Irish Tourism  Recensioni 

I had the perfect trip and Irish Tourism made it possible, I feel so lucky to have found them. I had never done any major international traveling before and decided to finally start planning without realizing how much easier and more accessible everything was going to be for me than I had thought. Even after having to postpone my trip for a year, Maria checked back in with me all those months later and helped me take care of everything. I booked a self guided rail tour so I could travel and explore on my own without driving or a tour group, which was exactly what I had wanted. The company also offers many different types of customizable trips options, and I’m sure there’s something for everyone. Maria was so incredibly helpful, patient, and knowledgeable; I truly cannot say enough good things about my experience working with her. The perfect week was planned for me; as a first time visitor to the country with limited solo travel experience, it could not have been better.
I spent the first two days in Dublin, after receiving a wonderful welcome at the airport before getting driven to my hotel. Again, I cannot say enough good about John, who pointed out geography on the way, and gave me a very useful tip about using the Lua that I would not have considered otherwise. The Academy Plaza was beautiful, clean, and centrally located in the city. Part of my trip included a ticket for a hop on/hop off bus, which was the best way to get a sense of points of interest and an overview of the city, which I then explored at my own pace.
I took the train from Dublin to Killarney, my favorite part of the trip. Once again, the hotel that was booked for me was right across from both the train station and from the center of town, and was so beautiful and a joy to stay in. I had an incredible time strolling around at my leisure, and then going on a tour of the Ring of Kerry that was booked for me. The tour company was fantastic, and I can see why Irish Tourism works with them.
The final city I visited after Killarney was Galway. Another lovely hotel, and the excursion that was scheduled for me there was a ferry to the Aran Islands. I then took the train back to Dublin and had one more day in the capital before my flight home.
Between the carefully selected day tours that were booked for me in each city, and my free time to explore on my own as I saw fit, I firmly believe that I had the perfect trip and got the most out of every day that I had. It’s my understanding that when discussing trip itineraries through Irish Tourism that details can be adjusted as desired, but when Maria sent the suggested trip schedule to me, I was completely on board with everything. I’m so impressed with the planning and detail of my tour, from the quality and location of the hotels, to the timing and ease of travel between locations. It helps that the experience I had in Ireland was absolutely heavenly; I was in awe of the weather, food, people, history, nature, and every last thing. However I know that I would not have been able to enjoy myself as much as I did without the carefully designed trip that I received from Irish Tourism. I didn't have the biggest budget either, and the quality of the service that I received is, in my opinion, worth more than the price I paid. I’m so grateful to this company and cannot recommend them enough.

We reached out to Irish Tourism in late October 2024 for help in planning a two week holiday in Ireland in May 2025. Niamh at Irish Tourism became our partner in planning. She listened carefully for not only the particular sites we wished to visit, but also our style of travel. We're senior backpackers who like to travel independently but we also like to know where we will be comfortably sleeping each night and enjoying coffee and breakfast each morning. After a few weeks planning, emails and a couple of phone calls, all was set and we just had to wait for May to arrive.

We traveled by train as much as we could--all of the reservations were very clear and we were impressed when we'd board Irish Rail and see our names listed above our reserved seats. Only one of our six rail trips was delayed--by 20 minutes. When the train could not get us somewhere, such as Dingle, then Irish Tourism had arranged a car for us. The cars were always on schedule, the drivers were polite and knowledgeable, and the door to door service was a treat. Note for future: include car's arrival time for pick up on voucher.

The hotels were perfectly placed. They were all an easy walk from the train station and heart of the city and they were all on the quiet side of the city away from traffic noise and congestion. Killarney hotel was an amazing example. It's neighbor is the entrance to the national park--so it was quiet--and yet right out the front door was the heart of the city. While we were there the Kerry County GAA Football team won a game in the senior tournament at the Killarney Stadium. The pubs and streets were full of live music and celebrating fans and we were most welcome to enjoy the fun for as long as we liked and then retire to our quiet hotel. Additionally, our favorite place to eat (twice) for the entire trip was Bricin Restaurant in Killarney.

Another asset to our plan was its flexibility. There was one day's itinerary where we realized we had just planned too much road time for one day. We conferred with our driver, shortened the drive, and were able to add a tour in Kilkenny that we could walk to from our hotel.

