Ireland
The Mournes & Dublin
Five Championship Rounds · 8 Days · Northern Ireland & the Republic
Mosaico Travels
Curated Luxury · Exceptional Destinations
From the Mountains of Mourne
to Georgian Dublin
Three nights in Newcastle, County Down, at the foot of the Mournes and beside the first tee of Royal County Down. Then four nights in the heart of Dublin, opposite Government Buildings. Five rounds tie the two together, four of them on links and all of them names worth the flight.
The trip opens at Ardglass on purpose. A clifftop links with a castle for a clubhouse is the right way to shake off the journey before Royal County Down the next morning. From there the route runs south: Baltray on the way down the coast, Portmarnock from your Dublin base, a full day for the city, and a parkland finale at The K Club.
- Ardglass, clifftop golf from a 15th-century castle clubhouse
- Royal County Down, ranked No. 1 in Britain & Ireland
- County Louth at Baltray, Tom Simpson's links at the mouth of the Boyne
- Portmarnock, host of 19 Irish Opens and the 1991 Walker Cup
- The K Club, Arnold Palmer's 2006 Ryder Cup course
- A golf-free day for Dublin: Trinity College, the Guinness Storehouse, a proper session
- Slieve Donard, Newcastle · The Merrion, Dublin
The Irish Sea coast, north to south
Barely a hundred miles of coast separate Newcastle and Dublin, and it carries some of the finest links land in the game. North of the border, the Mournes drop straight to the sea beside Royal County Down. South of it, the Boyne meets the sea at Baltray and the Portmarnock peninsula reaches out into Dublin Bay. You'll cross from Northern Ireland into the Republic once, mid-trip, with your clubs already in the car.
Royal County Down beneath the Mournes
Old Tom Morris laid out the first holes here in 1889, and the links has long sat at or near the top of the world rankings. Blind drives over the dunes, bearded bunkers, heather and gorse in bloom, and the 9th played straight at Slieve Donard. It is a five-minute walk from your room.
The club plays in four-balls, with at least one caddie in every group. We arrange both in advance.
Royal County Down and Portmarnock welcome visitors on set days only, and Portmarnock's visitor season runs April to September. This itinerary is built around a Sunday arrival so every round lands on a visitor day.
Your Detailed Mosaic
Eight days, five rounds and one border. The golf starts at Ardglass and works its way south to Dublin.
Arrival · Dublin to Newcastle
North to the Mournes
Private transfer from Dublin Airport, about 1 hr 45 min up the coast and over the border to Newcastle, County Down. Slieve Donard has stood here since 1898, a Victorian railway hotel between the beach and the mountains with Royal County Down next door. Settle in, walk the promenade, and join the welcome dinner at J.J. Farrall's.
Round One · County Down Coast
Ardglass Golf Club
Thirty minutes along the coast to the opener. The clubhouse is a castle dating to the 15th century, often called the oldest in golf, and the first tee shot is played along the cliffs with the Irish Sea below. Ardglass is pure fun: sea views on nearly every hole and a welcome that sets the tone for the week. Back in Newcastle, a pint at The Percy French.
Round Two · Newcastle
Royal County Down
The one you came for, and a short walk from the hotel. Ranked No. 1 in Britain & Ireland and inside the world's top three, the Championship Links runs through towering dunes along Dundrum Bay with the Mournes behind. Take a caddie, trust the marker posts, and stop on the 9th tee. The evening belongs to the Wolf Bar and its Irish whiskeys.
The Route · Newcastle to Dublin
Gold marks your bases · Numbers mark your rounds
Round Three · Newcastle to Dublin
County Louth Golf Club · On to Dublin
Check out and head south across the border to the mouth of the River Boyne. County Louth, known to everyone as Baltray, is Tom Simpson's 1938 design and one of the most quietly admired links in Ireland. It has twice hosted the Irish Open, including 2009, when Shane Lowry won it as an amateur. After lunch in the clubhouse it is under an hour to The Merrion in the centre of Dublin.
