We commence our journey to Co. Cork at 9.00am. A coffee stop mid-morning breaks the journey before we pause for lunch just south of Dublin. In the afternoon we pass Portlaoise, the Rock of Cashel and Mitchelstown before arriving at Blarney in the late afternoon.

After a relaxing breakfast we have time to check out the hotel’s excellent facilities. We visit the castle and explore the village at leisure before making the short journey to the picturesque town of Kinsale, “the gourmet capital of Ireland”, where we arrive around lunch-time.

In the afternoon we visit Charles Fort for a breathtaking view of the harbour and estuary.

We travel west today, to Kenmare and down the valley to Glengarriff where we visit Garinish Island. We then cross the Beara Peninsula by one of the most spectacular roads in Ireland, the Healy Pass, and make a short stop in Kenmare on the journey back to Blarney.

Another full day today, travelling along the south coast through Clonakilty and Skibbereen to Bantry where we visit Bantry House. In the afternoon we return via Gougane Barra, in the Shehy Mountains.

We have a short guided tour of Cork city this morning, ending at Cobh Harbour with a visit to the Emigration Heritage Centre. Here we also find a fascinating exhibition dedicated to the Lusitania, which was sunk by a German u-boat just off shore in 1915.

The afternoon is free in the city centre.

We 'kiss' Blarney goodbye immediately after breakfast and retrace our journey back to Belfast, arriving around 6.00pm.