By Justin Aufdermauer
Executive Director
The first thing anyone planning a trip to Ireland should do is brush up on his or her Irish phrases. Why? So that you can be sure to converse with locals and have a whale of a time while you’re there.
If you’ve been practicing your Irish phrases for donkey’s years, but still have never made the trip across the sea to visit the Emerald Isle, then you will be excited to know that the Tillamook Area Chamber of Commerce is planning a trip in April 2018.
We had such a great time visiting China that it seemed like a no brainer to do it again. The amount of relationship building and networking that occurred when 65 people from Tillamook County took a group trip to China was hugely gratifying. We got to know each other better, made new friends, and took the conversation about how to improve the livability of Tillamook to a whole new level – literally and figuratively. The trip, which served as a fundraiser for the Chamber, cemented friendships and provided opportunities for conversations about community, commerce and placemaking, with a new perspective on culture. It was community building extreme edition, and we anticipate a similar number of travelers with a similar experience in Ireland.
In Ireland we will spend 11 days exploring the island’s lush, green landscape, quaint cities, and rich culture. The tour includes nine nights in handpicked hotels, breakfast served daily, a private deluxe motor coach and guided sightseeing. Travelers will be treated to 40 shades of green in Ireland, local pubs and fresh pints, friendly locals, and historical sites.
We will in historic Dublin with a sightseeing tour lead by a local expert, that includes the opportunity to step inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral, view the remains of a 6th century church, and journey through County Wicklow into Glendaslough.
Then, the tour group will spend two nights in County Cork, with several stops along the way. See a world-class racehorse farm, and tour the iconic Rock of Cashel that dates back to the 12th century. On the second day, discover the town of Cobh and visit the Cobh Heritage Centre. Then, we’ll make a stop at Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone (only if you want to).
From there the trip spends two nights in County Kerry, stopping along the way to tour a Victorian mansion. On day seven, we will make our way around the Ring of Kerry, a 112-mile coastal route that covers Ireland’s most spectacular scenery.
Next comes a two-night stay in Galway, with more chances to visit historic castles, and a walk along the coastline of the Cliffs of Moher. Here we also get a full free day to explore on our own and soak in the Irish culture.
And finally, the trip concludes in Dublin, stopping at the historic Kilbeggan Distillery for an Irish whisky tasting. From there, travelers have the option of heading home or continuing on to Belfast for a post-tour extension. In fact, there are several options to customize your trip for additional costs. For example, you might decide to visit a traditional Irish music and dance show while we’re in County Kerry, or attend a banquet dinner in a 17th-century castle overlooking Galway Bay.
The entire trip is built with flexibility in mind and a variety of ways to experience Ireland. There are lots of options for this tours and we would love to explain the itinerary and options in full to you! We did a lot of research to make sure we were booking a trip with great value and we feel that we have booked a great trip! The trip will cost $3,225 (including airfare) for registrations in the next 60 days. On May 22 from 6 – 7:30 we are hosting an informative introductory meeting about this trip at Tillamook Bay Community College, room 214/215. Here is your chance to register early, get your questions answered, and talk to some of our recently-returned China travelers about their experience and the benefits of this Chamber-style group traveling.
For more information about Ireland, contact Sierra Lauder at sierra@tillamookchamber.org, or call our office at 503-842-7525.