Round Four · Dublin Bay
Portmarnock Golf Club
Half an hour north of the city, out on its own peninsula in Dublin Bay. Portmarnock has been here since 1894 and has hosted 19 Irish Opens and the 1991 Walker Cup. There are no tricks and no blind shots to speak of, just a fair, exacting links where the wind does the talking. Back in town, dinner is yours in the streets around Merrion Square.
Dublin · At Leisure
A Day for the City
The clubs stay in the bag. A private guided walk covers Trinity College and the Book of Kells, the Georgian squares and St Stephen's Green. The afternoon is open: a pint with a view at the Guinness Storehouse, a whiskey tasting in the Liberties, or the shops of Grafton Street. Tonight, a traditional music session in a proper Dublin pub.
Round Five · County Kildare
The K Club · Farewell Dinner
Forty-five minutes west to Straffan for a change of scene. After four links rounds, Arnold Palmer's parkland course along the River Liffey asks different questions: water, mature trees and big targets. This is where Europe won the 2006 Ryder Cup, and the Irish Open has returned here several times since. The journey closes with a farewell dinner at The Merrion.
Departure · Dublin
A Final Morning · Dublin Airport
A slow breakfast in The Garden Room, then a private transfer to Dublin Airport, about thirty minutes away. Guests flying to the United States clear US customs in Dublin before boarding. Your concierge handles luggage and check-out. Safe travels.
Four Links. One Ryder Cup Stage.
Two rounds in Northern Ireland, three in the Republic, played north to south.
Round 01 · Day 2
Ardglass Golf Club
Round 02 · Day 3 · The Headline
Royal County Down
Round 03 · Day 4
County Louth (Baltray)
Round 04 · Day 5
Portmarnock Golf Club
Round 05 · Day 7
The K Club
Where you'll rest your clubs
Slieve Donard
Newcastle · County Down · Northern Ireland
A landmark Victorian hotel, established in 1898, set between the beach and the Mountains of Mourne with Royal County Down next door. Now part of the Marine & Lawn collection. Dine at J.J. Farrall's, settle into The Percy French for a pint, and finish at the Wolf Bar. There is a spa and an indoor pool for tired legs.
The Merrion
Upper Merrion Street · Dublin
Four restored Georgian townhouses in the heart of the city, opposite Government Buildings and a few minutes' walk from Grafton Street. 142 rooms and suites, a spa with an 18-metre pool, The Garden Room, The Cellar Bar and the No. 23 Cocktail Bar. The two-Michelin-star Patrick Guilbaud is under the same roof.
The Journey, Frame by Frame
Royal County Down
Ardglass Golf Club
The Championship Links
Slieve Donard
County Louth Golf Club
Portmarnock Golf Club
The Merrion
Trinity College & the Book of Kells
A pint and a session
The K Club
Seamless & Elegant
Five Championship Rounds
Confirmed tee times at Ardglass, Royal County Down, County Louth, Portmarnock and The K Club, with green fees included.
Seven Nights Accommodation
Three nights at Slieve Donard in Newcastle and four nights at The Merrion in Dublin, with daily breakfast at both.
Caddies Arranged
Caddies reserved in advance wherever you want them, including the caddie each group needs at Royal County Down. Caddie fees are paid in cash on the day.
Private Transfers
Private vehicle for every movement: Dublin Airport on arrival and departure, daily course transfers, and the drive south from Newcastle to Dublin by way of Baltray.
Welcome & Farewell Dinners
A welcome dinner at J.J. Farrall's in Newcastle, a private guided walk through Dublin, and a farewell dinner at The Merrion.
Mosaico Concierge
Your dedicated Mosaico concierge throughout, handling tee times, transfers, caddie requests and dinner reservations. You simply arrive and play.
"Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea."Percy French, The Mountains of Mourne, 1896
Begin Your
Ireland Mosaic
We warmly invite you to reach out, and would love to schedule time to meet and walk you through every detail.