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A Private Itinerary

Ireland
The Boys, 2026

Five nights across Dublin, Connemara & the western wild.

27 May — 1 June Party of Eleven Three Properties
Until Day One
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I.

At a Glance

A city-first approach — two nights in Dublin for bearings, food and stout — followed by two nights at a private Connemara lodge, then a final night coast-side at Portmarnock before departures.

Dublin · Nights 1–2
Hyatt Centric
The Liberties
Connemara · Nights 3–4
Lettery Lodge
Ballynahinch Castle
Coast · Final Night
Portmarnock
Resort & Links
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N ATLANTIC OCEAN IRISH SEA CELTIC SEA Northern Ireland Republic of Ireland Ballynahinch nights 3–4 Ahascragh distillery stop Dublin nights 1–2 Portmarnock final night
From Dublin west to Ballynahinch in Connemara, with a distillery stop at Ahascragh along the way, then back across to Portmarnock for the final night — roughly 700 km of island, traced.
Dublin · 2 nights Ballynahinch · 2 nights Portmarnock · 1 night Ahascragh · day stop
II.

Arrivals & Departures

Flight details for the full party. Pre-trip arrangements noted where applicable.

Guest Arrival Departure Notes
Jeremi May 26
8:15am
AC800
YYZ–DUB		 Jun 1
9:50am
AC801
DUB–YYZ
Blake May 26
10:50am
WS18
YYC–DUB		 Jun 1
7:20pm
FR1042
DUB–TLS		 Return Shanny's stolen undies
Shanny May 26
Afternoon
By Car		 Jun 1
10:40am
WS47
DUB–YYZ →
WS645
YYZ–YYC		 Pre-trip w/ Marie
Pack underwear
Iliffe May 27
Morning
By Car		 Jun 2
1:00pm
WS17
DUB–YYC		 Pre-trip w/ family
James May 27
8:15am
AC800
YYZ–DUB		 Jun 1
9:50am
AC801
DUB–YYZ
Zanini May 27
8:15am
AC800
YYZ–DUB		 Jun 1
9:50am
AC801
DUB–YYZ
Tom May 27
10:00am
DL292
DTW–DUB		 Jun 1
10:00am
DL293
DUB–DTW
Brad May 27
10:50am
WS18
YYC–DUB		 Jun 1
10:40am
WS47
DUB–YYZ		 Reminder: fishing partner does not self-inflate
Noel May 27
10:50am
WS18
YYC–DUB		 Jun 1
9:40am
WS43
DUB–YHZ		 Still hoping for a PJ
Peter May 27
10:50am
WS18
YYC–DUB		 Jun 1
10:40am
WS47
DUB–YYZ →
WS645
YYZ–YYC
Kevin May 27
11:15am
EI521
CDG–DUB		 Jun 1
9:50am
AC801
DUB–YYZ		 Pre-trip w/ Sarah
III.

The Itinerary

Day by day, hour by hour. Times are firm where reservations are held; open blocks invite discovery.

