A women’s journey · October 17–25, 2026
Eight women. One manor in County Clare. Ireland’s wild west coast.
The Cliffs of Moher, the Aran Islands, Kylemore Abbey and Connemara — then two nights in Dublin to finish. One house as your base for most of it, so you unpack once.
$6,700 · $800 holds your spot · your own room, always
- Rated 5 stars by past travelers
- Maximum 8 women
- Private room included
- Secure checkout via WeTravel
What this actually is
Ireland’s west coast,
with seven other women.
Nine days between the Atlantic and the Burren, based in one 18th-century manor in County Clare — so you unpack once. A private coach for everything. Six nights at the manor, two in a Dublin boutique hotel at the end. And a group capped at eight, small enough that by the second morning you know how everyone takes their tea.
We start in County Clare: the Burren’s limestone moonscape, the Poulnabrone Dolmen standing there since before the pyramids, and the Cliffs of Moher with the wind doing what it does. A ferry out to Inis Mór. Kylemore Abbey and the Connemara road. Then east to Dublin — Trinity College, the Guinness Storehouse, and a last dinner together.
This trip is for you if…
- You want to see the west coast properly, not from a bus window on a fourteen-stop loop.
- You’d rather unpack once and come back to the same house each night.
- Uneven ground doesn’t worry you — cliff paths, limestone, island lanes.
- A sheepdog demonstration, afternoon tea in a castle and a whiskey tasting all sound like the same good week.
- You want Dublin at the end, not as the whole trip.
- You’d rather travel with seven women than with fifty.
Activity level: Moderate
What’s handled for you
- Private coach for the full nine days.
- Six nights in an 18th-century countryside manor in County Clare.
- Two nights in a boutique hotel in Dublin.
- A TDJ facilitator with the group the entire trip.
- Local guides in the Burren, Connemara, the Aran Islands and Dublin.
- Airport transfers into Shannon and out of Dublin.
Women only · adults of all ages
5.0
verified traveler reviews on WeTravel
“The level of planning was exceptional—every detail was thoughtfully handled… It was not only seamless but genuinely fun.”
Darcy M. · Vietnam · Verified WeTravel review
“I never had to plan a thing. Everything was taken care of for me… It was a 5-star experience in every way.”
Trina C. · New York City · Verified WeTravel review
The whole point
One house, and the whole
west coast around it.
Why one base instead of six hotels?
Most Ireland itineraries move you every night — a different town, a different check-in, a different lobby. You see more places and remember fewer of them. We do it the other way round: six nights at Thomond House in County Clare, day trips out and back, and the packing stays done. What you gain isn’t only convenience. It’s the thing that makes a small group work — the same eight women in the same sitting room each evening, a fire, and nowhere to be.
- The Burren. A limestone moonscape with a perfumery in the middle of it, a thousand-year-old ring fort, a sheepdog demonstration, and the Poulnabrone Dolmen — a portal tomb older than the pyramids.
- The Cliffs of Moher. Ireland’s Atlantic edge in the morning, afternoon tea at Dromoland Castle, and a whiskey tasting back at the manor the same evening.
- Inis Mór. A ferry to the largest of the Aran Islands, then a horse-drawn carriage between stone walls, sea cliffs and forts that have been there for a very long time.
- Kylemore Abbey & Connemara. A neo-Gothic abbey on a lake, walled Victorian gardens, artisan shopping in Clifden and an afternoon in Galway.
- Dublin. Two nights at the end — Trinity College and the Book of Kells, Grafton Street, Temple Bar, the Guinness Storehouse and a farewell dinner.
Ireland is small. That is the advantage — everything above is a day trip from one front door.
One thing worth knowing
You get your own room.
Every package on this trip is single occupancy. No roommate matching, no supplement to ask about, no awkward first night. Eight nights, eight doors that close.
There are two versions of the same trip: an upper-floor room with a shared bathroom at $6,700, and a room with a private bathroom at $7,700. The bathroom is the only difference between them.
“Many women join our journeys solo and end up forming deep, lasting friendships. The environment is warm, inclusive, and designed for connection.”
— The Dandelion Journals
Day by day
Shannon in, Dublin out,
one manor in between.
Six nights at Thomond House in County Clare, two nights in Dublin, and a private coach for everything in between. Tap any day to open it.
