Meet your Tour Hosts …

The story of O’Bryan’s Nine Irish Bros. begins 30 years ago, when the founder and principal owner, Jerry O’Bryan, opened the Hairman, a local styling salon that has since become a campus icon.  Jerry told his wife, Jan, that if the hair business didn’t work out, he wanted to open an Irish pub.  The hair business did end up working out, but thirty years, two children, and a grandchild later, Jerry finally decided it was time to realize his dream, an Authentic Irish pub serving traditional Irish fare, Guinness by the pint, and featuring free live music.  Join Jerry and Jan on a tour of Ireland.

Itinerary

DAY 1– SATURDAY - DEPART USA

*Depart Lafayette by motor coach to either Indianapolis or Chicago airport.
*Depart airport for Dublin, Ireland.  Air Schedule TBA.
*Dinner and breakfast is served on international flights.

DAY 2– SUNDAY - GALWAY

*Met by our driver/guide.
*Transfer to our  hotel in Galway traveling through Ennis and Cork.
*Hotel will be in pedestrian walking and shopping area.

DAY 3– MONDAY - GALWAY

*A day of exploring Connemara one of the most scenic areas in the world.  We will have many photo stops as well as a morning pub break for Irish coffee and an Irish Pub at lunch time. 
*We will visit Letterfrack, home of the Connemara National Park, Kylemore Abbey and Leenane a picturesque town overlooking Killary Harbor.  
*Return to Galway for a free late afternoon, evening and night of exploring and Pub crawling.

DAY 4– TUESDAY - KILLARNEY

*A day of a long, but beautiful drive along the Atlantic Ocean and several interesting stops.  We will travel from Galway to Ballyvaughn exploring the mystical, timeless scenery of the Burren.
*One of our stops will be at the Cliffs of Moher where we can climb O’Bryan’s (O’Brien) tower to watch the waves crashing into the cliffs reaching heights of 200 feet or more.  On a clear day
  one can see the Aran Islands from Jerry’s and Jan’s tower.
*From the Cliffs we will travel to the village of Lahinch and past one of Ireland’s most famous golf courses, “The St. Andrews of Ireland”.  In Lahinch we will stop for lunch at a seaside pub and
  watch the surfers of Ireland ride the Atlantic waves.
*After lunch in Lahinch our motor coach will ferry across the Shannon River arriving at our hotel in the early evening in the resort town of Killarney.
*This evening we will make reservations at a pub with Irish music and a delightful pub dinner of your choice.

DAY 5– WEDNESDAY - DINGLE PENNISULA & KILLARNY

*During the day we will explore the Dingle Peninsula with its exciting and scenic landscapes of hills, beaches and waterfalls.  We will also make stops at the unique pubs of
  Dingle for Irish coffee and lunch.
*In the afternoon we will return to our hotel in Killarney and have free time to shop and explore the charming resort town of Killarney.  For those interested our guide, Mike, will
  arrange a tour of the town and area in the “jaunting carts”.

DAY 6– THURSDAY -  KINSALE

*This morning we will travel a scenic route past many beautiful lakes to visit the Blarney Castle where we can “kiss the Blarney stone”.  We will then spend the rest of the morning and early
  afternoon at the Blarney Woolen Mill, which is the best shopping opportunity in Ireland.
*After our lunch in Blarney we will go just a short distance to one of Ireland’s prettiest seaside villages of pastel painted homes, stores and pubs.  Here we will arrange a pub night for our group 
  to gather and enjoy the music of Ireland.                                      
* Enjoy a beautiful drive from Galway to Killarney along the Atlantic Coast.  Highlights will include the Burren Trail, a stop at the spectacular Cliffs of Moher, and in Lahinch to
   see one of Ireland’s famous golf courses.  From here we will ferry across the Shannon River and continue into Killarney. (B,D)

DAY 7– FRIDAY - COBH, JAMESON & KINSALE

*Our first tour this morning will be to visit Cobh and the Queenstown story where you will experience the departure of your ancestors from Ireland during the potato famine to the cities of
  Boston and New York.  This is also the port where the ill-fated Titanic departed on its first and last voyage.
*Just a short distance from Cobh we will go to Middleton and the Jameson Whisky Distiller where you will see the “water of life” being made.  After lunch, some will become “Doctors’ of
  Tasteology” before going back for the afternoon, evening and night in Kinsale.
*Your rest of the day is free to enjoy Kinsale, which is considered Ireland’s gourmet capital.

DAY 8 - SATURDAY - WATERFORD & GLENDALOUGH

*We will depart Kinsale and travel to Waterford to see how crystal is made at one of the world’s finest crystal industries.  You will also have an opportunity shop the crystal storeroom and
   have your crystal engraved with the autograph of one of the designers.
*From Waterford we will travel to the Glendalough area for the night.  Because of its beauty which includes mountains, lakes, rivers and forests, this location has been the sight of several
  Hollywood movies, including “Brave Heart”. 
*We will stay just one night in Glendalough and enjoy the hotel’s pub.

DAY 9 - SUNDAY - DUBLIN

*Our final day will include a scenic drive through Glendalough and the ruins of St. Kevin’s Monastery and arrive in Dublin.
*In Dublin we will have a guided tour of the famous pubs of Dublin and then check-into our hotel.   Some may want to enjoy shopping and exploring the “Temple Area” close to our hotel and
  to Trinity College.

DAY 10 - MONDAY - RETURN TO USA

*We will say goodbye to Ireland and transfer to the Dublin airport for our return flight to the USA.
*Whether our final flight destination will be Chicago or Indianapolis, we will have a motor coach transfer from the airport to Lafayette.