent evening of dining and exploring as you wish.

Head to the vibrant, artistic city of Galway. Along the way, enjoy a drink at Sean's Bar in Athlone. The oldest pub in Europe, Sean's Bar has been quenching thirsts since 900 AD. Join a local guide for a walking tour through Galway and discover this thriving city of medieval winding lanes and buzzing street life. Enjoy free time to explore Galway on your own, then join your group for dinner at your hotel. (B/D)

Explore scenic Connemara to admire how constantly changing cloud formations give granite hills, sparkling lakes and peat bogs an added dimension. Take a catamaran cruise of Killary Harbour, a 9-mile fjord (seasonal). Tour Kylemore Abbey, set beside a tranquil lake, and see its elegant rooms, the charming church, and the Victorian Walled Gardens. Return to Galway where the evening is free to explore the city. (B)

Travel south around Galway Bay and through the stark beauty of the Burren, a distinctive limestone landscape. Immerse yourself in farm life as you watch trained sheepdogs herd their flock. Visit the Cliffs of Moher, rising 700 feet above the pounding Atlantic surf. Ferry across the River Shannon estuary to the lovely town of Killarney.

In the evening, visit Kate Kearney's Cottage for dinner and a lively show of traditional music and dance. (B/D)

Take a traditional horse-drawn jaunting car through Killarney National Park to scenic Ross Castle, set on the shores of Lough Leane. See the highlights of Ireland's most popular scenic drive, the Ring of Kerry. The stunning coastal and mountain landscapes will provide plenty of photo opportunities. Visit Moriarty's, a CIE Tours preferred shopping partner, in the Gap of Dunloe. Visit the colorful village of Kenmare and enjoy free time to explore its charming craft shops, art galleries and cafes. Return to Killarney where your evening is free to explore as you wish. (B)

Drive through the mountains into rich farming country on the way to Blarney Castle. Kiss the famous “Stone of Eloquence” or explore the tranquil gardens. Travel along the coast to the Marine Bar in Dungarvan, a CIE Tours exclusive venue, for some traditional music. Continue to Waterford, the oldest city in Ireland, where you'll join a local guide for a walking tour through the narrow streets to discover its fascinating past. Spend free time before dinner at your hotel. (B/D)

Visit the House of Waterford Crystal, a CIE Tours preferred shopping partner, to watch skilled artisans create sparkling masterpieces on a guided factory tour. In Kilkenny, you'll have free time to explore the medieval city center and tour the beautifully restored Kilkenny Castle. Here you will see glorious 17th-century tapestries, family portraits, and sumptuous furnishings reflecting the lifestyle of the Butler family who once resided there. Travel on to Dublin, where you'll dine with a glass of wine at The Morehampton. (B/D)

Your tour ends after breakfast. (B)

Trip Inclusions

  • Marine Bar in Dungarvan – CIE Tours Exclusive: Enjoy a drink with some traditional music in this centuries-old, family-run pub.
  • Sean's Bar in Athlone: Raise a glass in the oldest bar in Europe. Sean's Bar has been serving thirsty customers since 900 AD.
  • Kylemore Abbey & Gardens: Visit the beautiful home of Benedictine nuns, who have lived on the estate since they fled Belgium during WWI.
  • Ring of Kerry Highlights: See the highlights of Ireland's most famous scenic drive, with views of rocky shores, emerald green fields and ancient ruins dotting the landscape.
  • Jaunting Car Ride: Take a scenic old-fashioned horse-drawn carriage ride through Killarney National Park.
  • Blarney Castle: Kiss the famous Blarney Stone and get the gift of gab at this historic castle.
  • Cliffs of Moher: Visit the Cliffs of Moher, a spectacular wall of sandstone soaring 700 feet above the pounding Atlantic surf below.

  • 7 Breakfasts (B) and 4 Dinners (D)

  • Royal Marine Hotel (4 Stars)
  • The Galmont Hotel & Spa (4 Stars)
  • Great Southern Killarney Hotel (4 Stars)
  • Granville Hotel (4 Stars)
  • Clayton Hotel Burlington Road (4 Stars)

  • Airport transfers at your arrival and departure destination are not included in the price of the tour.
  • Itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
  • Price is for land, cruise and specified internal flights. International flights not included.

Operator

CIE Tours
 (224) Reviews
Total No. of Tours73
When you travel with CIE Tours, you will get the warmest of welcomes and all the benefits of our 87 years of experience. The itineraries are locally crafted - we set our own high standards for delivering excellent holidays with state-of-the-art luxury coaches; the best hotels; carefully chosen authentic experiences and more entertainment.

Our outstanding local tour directors are ready to share their knowledge, stories, passion for their home places - they are our greatest assets. Many of our tours spend 2 nights in each location, and our flexible itineraries include a great balance of escorted and free time. We include full breakfasts, most dinners and some evening entertainment. No one has to worry about paying for optional extras on the trip. It’s all included, no hidden extras.

We know how much these trips mean to you and we want to ensure that this is a trip you will treasure forever.
No Hidden Extras!
No Hidden Extras!

Each of our vacations are stress-free, with no surprise hidden fees, and plenty of fun for all ages. Read more

Our Tour Directors
Our Tour Directors

CIE Tours could not exist without our great locally employed tour directors - they are the envy of the travel industry. Read more

Where do we Stay?
Where do we Stay?

