Tractor Enthusiast’s here it is: The Ultimate Irish Tour discovering the hidden gems of Irish Agriculture, Vintage Tractors and Steam: In addition, we will experience the “Innishannon Steam and Tractor Rally”. This tour is for everyone, but for the Tractor Enthusiast, this is it! Discover the Agriculture, Classic and Vintage Tractors, Steam and nostalgia of yesteryear including the Harry Ferguson homestead, The Titanic Centre Belfast and much more, something for everyone… Tour includes: Airport/Ferry Port transfers at start and end of tour Sightseeing by luxury coach with one of the best Professional driver/guide Welcome Drink and 13 nights in hotels with breakfast 11 dinners (D) And 6 lunches (L) - including the Man o’ War Pub Tour of Belfast, Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Cork Ride on Cavan & Leitrim Steam Train Cruise on the River Shannon Entrance to Flying Boat Museum, Foynes - with a complimentary demonstration of Irish coffee making and tasting Entrance to Titanic Centre, Belfast Entrance to Cobh Queenstown Titanic Exhibition Entrance to Innishannon Steam & Vintage Rally Visits and admissions to: *Harry Ferguson Homestead; *Ardnacrusha Power Station; * Shannonbridge, Bord na Mona plant, The *Cliffs of Moher, Burren, Killarney, Clonmacnoise, Mizen Head, Castletownbere, Waterford, * Guinness Storehouse, *St. Patrick’s Cathedral, *Book of Kells, Trinity College. Visits to the Tractor and Classic Machinery, Private Collections of: - Michael Hoey; Myles O’Reilly; James Gilholey; John McCabe; Donie Maloney; James Doherty; Paddy Kennelly. - Visit to an Irish beef farm in West Cork. Music - Barry Doyle aka Farmer Dan and his Band (on Day 1) - Traditional session in Killens Village Tavern (on Day 6) This entire 2 week tour… only $2995.00 per person sharing Please contact for single supplement price. This tour is land only, does not include flights, travel insurance or tips. All local taxes, hotel service charges and porterage for one suitcase per person. https://facebook/toureropedirect ITINERARY: Friday May 23rd: Overnight flight SATURDAY MAY 24TH Pick ups throughout UK. We then take the Irish Ferries 14.10hrs ferry, Holyhead to Dublin arriving Dublin at 17.30hrs. Transfer you to your hotel where you check in for a two-night stay. You will meet the rest of your group in the bar for a Welcome Drink by your Tour Manager. The rest of evening is at leisure with music in the Bar specifically for your tour by Ireland’s Farmer Dan and his Band. (B,D) SUNDAY MAY 25TH After breakfast, we will visit the huge collection of tractor of Michael Hoey of North County Dublin. His collection includes Ford Triple Doe, Ford County tractors and huge collection of mainly Ford and Fordson tractors. Lunch will be in the Man OWar Bar and Restaurant, North County Dublins most authentic Irish venue, established in 1595. Set in the heart of Irelands agricultural hub, its’ thatched roof, whitewashed walls and superb traditional style bar, lounge & restaurant sets the scene of rural Ireland of yesteryear. After another short drive we visit the Massey Ferguson collection of Myles O’Reilly and also the private collection of John McCabe of Castleblayney before returning to the hotel. (B,L,D) MONDAY MAY 26TH After breakfast we head northwards through the beautiful Mountains of Mourne to visit the homestead of Harry Ferguson, and his farm Growell Farm, Co Down. After the visit and inclusive lunch in the nearby village of Saintfield, we will drive to the city of Belfast for a panoramic city tour and a detailed history of this regenerated city of Belfast. We will see the highlights of East and West Belfast, taking in the imposing City Hall in Donegall Square, Queens University, the Harland and Wolf Shipyard where RMS Titanic was built and launched in 1912, the historic Wall of Peace, the Titanic Quarter and Stormont Parliament Buildings. You will visit the Titanic Belfast is the worlds largest Titanic visitor experience and a must see visit in any tour of Belfast and Northern Ireland. It is located in Titanic Quarter, right beside the historic site of this world famous ships construction. Housed in an iconic 6-floor building, this state-of-the-art visitor experience tells the story of the Titanic, from her conception in Belfast in the early 1900s, through her construction and launch, to her famous maiden voyage and tragic end. We then will return to our hotel were the evening is at leisure. (B,L,D) TUESDAY MAY 27TH This morning after breakfast you check out of hotel and the driver/guide will drive to Dublin city to take you on a journey of discovery into the very heart of what makes Dublin the vibrant city that it has become. You will be given a panoramic tour of the city pointing out the interesting public buildings, lovely parks and rows of Georgian houses with brightly-painted doorways, the regenerated Dublin’s South Bank, across the River Liffey to view the Famine Memorial and drive along O’Connell Street with its’ Spire of Dublin or Monument of Light installed in 2002, and the GPO (General Post Office). A landmark building which served as the headquarters to the leaders of the Easter Rising of 1916, the facade is all that remains of the original building. You will also visit