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Club Feis America Tour - Belfast, 2012
Dancing Championship, special tour for Irish Step Dancing Families in Ireland
Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne 2012 - World Irish Dancing Championship
April, 2012 from Belfast
Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne – The World Irish Dancing Championships
2012: Belfast: The Waterfront Hall and/or The Ulster Hall
Special Group Tours is available to organize a private tour for your dance club or family, from just 2 guests and up, for friends of all ages around the Irish Dancing Championships.
Travel in the company of your personal driver/guide, a local who knows all of the best sites off the beaten track, someone who can take you to your ancestral places, sites of religious significance or simply the highlights of the best regions of the Emerald Isle. You tell us how much time you have to travel and how many guests, we can organize a trip specifically to suit you and for your group’s ages. What to go biking, horseback riding or another activity? We can assist you with all types of small group travel.
Here are 3 popular options for short discovery trips from Dublin. These suggestions are based on 5 days prior to the 2012 competitions. These itineraries can be modified to specifically suit your needs. Don’t see what you want here? Just ask, we are happy to help!
Contact us for further details: specialgrouptours@yahoo.com
OPTION 1: Northern Ireland Highlights
Sunday, Day 1
The city of Belfast is the subject of your day’s explorations. The city has many differing aspects encompassing shopping, a second world war museum, the zoo, and Belfast Castle, with its lovely themed gardens. Nearby, and in easy reach, there’s Bangor, where one can visit Mount Stewart House or the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum.
NIGHTSTOP: Belfast
Monday, Day 2
Lots of options for our explorations today - Ulster is a compact area teeming with history! Our first visit today can be to the Ulster-American Folk Park. The Folk Park, probably the best of its kind in the world, examines why two million people left Ulster for America and Australia in the 18th and 19th centuries. It has more than 30 historic buildings, including a reconstructed emigrant ship and Pennsylvania farmstead brought alive by costumed guides. We have the towns of Omagh and Armagh to consider too.
NIGHTSTOP: Omagh/Armagh
Tuesday, Day 3
Another day spoilt for choice - we can focus on the Northern Ireland coastline to Giant’s Causeway today. Perhaps first, you will choose to spend some time in Londonderry with a fascinating walk of the 'walls' hearing the story of how the shutting of this walled town's gates to a King of England led to over 300 years of 'Troubles'. Also possible are the iconic sites such as Bushmills, the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Ballintrae narrow gauge railway.
We will certainly visit the major highlight in this area, the famed Giant's Causeway. The sheer strangeness of this place, and the bizarre regularity of its 37,000 basalt columns, has made it the subject of numerous legends. Finally, we can tour our way back to base through the amazing scenery of the Sperrin Mountains.
NIGHTSTOP: as above
Wednesday, Day 4
Our drive today takes us through the Glens of Antrim. This is one of Ulster’s jewels. We’ll also visit the Antrim Castle gardens and see a beautiful and unique 17th century Anglo-Dutch water garden. Our final visit, by way of complete contrast, will be the Andrew Jackson/US Rangers centre. This Ulster thatched farmhouse, dedicated to the 7th American President, is a museum of emigration and also of the elite American Army unit which was formed in nearby Carickfergus in 1942.
We finish our tour back in Belfast.
OPTION 2: Sligo and Donegal
Sunday, Day 1
The city of Belfast is the subject of your day’s explorations. The city has many differing aspects encompassing shopping, a second world war museum, the zoo, and Belfast Castle, with its lovely themed gardens. Nearby, and in easy reach, there’s Bangor, where one can visit Mount Stewart House or the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum.
NIGHTSTOP: Belfast
Monday, Day 2
Undoubted highlights of the day will be visits to the most remarkable prehistoric tomb in Europe at Newgrange (entry to the tomb itself conditional on availability), and to the Hills of Tara, the foremost spiritual and political centre of Ireland for 1000 years and the seat of power until the coming of St Patrick. Other of the day's options include visits the site of the Battle of the Boyne.
We continue across country, our route taking us through some of the delightful villages and pretty scenery of central Eire and the border counties of Northern Ireland. Our destination is the west coast and our nightstop location.
NIGHTSTOP: Sligo area
Tuesday, Day 3
This area is known as Yates Country, after the poet W B Yates. We’ll explore the area, in particular finding sites associated with this greatest of modern Irish literary figures. There’s also the famed Belleek Pottery, Ireland’s oldest and most historic pottery to visit.
Also possible is the breathtaking scenery of the Slieve League. Every superlative you’ve ever heard about the West Coast of Ireland will be proven today and on tomorrow’s scenic drives!
