NewsUpper SchoolFaculty/StaffAlumniPre-K to 8Advancement
Tour Ireland with Sweeney
Aug 24, 2006 10:59 AM
By Tannika King - Faculty
Darlington students, parents, faculty, friends and alumni are invited to kick off the summer with a 10-day tour of Ireland June 2 through 12.
“Going to Ireland with my last group from Darlington was like a trip into the past as many parts of the West of Ireland have changed very little over the centuries but the cities are bustling with excitement and things to do,” said Donald Sweeney, Upper School science teacher. “Two years later, we are still talking about the fun we had. Most participants are going for a second time to immerse themselves in the Irish Way once again and experience some great scenery, food and craic (the term used in Ireland for having plain and simple fun).”
The group will depart Atlanta on Saturday, June 2 and arrive in Shannon early Sunday morning. After picking up the transit vans, they will travel north to view the beautiful Cliffs of Moher in county Clare. Next, they will travel south along the Clare Atlantic Coast, passing through the popular seaside resorts of Lahinch and Kilkee.
“We then take a 20-minute ferry boat ride from Killimer to Tarbert, across the river Shannon, which is the biggest river in the British Isles,” said Sweeney. “We will then be in the county of Kerry, where we will travel to Listowel. This is where all the modern English literature writers and story tellers congregate in the local pubs.”
From Listowel the group will travel to Tralee, where the famous Rose of Tralee festival takes place in August. They will then head to Scott’s Hotel in Killarney for the night.
On Monday, the group will participate in a 32-mile cycle through The Gap of Dunloe and the Black Valley and walk knee-deep across the Laune River. Participants may also get refreshments at Kate Kearney’s Cottage (a thatched cottage). They will be back in Killarney early evening to visit sites such as Ross Castle and Ladies View (named after Queen Victoria) and dine at Molly Darcy’s, located near Torc Waterfall.
Tuesday will include a tour of The Ring of Kerry, which will take the group through the seaside towns of Caherdaniel and Caherciveen.
“We will also visit Kenmare and Sneem for food breaks; these are quaint, peaceful towns nestled in the mountains with fishing as their main source of income,” said Sweeney. “Also during the Ring of Kerry, we will take a boat eight miles off the coast to visit the famous Skellig Rock, where we will climb 365 steep steps to get to the site where an old monastery existed. Gaelic is the spoken language of many natives along the Ring of Kerry. Lots of wildlife exists on this rock, but the main attraction is to spot the Puffins. We will eventually travel to Killorglin, a festival town in August, and finally stop once more in Killarney.”
On Wednesday, the group will climb Carrantuohill, the highest mountain in Ireland. While climbing, they will pass through The Hags Glen, see The Hags Tooth and climb The Devil’s Ladder to reach the top of Carrantuohill, where there are breathtaking views of sea (Kemare and Dingle Bays) and mountains (Purple Mountain and McGillicuddy Reeks). On the way back down, they will travel O’Shea’s Gulley and The Eagle’s Nest, arriving back in Killarney after seven hours trekking. The group will then picnic on top of the mountain, weather permitting.
The group will depart Killarney on Thursday and head for Cork City to stay at Jury’s Inn. This journey will take them along The West Cork Coast, with a stop at Kenmare to see a Ring Fort, over The Healy Pass, and another stop at Bantry Bay.
“In 1796, the French General Hoche tried to land with 200 ships at Bantry Bay to help Ireland in their fight for freedom,” said Sweeney. “Other towns on our way to Cork will be Skibbereen, Bantry and Kinsale, the gourmet capital of Ireland, serving mostly French cuisine at Man Friday’s restaurant.”
The weekend will be spent in the busy city of Cork. Here, participants will visit University College Cork, St Finbarr’s Cathredral and Shandon Steeple to play a tune on The Bells of Shandon.
“The bells can be heard across the city, letting the natives know that the Americans have arrived,” said Sweeney. “We will also visit Cobh, which used to be called Queenstown. This is the site where the Titanic last docked and also where those who perished in the Lusitania sinking are buried. Cobh also has a beautiful cathedral overlooking the harbor where most of the Irish immigrants sailed to the Americas.”
