We met our tour around the Temple Bar area. It was about a ten to fifteen minute walk from our Hostel. One of the incredible things that I learned when in Europe is that you can use the GPS on your iPhone.... without using data! Just load the maps before you depart, turn your data off, and the little blue dot will keep up with you through GPS (this will be included in my advice for studying abroad which has yet to be written).
We were on a large charter-like bus. We were told that the seats we chose were our seats for the entire journey (which is good etiquette anyway, according to my mother, Miss Manners). Whenever the bus driver wasn't talking to us, about 90% of the bus conked out, myself included. I just couldn't keep my eyes open! It was weird, though, because the driver never turned his mic off, so you would hear him breathing into it when he wasn't talking.
Our first stop was at Blarney Woollen Mills for the bathroom and shopping. I did a little exploring while the other girls browsed the gift shops.