Each summer the staff of Champlain Dublin organize and run a trip to Ireland for faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and friends of Champlain College. The 2014 trip (our 4th annual!) ran from July 4-14 for a group of 11 travellers.
We started with two days in Dublin, which included a tour of Trinity College and the Book of Kells, a historical walking tour, a lecture on the artistic response to the economic crash in Ireland from our faculty member Stephen McMahon, and of course a night of Irish music and dance.
We then boarded a private coach for the trip south and west, visiting Russborough House, Kilkenny, and the Rock of Cashel on the first day.
The following day saw us visit Cobh, the final port of call of the Titanic, as well as a tour of Cork. Into the mountains of Kerry the following day, with stops in the wonderful village of Kenmare as well as Kilarney National Park. The scenery got even more spectacular the next day as we visited the Dingle Peninsula and Slea Head. No trip to the west coast of Ireland would be complete without a visit to the world famous Cliffs of Moher in Co. Clare. The weather was fantastic (an Irish heatwave!) and the company couldn’t have been better.
The Dublin staff love to show off the country and meet new friends with a Champlain connection. Organizing and running this trip really is the highlight of our summer!
If you haven’t been to Ireland on one of our Discover Ireland trips then please get in touch. We’d love to host more Champlain people and show them parts of Ireland that other tours don’t visit. The tentative dates for the 2015 trip are July 10-19. Itinerary still to be decided, but we do change it up every year.
All the best from the Emerald Isle,
Stephen Robinson
Program Director
Champlain Abroad Dublin