While in Cork, group members will also get to kiss the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle and visit the ruins of Kilcrea Abbey, which Cromwell burned down. Cork also has many shopping centers and movie theaters.
The group will depart Cork on Sunday, heading along the east coast of Ireland toward Dublin. They will pass through the seaside towns of Youghal (where Sir Walter Raleigh lived and famous scientist Lord Boyle was close by) and Dungarven, with scenic views of The Comeragh Mountains. The group will visit Waterford and its infamous Waterford Crystal Factory before heading toward the harbor towns of Wexford and Arklow.
“From Arklow, we go deep into the Wicklow Mountains and visit Glendalough, where Saint Kevin lived in the 5th Century as a hermit. Here stands the tallest Round Tower in Ireland, built during Viking times, and also Saint Kevin’s Well, which supposedly has curing abilities,” said Sweeney. “Hopefully we will have time to visit the close-by Powerscourt House where Parnell, a famous 19th Century Irish politician, lived and refresh in The Japanese Gardens. We spend the night at Jury’s Inn in Dublin.”
In Dublin, there will be options to go to theater (The Abbey, etc.), movies and famous pubs. The group will also visit Dail Eireann, where the Irish Parliament meets, and see Dublin Castle, from where the English ruled Ireland in the past. They will also tour The Guinness Factory and travel the busy sidewalks of O’Connell Street and Grafton Street.
“We must visit Trinity College and see The Book of Kells and also see Christ Church Cathedral, where Strongbow (head of the Normans when they invaded Ireland in 1169) is buried,” said Sweeney. “If possible, we will also shop at the unbelievably large Dundrum Shopping Center. We will have our final dinner Johnny Fox’s, located in the heart of The Dublin Mountains, where we can listen to traditional Irish music.”
On Tuesday, the group will travel to Dublin Airport for the flight to Atlanta.
Cost of the trip is $2,000 per person, which includes airfare, accommodations and bus travel in Ireland. Participants are responsible for their own meals. A deposit of $500 is due by Oct. 31. For more information, please e-mail Sweeney attend an informational meeting Wednesday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Kawamura Science Building (Room K-4).
“Going to Ireland with my last group from Darlington was like a trip into the past as many parts of the West of Ireland have changed very little over the centuries but the cities are bustling with excitement and things to do,” said Donald Sweeney, Upper School science teacher. “Two years later, we are still talking about the fun we had. Most participants are going for a second time to immerse themselves in the Irish Way once again and experience some great scenery, food and craic (the term used in Ireland for having plain and simple fun).”
The group will depart Atlanta on Saturday, June 2 and arrive in Shannon early Sunday morning. After picking up the transit vans, they will travel north to view the beautiful Cliffs of Moher in county Clare. Next, they will travel south along the Clare Atlantic Coast, passing through the popular seaside resorts of Lahinch and Kilkee.
“We then take a 20-minute ferry boat ride from Killimer to Tarbert, across the river Shannon, which is the biggest river in the British Isles,” said Sweeney. “We will then be in the county of Kerry, where we will travel to Listowel. This is where all the modern English literature writers and story tellers congregate in the local pubs.”
From Listowel the group will travel to Tralee, where the famous Rose of Tralee festival takes place in August. They will then head to Scott’s Hotel in Killarney for the night.
On Monday, the group will participate in a 32-mile cycle through The Gap of Dunloe and the Black Valley and walk knee-deep across the Laune River. Participants may also get refreshments at Kate Kearney’s Cottage (a thatched cottage). They will be back in Killarney early evening to visit sites such as Ross Castle and Ladies View (named after Queen Victoria) and dine at Molly Darcy’s, located near Torc Waterfall.
Tuesday will include a tour of The Ring of Kerry, which will take the group through the seaside towns of Caherdaniel and Caherciveen.