Trinity College to walk through the campus and view the Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript of the gospels dating from the 8th century, in the Old Library. Then you will visit the oldest brewery in Dublin, Guinness Storehouse. Laid out over seven floors surrounding a glass atrium shaped in the form of a pint of Guinness, visitors can see the history of Guinness through various interactive exhibition areas including ingredients, brewing, transport, cooperage, advertising and sponsorship. At the base of the atrium lies a copy of the 9,000 year lease signed by Arthur Guinness on the brewery site. In the Perfect Pint bar, visitors may pour their own pint of Guinness. You will also visit the nearby St. Patrick’s Cathedral. One of Dublins three cathedrals, St. Patricks is the largest church in Ireland and is actually the National Cathedral, which lacks a bishop, the main ingredient that makes a cathedral out of a church. It was here St. Patrick supposedly baptized the first local converts beside a Holy Well. Jonathan Swift of Gulliver fame was dean of and is buried in the cathedral. Afterwards you will head westwards for an overnight stay in Athlone, the heart of the Midlands. (B,D) WEDNESDAY MAY 28TH After breakfast we take a scenic drive northwards to step-back in time to visit the wonderful Cavan and Leitrim Railway which was part of the Northern Line. This narrow gauge railway near the village of Dromod is the result of great work of local enthusiasts who have brought back to life this station and you will enjoy a ride on a narrow gauge steam train. Lunch will be included in the nearby pub with a complimentary pint of the ‘black stuff’. In the afternoon we will visit James Gilholey and his tractor collection of mainly Ferguson TE20 models. Making our way back to your hotel, we pass by some of the rolling hillsides and Shannon waters made famous by one of Ireland’s showband and country music legends, Larry Cunningham in his major hit “Lovely Leitrim”. (B,L,D) THURSDAY MAY 29TH After breakfast we are so lucky to have the pleasure of the company of Mr Sean Molloy, an ex lifetime worker in the Bord na Mona plant in Shannonbridge, in an area known as the Bog of Allen. The bogs 958 square kilometers (370 square miles) stretch into Counties Offaly, Meath, Kildare, Laois, and Westmeath. Peat is mechanically harvested on a large scale by Bórd na Móna, the government-owned peat production industry. The area has miles of narrow gauge industrial railways for transporting turf to processing plants and turf powered power plants. In addition, the cutover portions are used as area for grazing. Sean Molloy will show us all around the area, including the religious site of Clonmacnoise where St. Ciaran met Diarmait Uí Cerbaill who helped him build the first church at the site. A small wooden structure this was to be the first of many small churches to be clustered on the site. Diarmuid, the first man crowned High King of Ireland while a practising Christian. Ciarán died less than one year later of the yellow fever and reportedly buried under the original wooden church, now the site of the 9th century stone oratory, Temple Ciarán. Lunch will be included in the beautiful village of Shannonbridge in Killens Village Tavern, where you will be treated to a session of traditional music while you eat. Afterward the jewel in the crown today, Sean Molloy will escort us into the Bord na Mona workshop where over 100 tractors, diesel locomotives which haul peat through the bogland, wide track tractors which cultivate the peat. A working graveyard of tractors and equipment is spectacular to see, tractors dating back through 40 years here on site all on low pressure tyres or half-tracks – a wonderful visit. Return to hotel for dinner, where later after your meal, you will have an inclusive cruise on the river Shannon. (D,L,B) FRIDAY MAY 30TH Today you check out of your hotel and enjoy an overview tour of the city of Galway before turning east to the area known as the Burren to view the huge boulders of the Poulnabrone Dolmen. With over 259 square kilometres of dramatic limestone karst landscape, the Burren is an area of one of the worlds most stunningly unique natural heritage regions, sometimes aptly referred to as ‘fertile rock’. With its trademark of shattered and smooth pavements, it is seedbed habitats for the amazingly diverse array of plants and wildflowers. Here alpine and arctic plants grow side by side with Mediterranean species. Over 70% of Irelands 900 native plant species are here. This diverse flora supports a wonderful diversity of fauna, and such a rich ecology is the result of a unique combination of geographical, climactic and agricultural factors found in this area. This phenomenon created by the prevailing Gulf Stream, soft rain, relative absence of frost and the carboniferous bedding of the plants. You will then arrive at the majestic Cliffs of Moher, which rise 214m (702 feet) at their highest point above the foaming Atlantic Ocean and stretch for 8 kilometres (5 miles) along the Atlantic coast of County Clare. There will be free time before leaving here for you to have lunch in the Visitors Centre and maybe take a stroll along some of the over 600 