Similarly, with one exception, we stayed in each city two to three nights so that we had time to enjoy sites such the Book of Kells at Trinity College or a demonstration of sheep dogs at work in County Kerry. It was a schedule that allowed plenty of time for a relaxed breakfast at the hotel and food and pub exploration each day.

The itinerary Niamh worked up for us made this possible. Just once during the trip did we have a question and a five minute call to Niamh got us the information we needed and our only worry that day was where to have dinner!

Highlights for us: warm hospitality everywhere, sheep dog demonstration in County Kerry, water tour to Blasket Islands near Dingle, Slea Head loop drive on Dingle Peninsula, Trad on the Prom traditional music performance in Galway and Galway's great small museum, Book of Kells, and my wife doesn't drink alcohol at all, but really enjoyed the museum/tour at Guinness brewery in Dublin which included live music. And, of course, the wonderful pubs, food and drinks, and traditional music everywhere we traveled.

Next time: a visit to Cork, to Bru na Boinne north of Dublin, more time in Kilkenny, see the cliffs of Moher from the water, and a return to Bricin for dinner!

Happy travels to Ireland!

Holiday Tour by Rail organised by Niamh Butler was faultless especially as our requirements were complicated by temporary mobility issues caused by a medical condition. We were particularly interested in traditional Irish Folk Music. Niamh was able to give us suggested venues which added to our enjoyment. It was a joy from start to finish. Throughly recommended.

Niamh was incredibly helpful and responsive during the year of planning our trip to Ireland. She handled all our adjustments with grace, and all arrangements were executed perfectly!! Accommodations were lovely, especially the Trident Hotel in Kinsale. And the best part of our trip was our wonderful driver, Dave, for whom we were so grateful given the challenging narrow roads in Ireland. He is also a beautiful person whom we were sad to say goodbye to when our trip was done.

The itinerary was very well planned.
The hotels were all very comfortable and had restaurants and were also close to alternatives.
The scenery was spectacular and the weather amazingly good.

The guidance and help from my representative at Irish Tourism was superlative. We were able to put together a tour that reflected what we wanted to see and Niamh Butler was available at every step to help us along the way. Great hotels, advice on routes and what there was to see. I highly recommend them.

The eight night rail itinerary was excellent. As recommended, we took the private transfer between Killarney and Galway. The hotels, locations and excursions (Ring of Kerry, Inishmore & Cliffs of Moher) were all awesome. The best thing about about having a curated itinerary from Irish Tourism is being independent and not being part of a group tour.

Everything went smoothly and we loved our trip.

I cannot speak highly enough of Linda at Irish Tourism - in planning our self-drive trip to Ireland recently she was a pleasure to deal with and very professional and knowledgeable. The accommodation she chose was absolutely wonderful with small Hotels and B & B's throughout our 16 day tour. As a Travel Agent/Tour operator myself I am very fussy about who I deal with and I can highly recommend the company and Linda.

Great all-round experience with Tourism Ireland. Excellent planning and tour suggestions, follow up, suggested itineraries, accommodation was fantastic. Wonderful experience. Niamh was a star and nothing was too much effort for her.

Niamh Butler was so helpful and easy to work with. She explained things thoroughly, answered any questions I had along the way very quickly, and arranged a lovely holiday for us. We didn’t run into any issues with our car or accommodations while we were there. Everything went totally according to plan which allowed us to focus on exploring the fun and beautiful sights of Ireland. I would not hesitate to use this company if we plan a return trip.

Since we wanted a custom tour, it was a little more difficult to put it together than just picking a package but Irish tourism was very helpful in letting us customize our own vacation. We hired a private driver and were able to take one of their standard tour packages and tweak it to suit our own needs. They made communication very easy especially with a 5-hour time difference. Maria Lieb did an excellent job making arrangements for us and providing alternatives for things that would not work in our favor. We were very happy with the entire experience.

The attention to our wants and needs for a holistic Ireland trip was wonderful! Niamh Butler was very responsive to our needs and would change our itinerary easily, if needed. Our driver, Martin Moloney, made our trip relaxing and stress free. I highly recommend this company if you are looking to experience the best of Ireland!

