Come tour Ireland with us! Chris Kokesh (www.chriskokesh.com) and I will travel through counties Cork, Kerry and Clare, and we'd like to invite you to come along! We will hike scenic landscapes and visit old castles, abbey ruins, stone circles, beaches, mountaintops, bogs, small fishing villages and islands. And, of course, the MUSIC! Our guide, Tom Pigott from Limerick, is a music lover (as well as a fine singer, we’re told!), and has lined up some great musicians to entertain us by night. We’ll have private concerts by some of Ireland’s best singer/songwriters, as well as attend (and participate in), traditional sessions in the local pubs. Tom has been in the tour business for many years (www.enchantedwaytours.ie) and knows how to keep it organized and flexible so everyone’s experience is personal and fulfilling. The trip will be limited to 22 guests, and we’ll travel in a small luxury coach/bus, and stay in small hotels and B&B’s.

Here is a nice YouTube link of some of the places we visit in Ireland. Blackie, the piper, is a friend of ours and plays for many of our groups in Doolin County Clare. Enjoy!

Dates: September 16th-25th, 2011. We will meet in the morning of the 16th, so it is recommended that guests fly in on September 15th.

Cost: $2150/person (for double occupancy) covers all ground transportation, lodging and full breakfasts. We also provide 3 evening group meals, and the cost for our featured Irish musicians, poets, writers, etc. Guests pay for their own flights to and from Shannon International Airport, all lunches, 6 dinners on your own, ferries, and optional activities. Single rooms are an additional $350 total per person for all 9 nights. We will do our best to match up roommates if preferred.

A $500 deposit is required to hold slots after confirmation. The balance will be due 3 months prior to the tour dates.

Interested?: Contact either LJ Booth (ljbooth@tds.netor 715-467-2600), or Chris Kokesh (chris@chriskokesh.com or 503-720-5894) or fill out the form at the right and I will contact you.

The Enchanted Way Tours Philosophy:

“How can you see a lot of Ireland, but see it at Ireland’s pace? How can you have the convenience of group travel, without the herd-like drawbacks? And what about people who usually travel on their own, but who really want to get to know the place through its traditional culture – the music, the language, the stories? The answers to these questions were the seeds of Enchanted Way Tours…

So, you’ll notice that we don’t post written-in-stone itineraries for our pre-planned routes like the big-bus companies. Of course, we know where we are sleeping and eating, and, of course, where to find the music. And we have several tried and true options lined up at all times. But Ireland moves at its own pace, and if you follow it, wonderful things happen. This style of travel is not for everyone – but for those who are open to it, the rewards are many.”

Schedule: This is the route and projected schedule for our tour. Nothing is written in stone, however, as in Ireland the weather can interfere with outdoor plans sometimes. Also, if we as a group decide we’d rather do something not listed in the itinerary, then we can change the plan at any time. We’ll be spending three nights at each hotel. If you would prefer to skip one of our day trips to do something else on your own, you’re welcome to do so. We are flexible.

Day 1: Pick up at Bunratty B & Bs (for people who have come in a day early), and Shannon Airport between 9:00am and 10:00am. We drive through Limerick city, and our first stop is at Adare, one of Ireland's most picturesque villages. After a one hour stop for introductions, we start our drive to our hotel in West Cork. We stop for lunch in Kinsale and usually arrive in our hotel in Skibbereen at approximately 4:00pm. We like to have an afternoon nap, (after all we are on vacation) and then have a private concert with John Spillane, who is one of Ireland's best known folk singers.

Day 2: Today we first look at The Irish Famine Heritage Centre, built in memory of almost 2 million people who died in our Great Hunger of 1845-1850. We lunch in the beautiful village of Glandore and then go to Drumbeg Stone Circle, one of the most important ancient sites in Ireland. We go to Clonakilty tonight and take part in our first IRISH SESSION. We will listen to some great Irish ballads and of course some of us will also be contributing to the session.

