54408IRE
Bunratty Castle visit
- Entrances to Bunratty Castle are paid by voucher.
- You can make a photo/rest stop in Adare village (use Heritage Centre – Tel: 061 396 666).
- If Coole Park is included in your itinerary, it may work to include it today, giving you more time for the Burren, Cliffs of Moher and Galway. It is near Gort. ALWAYS confirm it is open. Very important early in season.
- Alternatively, you could arrive early into Galway and give time in the Old Town. Best drop off/pick up is near Spanish Arch, but bus cannot wait there.
check killarney meals with the office as they have to now often book meals in advance.
Bunratty Castle – visit
The castle and folk park site are a little separate from the Woolen Mills. As groups often wish to visit this too, not least for lunch, it is a good idea to drive into the Woolen Mills car park, do a loop, then drive to Bunratty Folk Park entrance and drop off. Point out the route back to the Woolen Mills and arrange to meet them back on the coach there. This saves too much to-ing and fro-ing. Tell the group to be very careful on the road between the Mills and the Castle.
Pay your entrance to Bunratty, hand out the free maps of the site and walk the whole group down to the left until you reach the castle. Announce your arrival to the guide and ensure the group know how and when to rejoin the coach, at the Woolen Mills car park, before handing over. At Bunratty there is often an introduction inside the castle by one of the guides.
Best lunch options are probably the cafeteria in the Woolen Mills, which can be a little slow, but there are also the pub and tea room in the folk park and Durty Nelly’s Pub, 061 364 861 outside the castle. There is an ATM, exchange at the Woolen Mills.
Killarney Activities
Jaunting Cars through the National Park to Ross Castle. 1 hour round trip. Ring Billy/Mark Tangney – 087 2571492.
Shops open till late – often till 8pm
The Killarney Avenue Hotel – 064 663 2522. The hotel has a cultural show on each season and at some point it is highly likely that their promotional staff will introduce themselves to you.
En Route To Galway:
Coole Park: The gardens and woods that belonged to Lady Gregory, friend of Yeats and other Irish writers. No entrance fee. Park in coach park, head towards the gardens, past the raised rectangle that marks the site of her house, until you reach the copper beech Autograph Tree, with famous carved signatures. If they want to go down to the lake, give 45 mins to 1 hour here. If not, 25 minutes should do. There is also a Visitor Centre with toilets. Telephone: 091 631 804.
Thoor Ballylee: A visit here is very rarely included but worth checking vouchers and expense sheet. Yeats and his wife lived here in this dramatic tower house. Visit lasts about 1 hour. Opening Hours vary during the year, and from year to year, so it is and always best to Double Check Opening Times with Thoor Ballylee directly on 091 631 436 or www.yeatsthoorballylee.com