Day 1: Welcome to Dublin! Christ Church Cathedral and Jameson Bow Street Distillery
Transfer from Dublin Airport to your hotel (for arrivals prior to 10:00am on start day of tour). Meet with your guide and group for an introduction to your tour and each other before you set out. First stop is at Christ Church Cathedral for a guided tour of one of Dublin’s oldest operational buildings – over 1000 years old! If you are up to climbing the stairs to the bell tower, you can even ring the bell!
Next take a tour and tasting of the landmark Jameson Bow Street Distillery before returning to your hotel to relax and enjoy a welcome dinner with your new companions.
Overnight in Camden Court Hotel, Dublin - Dinner included.
Day 2: Fair Isle Knitting and Introduction to Tunisian Crochet at The Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens
Depart Dublin and make the short journey to the wonderful Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens. Take part in a Fair Isle workshop with Pauline Gallagher of The Knitting Class. Prior to the explosion in interest in Aran knitting, Fair Isle knitting was already well established in Ireland, especially in Donegal which has had a strong connection with Scotland for many centuries. In this comprehensive workshop where you will explore the origins of Fair Isle knitting and get to work on a two colour project specially created for the workshop. The project includes traditional features such as stranded knitting in the round, yarn management, how to read a chart and an introduction to steeks. Later you will secure, CUT and finish the steek to complete the project. In the latter part of the workshop, have fun exploring colour choices for multi coloured Fair Isle patterns and learn some tips and tricks for making successful choices.
After lunch (included) in your tranquil surroundings, take a guided tour of the National Stud and meet the horses before time to take in the beauty of the Japanese Garden. Whether you knit, crochet or are a total crafting beginner, Tunisian Crochet - with its knit-style techniques and crochet sensibilities - will have you hooked in no time. Join Aoibhe Ni in this beginner's workshop where she'll teach you this wonderful "best of both worlds" craft. Leave Dublin for Galway and check into your hotel for the evening.
Overnight Park House Hotel Galway - Breakfast and Lunch included. (Galway Bay Hotel for July 2024)
Day 3: The Magic of Connemara with The Wool and Sheep Centre, Kylemore Abbey and Glen Keen Sheep Farm
After a hearty breakfast, we travel out to Connemara, one of the most beautiful and un-spoilt landscapes in the west of Ireland. First stop is the Connemara Sheep and Wool Centre. Gain insight into the importance of sheep and wool in Connemara's past. Learn the history of the local woollen industry and see the process of how sheep’s fleece is made into cloth through displays and demonstrations.
Next stop will be a visit to see Kylemore Abbey and its Victorian Walled Garden, surrounded by mountains and lakes, the Abbey is also a renowned place of spirituality and education. Our last visit of the day will be to Glen Keen Farm for a sheep herding demonstration. Enjoy tea, coffee and scones before returning to Galway for a free evening. Take this time to visit the vibrant streets of Galway with its eclectic mix of shops, pubs, restaurants and entertainment venues. Overnight Park House Hotel Galway - Breakfast included. (Galway Bay Hotel for July 2024).
Today we walk a short distance for a knitting workshop with one of Ireland’s best known Aran knitters and designers - Mrs Anne Ó’Máille of Ó’Máilles of Galway. This shop was established in the 1938 but became well known because in 1951, the film ‘The Quiet Man’ was filmed at Ashford Castle and many of the costumes were tailored by the Ó’Máille family.
The shop now stocks Irish tweeds, knitwear and Aran Knits. Soak up the atmosphere of this vibrant city, shop or check out the pubs and restaurants, all which make Galway such a popular destination. Overnight Park House Hotel Galway - Breakfast included. (Galway Bay Hotel for July 2024).
This morning we travel west to catch a ferry to Inis Óírr, the smallest of the Aran Islands located in Galway Bay. Úna MacDonagh, your Aran Island knitting instructor will meet you at Café Úna where you will receive a warm, Irish welcome with tea/coffee and homemade scones. Una will instruct on traditional methods and stitches of the Aran Island such as the Sharry Chain Link Stitch. The Sharry family were an Island family whose connections to the sea are evident in their choice of stitches used in knitting traditional Aran sweaters.
