Ireland - Belfast to Shannon

(19 Reviews)
100% Recommended

Marcie Boyle

Chesterfield, MO
Group Travel & President's Club Trip Specalist

Are you ready to treat your top performers to the vacation of their dreams? Look no further! My background in event planning has equipped me with the tools and experience to craft a seamless, luxurious, and personalized reward program that will bl...

Group and incentive clients always ask about visiting Ireland. It's definitely on many client's bucket list, so imagine how excited I was when I had the opportunity to visit Ireland from Belfast all the way to Shannon.


Landing in Ireland was exactly how I imagined it. A little foggy, rainy, but VERY green. I started my journey in Belfast at the beautiful Merchant Hotel. Belfast is more than just the areas of conflict that we have seen on the news. Belfast was where the Titanic was built and the museum there is amazing. They film Game of Thrones here. There is a vast culinary scene. We took a hands-on cooking class in downtown Belfast and it was a ton of fun (or craic as they call it). Of course, there are the black cab tours that take you through the political unrest area with the hand-painted billboards. I am so thankful I was able to experience this beautiful area.


The next leg of our journey was through the countryside, and we visited the magnificent Slieve Donnard hotel. Right on the water with a golf course and a historic hotel. This was the perfect setting for a destination wedding, a family visit, etc. Off we headed to Newgrange, a new world heritage site. This unexplained area of layers of earth and stone was a spectacular site. Countryside all around it, and no real explanation on why it was there. Lots of stories and speculation. Definitely a must see when visiting the area.


We also stopped outside of Dublin to visit one of the many sites where they film Game of Thrones. This forest with medieval-looking buildings becomes the town of Winterfell in the popular HBO series. Then we stopped at Slaine Castle for a little whiskey tasting and tour. It was interesting to hear how "Bono slept here" and all that he and U2 have done for the area. Bono is absolutely a hometown hero there. Once in Dublin, we checked into the downtown area of Temple Bar. Full of pubs and restaurants, we spent the day exploring Trinity College, Guinness, and downtown Dublin. We took a day trip to Powerscourt and enjoyed homemade scones and clotted cream (one of the most amazing foods on the planet) while overlooking the beautiful gardens.


We traveled to County Clare, then took a beautiful private yacht down the River Shannon where were able to dine with a local fishmonger and his wife who welcomed us into their home. It was absolutely priceless to be able to spend the afternoon over amazing food and wine with this most hospitable couple. The evening took us to the spectacular Adare Manor in Limerick. This castle sits on over 800 acres of beautiful water, golf, and countryside. We had the opportunity to do a little falconry while we were there. When else do you have the chance to have an eagle or a hawk sitting on your arm. We walked into the little town of Limerick to visit a couple of local pubs and then dined on the beautiful grounds of Adare Manor.


Our final day had us traveling into Shannon and flying out of the airport there. Miles of countryside behind us. Green lush landscapes. The friendliest people. The most welcoming pubs. Amazing food and restaurants. If you haven't been to Ireland, it is a perfect location for a family trip or even a honeymoon or anniversary trip. Whether you do it on a tour or on your own, you just need to go.

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