NIGHTSTOP: Sligo area, as above
Wednesday, Day 4
Donegal town may provide one of the day's highlights with visits to see the impressive Donegal castle, and the Diamond Obelisk which commemorates the prescient Four Master's, friars of the local monastery whose annals predicted the decline of the Celtic culture. There will also be a dramatic and aweinspiring drive along the Donegal coast.
NIGHTSTOP: Sligo area, as above
Thursday, Day 5
Another day of astounding natural beauty as we tour the Rosses and the Glenveagh National Park areas of Donegal. We’ll really be using our small coach to get where the larger vehicles can’t today! Highlights will not only include some astounding views (pray for clear skies!) but also some of the more remote coastal villages. Donegal is one of the least exploited regions of Eire and you’re going to see it at its best before it’s ravaged by modern, mass tourism.
Also on today’s schedule can be the historic city of Derry en-route back to Belfast.
OPTION 3: Ancient Sites, Glendalough and Dublin
Sunday, Day 1
The city of Belfast is the subject of your day’s explorations. The city has many differing aspects encompassing shopping, a second world war museum, the zoo, and Belfast Castle, with its lovely themed gardens. Nearby, and in easy reach, there’s Bangor, where one can visit Mount Stewart House or the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum.
NIGHTSTOP: Belfast
Monday, Day 2
step back into the mists of time, to the time almost at the very start of history. Undoubted highlights of the day will be visits to the most remarkable prehistoric tomb in Europe at Newgrange (entry to the tomb itself conditional on availability), and to the Hills of Tara, the foremost spiritual and political centre of Ireland for 1000 years and the seat of power until the coming of St Patrick. Other of the day's options include visits the site of the Battle of the Boyne, and if there's time the historic Norman coastal town of Drogheda.
NIGHTSTOP: Dublin or Glendalough
Tuesday, Day 3
Dublin is a great city to explore on foot. It's small enough to be easily walked and it's great fun to discover the alleyways of Tollbar and the magnificent shopping of Powerscourt. This city means so many things to many people: it is a city of writers, a city that is the symbol for Irish nationalism, a city of talkers, churches, of pubs, of music, of Georgian architecture. A city of shifting moods, often two at once: hustle and bustle in one street, quiet admiration and contemplation in another, and always there is talk of this and that. The River Liffey provides a convenient as well as historical axis along which to orientate one’s visit. It's a day to see The Book of Kells at Trinity, the Guinness Factory and other of the city's icons.
NIGHTSTOP: as above
Wednesday, Day 4
We drive south from Dublin, visiting both Sandy Cove and James Joyce's famous Martello tower (his writing workshop) and some delightful harbours. The coastal drive is lovely and just a taste of the many scenic delights to come. From the coast we drive inland to the Wicklow hills, visiting en route Powerscourt House and Gardens, which provide a fine view of the Sugarloaf Mountain. Then we move on to the Vale of Glendalough (glen of the two lakes). Here we'll find the remains of a Celtic village, the 6th Century church of St Kevin, the 9th Century cathedral ruin and amazing 33 metre high Round Tower. This is a stop that will suit both the historically minded and those who enjoy walking because there'll be time to take a stroll by the lake.
NIGHTSTOP: as above
Thursday, Day 5
This morning can be spend around Gledalough National Park, certainly there will be some stunning scenery to enjoy! Our first destination can be the stately estate of Powerscourt, a sublime blend of formal gardens, sweeping terraces, statuary and ornamental lakes.
Turning north, we will head to County Meath and the town of Trim. Fans of the film ‘Braveheart’ may find Trim Castle a bit familiar as it was filmed here, not in Scotland! The area is also full of amazing gardens, in season. We can visit as time permits. Later, we will continue our way noth and back into Belfast.
PLAN AHEAD! SGT can assist you with all of your touring needs around the Dancing Competitions:
Oireachtas Rince na h-Éireann – The All-Ireland Irish Dancing Championships
2012: Dublin: The New Citywest Conference Centre, Citywest Hotel, Saggart, Co. Dublin.
2013: Belfast: The Waterfront Hall and/or The Ulster Hall
Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne – The World Irish Dancing Championships
2012: Belfast: The Waterfront Hall and/or The Ulster Hall
2013: Boston: The Hynes Auditorium and adjacent facilities.
Get Active Ireland! In addition to escorted tours, there are options for walking, biking, fishing and golf packages in Ireland for individuals, couples, families and small groups of friends. Contact us to create your dream Ireland vacation: specialgrouptours@yahoo.com
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