Please note that the Killary boat cruise does not run during winter months from November to March 2012. Instead of this, Extreme Ireland are delighted to offer a guided tour of Kylemore Abbey, regarded as Ireland's most romantic setting, in exchange.

OVERVIEW

Made particularly famous by a French song, this amazing region will have you dazzled with its beauty from the minute you arrive. This amazing tour leaves from Dublin 7 days a week at 6:50 am and you are back in Dublin by 7:30 at the latest that evening. We choose a circular route so that you do not see the same scenery twice the whole day. This gives you the opportunity to see new things each time you look out the window. It is important for us that you get time off the bus during the day so we try and maximise your off the bus experience as much as possible. You will be travelling the width of Ireland, ok, not the biggest country in the world but it will take roughly 3 hours to get over to the city of Galway. The detailed itinerary is below.

You will see that it is a full day of excitement and fun and you will get the most out of the your time with us seeing wonderful scenery, castles, wild remote rugged regions and of course the famous Connemara, not to mention Galway Bay, the bog of Allen, Athlone, the river Shannon, the quiet man bridge, Leenane, Kylemore Abbey, Killary Fjord, Leenane. Phew, what a day

ITINERARY

Pick up from the tourist office on Suffolk Street at 6:50 am in the morning, outside the old stone Church.
We make our way to Galway city, stopping along the way just outside Athlone, for a coffee.

We then take the very scenic coast road from Galway towards Oughterard, the gateway to Connemara and passing through quaint villages on the way with views unmatched anywhere else in Ireland. Connemara is unique in the fact that it has no official boundaries to let you know that you are in Connemara. You just know you're there! Not far into our journey you will get to stop at the famous bridge that was used in the Quiet Man film with John Wayne. Take a picture with your guide as they all think they are John Wayne!

At roughly 11 am we will stop at Maam Cross where you will see for the first time one of numerous lakes that make Connemara so famous. This are is a gaeltacht region where the locals speak Irish so you may have to learn a few words on your journey if you want a cup of tea! Not all of Connemara is a gaeltacht region but some pockets keep Irish alive as their first language. It is a beautiful language and music to the ears. Someone said once that listening to Irish spoken was the most relaxing thing in the world. I would have to agree. While driving we will have the Maumturk Mountains to our right side before seeing the magnificent Glencoaghan horseshoe part of the twelve Bens mountain range, one of Ireland's famous hiking routes. We will arrive in the lovely village of Recess where we will break for a short while. This is where Alcock and Brown famously landed their plane in a bog after their record breaking non stop flight from North America to Europe. This is also where Marconi based himself during his productive years and before marrying one of the Hennessy brandy girls!

We now make our way through the wonderful Inagh Valley, famous for the phone advertisement of losing reception. This is one of the most beautiful parts of Connemara where we will stop to take in the breath-taking views with some photos. You will also get a closer look at how 'Turf' is cut from the ground which was used as a fuel source for many hundreds of years.

For the highlight of your day, we will take you on a guided tour of Kylemore Abbey, one of the most distinct buildings in Ireland. Entry is included to the abbey, the walled gardens and the gothic church. It was a female only boarding school for years but now is mainly used by nuns for retreat and for tourists to visit. It is nestled at the base of Druchruach Mountain on the northern shore of Lough Pollacappul and is regarded as one of most romantic places in Ireland. Originally built in 1867 as a romantic gift, the abbey is again steeped in history, including tragedy, Royal visits. After we depart from this majestic setting, we will make our way to 'Killary Fjord', Ireland's only fjord. Marvel at all the mussel beds in the fjord as you look at Mweelrea, the highest mountain on the west coast of Ireland. You will not be disappointed with this natural wonder of the world.

We will hop on the bus again for our trip to the little village of Leenane where the enigmatic movie "The Field" was filmed. This story of The Bull McCabe really instils in you how land is in every Irish persons mindset. We will be driving in a circular route that will take in a picture stop of the Sheefry Hills before making our way back to Maum and then onto Galway City.

Spend an hour walking & sightseeing around Galway city before departing back for Dublin. Visit the main shopping district. Walk down to the busy harbour and see the Spanish Arch. Galway is a bohemian and happy city with a very young population. Home to the Claddagh Ring and 14 families, there is amazing history in this city. This was the last place Christopher Columbus visited before making his way over to the West Indies.
Arrive back in Dublin to reminisce about your fun filled day!