Trips from Ennis

I think maybe you mean Ashford Castle. It is a couple of hours' drive north from Ennis. I think it would be a difficult day trip, even by rental car. The closest ferry to the Aran Islands is going to be in Doolin, about an hour from Ennis. It might be OK as a day trip, but it will depend on the weather when you are there. If the weather is too bad, or the water too rough (even in good weather otherwise), the ferries don't run. You could look at the schedule at Doolin2aranferries.com, and at Buseireann.ie to see if you can mesh together a bus to Doolin and a ferry. Rather than go all of that way, I might opt for something closer, like Bunratty Castle, Adare, or Limerick (I'm assuming the Cliffs of Moher will be on your tour).

nearer to Ennis is Aillwee cave and Birds of Prey

http://www.aillweecave.ie/birds-of-prey

Gladys,
In addition to the fabulous Falconry School experience at Ashford, Ashford Castle is probably one of the nicest castles and castle hotels you can experience in Ireland. It was the home of the Guinness (beer) family, and the grounds are absolutely lovely. It was recently named the third best hotel in the world by Travel & Leisure magazine.

But, as others said, it is a very difficult journey to make without a car.

But (huge but), if you are willing to hire a driver, you could enjoy a late morning falconry experience, then be driven through the absolutely lovely Connemara region of Ireland (Sky Road is listed in the National Geographic's 500 Journeys of a Lifetime book), then return to Ennis not too late that evening. It would be a long day, but very do-able and enjoyable. Next question, no doubt, will be how much for a private driver per day: probably about 300E-350E (I'm guessing might be the current rate), which will include the car, petro, etc. And, it is nice to have a local driving, who can also explain what you are seeing and tell you a little bit about Ireland from a local's perspective.

We hired Tony McGann (Doolin Taxi) who is absolutely fabulous when we were in Ireland a few years ago. In fact, we will be having dinner with him tonight here in Nashville!! We recommended him to friends, who also hired him, then invited him to stay with them if he came to Nashville. Everyone who meets Tony adores him, and he is a very reliable, personable driver/guide. I've recommended him a few times on this Forum, and I typically get PMs back from those who have really enjoyed him.

If your budget allows it, when will you ever be closer? And, if there are others on the RS Tour who might enjoy a similar experience, you could definitely share the ride, splitting the flat rate (Tony's VW van seats 8, I believe).

Ashford Castle (to stay overnight), I notice has become even more expensive, it seems, with his world recognition. It was acquired a few years ago and went under a huge refurbishment (but it was absolutely lovely before the refurbishment), so it just took it up a few more notches!

You can check it out on www.tripadvisor.com, and you can watch Hawk Walk videos from Ashford on YouTube.

Enjoy your trip! The Irish will amaze you with their friendly manner.

Thank you for the great ideas. Love the idea of hiring a taxi driver and will contact Tony for rates!!! As you say,when will I ever be this close again and I really want to do it!! Will also be agreat surprise for the rest of the family!!

My husband and I stayed at the Ashford Castle, four years ago. We were with our TAUCK tour group. We arrived on a boat to the dock at Ashford. It was unbelievable. A bagpiper met us and escorted us with his music, into the castle. We only got to spend two nights there, but want to go back. The grounds and hotel are picturesque. I have read that the renovations they just did were fabulous. My husband took a photo of the hotel. We took it to COSTCO and had it blown up on a canvas. We have it on our wall. My husband wanted to do the falconry school, but it was raining too hard. He didn't have any shoes he wanted to get muddy. We talked to a few people who did it though. Some people have stated online that the Ashford Castle and the falconry school were the highlight of their Ireland trips. We would have liked to have spent three full days at the hotel and not leave the grounds. My husband and I would plan a trip to Ireland, just to go to the Ashford and not go anywhere else.

Dromoland Castle, just ten minutes or so south of Ennis, also has a Falconry School. I'm not certain of their availability so you should schedule well in advance if you decide on the Dromoland. The concierge at Dromoland found a driver for us who charged $200 euro per day if you decide to go up to Ashford Castle for their Falconry experience. I can give you his contact info if you're interested. Ashford Castle and the small village of Cong just adjacent to the Castle grounds were the outdoor filming scenes of the 1952 movie "The Quiet Man" with John Wayne; Maureen O'Hara and Ward Bond. There is a "Quiet Man" museum in Cong with tours if you happen to be a fan.

The "Poet's Corner" bar in the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis was easily the best pub experience we had during our stay last summer. Met some great locals and had a very enjoyable couple of evenings there.

There are quite a number of locations in Ireland who offer a Falconry experience. We did our "Hawk Walk" at Mount Falcon (near Ballina and possibly too far north from Ennis for a day trip) and it was a definite highlight of our trip.....the Hawk Walk experience wherever you do it is highly recommended.