“We will also visit Kenmare and Sneem for food breaks; these are quaint, peaceful towns nestled in the mountains with fishing as their main source of income,” said Sweeney. “Also during the Ring of Kerry, we will take a boat eight miles off the coast to visit the famous Skellig Rock, where we will climb 365 steep steps to get to the site where an old monastery existed. Gaelic is the spoken language of many natives along the Ring of Kerry. Lots of wildlife exists on this rock, but the main attraction is to spot the Puffins. We will eventually travel to Killorglin, a festival town in August, and finally stop once more in Killarney.”
On Wednesday, the group will climb Carrantuohill, the highest mountain in Ireland. While climbing, they will pass through The Hags Glen, see The Hags Tooth and climb The Devil’s Ladder to reach the top of Carrantuohill, where there are breathtaking views of sea (Kemare and Dingle Bays) and mountains (Purple Mountain and McGillicuddy Reeks). On the way back down, they will travel O’Shea’s Gulley and The Eagle’s Nest, arriving back in Killarney after seven hours trekking. The group will then picnic on top of the mountain, weather permitting.
The group will depart Killarney on Thursday and head for Cork City to stay at Jury’s Inn. This journey will take them along The West Cork Coast, with a stop at Kenmare to see a Ring Fort, over The Healy Pass, and another stop at Bantry Bay.
“In 1796, the French General Hoche tried to land with 200 ships at Bantry Bay to help Ireland in their fight for freedom,” said Sweeney. “Other towns on our way to Cork will be Skibbereen, Bantry and Kinsale, the gourmet capital of Ireland, serving mostly French cuisine at Man Friday’s restaurant.”
The weekend will be spent in the busy city of Cork. Here, participants will visit University College Cork, St Finbarr’s Cathredral and Shandon Steeple to play a tune on The Bells of Shandon.
“The bells can be heard across the city, letting the natives know that the Americans have arrived,” said Sweeney. “We will also visit Cobh, which used to be called Queenstown. This is the site where the Titanic last docked and also where those who perished in the Lusitania sinking are buried. Cobh also has a beautiful cathedral overlooking the harbor where most of the Irish immigrants sailed to the Americas.”
While in Cork, group members will also get to kiss the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle and visit the ruins of Kilcrea Abbey, which Cromwell burned down. Cork also has many shopping centers and movie theaters.
The group will depart Cork on Sunday, heading along the east coast of Ireland toward Dublin. They will pass through the seaside towns of Youghal (where Sir Walter Raleigh lived and famous scientist Lord Boyle was close by) and Dungarven, with scenic views of The Comeragh Mountains. The group will visit Waterford and its infamous Waterford Crystal Factory before heading toward the harbor towns of Wexford and Arklow.
“From Arklow, we go deep into the Wicklow Mountains and visit Glendalough, where Saint Kevin lived in the 5th Century as a hermit. Here stands the tallest Round Tower in Ireland, built during Viking times, and also Saint Kevin’s Well, which supposedly has curing abilities,” said Sweeney. “Hopefully we will have time to visit the close-by Powerscourt House where Parnell, a famous 19th Century Irish politician, lived and refresh in The Japanese Gardens. We spend the night at Jury’s Inn in Dublin.”
In Dublin, there will be options to go to theater (The Abbey, etc.), movies and famous pubs. The group will also visit Dail Eireann, where the Irish Parliament meets, and see Dublin Castle, from where the English ruled Ireland in the past. They will also tour The Guinness Factory and travel the busy sidewalks of O’Connell Street and Grafton Street.
“We must visit Trinity College and see The Book of Kells and also see Christ Church Cathedral, where Strongbow (head of the Normans when they invaded Ireland in 1169) is buried,” said Sweeney. “If possible, we will also shop at the unbelievably large Dundrum Shopping Center. We will have our final dinner Johnny Fox’s, located in the heart of The Dublin Mountains, where we can listen to traditional Irish music.”
On Tuesday, the group will travel to Dublin Airport for the flight to Atlanta.
Cost of the trip is $2,000 per person, which includes airfare, accommodations and bus travel in Ireland. Participants are responsible for their own meals. A deposit of $500 is due by Oct. 31. For more information, please e-mail Sweeney attend an informational meeting Wednesday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Kawamura Science Building (Room K-4).