Day 1Arrive Shannon, on to Thomond House
We meet at Shannon Airport and drive into County Clare to Thomond House, the 18th-century manor that is your base for the next six nights. Plan to land no later than 5pm. Unpack once — you won’t do it again until Dublin.
Welcome dinner at the manor, and a first evening to put names to faces.
Welcome dinner
Day 2The Burren — scents, stone and sheepdogs
An Irish breakfast at the manor, then out across the Burren’s limestone. The Burren Perfumery, where Ireland’s wild botanicals become fragrance and the garden is worth the visit on its own. In the afternoon, Caherconnell Stone Fort and a sheepdog demonstration — border collies working a flock the way they have here for centuries.
Then Poulnabrone Dolmen, a portal tomb over 5,000 years old, standing on bare rock against the lunar landscape of the Burren. Back to the manor for a dinner cooked by our private chef.
Breakfast, lunch en route, dinner
Day 3Clarecastle, a spa afternoon, and music in Ennis
A slower day. Brunch at the manor, then a guided walk through Clarecastle — the riverside village just beyond the gates, and the trade and river history that gave it its shape.
The afternoon is at the Shannon Estuary Way Retreat: a gentle yoga session and an eco-spa. In the evening we head into Ennis, a town known across Ireland for its music, for dinner and a session in a local pub.
Brunch, dinner
Day 4Kylemore Abbey, Clifden and Galway
North through Connemara to Kylemore Abbey — a neo-Gothic abbey built as a love story in stone, with a Gothic church and walled Victorian gardens on the edge of a lake.
Lunch and artisan shopping in Clifden — Irish knitwear, Connemara marble — then on to Galway for the afternoon and dinner in the city before the drive back to the manor.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 5Cliffs of Moher, Dromoland Castle, whiskey
The Cliffs of Moher in the morning: Ireland’s Atlantic frontier, the spray coming up and the wind doing what it does.
Afternoon tea at Dromoland Castle — fine china, pastries, lawns — then back to Thomond House for dinner and an Irish whiskey tasting.
Breakfast, afternoon tea, dinner
Day 6A day on Inis Mór
Ferry out to the largest of the Aran Islands. Explore by horse-drawn carriage: stone walls laced across green fields, sea cliffs, ancient forts, and island life that has not changed much.
Lunch on the island, the ferry back, and dinner together at the manor.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 7East to Dublin
A last country breakfast, then roughly three hours by private coach across Ireland’s heartland to Dublin and our boutique hotel.
A guided walk in the afternoon — Grafton Street, Trinity College and the Book of Kells, Temple Bar’s cobblestones and the quiet green of St Stephen’s Green. Dinner in the city.
Breakfast, dinner
Day 8Guinness, a pub lunch and a farewell dinner
Breakfast at the hotel, then the Guinness Storehouse — the history and the craft of it, and Dublin from the Gravity Bar with a pint in hand.
A pub lunch, an afternoon free for shopping or a museum, and a farewell dinner in the evening.
Breakfast, lunch, farewell dinner
Day 9Slán abhaile
A final breakfast together, then private transfers to Dublin Airport with your bags a little heavier than when you arrived.
Book your flight home from Dublin (DUB) at whatever hour suits you.
Breakfast
Details can shift with local conditions — when they do, we replace them with something equivalent.
From our travelers’ cameras
Ireland’s west,
as our group saw it.
The honest cost
What your money covers —
and what it doesn’t.
✓Included
- Eight nights, your own room throughout — six in an 18th-century County Clare manor, two in a Dublin boutique hotel
- Private coach for the full nine days
- Airport transfers: Shannon in, Dublin out
- A TDJ facilitator with the group the whole trip
- Local guides in the Burren, Connemara, the Aran Islands and Dublin
- Private-chef dinners at the manor, plus an Irish whiskey tasting
- Cliffs of Moher, Kylemore Abbey, Caherconnell, the Burren Perfumery and the Guinness Storehouse
- Aran Islands ferry and horse-drawn carriage tour
- Afternoon tea at Dromoland Castle, and a yoga and eco-spa afternoon
- Welcome and farewell dinners, daily breakfasts and the meals listed by day
- Pre-trip support, group calls and a packing list
- Standard gratuities
＋Not included
- International flights to Shannon and home from Dublin
- Travel insurance (required — see FAQ)
- Transfers for arrivals into Dublin or departures from Shannon (additional fee)
- Alcohol outside the listed meals
- Meals during free time
- Personal purchases and shopping
- Room service, hotel incidentals and extra gratuities for guides or hotel staff
No hidden line items. What you see here is the whole picture.