A note on the forecasts.  Weather updates automatically on page load from Open-Meteo using the Met Éireann regional model. Pull-to-refresh for the latest data.
Tuesday · May 26
Day Zero
Dublin
◐Forecast · Dublin
16° / 5°  A mild day with the chance of sunny spells. Cooler than average overnight — light jacket for the evening. Good conditions for reconnaissance.
Open-Meteo · Met Éireann model · Live forecast
✦On This Day in Ireland
1873Religious tests for entrance to Trinity College, Dublin were abandoned by Act of Parliament — opening the university, after nearly three centuries, to Catholics and dissenters alike.
♫Suggested Listening
The Dubliners — Live at the Gaiety. Nothing settles the argument about where Ireland begins faster than Luke Kelly singing Raglan Road. Set the tone before the first pint is poured.
🗣Phrase of the Day
May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead. Traditional Irish blessing
A toast, a blessing, and a threat rolled into one — which is about as Irish as it gets. Tonight, Jeremi, Blake and Shanny are in Dublin a full day ahead of the rest. The devil, it is safe to say, has not yet been informed.
📍Tip of the Day
Rounds are sacred in Irish pub culture — you buy for the group, not yourself. With three of you tonight that's simple enough. By Wednesday with eleven lads it becomes an art form. Tonight is practice.
  • arrivals
    Jeremi, Blake & Shanny Arrive
    Early birds to Dublin.
  • evening
    Reconnaissance
    In search of the best pint of the black stuff. Rest before the proper craic commences.
Wednesday · May 27
Day One
Dublin
◐Forecast · Dublin
14° / 4°  Cooler and potentially overcast — typical late-May Dublin. Pack layers for the evening crawl. Cooler nights mean the walk between pubs is brisk rather than unpleasant.
Open-Meteo · Met Éireann model · Live forecast
✦On This Day in Ireland
1936The very first Aer Lingus flight took off — a five-passenger De Havilland Dragon called Iolar ("Eagle"), departing Baldonnel military aerodrome bound for Bristol. Suitable history for a day when most of the boys are flying in.
♫Suggested Listening
Lankum — False Lankum (2023). Dark, drone-heavy Irish folk that sounds like it was recorded in a pub cellar during a storm. Perfect for the Brazen Head and a crawl through the Liberties.
🗣Phrase of the Day
Céad míle fáilte KAY-ad MEE-leh FAWL-cheh
A hundred thousand welcomes. The phrase is everywhere in Ireland — on pub signs, hotel doors, tea towels. Today the full party arrives. The island is ready. The pints are waiting.
💰Tip of the Day
Tipping in Ireland: 10–12% in sit-down restaurants is generous and correct. Unlike North America, 20% is not expected and will mark you immediately as a tourist — or as Noel. Bar staff are not routinely tipped; rounding up or leaving small change is fine. Taxis: round to the nearest euro. The bill is called an bille — asking for it does not require flagging like you're landing a 747.
Thursday · May 28
Day Two
Dublin
◐Forecast · Dublin
12° / 4°  The coolest day of the trip — grey and potentially damp. Good news: you're spending the morning inside the Guinness Storehouse and the evening on the cocktail crawl. Dress warm for the gaps between bars.
Open-Meteo · Met Éireann model · Live forecast
✦On This Day in Ireland
1779The poet and balladeer Thomas Moore was born at 12 Aungier Street, Dublin — author of The Minstrel Boy and the Irish Melodies, which set old Irish tunes to lyrics still sung in the country's pubs today.
♫Suggested Listening
Fontaines D.C. — A Hero's Death. Post-punk Dublin at full throttle. By the time you're navigating the cocktail crawl, you'll want something with electricity in it. This is it.
🗣Phrase of the Day
Ar mhaith leat deoch? er WAH lyat d'yukh
Would you like a drink? Possibly the most useful sentence in the Irish language. The correct answer is Ba mhaith, go raibh maith agat (bah WAH, guh rev mah AH-gut) — Yes, thank you. Practice this.
🍺Tip of the Day
A properly poured Guinness takes exactly two parts: an initial three-quarter fill, a settle of at least 90 seconds, then the top-up dome. Never accept a rushed pint. If the barman fills it in one go, it's acceptable to raise an eyebrow. At the Guinness Storehouse, the Gravity Bar pour is ceremonial — enjoy it, but the Storehouse bar downstairs pulls a better one.
Friday · May 29
Day Three
Dublin → Connemara
◐Forecast · Dublin (Departure)
15° / 6°  Improving as you leave the city — dry conditions expected for the morning coach departure.
Open-Meteo · Met Éireann model · Live forecast
◐Forecast · Connemara (Arrival)
15° / 6°  The Connemara approach on the N59 often opens up into clear Atlantic light in the afternoon. Good arrival conditions at the lodge.
Open-Meteo · Met Éireann model · Live forecast
✦On This Day in Ireland
1798News of the rising in Leinster reached the north. County delegates meeting in Armagh voted out their hesitant directory, and the United Irishmen of Antrim and Down began organising for the open rebellion that would erupt within days.
♫Suggested Listening
The Chieftains — The Wide World Over: A 40-Year Celebration. Traditional Irish pipes and fiddles for the drive west on the M6 — nothing makes the bog landscape open up like uilleann pipes at full cry. Switch to something louder as you cross into Connemara.
🗣Phrase of the Day
Tír na nÓg TEER nah NOHG
The Land of the Eternal Young — the mythological Irish paradise that lies to the west, beyond the sea. Warriors and poets travelled toward it their whole lives. Today, so do you. The N59 west of Galway is as close as tarmac gets.
🚗Tip of the Day
Irish rural roads narrow dramatically west of the Shannon. On single-track lanes, the convention is to pull into the nearest passing place and give a small wave — one or two fingers lifted from the steering wheel, never a full wave. Locals do this at 80km/h without flinching. The Ahascragh detour off the M6 is via the N63 north — easy to miss; keep an eye on Tommy Nee.
  • breakfast
    Brunch Before the Road
    Two Pups · Soren & Son · Cheeky Piglet · Bakeology · The Fumbally · or at hotel
  • late morning
    Provisions
    Tesco. Drinks and snacks for the drive.
  • 11:45 am
    Coach Pick-Up
    Connemara Coaches. Pick-up at Hyatt Centric The Liberties. The long road west begins.
