The Perfect Irish Honeymoon

Ireland's Ancient East

You will have a leisurely drive through Wicklow, the Garden of Ireland, and visit the magnificent Powerscourt Gardens, Estate and Waterfall. The Estate is at the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains at the heart of Ireland's Ancient East.

After a leisurely lunch at the Sugarloaf Lounge, in Powerscourt Hotel, you will have a drive through the Wicklow Mountains and visit the world famous Monastic Site with Round Tower at the Glendalough, one of Ireland’s most beautiful visitors’ destinations.

You will be taken to Rathsallagh House in Dunlavin, Co. Wicklow. Rathsallagh, a 4 Star Grade A Country House, dates back to 1798 and has been owned and run by the O’Flynn family for over 30 years. It is a large comfortable house situated in 530 acres of peaceful parkland with a walled garden. The atmosphere is relaxed and happy with log and turf fires in the bar and drawing rooms and luxurious bedrooms and bathrooms.

The food at Rathsallagh is country house cooking at its best, game in season and fresh fish always on the menu. You will dine in their wonderful historical dining room.

Mount Juliet House

After a Breakfast in Rathsallagh, which is an experience in itself, you will be driven to the medieval city of Kilkenny, where you will have a guided tour of this beautiful city, including Kilkenny Castle, Rothe House and Garden and the Smithwick's Experience. You will visit Jerpoint Park, one of Ireland’s best surviving examples of a deserted 12th century medieval town.

You will then be taken to the magnificent Mount Juliet Estate, a fine example of an Irish country house, to enjoy a very leisurely afternoon tea in the Manor House.

Onward then through beautiful countryside to Marlfield House Hotel, a 4 star award winning luxury boutique country house hotel in Gorey, Co. Wexford.

Marlfield House is renowned for its hospitality and service and has gained many awards over the past 40 years. It is set in 40 acres of woodland, ornamental lake, rose, vegetable and herb gardens and is a haven of tranquillity, with peacocks, hens, dogs and ponies in the gardens.

All rooms and suites at Marlfield House are styled to provide you with elegant, comfortable interiors, furnished with antiques and paintings.

You can choose to dine either in the flower filled multi award winning Turner style Conservatory overlooking the garden, which serves French and Mediterranean style classic food, or in the relaxing Duck Restaurant, which serves European style food. 

Afterwards, you enjoy an after dinner drink on the sunny terrace overlooking the magnificent gardens before relaxing to your elegant and comfortable room.

Visit to Waterford

After a sumptuous breakfast, you will be driven around the Hook Peninsula in County Wexford, with lush green land, narrow and winding country roads and pretty villages on one side and the wild Irish Sea on the other. You will visit Hook Lighthouse, the oldest original operating lighthouse in the World, where you will enjoy a tour of this 800-year-old Lighthouse, one of the most popular visitor attractions on Ireland’s Ancient East.

You will be driven through the beautiful countryside of Waterford and visit the picturesque fishing village of Dunmore East.  You will have lunch in one of the many bars or restaurants in this very pretty village.

After lunch, you will head to the city of Waterford where you will make a short ferry crossing across Kings Channel to the 310-acre private island and travel a beech-lined drive to the historic 16th Century Waterford Castle Hotel, one of the most acclaimed luxurious castle hotels in Ireland. After dinner in the award winning restaurant, Castle Munster Rooms, enjoy a drink in the Fitzgerald Bar, which houses the finest of Irish whisky collections.

After a relaxing night in your luxurious room and a leisurely breakfast, take a stroll along the island gardens and castle lawns and enjoy this enchanting island.

After your return ferry back to the mainland, you will visit Ireland’s oldest city, Waterford, a must see in Ireland’s Ancient East. You will visit the Viking Triangle in the heart of Waterford City, Reginald’s Tower, the Medieval Museum, and, of course, the famous Waterford Crystal Visitor Center. A unique highlight of this visit is the factory tour that gives an up-close insight into the centuries old tradition of Waterford Crystal making.

You will then be driven through the countryside and visit the medieval Lismore Castle in the beautiful historic town of Lismore, Co. Waterford.  You will have lunch in Lismore House Hotel, Ireland’s oldest purpose built hotel.

You will arrive later in the afternoon to the award winning Ballyvolane House, Castlelyons, Co. Cork.

Ballyvolane House is a luxury, Georgian Country House, situated on an estate of landscaped gardens and magnificent parkland, situated in the historic region of the Munster Blackwater Valley. It is an elegantly furnished, family-owned period home, offering warm hospitality and extremely comfortable accommodation in a relaxed atmosphere of informality and friendliness.

The food at Ballyvolane is ‘country house’ in terms of style and is meticulously prepared with the menus featuring good roasts, fresh and salt-water fish and game in season, supported by home-grown vegetables and fruit.