Reserve your place
$800 holds your spot.
Two rooms, one trip. Both are single occupancy — the bathroom is the only difference. Payment plan options are offered at checkout.
Best value
Solo room — shared bathroom
$6,700 per person
An upper-floor room at Thomond House, single occupancy, with a shared bathroom. Everything else about the trip is identical.
Private bathroom
Solo room — private bathroom
$7,700 per person
Single occupancy with your own bathroom, every night of the trip.
What you pay, and when
$800 today, at booking
The balance before departure
WeTravel offers payment plan options at checkout, so the balance can be split across the weeks before you fly. Booking closes August 25, 2026 — after that the manor rooms and the coach are released.
Checkout is handled by WeTravel, the booking platform we have used for every Dandelion Journals trip. Booking closes August 25, 2026.
If you’re thinking of coming alone
Most people do.
Almost everyone on a Dandelion Journals trip books without a travel companion. Not because they wanted to go alone — because the trip they wanted didn’t line up with anyone else’s October.
Nobody is sharing a room
Both packages are single occupancy. No roommate matching, no supplement, no awkward first night.
Eight women, nine days
By the second morning you will know everyone. A group this small doesn’t need icebreakers — it happens over breakfast.
You’re never navigating Ireland alone
Airport pickup at Shannon, a private coach all week, local guides, and a TDJ facilitator with the group the entire trip.
Women only, all ages
Our trips are designed for adult women who are curious, easy-going and up for a bit of weather.
From women who have travelled with us
Every trip. Every review.
Five stars.
“Every day offered meaningful connections with the people, culture, and history of the country. The level of planning was exceptional—every detail was thoughtfully handled, from simple comforts like water during transfers to incredibly knowledgeable guides who brought each place to life.”
Darcy M. · Vietnam · March 2026
“I had a fantastic time. The trip included interesting and educational experiences with a wide variety of activities… I can't wait for my next trip with the Dandelion Journals!”
Amy B. · Roatán · February 2026
“I spent four days with Elizabeth and Heba, and I never had to plan a thing… It was a 5-star experience in every way.”
Trina C. · New York City · November 2025
Before you book
The questions people actually ask.
How’s the weather in October?
Cool and changeable — roughly 45–58°F, with a real chance of rain and wind on the coast. Layers, a waterproof jacket, and shoes you don’t mind getting wet. We send a full packing list before you go.
How active is this trip?
Moderate. Uneven ground at the Burren, the Cliffs of Moher and on Inis Mór, some standing during guided visits, and a few hours on the coach on transfer days.
Do I have to share a room?
No. Both packages are single occupancy. The $6,700 room has a shared bathroom, the $7,700 room has a private one. There is no roommate matching and no single supplement.
How does paying work?
$800 holds your spot. The balance is due before departure, and WeTravel offers payment plan options at checkout. Booking closes August 25, 2026.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes — it is required. We and many past travelers have used Travel Insured International, but you are welcome to shop for whatever suits you best.
Which airports should I book?
Fly into Shannon (SNN) and home from Dublin (DUB). Pickup at Shannon and drop-off at Dublin are included. Arriving into Dublin or leaving from Shannon is possible, but carries an additional transfer fee.
Do I need a visa?
US citizens do not need a visa for stays under 90 days. Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your return date.
Is this trip for solo travelers?
Almost everyone comes solo. Many women join our journeys alone and end up forming deep, lasting friendships — the whole trip is built for it.
Do I have to join every excursion?
We would encourage it, but you are welcome to sit one out and take time on your own where it works. On some days we move on to a new location afterwards, so let us know in advance.
What about dietary restrictions?
Tell us when you book. Our private chef at the manor and the restaurants we use can accommodate most requirements with notice.
Will there be downtime?
Yes. The itinerary is built with time for rest and self-guided wandering, especially at the manor.
Still deciding? Email letsgo@thedandelionjournals.com or call +1 (678) 692-6584. A real person answers.
October 17–25, 2026
Eight women are going to Ireland.
One of them could be you.
Nine days on Ireland’s west coast, six nights in a County Clare manor and two in Dublin. From $6,700 with your own room every night, and $800 holds your place.
Booking closes August 25, 2026
The Dandelion Journals · luxury travel designed for connection
