CGOA Crochet Tour of Ireland

Crochet Guild of America

Tour of Ireland and Scotland

March 29 - April 12, 2003

report by CGOA member Barbara Pretzsch

Summary | Day-by-Day

Enlarge photo

The Tour Group

Bottom Row: Barbara Zupan, Tosca Mark, Barbara Reid, Dolly Kalerak, Linda Haviland, Sharon Burnett
Middle Row: Kitty Sheffield, Barbara Pretzsch, Liz Riordan, Nancy Peterson, Jean Ness, Dianna Stewart
Top Row: Marylou Johnson, Delma Myers, Marjorie Scane, Pauline Hooten

Summary of Tour Back to Top

The CGOA sponsored its second trip to Ireland and Scotland March 29 to April 12 2003. Sixteen women enjoyed the great experience for the 2 weeks. Included in the trip were tours of Dublin and Edinburgh. We visited Temple Bar, Trinity College, Phoenix Park, St. Patrick's Cathedral, all in Dublin.

Also we drove through the Wicklow Mountains to Avoca Handweavers, the Glendalough Monastic Site where "Braveheart" was filmed, and a 3 day stay at An Grianan for Irish Crochet instruction.

Then we traveled on to Monaghan, Knockatallon and Clones for 2 more days of Clones Lace instruction. The Sheelin Antique Museum, the Ulster Canal Stores and the Roslea Museum of Lace were seen during that stay.

Leaving the Clones area we went to the Lisburn Linen Museum and Hillsborough where the excitement of President Bush's visit to Prime Minister Tony Blair slowed our progress to lunch. But we made it to Belfast that evening to leave on the ferry to a southern city in Scotland.

We had a nice drive north to Darvel to a commercial lace factory and then New Lanark Heritage Village.

Paisley was our last stop before our final destination in Edinburgh. There we visited the Castle and the Royal Palace with a very Scottish guide complete with bagpipes and kilt.

Would I go again? You betcha - put me on the list for the 2005 trip!

Day-by-Day Itinerary Back to Top

Click on links below for more of B arbara's photographs and her day-by-day adventures.
Day 1	March 29, 2003	The Adventure Begins
Day 2	March 30, 2003	City Tour of Dublin
Day 3	March 31, 2003	Dublin: Phoenix Park, St. Patrick's Cathedral, St. Stephen's Green, Trinity College
Day 4	April 1, 2003	Avoca Handweavers, Glendalough, Wicklow Gap, An Grianan
Day 5	April 2, 2003	Class at An Grianan
Day 6	April 3, 2003	Class at An Grianan
Day 7	April 4, 2003	Monaghan, Carrickmacross, Clones
Day 8	April 5, 2003	Clones, Sheelin Antique Lace Museum
Day 9	April 6, 2003	Clones Visitor Centre, Ulster Canal Stores, Roslea Heritage Centre
Day 10	April 7, 2003	Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum, Belfast
Day 11	April 8, 2003	Ferry to Scotland, Scotch Lace Factory, New Lanark Heritage Centre
Day 12	April 9, 2003	Glasgow, Paisley Museum & Art Gallery, McKinnon Mills
Day 13	April 10, 2003	Edinburgh: Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh Castle
Day 14	April 11, 2003	Edinburgh
Day 15	April 12, 2003	Return Home

CGOA's 2005 Tour to Ireland

CGOA's 2000 Tour to Ireland and Britain