There is so much to love about Ireland - the uninhibited joy in the songs and dances, the wild natural beauty that steals your heart, the friendly pubs, vibrant painted facades and timeless Georgian streetscapes.
Sunset over Wishing Bridge, Ring of Kerry
I am often asked what my favourite country is, having led many garden tours around the world for almost forty years.The answer is Ireland! It’s the most enchanting place where hedgerows weave through rolling fields, alongside majestic landscapes, historic streets, charming cities and staggering natural beauty. It’s impossible to visit Ireland and not fall in love with it.
What you'll visit
You'll begin in Belfast and your first stop is UNESCO-listed Giant’s Causeway on your way to Galway for a few nights, to spend time in the bewitching Connemara. Next stop is Kylemore Abbey in its sublime location at the head of Pollacappul Lough, built as a castle with one of the largest Victorian walled gardens in Ireland.
Then you head through the dramatic Burren and Cliffs of Moher on your way to Killarney to travel the Ring of Kerry. Cork is next with a stop at Garinish in Bantry Bay to visit Harold Peto’s island garden of Ilnacullin. Then lunch will be waiting at Ballymaloe Cookery School.
Giant's Causeway UNESCO listed
High Street in Galway
Founded in 1983 the school is operated by Darina Allen, Ireland’s most renowned food ambassador, along with her brother Rory O'Connell. Over the years, it has grown into one of the world’s most prestigious cookery schools, boasting a vast network of students and alumni. Ballymaloe features a 100-acre organic farm, embodying a profound commitment to sustainable food production and a deep appreciation for the connection between land and plate. You'll love your cooking lessons!
Following that extraordinaryexperience, you'll stay in Waterford before travelling to Dublin with a stop to visit Powerscourt, grand in the high Victorian tradition. You'll meet extraordinary plants people who will show off their equally extraordinary gardens in and around Dublin.
All up, Ireland is a treat for your senses and you'll have a rollicking good ride!
"Darina's beautiful old family home Ballymaloe House Hotel, offers a rare farm-to-fork experience in the lush countryside of East Cork, combining luxurious stays amid superb gardens, and together showcasing the very best of Irish hospitality."
Kylemore Abbey, County Galway
Hydrangeas at Ardan Garden in Dublin
3 MUST-DOS
1. Explore the bewitching Ring of Kerry, a 179 km circuit of the Iveragh Peninsula, near Killarney. It’s a place of wild excess, with the sandstone flanks of Ireland’s tallest mountains, the Macgillycuddy Reeks, pleated and folded by glaciers, that descend into moist valleys. Narrow roads make a rickrack braid-like track as they follow around the circuit.
The maze as seen from overhead
2. Take in the wonder of Connemara, a vast expanse of mountains, bogs, heathland and lakes on Ireland’s west coast—a land steeped in legend, folklore and profound beauty. It’s no surprise that this magical place has long inspired poets, playwrights, artists and photographers.
3. Visit Kylemore Abbey, breathtakingly beautiful and reflected in the waters of Pollacappul Lough, was built in 1863 by wealthy politician Henry Mitchell, with Victorian Walled Gardens and heated glasshouses. It fell into disrepair and re-opened as Kylemore Abbey in 1920, as an International School for Girls.
Darina Allen from Ballymaloe Cookery School and Estate
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