54409IRE
Newgrange visit and lunch
NB
· Entrances to Bru Na Boine (Newgrange or Knowth) are paid by voucher.
· Confirm your booking at Bru Na Boinne as soon as you get your envelope and double check you are visiting Newgrange tomb, not Knowth. If you are not booked into Newgrange itself, inform your group with tact, even though Knowth is very impressive.
· Warn group that they must not be late at the bus-stop in Bru Na Boine. Leave plenty of time travelling from Galway and aim to arrive at more than 30 minutes before your booking.
· There is an Applegreen Services at Enfield on the M4) which is a handy refreshment and toilet stop if you choose the route of travelling as far as Dublin and then up to Newgrange on the M3 or N2.
· If you have time the R161 from Kinnegad via Trim (castle) to Navan, linking up with the N51 to Slane, is enjoyable.
· Kilbeggan Distillery may allow you to use their toilets.
· NB: N6 is now M6. Join N52 at J4 (Tyrell’s Pass)
Bru Na Boine Visit.
Book in at the Heritage Centre. They will give you stickers for either Newgrange or Knowth and a time that your group has to be at the Heritage Centre bus stop for transportation to the site. They cannot be late. Depending on the time of the booking, they can have lunch either before or after visiting the site.
The main difference to the visit is that it is not possible to enter inside Knowth tomb and you do not get the light show experience and description of the Winter Solstice alignment that you get at Newgrange. Knowth, however, is extremely interesting in its own right, especially famous for its extensive collection of Neolithic stone carving.
Clonmacnoise (Alternative to Bru Na Boine)
This is a great visit and not dissimilar to the Rock of Cashel
They are pretty well organised and if you call in advance they’ll arrange a guided tour which lasts about 20 min, There is an Audio-Visual again about 20mins, and a decent café (if a little small for whole group -takes time to get served, so its hard to get them in and out quickly) situated on the right beside the toilets as you pass through the entrance.
It is probably best to allow group to use the café and the toilets first before the tour and the audio visual. Then meet at the Audio visual room to see the film. The guide will take you through the museum section (inside) before leading around the outer section (church high crosses etc). Once back on the bus it is a nice drive through some great bog landscape towards the main road to Dublin.
You should get the group in and out in about 60-90mins – The cafe is the only thing that can really delay you, so it is likely best to get that done first and if people want to skip the A/V they can.
Note: The café does not open until St. Patrick’s Day.
Note: Clonmacnoise open at 0900, June to August and 1000 at other times of the year.
Route March GALWAY TO CLONMACNOISE and DUBLIN.
M4 from Galway.
Come off at J14 and use connecting road to the R335 leading into Ballinasloe.
Join the R357 and R444 via Shannonbridge to Clonmacnoise.
Departing Clonmacnoise you can use R444 and R436 to allow group an impression of the Bog Landscape.
Rejoin M6 at Kilbeggan using R444 and R436 or use direct R444 to J7 on M6.
Services Update: The M6 has a collection of food and drink outlets outside Athlone and closer to Dublin the M4 has Applegreen Services near Enfield/Johnstown.