All tours on this holiday have now departed. Future departure dates will be confirmed in due course.
Dublin Castle
Trinity College
The Long Room, Trinity College
Castletown House
Maynooth University
Russborough House
Russborough House interior
Oscar Wilde's House
St Patrick's Cathedral
Trinity College Library
St Patrick's Cathedral nave
Tour highlights:
Private guided tour of Trinity College
Castletown House – Ireland’s first Palladian mansion
Private evening visit to Oscar Wilde's childhood home
Russborough House and its art‑filled interiors
The Russell Library at Maynooth University
This new tour through Dublin and its surrounding estates offers an exploration of Ireland’s artistic, architectural and historic domestic heritage. From grand Palladian country houses and Georgian townhouses to scholarly libraries and ceremonial state buildings, the itinerary focuses on how architecture, collections and interiors reflect the ambitions and ideas of their time. With expert talks, private access and guided visits, the tour brings to life the stories of the families, patrons and thinkers who lived within these remarkable buildings, all in the company of tour lecturer Nicholas Merchant.
Day 1: Arrival in Dublin
Fly from London Heathrow or Manchester to Dublin and transfer to our hotel. This evening, gather for a welcome drink before a talk from Nicholas: ‘The Big House in Ireland’. Dinner follows, with wine included.
Day 2: Trinity College and St Patrick’s Cathedral
Enjoy a fascinating morning at Trinity College with a private guided tour of its historic campus, bringing to life centuries of academic tradition. Continue with an exclusive visit to the Old Library, where a guided visit explores the architecture and symbolism of the Long Room. Completed in 1732 and later remodelled in the 19th century when its soaring barrel‑vaulted ceiling was added, the Long Room is lined with oak bookcases holding around 200,000 early printed volumes, classical busts and ancient manuscripts including the world‑famous Book of Kells. After free time for lunch at leisure, visit St Patrick’s Cathedral, Ireland’s largest cathedral, where a guided tour reveals its 13th‑century origins, Gothic architecture, and connections to Jonathan Swift, who served as Dean; the remainder of the afternoon is at leisure to explore Dublin at your own pace.
Day 3: Castletown House and St Patrick’s College Maynooth
Travel west to Castletown House, Ireland’s first and possibly finest Palladian mansion. Begun in the 1720s for William Conolly, Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, the house set the model for classical architecture in Ireland. A guided tour reveals the grand sequence of reception rooms, the cantilevered Portland‑stone staircase, rich plasterwork and the celebrated Print Room—the only surviving example of its kind in Ireland. We continue to Maynooth University for a light lunch in the Pugin Hall at St Patrick’s College, then a guided walk through the historic south campus, once the Royal College of St Patrick. The visit culminates in a private guided tour to the Russell Library, designed by A.W.N. Pugin and completed in 1861. Its Gothic Revival reading room houses one of Ireland’s most important rare‑book collections, including early printed works, medieval manuscripts and the Salamanca Archive. Return to Dublin for an evening talk from Nicholas ‘Treasures of Ancient Ireland’, followed by dinner with wine.
Day 4: Dublin Castle and Oscar Wilde’s House
This morning, enjoy a guided visit to Dublin Castle, built on a Viking site and transformed into a Georgian palace in the 18th century. The State Apartments—used today for presidential inaugurations—contain some of the finest ceremonial rooms in Ireland, including St Patrick’s Hall with its painted ceiling and rich plaster decoration. The afternoon is free to explore Dublin independently. In the evening, enjoy a private opening of Oscar Wilde House, a beautifully restored Georgian townhouse which was his childhood home. A guided visit with the museum director offers access to all floors, including period rooms that evoke mid‑19th‑century Dublin intellectual life.
Day 5: Russborough House and National Museum of Ireland
This morning we travel to Russborough House, a Palladian house designed by Richard Castle in the 1740s, with famously long façade commands views over the Wicklow countryside. A guided tour highlights the Lafranchini brothers’ plasterwork, the ceremonial interiors and the story of art collecting at Russborough, shaped by generations of owners and later by Sir Alfred and Lady Beit. Free time for lunch and to explore the gardens. In the afternoon, visit the National Museum of Ireland. Housed in a grand Victorian museum building, the collection spans Irish history from prehistory to the Middle Ages. Special focus is given to early goldwork, Bronze Age objects and the masterpieces of medieval metalwork displayed in the Treasury. Tonight we meet for a farewell dinner.
Day 6: Farmleigh House and Departure
Enjoy a morning visit to Farmleigh House, where a private guided tour reveals its fascinating evolution from an 18th‑century Georgian retreat to a magnificent Edwardian mansion shaped by the Guinness family. Discover highlights including the grand ballroom, rare-book library, fine art and tapestries, and interiors reflecting a rich blend of architectural styles. Afterwards, take time to explore the beautifully landscaped gardens. Continue to the airport for your return flight to London Heathrow or Manchester.
NB: Exact order of excursions may vary according to local conditions and tour manager’s discretion.
Please note the maximum group size on this tour is 25 travellers.
Tour Grading: This tour has been graded as moderate due to the amount of time spent walking and standing for viewing at attractions. For further information, please visit the mobility page on our website, or call our team if you have any questions prior to booking.
INCLUDED
NOT INCLUDED
Situated in the heart of Dublin, this four-star hotel blends historic elegance with modern comfort, making it an ideal base for exploring Ireland’s capital. This beautifully restored hotel features stylish, well-appointed rooms, while its grand architecture reflects over a century of rich heritage. Guests can enjoy a warm Irish welcome alongside contemporary amenities, including a fitness centre, bar, and restaurant. The comfortable bedrooms offer TV, WIFI, telephone, safe, hairdryer, and tea/coffee making facilities.
YOUR EXPERT TOUR LECTURER
Nicholas Merchant is a freelance lecturer on the Decorative and Fine Arts. He lectures extensively throughout the United Kingdom and Europe as one of the accredited lecturers of the Arts Society formerly National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts. In addition he has lectured in the United States, South Africa and recently by zoom to New Zealand.
His wide knowledge of the Decorative Arts has been acquired through initially working for some of the leading auction houses including Sotheby’s and Phillip’s (now Bonhams) where he qualified as a Valuer through the Chartered Institute of Valuers (now Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors). Utilising his knowledge and love of his subject he subsequently was involved in the book-trade, specialising in reference books on the decorative and fine arts. His own business in this area introduced him to many of the leading antique dealers both in the United Kingdom and overseas. This business, likewise, took him not just to the principal London exhibitions but to Paris, Frankfurt and New York.
In 2004 Nicholas joined the panel of, the then, National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts and has since acquired a reputation as a lecturer whose convivial style of addressing his audience is guaranteed to entertain and inform. Nicholas not only lectures for the Arts Society but also for some of the principal cruise lines, such as Noble-Caledonia and Hebridean Princess, travelling notably to Germany, Italy and the Adriatic. He also leads several tours for Travel Editions each year.
He was, until recently, the West Yorkshire representative for the Art Fund helping to raise money to keep art treasures in Britain. He now lectures extensively on-line not only in the UK but to New Zealand and South Africa. He is also the Northern Representative of the Friends of the British Antique Dealers Association. Nicholas’ hobbies include book-collecting, travel, the history of country houses.
