ESCORTED TOURS IRELAND DESTINATIONS Castles in @laurafrench121 I


’m sitting in a 600-year-old castle, tackling a mound of


honey-doused pork ribs with my bare hands – no forks here, for this is medieval times, I’m told. Meanwhile a large, bumbling


lord dressed in full medieval garb stands at the front cracking hearty jokes, accompanied by a group of singing Ladies of the House. His voice ricochets down the candlelit Banquet Hall, where goblets of mead fill Harry Potter- like tables, and shiny platters send wafts of meat and chicken swirling through the room. Then we’re told the earl – an elected audience member – has


found one of our group members to be a ‘scoundrel’ and sent him off to the dungeons. It’s all kicking off. Welcome to Ireland – or more specifically, Bunratty Castle’s medieval banquet, where period- costumed violinists, harpists and choral singers perform between endless streams of themed food, so that by the end, we’re all thumping the tables and dancing along full of merriment (and a fair bit of wine). It’s available as an add-on to


Cosmos tours around Ireland (from £67 per person), and is one of the standout experiences


the sky


Laura French discovers different sides of Ireland on a fam trip with Cosmos


on a fam trip showing off an intriguing side to this scenic country. Even by the end, I’m not ready to say slán (‘goodbye’ in Gaelic) to the rolling carpets of green and quaint little towns that pepper the landscape.


w HORSING AROUND It was to a slightly more modern tune that we kicked off the trip in Dublin. Top of my list of highlights here was the Guinness Storehouse, the sleek museum shaped like a pint and packed with colourful displays and interactive videos. A seven-floor juggernaut, it’s worth recommending, even if clients


aren’t the biggest drinkers, not least for the panoramic glass atrium bar at the top, and the Brewers’ Dining Hall, where tender beef stew and other classics are dished up in Irish-sized portions (entry is €18.50 for adults and free for under-13s; Cosmos offers an optional visit to the Guinness Storehouse for £63 including a tour and dinner with drinks). From here it was on to the


Irish National Stud, a renowned thoroughbred horse farm about an hour’s drive west. Tucked away in the heart of County Kildare, this sprawling patch of green was bought in 1900


13 September 2018 travelweekly.co.uk 59


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