metres of pathways and viewing platforms along the cliff edge that allow the visitor to enjoy a spectacular, healthy cliff walk. The amazing views of the Cliffs, the famous Aran Islands, Galway Bay, O’Briens Tower and the thousands of seabirds make the Cliffs a magical place. You may be lucky to hear and see the Cliffs Buskers playing traditional Irish music along the Cliff pathways. You then head via the old strongholds of O’Brien and Fitzgerald castles of the area to an overnight stop in Limerick. Before checking in to your hotel the driver/guide will give you, an overview of the city with King John’s Castle and the Treaty Stone. (B,D) SATURDAY MAY 31ST Another wonderful day is ahead of you today. After breakfast, you will drive to Ireland’s first Hydro Power Station at Ardnacrusha in County Clare. This scheme is operated on a purpose built canal connected to the River Shannon and includes fish ladders so that returning fish, such as salmon, can climb the river safely past the power station. Composed of three vertical-shaft Francis turbine generators (commissioned in 1929) and one vertical-shaft Kaplan turbine generator (commissioned in 1934) the generating plant at Ardnacrusha operates under an average head of 28.5 metres. The scheme originally was designed for six turbines, with four turbines fitted. The 85 MW of generating plant in Ardnacrusha was adequate to meet the electricity demand of the entire country in the early years, now Ireland has to invest in wind-farms to sustain demand. We leave here and drive for lunch (included) in Killaloe situated on the banks of the River Shannon, well known as the birthplace of Brian Boru, the High King of Ireland (1002-1014) while he ruled from Killaloe making it the Capital of Ireland. After lunch we will take a scenic route to Foynes and the Flying Boat Museum. Housed in the original terminal building in Foynes the museum recalls that nostalgic era when the area became the centre of the aviation world from 1937 to 1945. The amazing story is told through a comprehensive range of exhibits and graphic illustrations including in the authentic 1940′s cinema; the Radio and Weather Room, complete with transmitters, receivers, Morse code equipment, and the only full sized replica B314 flying boat. We return to the hotel for dinner and an evening at leisure. (B,L,D) SUNDAY JUNE 1ST After breakfast we check out of the hotel and drive through Adare, home to the Earl of Dunraven, this village is renowned as being one of Ireland’s prettiest with its’ thatched cottages, three Monasteries and Desmond Castle. We will continue our journey through the farmland of the Golden Vale, an area of rolling pastureland sandwiched between the Galtee Mountains in the west and Glen of Aherlow and the Munster Blackwater valley to the south to visit the collection of tractors of James Doherty. They include Allis Chalmers, Fordson, Deutz and what was once Ireland’s largest selling tractors of the 1970s, the Zetor, built in the old Czechoslovakia. After having some time for lunch we visit the Nuffield tractor collection of Donie Moloney of Knocknagosal and it not just the passion, but also that love for these tractors that has allowed him to develop a unique knowledge of the machines from start to finish. A hugely popular tractor in Ireland during the 1950s and 1960s the Nuffield tractor, built by British Motor Corporation in Bathgate in Scotland. Donie has gems in his collection particularly the four-wheel drive Nuffield X Bray conversion. You will leave here in amazement at the wealth of Donie’s expertise of parts and service manual drawings of the entire Nuffield range and drive onwards through the beautiful Tralee, home to the famous international competition, ‘The Rose of Tralee’ festival and onto the ‘mecca of tourism’ in Ireland, Killarney. You will get free time here to explore the vibrant “little” town with its incredibly beautiful surrounding countryside, brim full of history, heritage, activities and excellent hospitality. Your journey continues through west Cork, close the Blarney, the famous ‘Stone of Eloquence’, kiss it and you will never again be lost for words. Check in to your hotel. (D,B) MONDAY JUNE 2ND Cork is the city where the factory of Henry Ford’s Fordson Model N was in full production from 1928 making this the largest tractor factory in the world at this time. Henry had originally wanted to build tractors in Cork due to his need to give something back to his roots, but due to the high cost of raw materials and low availability of skilled labour and political unrest, many of the 31,471 tractors built in Cork stayed in Ireland. After breakfast, we drive to the large village of Innishannon, on the Cork/Bandon highway, the gateway to West Cork, in close proximity of Cork city. It is home of the author Alice Taylor who wrote the bestselling novels and collections of poetry. However, this picturesque village takes centre stage every June Bank Holiday and becomes the hub of every vintage tractor and farm machinery enthusiast, when Ireland’s largest Steam and Vintage Rally takes place in aid of Charity. There are over 1,000 exhibits on 40 acre site - steam engines, tractors, military vehicles, oil engines, fire engines, motor