Depart Home for Dublin, Ireland
Arrive in Dublin, Ireland
Airport Transfer
Check-In, Refresh and Relax
Orientation Walking Tour - The group will become oriented with their neighborhood, the public transportation systems, nearby pharmacies, markets, ATMs, etc. Additionally, an in-depth safety briefing will be provided for what to do in case of an emergency.
Dublin Walking Tour - Trinity College, Book of Kells etc.
Welcome Dinner - The group will be taken for an authentic dinner with a wide variety of menu options to cater all diets.
Breakfast & Day Briefing
1916 Rebellion Walking Tour - The Easter Rising of 1916 was the most dramatic event in the history of Ireland’s struggle for independence from the British Empire. The executions of the leaders after the Rising awakened a generation to the cause of Irish freedom, resulting in the War of Independence, the formation of the Irish Free State and as a result the Irish Civil War. The group will be taken to the relevant sites of these battles in Dublin as the complexities of Irish history are explained in an accessible and concise fashion.
Kilmainham Gaol - A prison museum offering chilling insight into the most profound moments in modern Irish history. On a guided tour of the grounds, you’ll hear about revolutionary icons that killed for Irish independence as well as the hordes of ordinary men, women, and children held for petty crimes. You’ll walk into their cells, see their personal belongings, and read their letters. It sounds somber, but guides expertly blend the tragic with the inspiring, even enticing a laugh now and then. Visits end in an exhibition space detailing the political history of the space and the details of its restoration.
Breakfast & Day Briefing
Train to Belfast (approx. 2 hrs)
Black Taxi 3 hours Political Tour - Belfast’s most in-depth political trip. Learn how The Troubles started in Northern Ireland in 1969 as we walk you through key historical moments and show you all the main flashpoints. Visit Crumlin Road Gaol and see where nine Provisional IRA prisoners famously made a daring jailbreak. See Belfast’s narrow streets, and you’ll visit notorious sectarian interface areas. Find yourself into the heart of Republican and Loyalist areas, where political murals will tell you a turbulent story that’s unique to Belfast.
Free Time & Cultural Immersion
Breakfast & Day Briefing
Permanent Exhibition “The Troubles and Beyond” at Ulster Museum - The Troubles did not take place in a vacuum. Major changes were taking place in society and the economy at the same time. The reality of life is reflected in our personal memories and the photographs and mementoes that underpin our family history. This exhibition brings together the wider social, economic, cultural, and political influences which have shaped Northern Ireland. Objects on display include civil rights posters, prison artwork, LGBT history and Lady Mary Peters’ Olympic gold medal.
Carlingford Lough and South Armagh Tour - On this tour we examine some of the the events that took place and the difference between the conflict in the city of Belfast and the rural areas like South Armagh, known by the media as ‘Bandit Country’, so named because the might of the British Army was prevented from using the roads due to attacks by the IRA. As we travel through the small local villages in the rolling hills of ‘Bandit Country’ it’s hard to fathom that this area was once a time of roadside IEDs, helicopter attacks and kidnapping of security personal.
Breakfast & Day Briefing
Full Day Excursion: The Giant’s Causeway, Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge, Antrim Coast, Carnlough, Carrickfergus Castle, Bushmill’s Distillery, Dunluce Castle- The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986 and a national nature reserve in 1987.
The Carrick-A-Rede rope bridge was first established in 1755 - nearly 265 years ago! In its day there was only one single handrail and the odd wooden slate every few steps. It was highly unsafe and a real thrill seeker may have found the excitement in crossing. The bridge has massively evolved from then to create a safer experience whilst keeping the excitement and thrill of crossing intact. Located along a stretch of the North Antrim Coast, the Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge sits roughly 100 feet over the hollow waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
Breakfast & Day Briefing
Train to Derry (approx. 2 hrs)
Bloody Sunday & Bogside Murals Walking Tour - Begin at the Free Derry Wall and let your local guide take you back in time, through the history of Northern Ireland. Beginning with the partition of Ireland, weave your way through the decades, through the troubles, the peace process and finish with a deeper understanding of the main issues that prevail today.
Explore the famous Bogside Murals - the striking artworks that have become central to the neighborhood's identity. Discover the site of the Bloody Sunday Massacre, the controversial moment when British Soldiers fired into protestors in 1972, and pause at the memorial to the massacre looking over the Derry Walls.
Free Time & Cultural Immersion
Breakfast & Day Briefing
The Siege Museum - This museum features exhibits covering the Siege of Derry & the Apprentice Boys of Derry.
The Museum of Free Derry - The Museum of Free Derry is the people's story of government oppression, the struggle for civil rights, the descent into conflict, Free Derry and Bloody Sunday.
Free Time & Cultural Immersion
Breakfast & Day Briefing
Private Transfer to Dublin (approx. 2.5 hrs)
Rest of the Day Free Day at Leisure
Farewell Dinner and Program Closing
Breakfast & Day Briefing
Airport Transfer
Depart Dublin, Ireland for Home