During your time with Una, you will learn about historical Aran clothing, from the traditional Aran Sweater which we all know and love to the lesser known Crios woven belt & the heavy woollen shawls which were once commonplace. In the afternoon, we take a guided tour of the island before checking into your B&B accommodation. You will be collected this evening and taken to a local restaurant for dinner. Overnight Inis Óírr, local quality bed and breakfast, Aran Islands - Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
Day 6: Another day and night on Inis Oírr (Inisheer) and Traditional Music
We begin our day with a baking demonstration of brown bread and scones as well as some homemade butter making. Enjoy tea/coffee with scones – the fruits of the demonstration!
This will be followed by a spinning and dyeing workshop using local plants and lychens in the traditional manner of the Aran. Lunch (included) will be followed by some traditional music. Return to your B&B in time to freshen up for dinner. Overnight Inis Óírr, local quality bed and breakfast, Aran Islands - Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
We depart the Aran Islands after breakfast and take the ferry to Doolin in County Clare. We travel to the Cliffs of Moher to admire one of Ireland’s most visited natural attractions stretching for 5 miles as the crow flies along the Atlantic Coast of County Clare. Spend time at historic Bunratty Castle and Folkpark before continuing our journey to County Kerry.
Arrive in picturesque Killarney in time for dinner at your hotel. Overnight the Lake Hotel Killarney - Breakfast and Dinner included.
Day 8: Knitting with Carol Feller of Stolen Stitches
Begin you day with an optional visit to Kerry Woollen Mills a Ireland's oldest working mill and some free time to explore your lakeside surroundings. This afternoon enjoy a cable knitting workshop hosted with well- known Irish knitter and author of the book ‘Contemporary Irish Knits’, Carol Feller. Carol trained initially as a textile artist and then as a structural engineer. While both of these backgrounds are very different the influences can be seen in her design work which is well-shaped, flattering to wear and enjoyable to knit.
Killarney is located in the National Park, so take some time to visit Killarney House & Gardens, enjoy some shopping and soak up the atmosphere of this picturesque town. Overnight The Lake Hotel, Killarney - Breakfast included.
Day 9: Knitting with Liz Spillane and partial Ring of Kerry Tour
Liz Spillane resides just south of Kenmare in Bonane where she will welcome you to her knitting workshop. Liz’s workshop involves creating your very own colourful and textured yarn for hand knitting. Using locally spun 100% pure new wool yarns together with exiting yarns, in the studio store, she will teach some very simple techniques.
Discover and learn some more traditional Aran knitting stitch structures to add to your repertoire. Then, combine the two and create your own unique accessory. After lunch (included) explore some of the highlights of The Ring of Kerry including Molls Gap and Ladies View. Overnight The Lake Hotel, Killarney - Breakfast and Lunch included.
Day 10: Rock of Cashel, Museum of Style Icons and Sparkling Afternoon Tea at Newbridge SIlver! Return to Dublin
First stop of the day is to the Golden Vale of Tipperary and the iconic Rock of Cashel. A place of historical significance and medieval architecture. Continue to County Kildare and the home to famous Newbridge Silverware. Here you will have a tour and enjoy some retail therapy. Here is housed the stunning Museum of Style Icons with world famous outfits from Princess Diana, Givenchy designed Audrey Hepburn film costumes, Marilyn Monroe and so many more
Finish with an elegant sparkling Afternoon Tea served in the finest Newbridge Vintage Tea Collection with Newbridge cutlery. Return to Dublin for a free evening to relax! Overnight Camden Court Hotel, Dublin, Breakfast and Afternoon Tea included.
After your final Irish breakfast depart the hotel for Dublin airport arriving in time to complete check-in formalities and that last-minute duty free shopping.
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