Day 3: We go to Mizen Head today, which is the most southerly point of Ireland and has a very interesting interpretive centre. We lunch in Crookhaven, by the water and also spend some time on Barley Cove Beach, weather permitting. For people who are interested in Irish History, the alternative to this day is to do the Civil War Trail. This area was the hotbed of the Irish Civil War 1921-1922, and we can explore battles and look at the life of Michael Collins. Tonight you will be set free to explore the pubs and restaurants in the town.

Day 4: Today we move to County Kerry. Our first stop is in Bonnie is just across the Cork/Kerry border. There is a wonderful craft shop here, and the owner will take us on a short visit to the farm where we will learn how to cut peat and, most importantly, we will get a lesson on how to make POTEEN (mountain dew, Irish Style). We then drive along the Ring of Kerry, one of the most famous drives in the world. We drive through Killarney, and head out the Dingle Peninsula to the charming village of Ballyferriter, which is where we will be staying for the next 3 days. It is just 6 miles to Dingle. Tonight, we have a private concert in the hotel with Pauline Scanlon, who is (in Tom’s opinion) the best female singer in Ireland.

Day 5: Today we do the Slea Head Drive, Tom’s favorite drive in Ireland. The scenery is breathtaking. We will visit some ancient sites and walk on a couple of beaches before visiting the Blasket Island Centre. Tonight we go to Dingle, where we will hear some great Irish music.

Day 6: Today is a rest day but there are many activities available for the fearless and brave. There is golf, horse riding, trekking, canoeing, boat trips, fishing, and more. Dingle is also a great town for browsing. Tonight we will have an Irish music session in the hotel.

Day 7: We are on the road again today to Co. Clare, (God's own county). On the way, we drive through Tralee and then get the ferry across the Shannon Estuary. We will visit the world famous Cliffs of Moher and also see the wonderful St. Bridget’s Well. Our hotel will be in Doolin, which is the Mecca of Irish traditional music. (That's the reason Tom lives there.) We go to McDermott's famous pub tonight and will be entertained by Foolin in Doolin featuring Blackie O'Connell on the unique Irish Uilleann (elbow) Pipes.

Day 8: We go by ferry today to Inis Oirr, which is one of the Aran Islands. We will be going back in time 300 years today. This is a day not to be missed, and we finish our day with a cruise UNDER the Cliffs of Moher. This is INCREDIBLE. Tonight we experience more Irish music in one of Doolin's great pubs.

Day 9: This is our last full day in Ireland and we keep the best for last. We travel on to the Burren today, which is a 250 square mile Limestone region and meet with Tom’s friend PJ Curtis. PJ has many hats; he is Ireland's best musicologist, a writer and historian. Tonight, our last night, we spend a couple of hours over dinner talking about our trip and then head out to learn how to SET DANCE. This is a uniquely Irish style of dancing, not quite like RIVERDANCE, but you get the idea.

Day 10: Back to Shannon Airport and home.

Contact: So, let us know if you want to join us, and if you are alone or with family or a friend/partner, male or female (sometimes people will invite another friend, or couple, to buddy-travel with). We look forward to sharing Ireland with as many of you as possible!

Questions?: Just ask.

Interested?: Contact either LJ Booth (ljbooth@tds.net 715-467-2600), or Chris Kokesh (chris@chriskokesh.com 503-720-5894)

Flight Information: We highly recommend that you arrive a day early, if possible, to avoid any stress caused by a cancelled flight, bags not showing up, etc. Most folks from previous tours have arrived early and have been very glad that they did. The flight from the US or Canada is often tiring, and it's nice to have the day before the tour starts to casually rest up and get a slight feel for Ireland. If you can afford the time and an extra night lodging at a local B & B, you won't regret it. We will come directly to your B & B and pick you up the morning the tour begins.

Do keep in mind that all flights from the USA and Canada are overnight flights ,arriving in the morning, which means that in order to arrive on Sept. 15th(a day early), you would actually be departing North America on the 14th. All return flights leave Ireland in the morning and arrive in North America on the same day. If this is something you’d like to do, Tom can help find you accommodations.

Ireland does require a passport. If you need to apply for one, we highly suggest you do it ASAP. It can take up to 10 weeks for your passport to arrive, although typically it takes less time.