The Tour in September 2001
Saturday 1 September 2001
Depart Sydney for London with transfer flight to Belfast

Sunday 2 September 2001 [Belfast]
Arrive Belfast, afternoon free to recover from journey

Monday 3 September 2001 [Belfast]
'She is handsome, she is pretty, She's the girl from Belfast city'
In the morning we toured Belfast, including a visit to the famous City Hall and the Ulster Museum. After lunch there was be an introduction to family history research in Ireland held at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland and an opportunity to meet members of the Northern Ireland Family History Society in an informal setting.

Tuesday 4 September 2001 [ Belfast]
'Where the mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea'
Everyone knows those that famous line of Percy French's song. We had the opportunity to see what he was singing about when we toured the Mountains of Mourne in County Down.

Wednesday 5 September 2001 [Fermanagh]
'There's piles of turf in dark Tyrone'
After a morning run through the southern counties of Ulster we took a boat trip on Lough Erne departing from Enniskillen. Later, at the Ulster American Folk Park, we sat in an 18th century meeting house, experienced the living conditions in original Irish cottage and took the ship for America. The Folk Park is developing as an emigration museum from Ireland to all parts of the world.

Thursday 6 September 2001 [Sligo]
'Under Bare Ben Bulben's head'
What is on offer in a typical Irish county genealogical centre? We had that question answered as we visited the Leitrim Heritage and Genealogical Centre in Ballinamore. We then toured on to Sligo through the convict riddled countryside of south Sligo! We had time to walk the streets of Sligo Town and visit one of the many old pubs such as Hardogans.

Friday 7 September 2001 [Achill Island, County Mayo]
'I put my mind to it and I never will linger, Till I find myself back in the County Mayo'
The barren slopes of the north Mayo coastline feature one of Ireland's most unusual heritage exhibits - the Ceidhe Fields. Here the Irish stone age is brought to life. From the Ceidhe Fields we made our way down the far-away west coast Mayo to Achill Island.

Saturday 8 September 2001 [Achill Island, County Mayo]
'At the foot of Slievemore is our childhood past'
Achill is a world unto itself. We visited a 19th century deserted village and a failed missionary establishment as well as experiencing the wild scenery of the Atlantic Drive. There was also an opportunity to walk the beautiful beach at Keel.

Sunday 9 September 2001 [Connemara, County Galway]
'And I sailing, sailing swiftly, from the County of Mayo'
Our journey took us past Ireland's holy mountain - Croagh Patrick with the Famine Monument at its foot. Then we headed on through the scenic but deserted countryside of west Mayo and west Galway to Kylemore Abbey. Our hotel for the night was situated looking out on the Atlantic towards the islands of Inishturk, Inishboffin and Inishark.

Monday 10 September 2001 [Aran Island, County Galway]
'Westward along the bright sea'
A feature of SAG's 2001 Irish tour was the day and night spent on Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands. On this wind-torn, stony rim of Europe - this isle of saints - we visited some of the most atmospheric ruins in Ireland such as the great fort of Dun Aengus, the Seven Churches and the sand buried church of Teallach Einne. There was also an opportunity to buy an Aran sweater!

Tuesday 11 September 2001 [Galway City]
'I know now that the strange dust that flies through Galway is the spirit of Gaelic Ireland'
On what turned out to be a very eventful day in history we headed to Galway City after the morning ferry ride back to the mainland. Here we had a free day to explore Galway's shopping delights and visited one of Ireland's premier bookshops - Kennys of Galway.
Go prepared to be divested of many dollars!

Wednesday 12 September 2001 [Galway City]
'And watch the sun go down on Galway Bay'
Ireland was finally lost to the old Celtic families of Ireland at the great battles of the Williamite Wars of 1688-1691 - the Boyne and Aughrim. Today we visited the site of the Battle of Aughrim, the great stained-glass Celtic revival cathedral at Loughrea and the poet Yeats' Norman tower at Thoor Ballylee. The day was not complete until we partook of a medieval banquet at Blarney Castle.

Thursday 13 September 2001 [Ennis, County Clare]
'Stony seaboard, far and foreign'
No place in Ireland is more connected to Australia than the County Clare. From this south western seaboard went thousands of emigrants to Sydney, Melbourne and other parts of Australia. Our route today took us along the coast of north Clare with visits to Corcomroe Abbey, Ballyvaughan, Black Head and the Cliffs of Moher.

Friday 14 September 2001 [Killarney, County Kerry]
'I don't know why I should always have had a soft spot in my heart for Limerick. Of course, my family came originally from that county, but that was in the eleventh century.'
We toured to Tralee, County Kerry, via Castleconnel and Foynes, County Limerick.

Saturday 15 September 2001 [Killarney, Co Kerry]
'The shape of the Great Island, Rose up out of the water hugely glooming'
We toured Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry and visited the Blasket Heritage Centre. Due to the Day of Mourning for the victims of September 11, our evening at Siamsa Tire Folk Theatre, Tralee was cancelled but all participants were happy to share the grief with America.

Sunday 16 September 2001 [Thurles, County Tipperary]
'If I were an Irishman I would haunt Cashel of the Kings.'
Toured from Tralee to Rock of Cashel and Clonoulty County Tipperary.

Monday 17 September 2001 [Dublin]
'Birr is easily the pleasantest town in the county.'
Toured to Dublin via Birr and Tullamore, County Offaly

Tuesday 18 September - Sunday 23 September 2001 [Dublin]
' In Dublin's fair city'
During our week in Dublin participants were able to chose from a mixed program of activities. Some spent the whole period - Tuesday to Sunday - at the 4th Irish Genealogical Congress in Trinity College. Others decided to mix such attendance with personal research at major Dublin repositories. From Tuesday to Friday inclusive, we also ran special half-day tours to major sites for those interested. These included Glasnevin Cemetery and The National Gallery and Museum of Ireland. The tour price included a visit to the Dublin Experience audio-visual presentation at Trinity College and a visit to the Long Room at the College Library as well as a walking tour of central Dublin historic sites.

Saturday 22 September 2001 [Dublin]
'Oh have you been to Avondale, and lingered in its lovely vale'
Attended Conference or toured County Wicklow visiting Glandalough monastic site, Avondale House and Ballykissangel.

Sunday 23 September 2001 [Dublin]
'The harp that once thro' Tara's Halls, The soul of music shed'
Attend Conference or early morning 1916 Rebellion walk down O'Connell Street followed by tour of sites in the Boyne Valley, County Meath.

End of tour