Big Lesbo Getaway Ireland - Sept 2027

Dia Duit, Lisa here, founder of Ginger's. I don't believe there's a country on earth quite like Éire, and I want to share it with 14 others who have it on their bucket list. I grew up in Derry, started my queer events career in Manchester, and now live in New Zealand, so this is the Big Lesbo Getaway on my home turf. I've mapped the route myself, visiting my favourite pubs and the most scenic hidden gems, sampling more than a few Guinnesses (for research purposes only, obviously).

Expect rugged coastlines, live music that sings of our history, cosy pubs, dark pints, stone ruins as old as time, that famous Irish hospitality, and a good bit of craic. I'm also a bit obsessed with Irish folklore and fairy myths (or are they?), so I will bring up the fairies more than once. You've been warned.

The basics

• When: 7 to 15 September 2027 (8 nights)

• Where: We meet at Shannon Airport, Co. Clare, and finish back there on 15 September

• Spots: 14 only

• Who: Our FLINTA* and queer community, 18+, from anywhere in the world

The route

• Shannon pickup: We collect you at the airport and head straight for Connemara.

• Connemara (3 nights): Bogland, mountains and Atlantic light. This was some of the hardest-hit ground in the Famine, and the stone cottages still standing in the fields are part of the story.

• Doolin and the Aran Islands (2 nights): Trad music in the pubs nightly, a full day out on Inis Mór, and the Cliffs of Moher on foot, 214 metres straight up from the Atlantic.

• Dingle (2 nights): Slea Head Drive, one of the most scenic coastal drives in Europe, hidden beaches, a working fishing harbour, and one of the last places in Ireland where you'll hear Irish spoken as a first language on the street.

• Back to Shannon (1 night): One last night together. We say goodbye this time, no Irish goodbyes.

A few things we'll do along the way
Wild Atlantic seaweed baths in whiskey barrels overlooking the ocean, nightly trad music, a bit of farm life (milking cows, gathering turf from the bog for the fire), and plenty of stories.

What's included

• All breakfasts, plus fresh coffee and Irish breakfast tea every morning

• A welcome dinner, the best Guinness in Ireland, and complimentary drinks on night one

• Shared dinners together, with fresh Irish produce in different locations

• 2 group lunches

• Seaweed baths, Slea Head Drive, the Cliffs of Moher and a full day on the Aran Islands

• Entry to all excursions and sightseeing

• Minibus and transport for the entire trip

• Boutique-style accommodation, twin share

• A WhatsApp group well in advance, so you're arriving among friends

What's not included

• Flights

• Alcohol (aside from welcome night)

• All other lunches (we'll be exploring, and a big Irish breakfast holds you over)

• 2 free evenings with no group dinner, so you can explore Doolin or Dingle your own way

• Spending money and any extras you choose

Rooms
Everyone shares a twin (or double for couples) room. Coming with a partner or friend, you room together. Coming solo, we'll match you with the perfect roommate using a short compatibility survey once you've booked.

Price
NZ$6,590 per person, twin share. That's about £2,860, A$5,435, €3,290 or US$3,660 at today's rates, which will move a little by the time you pay.

• A 2% Humanitix fee is added at checkout. Humanitix is a not-for-profit, and the profits from its booking fees go to charity, mostly supporting children's education, so your fee does some good.

• You're paying in NZD and your bank will convert it at the rate of the day. Depending on your card, your bank may add a small foreign transaction fee. Many travel-friendly cards don't, so it's worth a quick check.

Three ways to pay

• Pay in full: Choose the Pay in Full ticket and pay once at booking. Get it done and over with!

• 3 milestones: Book with the Deposit ticket (30%, $1,977). We'll email you a link a couple of weeks before each date: $2,306.50 by 26 February 2027, and $2,306.50 by 28 May 2027. Your entry ticket arrives after your final payment.

• Monthly: Choose the Pay in Full ticket, then select the payment plan at checkout. You pay a 30% deposit ($1,977), then 7 equal monthly payments of about $659, taken automatically by card and finishing in May 2027.

Payment and cancellation terms (please read before booking)

• Full price: By booking, you agree to pay the full ticket price of NZ$6,590 (plus Humanitix fees) using the option you choose. You'll tick to accept these terms at checkout.

• Non-refundable: Your deposit and all payments are non-refundable once made. We only have room for 14, and once you book we're turning other people away.

• If a payment doesn't go through: We'll be in touch straight away. If it's more than 5 days overdue, your spot may go to the waitlist, payments made to that point are non-refundable, and the remaining balance stays payable.

• Can't continue? Tell us as early as you can. We'll try to resell your spot from the waitlist, and if we do, we'll refund what you've paid beyond your deposit, less fees.

• If we cancel: If we have to cancel the trip for reasons within our control, you get every cent back, deposit included. If something outside our control forces a cancellation (severe weather, a venue closing, travel restrictions), you can choose a credit towards a future Ginger's trip, or a refund of what we recover from our suppliers.

• Transfers: Email us the name and email of the person taking your place at least 30 days before departure and we'll sort the rest. There's no transfer fee.

• Travel insurance: Cancellation cover is required for everyone. Sort it as soon as you've booked, so you're covered for things like illness or a family emergency.

• Itinerary: The route is mapped, but Irish weather, venue availability and the odd closed road can mean small changes. If anything shifts, we'll tell you as early as we can and swap in something just as special. It'll be grand.

Getting there

• Pickup: Around 2:00pm at Shannon Airport. Aim to land by about 12:30pm, so there's time for delays, bags and a coffee.

• Via Dublin: Take the Dublin Coach Route 300 (the Green Bus) from Burgh Quay or Dublin Airport to Arthur's Quay, Limerick (about 2.5 hours), and we'll pick you up in Limerick.

• Drop-off: Around 9:30am on 15 September at Shannon Airport, so book flights home departing from about 12:30pm.

• Exact times: We'll fine-tune pickup and drop-off around everyone's flights once they're booked.

• Direct to Shannon: From London (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted), Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Boston, Chicago, New York and plenty of European hubs.

• From NZ or Australia: A wee stopover in Singapore, Hong Kong or Seoul (my favourite) breaks up the journey, and I'll put you in touch with a Flight Centre contact from our community.

After you book
You'll get an invite to the WhatsApp group, a short important info form, and the roommate survey. Sláinte.