The AAW 2026 event site has tons of info about flights and bus transportation, and so much more.

FLIGHTS: 

You can fly into Shannon or Dublin. 

Shannon is closer but still requires a 30-minute taxi ride or a bus ride with a change of buses in town.

Dublin is a 2.5 hour bus ride to the University of Limerick from the Dublin airport, with one change of bus in Dublin. (€20 each way)

BUSES:

From Dublin, use the bus companies suggested on the AAW event site (linked here), or the UWPIAA bus option.

The train is not recommended.

UWPIAA bus option — please read the following carefully to see if this will fit your plans and check the cancellation/refund policy here.

FROM Dublin Airport TO University of Limerick on Sunday, July 19: €30
16:30 load time, 16:45 departure time from Dublin Airport (in the coach park behind the church opposite Terminal 1 — 5-minute walk from Terminal 1). This bus will not wait for late or delayed arrivals.

FROM Limerick TO Dublin City LUAS (train) stop and Dublin Airport on Sunday, July 26: €30
8:30 load time, 8:45 departure time from the UWPIAA bus stop at the university. Bus arrives LUAS stop 10:45. Bus arrives Dublin Airport 11:30.

This option can be added to your AAW registration in the “ticket” section.

Americans:

For North Americans, it tends to be quite a bit cheaper to fly into Dublin.

Aer Lingus, JetBlue, Delta, United, and American all offer direct flights to Dublin via several U.S. cities. 

Aer Lingus, United, and Delta also offer a few direct flights to Shannon from the U.S. 

For Americans, the really nice part of flying out of Ireland back home is that you go through customs and immigration BEFORE leaving Ireland, so when you land at home, it's like arriving on a domestic flight! Super easy! This also means you MUST arrive to the airport in Ireland at least 3 hours before your flight. 

Pro tip for departure: at the Dublin airport, pay between €7.99 and €13.99 (depending on day and time) for the "Fast Track" Priority Security Lane upgrade. It is SO worth it!

Europeans:

Europeans, I suggest that you fly direct to Shannon if you can! 

Airlines that fly into Dublin: Air Lingus, American Air, Air France, British Airways, Delta, Eurowings, Iberia, KLM, Ryanair, SaS, Swiss Air, Vueling. 

Do You Need a Visa or other entry paperwork?

If you will pass through another European country on your way to Ireland, or will be going to Northern Ireland during your stay, you should aware of the new European "Entry Exit System" or EES. It's an additional layer of travel security, and processes your entry via biometric scans.
Learn more here: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees

The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) has been delayed again. It is currently scheduled to start in the last quarter of 2026, so it will not be in effect for our 2026 reunion dates.

If you are traveling directly to Ireland and only Ireland, you only need a visa IF it is specified on the list found here.

Expect to budget for your flight, transportation to and from the airport, AAW registration, campus apartment/hotel, cast t-shirt, meals, and any day tours you choose to add. You can also pre-purchase the event t-shirt and/or hoodie during your registration. Very few shirts/hoodies will be available for purchase on-site. In 2025, luggage tags, passport holders, and canvas bags, all featuring the UWPIAA logo, were available for purchase on-site, as well, and likely will be again.

Alumni Week Registration: 

This is your ticket to the events of the week! It does NOT include any housing.

Registration includes a few meals, entry to the Welcome Reception with supper, Era Dinner and Dance Party, Celebration of Life, Era Shows on Thursday and Friday evenings, Friday after show Reception, daily educational and motivational sessions, Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, St. John's Castle, Cast Rehearsal entry, Cast Photo entry (including a digital photo download!), transportation to off-site events, and the fabulous Saturday evening Survival Dance Party and Supper. 

Registration does NOT include any lunches, day tours, or Alumni Week t-shirt/hoodie. 

2026 Registration Rates

Ticket options: 1. Full Week (Monday-Saturday) or 2. Thursday-Saturday

Flash sales and Early Bird rates are always the best, so make your decision as soon as possible!

Full Week Flash Sale: Available November 15 – November 22 

Full Week Early Bird: Available November 23 – January 17 

Full Week Full Price: Available January 18 – June 13 

Unlike in the past in Tucson, you will NOT be able to purchase tickets for anything onsite, and there will not be any "Era Show Only" or Day Pass tickets available.

The deadline to purchase a registration is also much earlier: the 2026 deadline is June 13th (a month+ before Alumni Week!).