After a wonderful dinner in the Dining Room, a great night’s sleep in your luxurious room and a relaxing breakfast, you will be driven to Midleton in East Cork.

Cork City

You will start the day with a visit to the Jameson Distillery Experience, where every drop of Jameson is made today.  You will do a guided tour of the distillery and sample a wee drop before you leave.

You will be driven to Cork City and visit some of its iconic attractions, including the English Market where you will have lunch, the Crawford Art Gallery and Cork City Gaol.  You may want to take in a little shopping in this lively and vibrant city.

In the afternoon, you have a short journey to the 5 star family owned luxury boutique Hayfield Manor Hotel, off the College Road in Cork City. The hotel is discreetly nestled within beautiful walled gardens, a tranquil oasis in the vibrant city of Cork. 

You will stay in a luxurious suite, which is lavishly decorated with beautiful antique furnishings.

In the evening, you will dine in the restaurant of your choice, the Orchids Fine Dining Restaurant, which offers contemporary Irish cuisine, or the Perrott’s Garden Bistro that features a wide range of Mediterranean and International Speciality dishes.

Enjoy and after dinner drink in the Manor Bar, after which you will retire to your luxury suite where a good night’s sleep is guaranteed.

Dromoland

After a leisurely breakfast, you will set off to visit the famous Blarney Castle and Gardens. The Castle was built in the 15th and 16th Century and is situated in an estate of over 1000 acres of magnificent woodland.  After kissing the Blarney Stone and seeing the magnificent gardens, you will visit the world famous Blarney Woollen Mills, one of the largest craft shops in Ireland.

After lunch in one of the many restaurants and bars situated in the well-preserved village square, you will be driven to Co. Clare.

Tonight you will stay at one of the finest 5 star Castle Hotels in Ireland, Dromoland Castle Hotel and Country Estate in Newmarket-on Fergus, Co. Clare. Dromoland Castle has been welcoming guests since the 16th century.

Stroll the 450-acre estate. Tee off on the world-class golf course. Take afternoon tea by a roaring fire. Relax in the intimate spa.

From lakeside look-outs to sumptuous suites, canopied beds to breakfast-in-bed, bubble baths to lazy lie-ins (not forgetting secret staircases to love nests), each room at Dromoland Castle has been thoughtfully designed to meet with royal approval. With sumptuous furnishings, exquisite bathrooms, relaxing color schemes, inviting beds and beautiful views, each meticulously refurbished room celebrates Irish heritage.  You will just have to decide which room you wish to relax in.

Dining at Dromoland is a pleasure from dressing up and dining in the Earl of Thomond, sitting by the fireside sofa for an afternoon tea, or relaxing in the Fig Tree Restaurant,  to rowing out to the lake with a champagne picnic or sneaking away to your room for a private dinner.  You choose.

Rock of Cashel

After a breakfast fit for a King and Queen, you will be collected and driven through the wonderful Irish countryside to Co. Tipperary to visit the Rock of Cashel, one of the most spectacular archaeological tourist attractions in Ireland. 

The Rock of Cashel, Carraig Phádraig (St. Patrick’s Rock), is also known as Cashel of the Kings and was the seat of the High Kings of Munster.   Most of the buildings on the current site date from the 12th and 13th centuries when the rock was gifted to the Church. The complex is huge, iconic and is one of the most remarkable collections of Celtic art and medieval architecture to be found anywhere in Europe.

After your visit, you will walk down the hill to the lovely town of Cashel and have lunch in the Cashel Palace hotel or in one of the many charming pubs in the town.

After lunch you will be taken to Co. Laois, where you will spend the last night of your wonderful honeymoon in Castle Durrow, a luxurious Country House Hotel, located in the midlands of Ireland, adjoining the quaint village of Durrow, Co. Laois.

Built in 1716 as a family home, this pre-Palladian mansion has 50 acres of lush lawns, colorful borders, green parkland, wild forest, meandering river, plentiful orchards and very beautiful gardens.

All the rooms have been elegantly and individually designed with family heirlooms and antiques dotted around the building.

Every meal is an occasion in Castle Durrow. The kitchen is led by an enthusiastic team who enjoy making your stay as comfortable as possible.  Many of the ingredients for the menu are supplied by the Castle’s own organic kitchen garden and the Castle use as many local producers as possible.

Castle Durrow is a place to relax, to unwind and to be treated like a lord or a lady for the duration of your stay. The Castle's friendly staff will wait on you hand and foot to ensure your stay is one not to be forgotten. A special place to finish your honeymoon in Ireland.

Home

A delicious extensive breakfast will be served in the dining room or room service in the privacy of your luxury bedroom.

You will be collected by your chauffeur and driven back to Dublin Airport to fly home.

After your wonderful honeymoon in Ireland, Emerald Concierge Services guarantee you will want to come back again to explore some other parts of this wonderful country.

Emerald Concierge Services look forward to seeing you next time.