  • en route
    Two-Hour Drive
    Dublin westward to Ahascragh, County Galway.
  • 2:00 pm
    Distillery Tour & Tasting
    Ahascragh Distillery. Contact: Eoghan O'Reilly.
    Booked
  • en route
    Two-Hour Drive
    Deeper into Connemara, through the bogs and lakes.
  • 5:00 pm
    Check-In at the Lodge
    Lettery Lodge, Ballynahinch. The rest of the week is ours.
  • 6:30 pm
    Roast Dinner
    Lettery Lodge. First proper meal in the west.
  • evening
    Hang at the Lodge
    Fire. Whiskey. No schedule.
Saturday · May 30
Day Four
Ballynahinch
◐Forecast · Connemara
17° / 9°  One of the warmer days of the trip — and it lands in Connemara. Sun bursts between Atlantic cloud, the chance of a shower but nothing persistent. Good fishing conditions. The Terrace lunch looks viable.
Open-Meteo · Met Éireann model · Live forecast
✦At Ballynahinch
The estate's most famous resident was Richard "Humanity Dick" Martin (1754–1834) — MP for Galway, founder of the SPCA, and the man who pushed Britain's first animal welfare legislation through Parliament. The castle later belonged to Maharaja Ranjitsinhji, the cricketer-prince of Nawanagar, who bought it in 1924 for the salmon fishing.
♫Suggested Listening
The Waterboys — Fisherman's Blues. Recorded in part at a farmhouse in County Galway, this is the essential Connemara album. And A Bang on the Ear, followed by whiskey in hand with mountains outside the window. Near perfect.
🗣Phrase of the Day
Póg mo thóin POHG muh HOH-in
Kiss my backside. Arguably the most universally useful phrase in the Irish language. Deployable at the fishing river, the card table, the whiskey tasting, and especially the Fisherman's Pub. Use with affection — in Irish, tone is everything.
🎣Tip of the Day
Ballynahinch River is one of Ireland's finest wild Atlantic salmon rivers. As lodge guests, fishing is available through the estate — rods and a ghillie can be arranged at the front desk. Catch and release only for salmon until July. The spring grilse run is mid-May through June — timing could not be better.
Sunday · May 31
Day Five
Ballynahinch → Portmarnock
◐Forecast · Connemara (Departure)
18° / 10°  A warm final morning at the lodge. Atlantic light, minimal wind — a good send-off from the west.
Open-Meteo · Met Éireann model · Live forecast
◐Forecast · Portmarnock (Arrival)
18° / 10°  Bright on the east coast with light winds. Good evening for a stroll to the harbour seals before dinner at Mamo.
Open-Meteo · Met Éireann model · Live forecast
✦On This Day in Ireland
1973Ireland completed accession to the European Economic Community — the modern EU — having joined on 1 January. It was the most consequential foreign-policy decision of the 20th century, ending generations of economic dependence on Britain.
♫Suggested Listening
U2 — The Joshua Tree. The greatest Irish rock album ever made, and it sounds best at full volume heading east across the midlands. Where The Streets Have No Name as you leave Connemara behind. That's the one.
🗣Phrase of the Day
Slán go fóill slawn guh FOIL
Goodbye for now — implying you'll be back. More specific than slán alone, which is a permanent farewell. The correct thing to say to the lodge, the mountains, and the Fisherman's Pub as you board the coach.
🌊Tip of the Day
Howth harbour has a resident grey seal colony that lounges on the rocks at the eastern pier — five minutes from Mamo on foot. They're remarkably unbothered by people. Worth a look before dinner, especially if the evening light is good. The harbour itself is one of the finest in Ireland; the fishing boats come in around late afternoon.
  • 8:00–10:30 am
    Breakfast
    Owenmore Restaurant. Last morning in the west.
  • midday
    Patio Lunch
    The Terrace at Ballynahinch.
  • 2:00 pm
    Coach Pick-Up
    Connemara Coaches. Pick-up at Lettery Lodge, Ballynahinch Castle. Eastbound.
  • en route
    3.5-Hour Drive to Dublin
    Through the midlands back to the coast.
  • 4:00 pm
    Check-In
    Portmarnock Resort. Coastal, quiet, close to the airport.
  • 7:30 pm
    Dinner
    Mamo. Harbour Road, Howth — 10 min from Portmarnock.
    RESERVATION HELD · B6K494PV
  • nightcap
    Final Drinks
    Jameson Bar at Portmarnock.
Monday · June 1
Day Six
Departure
◐Forecast · Dublin Coast
18° / 10°  A warm, calm departure day. Coastal Portmarnock and Dublin Airport both looking settled. Plenty of time to enjoy the morning before the flights stagger out through the day.
Open-Meteo · Met Éireann model · Live forecast
✦On This Day · An Irish-Canadian Note
1866Some 800 Fenian Brothers — Irish-American Civil War veterans under Colonel John O'Neill — crossed the Niagara River into Canada and captured Fort Erie. Their aim: to seize Canadian territory as leverage to free Ireland from Britain. A fitting historical curiosity for a flight day from Dublin to Toronto and Calgary.
♫Suggested Listening
Van Morrison — Astral Weeks. Melancholic, reflective, and recorded in two days in New York in 1968 but spiritually somewhere on the north Dublin coast. For the long flight home, thinking about the week. You'll be planning the next one before you land.
🗣Phrase of the Day
Slán abhaile slawn ah-WAH-leh
Safe home — said to someone departing. The proper send-off. Reply: Go raibh maith agat (guh rev mah AH-gut) — thank you. You'll hear it from the hotel staff, the taxi driver, possibly the gate agent if you're lucky.
🥃Tip of the Day
If you forgot to pick up whiskey at the Jameson Distillery or anywhere else this week — Dublin Airport duty free (post-security, Terminal 1 and 2) carries Irish whiskey at significantly lower prices than Canadian retail. Redbreast 12, Green Spot, and Writers' Tears are all worth picking up. The trolley limit is 1 litre per bottle in a sealed duty-free bag, and you can carry multiple bottles. Leave room in the case. This is the tip that pays for itself. Under no circumstances purchase grappa — it is paint stripper with a marketing budget and you are better than that.
  • onward
    Fly Out
    Flights staggered through the day. See arrivals table for details.
    June Bank Holiday · Reduced Transport
    June 1 is a national holiday in Ireland — public transport runs on a reduced schedule and many shops keep shorter hours. Build in extra time for taxis to the airport.
IV.