cycles, lorries, vintage farm machinery, fairground organs, trade stands, amusements, pets corner, sheep dog demonstrations, live music, set dancing, rural crafts, book stalls, sheep dog trials, dog show, music on rally field, stationary oil engine challenge and much, much more. Originally created to promote Steam & Vintage and items of heritage it also provides a venue suitable to the enthusiast to show items of yesteryear. The public come in by the thousands to view such rare treasures and the organisers raise funds for a very needy and deserving cause. We spend the whole day at this Event and then head back to our hotel for an evening at leisure. (B,D) TUESDAY JUNE 3RD Today we have a tour of Mizen Head. It is one of the extreme points of the island of Ireland and is a major tourist attraction, noted for its dramatic cliff scenery. One of the main transatlantic shipping routes passes close by to the south, and Mizen Head was, for many seafarers, the first (or last) sight of Europe. The tip of the peninsula is almost an island, cut off by a deep chasm, now spanned by a bridge; this gives access to an old signalling station, a weather station, and a lighthouse. The signalling station, once permanently manned, is now a museum housing displays relating to the sites strategic significance for transatlantic shipping and communications, including the pioneering efforts of Guglielmo Marconi. The 99 steps which formed part of the original access route supplemented by a series of paths and viewing platforms the most Southerly point in Ireland. Contrary to popular belief, Mizen Head is not the most southerly point on the mainland of Ireland - nearby Brow Head holds that title, nevertheless the geography books have for eternity measured Ireland ‘from Malin Head (north) to Mizen Head (south)’. The picturesque villages of Ballydehob, Crookhaven, Goleen, and Schull are located on the peninsula to the east but it is to the main fishing town of the Beara Peninsular, Castletownbere where we stop to eat our lunch (inclusive). On our way back to our hotel, we have a tour of Roy Buttimer’s farm and his commercial beef herd of mainly Limousin-cross cows. He farms in Clonakilty, home to the famous blackpudding, which still uses today the original recipe dating back to the 1800s; white pudding, sausages and yoghurts. Exported worldwide and found on most UK supermarket shelves. (B,L,D) WEDNESDAY JUNE 4TH After checking out of the hotel, your driver/guide will give you a panoramic tour of Cork City. Steeped in history and built on an island, many bridges span it. You will see St. Finn Barr’s Cathedral, University College, City Hall, the monument to Father Theobald Matthew the 19th century Apostle of Temperance on Patrick Street, the Beamish & Crawford Brewery and the famous covered English Market that opened in 1788. Then a short drive to Cobh, the last port of call for Titanic and visit Cobh Queenstown Titanic Exhibition, which relates the emigrants’ story. There will be time for lunch here and after you will continue your journey along the southeast coast to the Viking city of Waterford stopping en-route to visit the private collection of Tractor Restorer and enthusiast Paddy Kennelly. You will stay overnight on the outskirts of Dublin. (B,D) THURSDAY JUNE 5TH After checking out of the hotel, you’ll be transferred to either Dublin Port for ferry crossing to original pick up points, or you will be transferred to Dublin Airport for your return flight. Tour includes: Airport/Ferry Port transfers at start and end of tour Sightseeing by luxury coach Professional driver/guide Welcome Drink 12 nights in hotels as listed below Full breakfast daily (B) (except on day 1) 11 dinners (D) 6 lunches (L) - including the Man o’ War Pub Tour of Belfast, Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Cork Ride on Cavan & Leitrim Steam Train Cruise on the River Shannon Entrance to Flying Boat Museum, Foynes - with a complimentary demonstration of Irish Coffee making and tasting Entrance to Titanic Centre, Belfast Entrance to Cobh Queenstown Titanic Exhibition Entrance to Innishannon Steam & Vintage Rally Music - Barry Doyle aka Farmer Dan and his Band (on Day 1) - Traditional session in Killens Village Tavern (on Day 6) Visits and admissions to: - Harry Ferguson Homestead; Ardnacrusha Power Station; Shannonbridge, Bord na Mona plant - Cliffs of Moher, Burren, Killarney, Clonmacnoise, Mizen Head, Castletownbere, Waterford - Guinness Storehouse, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Book of Kells, Trinity College, Farm visits: - Roy Buttimer – beef farm in West Cork. Visits to the Tractor and Classic Machinery, Private Collections of: - Michael Hoey; Myles O’Reilly; James Gilholey; John McCabe; Donie Maloney; James Doherty; Paddy Kennelly. This entire 2 week tour… only $2995.00 per person sharing Please contact for single supplement price. This tour is land only, does not include flights, travel insurance or tips. All local taxes, hotel service charges and porterage for one suitcase per person. https://facebook/toureropedirect Cheri Carey: u.s. rep./ DM Tours 928-173-3299 or email: chericarey@msn
Posted on: Fri, 29 Nov 2013 18:26:38 +0000
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