Chronicles of the Fitzgerald Clan

Chronicles of the Fitzgerald Clan is a 7 Day tour of Ireland which trails the glorious past of the powerful Fitzgerald Clan and offers you the chance to unearth your own Fitzgerald family roots with personalised genealogy workshops. Literally translated Fitzgerald means Son of Gerald, named after creators of the Fitzgerald lineage Gerald de Windsor and his wife Nesta, Princess of Wales. Their son, Maurice FitzGerald, arrived on Irish shores in the 1170s and from him descended the Earls of Kildare, the Earls of Desmond, the Knights of Glin and the Knights of Kerry. Relive your Clan history Day 1 Welcome to Ireland A panoramic tour of Dublins Fair City Take in the famous Trinity College, Guinness Brewery, Christ Church, built by the Anglo-Normans in 1172, and more Exclusive visit to Leinster House Home of the Oireachtas, the national Irish parliament, was originally built as the townhouse of the Earl of Kildare, member of Fitzgerald Clan, in 1745 Welcome Dinner at Buswells Hotel Genealogy Workshops with Heritage Profile Ireland Overview of resources for genealogical research Day 2 Dublin and Maynooth Visit to the National Library in Dublin Guided tour provided by the National Librarys Education Team and personal research assistance Tea and scones at Carton House One of Irelands greatest stately homes and ancestral seat of the Earls of Kildare Visit to Maynooth Castle and University The Castle was built by the Fitzgerald Clan during the 1200s and the Clan later provided the land on which Maynooth College was founded in 1795 Dinner and entertainment at the Irish House Party Day 3 Dublin to Cork Walking tour of Kildare Town Take in the 12th century Kildare Fitzgerald Castle, once one of the most important Castles of the Normans in Leinster, the Lord Edward Fitzgerald monument and the Silken Thomas pub Visit to the Rock of Cashel The Rock of Cashel was the seat of the High Kings of Munster, anecdotal rivals of the Fitzgeralds Welcome Dinner at Fitzgeralds Vienna Woods Hotel Genealogy Workshops with Heritage Profile Ireland Immigration Records Day 4 Kinsale and Cobh Visit to Kinsale Desmond Castle Built by the Fitzgeralds in 1500s, Maurice Bacach Fitzgerald attained the right from King Henry VII of England to collect customs and taxes in Kinsale which he did so from this Castle Visit to Cobh Heritage Centre Between 1848 and 1950 over 2.5million adults and children emigrated from Ireland at Cobh Harbour Dinner and Musical Entertainment at Fitzgeralds Vienna Woods Hotel Day 5 Cork to Adare Visit to Molly Gallivans Cottage and Traditional Farm just outside Kenmare, Kerry

Experience the traditional farming skills to include turf-cutting, butter-making, poitin (whiskey) making and more Visit to Kerry Writers Museum in Listowel Enjoy the works of County Kerrys five most esteemed writers which include George Fitzmaurice Welcome Dinner at Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel Day 6 Bunratty and Lough Gur Visit to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park Walk the streets of 19th century Ireland at Bunratty Folk Park, one of the most complete and authentic medieval castles in Ireland, built in 1425. It was authentically restored in 1954 to its former medieval splendour Genealogy workshops with Heritage Profile Ireland Land Records Honey Fitz Theatre Performance in Lough Gur The theatre is named after John Francis Fitzgerald Honey Fitz, grandfather of President John F. Kennedy. Honey Fitzs own Father emigrated from Logh Gur in 1850 Dinner at Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel Day 7 Adare and Surrounding Area Walking tour of Adare Adare was a stronghold of the 3rd Earl of Dunraven, member of the Fitzgerald Clan. Enjoy its thatched cottages, Abbeys and Desmond Fitzgerald Castle Visit to Foynes Flying Boat Museum From 1939 to 1945 Foynes was the centre of the aviation world for air traffic between the United States and Europe. It is also home of the Irish coffee Visit to Glin Castle Glin Castle has been home to the Knights of Glin, members of the Fitzgerald Clan, for over 800 years Medieval Banquet at Fitzgeralds Desmond Castle, Adare A fun night awaits where you will enjoy a real dining experience with a traditional pig-on-a-spit, plenty of Guinness and lots of traditional Irish entertainment Day 8 - Farewell