CIE Tours uses three classes of hotels – first class, superior first class & deluxe properties. Read more

Trip Reviews (9)

CIE Tours Reviews
Reviews 9 Reviews
Average Rating 4.6 out of 5
5 Star
56%
4 Star
44%
3 Star
2 Star
1 Star
Our guide was phenomenal 1 , Australia, Sep 2019
This is the first review we have written about a tour guide in several years, and we are a well-travelled couple fast approaching our 80s who have paid lots of excellent visits to numerous places on most continents. Our affordable eight day and first-ever bus tour in Ireland was especially pleasurable because our hotels were excellent, but, most important, read more because the tour guide Marlene Sullivan was so phenomenal and unforgettable inspiring words such as articulate, in love with her home country and what she was showing us (even if she was conscious of some of its inevitable flaws), imaginative, funny, candid, historically well-prepared, friendly - the entire tour package. Marlene deserves the highest marks possible, and, if we go back to Ireland, we will try to sign her up for a few days, except that we have probably reached a point, sadly, where rising every morning around 6am may be more than we want to handle.
Superb tour 1 , Australia, Aug 2019
We have finished our Irish Gold tour and it was superb. Great hotels and very full days seeing the areas we were in and hearing about the history of Ireland. Tommy our guide looked after us well, ensuring we were all happy, and our driver, Sean, was excellent. Well done. The best of two bus tours we have done.
A wonderful week in Ireland 1 , Australia, Jun 2018
We just finished our 8 day tour of Ireland and we had such a great time. John was our driver and we felt very safe with him. Sabina was our tour guide. Sabina is very knowledgeable and organised, and she knows how to keep everyone feeling happy whether it was raining or sunny. The hotels were really great and food was excellent. Lots of sheep and beautiful read more green hills. The Irish people are ready to party and love to tell their jokes!! Thanks for a wonderful week.
Fantastic tour director 1 , Australia, Apr 2018
I want to praise our driver/tour director Sean Flood. He was absolutely fantastic!!! This is the first tour of this kind that I have taken and will definitely take another if all of CIEÆs drivers are of his calibre. His humour, depth of knowledge, warmth and caring attitude were fantastic. He made sure we knew all the areas we travelled through and read more gave us more than enough information, fun anecdotes and interesting tidbits about Ireland and its people. I feel so blessed to have met him and would gladly take another tour with him. His humour was so much fun and I enjoyed all of his stories. I will forever have fond memories of this trip. I was stationed in England and went to Scotland and Wales and always wanted to visit Ireland. This was the perfect way to do it, mostly because of Sean.
We had a fantastic time 1 , Australia, Apr 2018
Just returned from the CIE Irish Gold Coach Tour. It was superb, beyond all our expectations. We enjoyed all the places we visited, and the hotels as well as the meals were very nice. It was a truly memorable trip and all the more so thanks to the amazingly kind, witty, efficient and learned tour director, Sabina Murphy. The driver, Collin, was also read more amazing. He looks like James Bond (Daniel Craig) but drives like an angel--very very smooth indeed. My daughter and I get motion sickness easily so we feared the worst (going through those narrow, winding roads), but it was not long before we realised that we were in safe hands. So we had a fantastic time. We were able to enjoy the scenery while being briefed about many fascinating aspects of Irish history, politics and culture. Highly recommended to anyone who wishes to discover and enjoy Ireland in a relatively short period of time.
Oustanding Tour Director 1 , Australia, Oct 2017
We just returned from the ôIrish Goldö trip that started on October 4, 2017. We want to take a few moments of your time to tell you what an outstanding tour director we had in Marlene Sullivan! She was amazing! Her success was based first, on her warm personality, secondly, her depth of knowledge, and finally, on her desire that all of us have a great read more trip. Well, we did have a great trip! Marlene is a great ambassador for CIE Tours!
A real insight into the true Ireland 1 , Australia, Mar 2017
A terrific tour that gave a real insight of the true Ireland. Having lived through the 'troubles' in England in the 70s it was very enlightening to hear the other side of the story. Our hotels were of a good standard with very helpful staff and our luggage was always where it should be. On our trip we were extremely lucky to have Frank as our driver/guide read more who was a wealth of knowledge and an extremely good driver plus he had a lovely dry wit. He was the icing on the cake for our trip.
Beyond expectations 1 , South Africa, Aug 2016
A brochure can only give you so much, but the trip itself went above and beyond expectations! I was the only South African placed with this group and also the youngest amongst the hipper older generation. But I loved every minute of it. I became the 'Tech Expert' with all their fancy cameras and cell phones. But despite that I have made incredible friends read more for life and all because of eight days in Ireland. There was never a dull moment, always crazy moments!
Wonderful trip 1 , Australia, Mar 2015
My wife and I have just returned home from a very memorable tour CIE tour of Ireland. We had a wonderful trip largely due to the outstanding tour guide Liam Murray and the superb driver Sean Flood - a real credit to CIE and the Irish Tourist Board. We saw lovely towns, cities and sights in Dublin, Galway, Killarney and Waterford and even the weather read more was kind to us despite being the first tour of the CIE 2015 season. All the very best and we hope to return to Ireland one day, meanwhile rest assured we will tell our family and friends both in England and Spain that the tour was excellent. Highly recommended.
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Sunday 01 Mar 2026 01 Mar 26 Dublin
Sunday 08 Mar 2026 08 Mar 26 Dublin
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US$2,795
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Sunday 15 Mar 2026 15 Mar 26 Dublin
Sunday 22 Mar 2026 22 Mar 26 Dublin
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Sunday 22 Mar 2026 22 Mar 26 Dublin
Sunday 29 Mar 2026 29 Mar 26 Dublin
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US$2,683
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Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Sunday 29 Mar 2026 29 Mar 26 Dublin
Sunday 05 Apr 2026 05 Apr 26 Dublin
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Exclusive Savings
Was: $2,795
US$2,683
Save $112
Twin Share (Per Personpp)
Note
A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you Inquire. Additional savings may apply. T&C’s apply.
Note
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by CIE Tours. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from the cruise-line and should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.

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