Meet and Greet at Nancy Blake's on Wednesday 13th August at 8:00 pm
-
___________________________
Conference Dinner at the Strand Hotel Limerick on Thursday 14th August at 7:30pm
___________________________
Dates and Times of the Tours
August the 13th is the half day excursion to the Bunratty Castle and the Cliffs of Moher and will depart the Absolute hotel at 12:30pm.
August the 16th is the full day excursion to the Ring of Kerry and will depart the Absolute hotel at 8:30 am
Excursions
Bunratty Castle
The Castle is the most complete and authentic medieval fortress in Ireland. Built in 1425 it was restored in 1954 to its former medieval splendour and now contains mainly 15th and 16th century furnishings, tapestries, and works of art which capture the mood of those times. Today, the castle stands peacefully in delightful grounds. The houses and cottages of the folk park spread out at the foot of its massive walls, much in the way that the cottages and crofts of old would have clustered around its base. You are invited to wander through the castle and marvel at the finest collection of medieval furniture in the country which brings to life a vital part of our Medieval past. Bunratty Castle closes each day at 4pm to prepare for the Medieval Banquet.
The Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland's top visitor attractions and are a designated UNESCO Geo Park. The Cliffs are 214m high at the highest point and range for 8 kilometers over the Atlantic Ocean on the western seaboard of County Clare. O'Brien's Tower stands proudly on a headland of the majestic Cliffs. From the Cliffs one can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, as well as The Twelve Pins, the Maum
Turk Mountains in Connemara and Loop Head to the South. The Cliffs of Moher take their name from a ruined promontory fort "Mothar" which was demolished during the Napoleonic wars to make room for a signal tower.
The Cliffs of Moher are home to one of the major colonies of cliff nesting seabirds in Ireland. The area was designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) for Birds under the EU Birds Directive in 1986 and as a Refuge for Fauna in 1988. Included within the designated site are the cliffs, the cliff-top maritime grassland and heath, and a 200 metre zone of open water, directly in front of the cliffs to protect part of the birds' feeding area. The designation covers 200 hectares and highlights the area's importance for wildlife.
The Ring of Kerry
Travel to Killarney from where the "Ring of Kerry" tour will commence. This trip from Killarney includes 160 kilometres of picturesque scenery, majestic mountains and winding coastline which takes you to Killorglin, Cahersiveen, Waterville, Sneem and Kenmare. Visit Moll's Gap and Ladies View. This full day tour is of constantly changing mountain and coastline scenery. The road winds between the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, the highest mountains in Ireland and the Atlantic Ocean and there will be plenty of stops to admire the views. Interact with the locals and enjoy coffee or tea and homemade scones.
