That must be the Aran Island of Inishmore. That makes the ancient stone castle of Dun Aengus or Dun Aonghasa a pretty good choice for the first elimination mat to be located. TPTB love to have the mat located in some spot with local color or importance and the castle of Dun Aengus is one of the most important ancient structure in all of Ireland.
So the scenario is now looking like:
1. Teams arrive by vintage ragtops at the Playboy Mansion in Hollywood keeping HH and his girl friends abey.
2. Drive to LAX and catch either the Aer Lingus flight to Dublin or British Air to London. Then taking connecting flight to Shannon.
3.. Taxicabs to departure point in Gallway for Aran Direct Ferry ride to Aran Island of Inishmore (2 hours)
4. Suspect teams arrive late in the day and bed down in some B&B over night.
5. Perform tasks:
A. Ride bike for two from to site for the High Wire bike event (Roadblock?)
B. High Wire across the inlet
C. Hitch up baskets on a donkey, load with peat, and drive the donkey a set distance.
6. Proceed to the ancient stone castle of Dun Aengus, site of the first mat and first Philimination.
OK, its pretty thin, but its a start.
The stone castle of Dun Aengus or Dun Aonghasa isn't really a castle as we know them along the Rhine, but merely a series of areas set off by rough field stone walls; (afterall the place is over 2000 years old) the whole area covers about 40 acres. From the view of the teams arriving at the mat, it seems to be on an area higher than the surrounding countryside. Also if they are on the Isle of Aran (Inishmore) this would be a logical place to have the mat since TPTB like to locate the mat on a spot with local or historical significance.
As you all may recall, TPTB always hold back at least one task from the advance promos. So it may be that the teams first have to complete some task or find some location in Dublin, Shannon, Galway etc. before heading out to the ferry house for the ride to Inishmore (2 hours). Since the tems won't be arriving until early afternoon, thiis adds to the time line.
When the teams arrive in Inishmore it seems to be raining quite hard, Ronald and Christina are seen coming off the boat with their backpacks and wearing rain gear. Later we have a shot of Nathan and Jennifer wearing different outfits than we see them in later (Jennifer has a red bandana on, later it is green - or are the editors doing some digital color changing on us?) They also have their backpacks on. Not only is it raining, but the light level seems low or later in the afternoon or early evening.
Then we have shots of at least two teams or perhaps three in a country inn or B&B. Now if the producers follow tradition for the first ep there is always an overnight wait (tents on the ice in Iceland, for example). So when they arrive at the Inn, they may receive numbers for departure on the next morning. (Perhaps a pony cart ride to the place to pick up the bikes built for two)
During all three tasks that we see, Nathan and Jennifer are now dressed completely differently. It is bright and sunny with the sun seemingly coming in the direction of early morning (any help here Chateau?) and moreover none of the teams have their backpacks. They must have been left somewhere safe, in the Inn perhaps? The angle of the sun shown by Chateau on the map of Inishmore seems to be coming from the south or south, south east seems to indicate late morning and not late afternoon which it would have to be if this is a one day event.
I know that we have a "firm" sighting of the teams in Amsterdam on the 10th, but things do not add up for everything to be able to be accomplished on the 9th.
If we get word that the ep one will be eiher 90 or 120 minutes (as tradition calls for) then this gives more credence for an overnight wait before the three tasks we have seen are performed.