Dublin: Glendalough, Wicklow, Kilkenny and Sheepdog demonstration

Your tour will start with a tour out of Dublin, beginning right after the coach departs your guide will be there to point out all that there is to see on the way through and out of Dublin City. This journey is one of stark changes in the landscape; from the grey streets of Dublin to the green roads of Wicklow, how the scenery develops as we take this short drive to the next county over is something to be seen. Along the route we will drive right through the heart of Dublin City past Trinity College and Temple bar. Along the Liffey past the Guinness Brewery and up into Kilmainham where the Viking settlers of Dublin buried their dead. This is a journey from Dublin; the Fair City to Wicklow; the Garden of Ireland and it is one to be remembered!

Glendalough also known as The Valley of Two Lakes is one of the most beautiful and isolated valleys in all of Ireland. Buried right in the heart of Wicklow in the middle of the largest area of uplands in all of Ireland is a tranquil place of peace and exploration. Being one of the earliest and most significant Monastic sites in all of Ireland, your guide will bring you on a walking tour of the old city to show you the depth of history to be found there. The ruins of the monastic city are some of the finest preserved examples of their kind in Ireland. From the Round Tower to the wish granting Cross of St Kevin, explore it all at your own pace after the guided tour as you will be given plenty of free time. Perhaps you’ll hear the story of St Kevin and the Blackbird or hear of the Pagan Celts. Memories and moments are found easily here in Glendalough whether in the Monastic City, sitting by the streams and in the trees or around the shores of the lakes themselves.

This stop is not the only part of the tour to take place in the Wicklow Mountains. In truth from Glendalough almost all the way to Kilkenny will be a tour through the mountainous heart of eastern Ireland but here we take a short stop at one of only two roads over the mountains. We stop at the top of Wicklow Gap amidst fields of Rushes mixed with Heather and other wildflowers where domestic sheep roam freely by the winding road. You will find a viewing platform offering a spectacular vista down towards Dublin Bay but even on the odd foggy day you will still find yourself surrounded by the wildness of Wicklow. Around 15 minutes.

The next stop is at an Irish Farm where a very talented Shepherd will demonstrate to you how he works alongside his animals. Ireland is one of the oldest agricultural places in the world having evidence of settled farming going back 5500 years! Come meet someone who is at the forefront of this story, meet their sheep and dogs too!
The shepherd and his well trained team of Sheepdogs will show to you the incredible skill and dedication to their craft! You’ll learn all about the history of Wool and the farming of sheep in Ireland and why it is such an important part of our history. You’ll see a brilliant demonstration of skill and dedication here as well as the depth of compassion to be found on an Irish Farm alongside the facts about some of the difficulties faced by Irish farmers in our modern age.
Demonstration lasts for about 45 minutes

The stop of the day before out return back to Dublin! You will get around 2 hours to explore this beautiful city. Surrounded by beautiful medieval architecture, this is one of the best preserved medieval cities in Ireland. You could spend your time simply wandering the narrow, winding streets as people have for centuries. Walk over stones worn smooth from the footfall of people traveling along them across the centuries as you take in the surroundings. Visit Kilkenny Castle, see how the medieval era came crashing down in explosive fashion with the arrival of Gunpowder. Find the haunted pub and hear the tale of the first ever Witch Trail to take place in Ireland. Perhaps you’d like to try a pint from a brewery older than Guinness and get to know what some call a ‘Real Irish Beer’! From shopping to sightseeing, old book shops and quaint antiques, having a quite coffee after walking the Medieval Mile; you will not have to look far to find what you’re looking for in the city of Kilkenny!

We return to Dublin around 6:00 PM