Pre-Tour
My husband, Henry, and I (Dot) had traveled to Europe, both individually and together, many times, but never with a tour. I have always studied our destinations and created various itineraries, and alternate itineraries, before leaving home.
We have a wide variety of interests, including art, architecture, history, literature, music, photography, theatre and travel. I had also spent several years doing genealogical research on my Irish ancestors. We had considered an Ireland trip for about ten years and 2024 finally seemed like the right time.
We did not relish the idea of driving in Ireland and began to review various tour groups. The Rick Steves Heart of Ireland in 7 Days tour seemed to fit the bill. The itinerary was the most interesting one that we had seen, and the small group size certainly appealed to us. We signed up for the tour!
We determined the activities we wanted to do before and after the tour started, booked our flights, reserved our additional nights at the hotels and purchased our travel insurance policy. We were ready!
Arrival in Ireland​
We arrived at Shannon Airport mid-day Saturday (one day before the start of our tour) and took a taxi to our luxury accommodations, the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis. After lunch at the Poets’ Corner Bar, we explored the town.​​
Ennis Friary
This Franciscan Friary located in Ennis, County Clare, was established in the middle of the 13th century. It fell into ruin in the late 19th century and has since been managed by the Office of Public Works as a National Monument of Ireland. It is definitely worth a visit.
Ennis Cathedral
Ennis Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul is located just across the street for the Old Ground Hotel. The unfinished church was dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul in 1843. Construction stopped during the famine, delaying the completion of the tower and the spire until 1874. The building features lovely stained glass.
After an evening stroll, we returned to the hotel, where we had a great dinner while listening to live music. Tomorrow our tour would begin!