Chef James Eddington is going to Ireland in the Spring of 2025, and he hopes you’ll be coming too.
The beauty of this legendary island and the welcoming warmth of the Irish make it the ideal next stop on his culinary tour of Europe. The southwest corner is particularly seductive, with its stunning landscapes and compelling history, popular but not overrun with tourists, where it’s still possible to feel like a local – particularly if we stay in one house for a week. We’ve found that house in the countryside near Killarney.
Home will be a 20-minute walk from the centre of Killarney Town, on the edge of the Killarney National Park and a short distance from the charming villages that ring the Atlantic coast in County Kerry. The large manor house sits in 68 walled acres and has space for 10 guests to live in elegant comfort. All the spacious bedrooms have king or twin beds and en suite bathrooms. The house offers plenty of room to gather or to retreat with a book.
We’ll start each day with a generous breakfast before setting out to explore the neighbourhood in our own chauffeured coach. Lunches will be in lively pubs, there will be time for shopping and wandering, and we’ll be home to cook dinner with James.
You’ll go pubbing and jaunting, wander the Lakes of Killarney, do a whiskey tour and food pairing, cook with a local chef, hike the Gap of Dunloe, enjoy Celtic music and visit Dingle, Portmagee, Killarney, Kenmare, and the ‘friendliest city in the world’, Cork! The days will be full but never rushed, hopefully just what you’re looking for.
Ireland with James and his friends will be a memorable trip – come share it with us!
COST INCLUDES:
- 7 nights accommodation and local transportation
- All meals, wine and gratuities
- All sightseeing and excursions
- All cooking classes with Chef James
- Includes all applicable taxes and service charges as of this contract date
- 24-hour Ellison Travel & Tours Ltd. Emergency Contact Number while on tour
NOT INCLUDED:
- Insurance has not been included as part of your tour package. Ellison Travel strongly recommends the purchase of Manulife Insurance coverage for Cancellation and Interruption Insurance, Comprehensive Assistance, Health Coverage, Individual Accident Coverage and Baggage and Personal Effects Insurance. Contact us for rates and complete details.
- International airfare
- Passport, visas, government processing fees, vaccinations, COVID tests, if required at time of travel
OPTIONAL
- Flights, pre/post-tour accommodations, trains, tours etc. through Ellison Travel & Tours
- Manulife Travel Insurance
Day 1 – Saturday, April 26 or May 3 (L/D)
Our chauffeured coach will pick you up at the *Imperial Hotel in Cork at 9am for the short drive to the Jameson Distillery in Midleton. A whiskey tour and tasting experience – fascinating, educational and tasty!- will be followed by lunch nearby. By late afternoon you’ll be settled in your home for the week, a magnificent Georgian mansion set in 68 walled gardens, minutes from the centre of Killarney Town and on the edge of the beautiful Killarney National Park.
Note: We recommend staying at the Imperial Hotel, 76 S Mall Street, Cork, one night prior to the morning transfer.
Day 2 – Sunday, April 27 or May 4 (B/L/D)
After a hearty Irish breakfast at home we’ll make the short drive to Kate Kearney’s Cottage and the jaunting cars that will carry us through the famous Gap of Dunloe. Lunch at the water’s edge will be followed a boat ride through the Killarney Lakes to Ross Castle. Another short drive will take us home to cook with James.
Day 3 – Monday, April 28 or May 5 (B/L/D)
The Ring of Kerry is renowned for its beauty and today’s drive will take us through quintessential Irish villages and fields of sheep to the wild Kerry Cliffs and the charming fishing town of Portmagee. We’ll be home in time to cook with James.
Day 4 – Tuesday, April 29 or May 6 (B/L/D)
We’ll stay close to home today, and a local chef will join us in the kitchen as we cook up a feast. An afternoon relaxing or exploring the neighbourhood will be a welcome break, but after an early dinner we’ll be out for a Celtic concert in Killarney.
Day 5 – Wednesday, April 30 or May 7 (B/L/D)
There’s lots to see close to home so today we’ll explore the nearby sites of Muckross House, Torc Falls, Muckross Abbey before stopping in Killarney for lunch and some shopping. A whiskey and cheese pairing experience will end the afternoon before we head home.
Day 6 – Thursday, May 1 or 8 (B/L/D)
The Dingle Peninsula draws visitors from all over the world, so today we’ll find out why! The drive will take us along the Atlantic coast to the charming town of Dingle, for lunch and a chance to shop for the woollens and whiskeys we haven’t bought yet.
Day 7 – Friday, May 2 or 9 (B/L/D)
One day left to savour all we’ve fallen in love with – a winding country drive to Kenmare for lunch, a sheep dog demonstration in a velvet green valley, an Irish coffee overlooking the Killarney Lakes, maybe some more music and one last dinner together. Time to pack!
Day 8 – Saturday, May 3 or 10 (B)
We’ll have an early start this morning, but coffee and a light breakfast will be ready. The coach will leave at 6am for an 8am arrival at Cork Airport.
B – Breakfast / L – Lunch / D – Dinner
*Itinerary is tentative and subject to final confirmation*
$6850CAD per person – double/twin occupancy
PAYMENT REQUIREMENTS:
- Deposit $1200 and insurance due at time of booking
- Balance due January 27, 2025
Chef James Eddington
Food is the focus of our trip, and cooking classes with our own chef will be the highlight of your days. You’ll learn the secrets of Irish cuisine and the culinary techniques and philosophies of Chef James Eddington. You’ll take home a wealth of knowledge and a week’s worth of new recipes, too!
James graduated from Fanshawe College in 1997 and immediately came to Exeter and opened his own restaurant, “Eddington’s of Exeter”, now celebrating 20 years in business. The restaurant is located in the original Carling homestead, built in the 1870s. After two major renovations, an addition of a new dining room and a serene outdoor backyard summer patio, the restaurant has a clean and modern look while maintaining its warm, traditional feel. James is an advocate of serving local food and states “we are so blessed to be living in such an agriculturally rich area of the world”. Although the local food movement is really starting to take off, it has always been the driving force in Eddington’s kitchen. At Eddington’s the menu changes frequently, as each season inspires the delicacies our region has to offer. Chef James was award “top 30 under 30” by the Ontario Hostelry Institute recognized by the Globe and Mail.
In addition to overseeing all aspects of the restaurant, James is also involved in the community. He is a member of the Exeter BIA, sits on the Huron County Economic Development board, as well as an Exeter Director for RTO4 Regional Tourism Board 4 (representing Agra culinary for Huron, Perth, Wellington and Waterloo counties). James has also supported many charities in Huron County and region throughout the years. He has donated many culinary prize packages as silent and live auction items for the Conservation Dinner and the Exeter Hospital Foundation. James has also supported the Huron Women’s Shelter, Taste for Life and helped promote International Women’s Day through the restaurant. On a personal note, James hosted hospitality and tourism students at the restaurant and mentors future chefs at Fanshawe College. Recently Chef Eddington has just purchased a small 25 acre farm along the shores of Lake Huron producing many of the restaurant fruits, vegetables and white beans and now tends his own Honey bees on premise.
