Days 1 & 2: Enjoy two nights in Dublin while you visit the famous sights of the city, view the medieval artefacts like the Book of Kells at Trinity College, sample a pint of Guinness at the Guinness Storehouse after a tour of the brewery and do some shopping along Grafton Street and O'Connell Street.
Day 3: Leaving Dublin head north towards County Down stopping off at the Hill of Tara, the ancient seat of power for the High Kings of Ireland and the Hill of Slane where Saint Patrick adopted the shamrock to explain the holy trinity. Close by is Newgrange, the finest stone age passage tomb in Ireland and a place steeped in Celtic Mythology. Drive on into Northern Ireland, taking the scenic coast road towards the seaside town of Newcastle overlooked by the Mourne Mountains.
Day 4: Wake up to one of the most spectacular views in Northern Ireland, "where the Mountains of Mourne sweep to the sea", as the famous Percy French song went. Take a short hike in the hills before heading to Downpatrick nearby. It was here that Saint Patrick built his first church and is where he is buried, his grave marked by a slab of Mourne granite with the inscription Patric, in the grounds of Down Cathedral. Close to the cathedral is the Saint Patrick Centre, which houses an excellent multi-media exhibition illustrating the life and legacy of Ireland's patron saint. From Downpatrick drive to Armagh the ecclesiastic capital of Ireland since Saint Patrick built Ireland's first stone church here in 445. From Armagh continue west to Enniskillen for the evening.
Day 5: Start the morning with a stroll along the banks of Lough Erne, before leaving Enniskillen for Sligo. The poet W.B. Yeats features strongly in Sligo and you could take a brief stop to explore some of the landscapes that inspired his writing, visit the Yeats Building and stop by his grave, under the shadow of Benbulben. Around Sligo are some amazing Megalithic tombs at Carrowmore and a trek up nearby Knocknarea will present you with wonderful views of the surrounding countryside, before you head off into neighbouring County Mayo and the town of Westport for the evening.
Day 6: Overlooking Westport is the mountain of Croagh Patrick and it was here at the 765m summit that according to legend Saint Patrick banished all the snakes from Ireland. A trek up the holy mountain forms an important pilgrimage and on the last Sunday of July, tens of thousands of people line the route to the top. A walk up and down the mountain would take about four hours but the views on a good day across Clew Bay and the rugged Mayo countryside are well worth it.
Day 7: Visit the world famous Marian Shrine at Knock, where a vision of Our Lady appeared before the townsfolk in the 19th Century. Then head to County Clare for a medieval evening banquet at Bunratty Castle.
Day 8: Return home from Shannon Airport.
Lodging:
The Davenport, Dublin (2 nights)
Slieve Donard, Down (1 night)
The Killihevlin, Fermanagh (1 night)
The Knockranny, Mayo (2 nights)
The Old Ground, Clare (1 night)
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