Each year we design
customized touring itineraries for over 400 clients. Their itineraries are
as varied as their numbers. That is what makes our itinerary
planning different from what you may have expected from another source.
Our itineraries are planned to your interests!
The length of the itinerary depends on how much time you have and
if there are budget constraints. We
can plan and have planned itineraries of Ireland from 3 days to
18 days.
The accommodation can include fun, cozy bed and breakfast Town
& Country Homes, small country hotels and inns, elegant
Irish Country Houses and even deluxe Irish castle hotels and resorts.
A planning fee for this service is included in the tour package
price, as I have to research your interests, plan the itinerary, write the
itinerary and make the inquiries we need, in order to provide you with a
detailed itinerary. Your proposal will be
a minimum of 10 pages and the average is over 25 pages.
You are then able to tour Ireland, "hassle free" by just following
the directions I have prepared for you.
To explain this service better please read a couple of days of a
typical itinerary:
Day 13 Thursday Donegal
Irish breakfast this morning. Continue on the N15 toward Donegal. You'll make
a detour across the border into Northern Ireland and visit the town of Belleek.
Belleek is known for exquisite creamy lustre porcelain. You can stop and tour
the factory. Return to the Irish Republic and continue on the N 15 to Donegal
town. Donegal town is known for its tweeds and woolen goods.
Be sure also to visit the Donegal Craft
Village, it's a small complex of shops and
workrooms where Donegal artists and craftsmen
produce their wares. Park your car and stroll about this
interesting old town with 16th century castle ruins, a 17th century church and a ship's
anchor shorn from one of Napolean's frigates when
his fleet unsuccessfully tried to thwart the British
in an Irish uprising in 1798.
The center of town is diamond shaped, with streets entering from all directions and wool
and tweed shops line the street fronts. Be sure to stop at Magee of Donegal (hand woven
tweeds) in the town center.
Depart Donegal Town along the shores of Donegal Bay on the N56 passing
through Mountcharles, a fine village built along a
hillside over Donegal Bay. Continue to Dunkineely which is known for its fishing and where
the MacSwayne castle walls still stand at St.
John's Point. On to Killybegs, which looks like a
late Victorian village built around a good harbor. It
is a major commercial fishing port - as no doubt
the smell will tell you. Continue on the N56 to
Ardara which is a well loved village and small wonder.
Its situation is superb and is an ideal sight for exploring Loughros Mor and Loughros Beg Bays.
The cliff scenery toward Tormore Head and the Ballagh Pass are picturesque. It is an
important center for the manufacture of Donegal
handwoven tweeds and sweaters, produced from a thriving village which has gained a
deserved reputation. Visitors may see hand looms
in operation locally.
Continue on to Glenties which is a cleancut village picturesquely situated where two
glens converge. On to Dungloe which will be your home for the night.
Dungloe is known locally as the capital of the Rosses which is a lake and rick strewn
district along the coast from here to Innishfree Bay.
Despite its apparent difficult soil, houses dot
the landscape and the people are Irish-speaking. The area is geologically interesting. West of
the village there is a megalithic portal tomb at Roshin South.
You'll be staying at Mrs. Veronica Boyle's home
- Marameelan - which is at Meenacross near Dungloe. It is a modern bungalow on
the seafront convenient to the sandy beach. She even provides electric blankets!
Day 14 Friday To Carrigart
Full Irish breakfast this morning. Continue on to Crolly this morning - you could opt
to take the coastal route through the Rosses - on the Gweedore River, set in bleak
countryside; the river falls over a ridge of rocks
near the town and this is a local beauty spot. On the road from Dungloe is a huge
glacial boulder which has the romantic name of Cloch Mhor Lein an tSionnaigh - the
big stone of the jumping fox.
Continue on to Gweedore which is situated in spectacularly wild country of great
beauty and is a major holiday center. On to Gortahork which is a resort town on
Ballyness Bay and is in the center of the Irish speaking district. Offshore are the
small islands of Inishbeg, Inishbofin and Inishdooey with Tory Island further
away. Inishdooey has a coastal promontory fort at Doonmore. About 4 miles from
Gorthahork and two miles from Falcarragh, on the grounds of Ballyconnell House,
is Ceannfaoladhs Stone (or McKinleys Stone) a white boulder with red veining
which tradition says is the petrified blood of McKinley, a local chieftain who was
beheaded here by Balor of the Evil Eye, the legendary pirate-giant of Tory Island.
On to Falcarragh another Irish speaking village. The local Gaeltacht (Irish
speaking) college plays host to many students of
the language each year. Next you come to Dunfanaghy which is situated on the
narrow peninsula of Sheep Haven...........
I have references from hundreds of satisfied clients and critiques of
my work, a sample of which you will receive with your proposal.
The proposal is free and you may study it for any revisions and then a
final itinerary will be prepared once all the reservations have been
confirmed and the payment has been received.
As you can appreciate the itineraries are copyrighted and are the
property of O'Scannlain International Ltd., and may not be used or retained
without the payment of a fee.