Room Assignments

Sleeping arrangements across the three properties.

Nights 1–2 · Dublin
Hyatt Centric The Liberties
  • Rm 1Blake · Jeremi
  • Rm 2Shanny · Handgela · Palmela
  • Rm 3Seto · Shaw
  • Rm 4Hawkeswood · McKay
  • Rm 5Robitaille · Zed
  • Rm 6Madison · Iliffe
Nights 3–4 · Connemara
Lettery Lodge
  • Rm 1Blake · Shanahan · Zed
  • Rm 2Seto · Jeremi
  • Rm 3Robitaille · Iliffe
  • Rm 4Madison · Shaw
  • Rm 5Hawkeswood · McKay
Final Night · Coast
Portmarnock Resort
  • Rm 1Seto
  • Rm 2Robitaille
  • Rm 3Shanahan
  • Rm 4Hawkeswood
  • Rm 5Iliffe
  • Rm 6Jeremi
V.

Bookings & Expenses

Deposits and confirmed reservations. Amounts in CAD unless otherwise noted.

Item
Amount
Status
Hyatt The Liberties DepositFronted by Blake
$5,324.00
Paid
Ballynahinch Deposit — 50%Fronted by Kevin
$5,219.82
Paid
Ballynahinch Deposit — 50%Fronted by Kevin
$5,219.82
Paid
Guinness StorehouseFronted by Kevin
$873.78
Paid
BANG RestaurantFronted by Kevin
$360.74
Paid
Total Collected
$16,998.16
across 11 guests
Per-person share, to date
$1,545.29
Additional Reservations
Amount
Status
Ahascragh Distillery
—
Booked
Spitalfields DinnerCancellation within 24 hrs
€550
Booked
Connemara Coaches
€1,440
Booked
Portmarnock ResortCancellation within 48 hrs
€1,161.60
Booked
Contributions Received
Blake Madison Shanny Iliffe Tom McKay Jeremi Noel Zed Shaw
VI.