AMERICAN NOTE: You will be paying the registration fee in euros, so be sure to use a credit card that does not charge a foreign transaction fee, or you will incur an additional 3%+ fee on top of the charge.

Meals: 

All breakfasts are included if you stay in the campus apartments at UL or in a hotel. It is a continental breakfast with two hot options, and the location depends on which university village you are assigned.

You are responsible for all of your lunches, although some day tours include lunch.

You will have dinners included with your registration on Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday. 

There is a reception after our Era show on Friday.

More details here.

University of Limerick:

Check out the Attendees & Rooms page for all the details about staying on campus in the apartments.

Hotels:

While staying on campus in the apartments is the best way to experience Alumni Week and spend time with cast members, the following hotels are available with a group discount via the AAW 2026 official website.

The Castletroy Park Hotel is located across from the entrance to the University of Limerick. It is a 10-20 minute walk to the various buildings we use on campus. Deadline to book: April 25, 2026.

The Strand Hotel is in downtown Limerick and is a 20 minute car/bus ride away. We do not recommend that anyone stay there due to the distance, but there are discounted rates available through the Alumni Week website, as well. Deadline to book: May 18, 2026. 

Car Rental:

It is NOT recommended to rent a car just to have while in Limerick. There are very limited parking options on campus and they are not close to the buildings we will use. Plus, buses are frequent and inexpensive. Reminder that the Irish drive on the LEFT side of the road! 

If you plan to stay in Ireland and travel after Alumni Week, cars can be rented from the Shannon Airport. My Irish Cousin and NewWay are top rental company options. If you use another rental ("car hire") company, be sure to learn everything about the insurance requirements. They are different from other countries.

Food:

There are two grocery stores not far away from campus: Aldi and Lidl. It's easier to take the bus there and taxi/Uber back. Buying some food to keep in your apartments for the week makes it easier and less expensive! The apartments have full kitchens with dishes and cookware.

There is a Spar convenience store on campus with a few food and drink items to purchase, but no alcohol.

Check the Meals page to learn what is included in your Alumni Week registration.

There are several options for restaurants on campus, a few delivery options, and a few more restaurants within walking and taxi distance. We are told that the pizza place on campus will reopen soon!

Restaurant Reservations:

Reservations for groups larger than 4 are highly recommended  (reserve by June!) for eating at restaurants on campus. We provide a link on the AAW registration site to the options ("Dine Around"). Making these reservations has required FULL payment for the whole party at the time of reservation, but that has not been included in the info this year, so I don't know for sure yet.

Food costs in Ireland: 

I have not found eating out costs to be different than most bigger cities in the U.S. or Belgium or the Netherlands. It is quite a bit less expensive than Switzerland! As with most places, you have options in a variety of price ranges. 

I have found groceries to be somewhat less expensive than at home in Arkansas.

Day Tours:

Optional, add-on day tours are fun "create your own UWP week" activities! Transportation is via bus (just like we traveled back in '91-'92), which provides a fun time together during travel to and from the activities. 

Price:

They generally range in price from €65 to €115. Some include a packed lunch. 

Departure Time:

They will depart from UL between 6:30 and 9:30 am, and will return between 16:00 and 18:00, all depending on the tour. 

Tour Options:

You can view the 2026 day tour options here on the AAW website. 

CAST B DAY TOUR: Cliffs of Moher & Inis Oirr on Monday, 20 July. This was chosen by those who attended the Dec. 5th info session. If you want to go together on a day tour, please add this to your registration before you check out!

IF YOU CHOSE TO GO ON THE CLIFFS OF MOHER DAY TOUR - you must schedule to arrive in Limerick by 18:00 on Sunday, 19 July in order to check-in and get your name badge and wrist band, which are required to get on the bus for the day tour the next morning. If you have a flight delay, please contact Michele, and I will assist with any necessary arrangements.

The MOST popular tour, by far, is the Cliffs of Moher tour. It is a long day, but includes a lot and it always sells out! This tour is ONLY being offered on Monday this year, sadly. The max capacity is 190 total people due to the size of the boat to Inis Oirr, and we've sold out more seats than that in the past 2 years, so it will sell out early.

Even though we've chosen to go on as a cast group to the Cliffs of Moher, you can choose whichever one(s) you would like to do! Many will definitely choose to go on additional day tours.

Our Cast Rehearsal, Cast Photo, and Era Show day is Friday, so DO NOT PURCHASE A TOUR ON FRIDAY!

Deadline: May 8, 2026

The deadline to purchase day tours will be May 8, but many do sell out much earlier.