Our Daily Itinerary in Ireland
Here’s a quick overview of the Inkslingers’ Ireland Itinerary:
Aug. 6th Saturday, Day 1
Participants gather at The Grand Hotel in Malahide, Co. Dublin. (The Grand Hotel is only a 15 minute ride from the airport.) A one-time group transfer to the hotel is available. We hold our first group dinner at The Grand Hotel where we introduce ourselves to each other and enjoy our first short writing exercise.
A NOTE ON OUR ITINERARY:
Every morning we start with an hour of restorative yoga, followed by breakfast in the hotel restaurant, and then a two and a half hour writing workshop.
Each afternoon we provide optional opportunities for sightseeing and travelling. When we are outside Dublin we have our own bus and driver/guide to take us to the sites, restaurants and hotels. Every second day we visit a different part of Ireland.
It is your writing/yoga retreat. Feel free to select the activity, or opportunity to relax that suits you best. Our hotels are all within easy walking distance of local shops and restaurants for those who prefer to stay in for the day or would like to go shopping.
Aug. 7th Sunday, Day 2
Lunch at the The Grand Hotel or in Dublin.
This is an afternoon of leisure to allow participants to rest up, get over jetlag and visit local sites. Dublin is very close by and public transit and taxis are available for day trips.
If you would like to attend Catholic mass at a cathedral in Dublin please let us know.
Our group dinner in the beautiful town of Malahide.
Aug. 8th Monday, Day 3
Today we leave The Grand Hotel around noon for a leisurely drive to the Clarion Hotel in Sligo. We drive through the centre of Ireland via Trim, Kells & Longford. We stop along the way to have lunch, stretch our legs and visit interesting locations.
Our group dinner is at the Clarion Hotel in Sligo.
August 9th Tuesday, Day 4
Lunch today is at the Clarion Hotel followed by a journey through Yeat’s Country. We visit Yeat’s grave in Drumcliffe, a brief stop at the Lissadell House and take a boat cruise on Lough Gill (‘Lake Isle of Innisfree’). We also plan to visit the 5000 year old Carrowkeel Megalithic Tomb and Queen Madb’s Cairn (weather permitting).
Our group dinner at a restaurant or pub nearby.
Aug. 10th Wednesday, Day 5
Today we leave around noon on the beautiful drive from the Clarion Hotel in Sligo through western Ireland to The Old Ground Hotel in Ennis. We stop for lunch along the route. Our plan is to visit Coole Park and Thoor Ballylee and another location later in the afternoon along the way.
Our group dinner at the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis, Co. Clare.
Aug. 11th Thursday, Day 6
Today our guide drives us to one of the most impressive views in Ireland, The Cliffs of Moher, followed by a visit to The Burren. We enjoy lunch in a lovely west coast village and dinner at a restaurant on the way back to the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis.
Aug. 12th Friday, Day 7
Today we drive back to Dublin to finish our stay at The Gresham Hotel in downtown Dublin. Along the way we stop and visit one of the most amazing historical sites in Ireland, The Rock of Cashel.
We conclude the day’s adventure by going in the early evening on the famous Dublin Literary Pub Crawl.
Aug. 13th Saturday, Day 8
Today we visit an assortment of Dublin’s literary sites. We plan to go see The Book of Kells and a selection of other locations. Participants will have two separate concurrent outings to select from, or they may choose a self-directed tour as they please.
Our final dinner together includes a sumptuous dinner followed by our tradition of holding a reading. Participants are encouraged to share a short piece of work that they have written during the retreat during a reading hosted by James Dewar.
Aug. 14th Sunday, Day 9
This morning we will hold a shortened yoga and writing program as the return flights to Canada are all early in the day. At the conclusion of this final writing workshop morning, the retreat officially ends.
For those transferring to the airport we will arrange for a one-time group shuttle.
NOTES:
This itinerary assumes that everything we have planned will fall into place like clockwork. There is the chance that one thing or another might get shifted a bit, or our driver/guide may recommend a panorama or historical location that we just cannot forego. It’s going to be one of those marvelous experiences.
A note on luggage: We will be transferring from hotels and travelling in a bus. Please minimize the amount of luggage that you bring.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE JUST ASK.
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