Contacts & Resources

Ground contacts for transport and experiences in the west.

Coach & Transfers
Tommy Nee
Connemara Coaches · +353 87 654 4238
Distillery Host
Eoghan O'Reilly
Ahascragh Distillery
in case of emergency

Should something go sideways

Emergency Services
112  or  999Either works in Ireland — police, fire, ambulance.
Canadian Embassy · Dublin
+353 1 234 40007–8 Wilton Terrace, Dublin 2 · for lost passports & consular assistance
Lettery Lodge / Ballynahinch
+353 95 31006Castle reception · doubles as lost-key & nearest-doctor line
Portmarnock Resort
+353 1 866 0500Front desk · 24-hour reception
Hyatt Centric The Liberties
+353 1 563 1234Front desk · for late arrivals or lockouts
Currency & Cards
Euros (€) in the RepublicTap-to-pay near-universal · tipping 10% restaurants, round up at pubs
· EUR / CAD · Live Exchange Rate
Fetching live rate…
EUR
⇅
CAD
Live rate via xe.com · Updates on page load
VII.

A Few Words of Irish

Words and phrases worth knowing — for ordering, toasting, and sounding less like a tourist.

Sláinte [SLAWN-cha]
"Health." The standard toast. Glasses up before the first sip — every time.
Sláinte mhaith [slawn-cha WAH]
"Good health." A fuller version of the toast, when the moment calls for it.
Craic [KRACK]
Fun, conversation, atmosphere. "What's the craic?" means "what's up?" — "the craic was mighty" means the night was excellent.
Fáilte [FAWL-cha]
"Welcome." Seen on doormats and pub signs. Céad míle fáilte — "a hundred thousand welcomes."
Grand [grand]
"Fine, OK, sufficient." Not literally grand — usually the opposite. "How are ye?" "Grand."
Fair play [fair PLAY]
"Well done, respect." Genuine praise, sincerely meant — even between strangers.
Your man [yer man]
"That guy" — a person whose name escapes the speaker. Counterpart: your one for women.
Eejit [EE-jit]
A fool. Affectionate when applied to friends, less so when applied to drivers.
Ye [yee]
"You all." Plural you, in regular use across Ireland. Standard, not slang.
Press [press]
A cupboard. "It's in the hot press" = the airing closet. Useful at the lodge.
Gas [gas]
Funny, hilarious. "He's gas" — that fellow is great craic.
Locked [LOCKED]
Drunk. Other regional synonyms: plastered, langered, ossified, in the horrors.
Jacks [jacks]
The toilet. "Where are the jacks?" — a useful phrase after a few pints.
Poitín [POH-cheen]
Ireland's traditional moonshine, distilled from grain or potatoes. Banned in 1661 — the year that names Bar 1661 — and only relegalised in 1997. Now enjoying a craft revival.
Story? [STORE-ee]
"What's up?" A casual hello, especially in Dublin. Usually answered with "not much".
Dia duit [JEE-uh GWITCH]
"Hello" — literally "God to you." Reply: Dia is Muire duit. Formal, but appreciated.
VIII.

Provisioning the Lodge

A SuperValu online order, timed for arrival at Lettery Lodge. Working list — to be finalised.

  • Wine
  • Beer
  • Whiskey
  • Vermouth
  • Wings
  • Chips
  • Gatorade
  • Velcro-palmed gloves for Noel
— to be expanded —
IX

The Boys' Trip Archives

Twenty-five years of craic. One act of God.

2000Las Vegas
2001Cancún
2002Tremblant
2003Las Vegas
2004Daytona
2005Whistler
2006Las Vegas
2007Banff
2008Las Vegas
2009Whistler
2010Las Vegas
2011Banff
2012New York City
2013Chicago
2014Banff
2015Montréal
2016North King Lodge
2017Las Vegas
2018North King Lodge
2019Whistler
2020New York City
2021North King Lodge
2022Montréal
2023North King Lodge
2024Napa Valley
2025North King Lodge
2026Ireland