We wanted to visit Ireland (both North and South) and the wonderful Nuala Sheedy of Irish Tourism helped us greatly in the curation our holiday. Some of Nuala's hotel selections were simply magical (step forward, Balynahinch) and others just brilliant. We were thrilled by the landscape, country houses and gardens of Ireland and Irish Tourism and Nuala were a delight to work with. I encourage you to visit their website if planning a trip.

My family and I just got back from the most amazing trip! This is the second time I've used Irish Tourism to arrange my holidays to Ireland. The first was the Pub tour. This latest trip (not the last!) was their 8 day rail tour and it was just fantastic. Stephanie arranged everything for us, including a private driver from Killarney to Galway. The hotels were wonderful and centrally located. The rail system was so easy to use I highly recommend it! We visited Dublin, Killarney and Galway. My favorite part was the day trip to Inis Mor, which was included in the package. Just the best experience!! The day trips to Cliffs of Mor and Ring of Kerry were fantastic and every part of this trip was so well organized. I recommend Irish Tourism to anyone who asks, and I will for sure use them again for my next trip!

We had the wonderful 10 day Best of Ireland by car tour and everything went off without a hitch. All the arrangements were made for us in advance and the ladies at Irishtourism.com provided us detailed information of places of interest and options for each leg of our journey. We will be reaching out to them again in the future and are happy to recommend them for the friendly and professional service.

David Moore
Seattle WA USA

We found out about Irish Tourism on the web and thought their tours would be just what we were looking for to celebrate our 50th anniversary. Nuala was wonderful from the start, answering our many questions and providing guidance to help us customize the trip. We just arrived home yesterday evening and wanted to let you know how wonderful our trip to Eire was!! It was the perfect choice to celebrate our 50th anniversary- everything was so wonderfully planned and arranged so all we had to do was relax and figure out where to eat and where to go to listen to trad music. The instructions were great- we had no problems whatsoever in getting to each of our destinations whether by train, taxi or car. All of the hotels were amazing! Nuala so kind to mention it was our anniversary and the hotels took extra care of us- The Imperial Hotel left a very sweet card and chocolates, The Atlantic View B&B gave us a wonderful room with a view of the Cliffs of Moher & the ocean and left us a very sweet card and a bottle of champagne and The Park Hotel in Dublin gave us an upgraded room and even had 2 swans forming a heart on the bed of our room and brought us chocolate covered strawberries. We could not have asked for nicer rooms and hotels- all were beyond our expectations!

Everyone was so nice and enjoyable to talk to and to learn from about the history of the areas we were in and to point out sites along the way. John Lambe was kind enough to walk into the train station and show us how to get our tickets and where to go- very nice man. Dennis, our driver from Sean McLoughlin Chauffeur Services who drove us from Killarney and Doolin was outstanding! We cannot say enough about how much we enjoyed his company the two days. Batt, our bus driver from Deros Tours both days, was great- entertained everyone both days with his vast knowledge of the area along with singing several songs and his humor. Our bus driver Gary from Galway tour Company was also very knowledgeable about all of the towns and sites along the way to the Cliffs of Moher and The Burren and was such a nice man. Again- cannot say enough.

The amazing sites we saw our whole trip were made even more enjoyable and special by the wonderful people of Ireland- everyone from yourself to our last taxi driver made our anniversary trip special and created memories we will share for a long time. Thank you, Nuala, for all of your help in planning the trip and making it ours through your guidance and the arrangements you made to accommodate our special requests and to celebrate our anniversary in such a personal way.

First, I want to start with our tour coordinator, Nuala Sheedy of Irish Tourism. Nuala listened to what we thought we would want to see and made sure that many of our wishes and hopes were incorporated within the tour we chose. She did not disappoint us! In Addition, Irish Tourism provides a no fuss no worries travel itinerary. Everything is clearly mapped out with clear and concise directions. We opted for a 12-day rail tour which included Cork, Killarney, Galway, Dublin, and Belfast. We arrived in Dublin the first day and got right on a train to Cork. We were met at Dublin airport by John Lamm and driven to Heuston railroad station. Irish Tourism truly knows and understands the importance of first impressions and John Lamm is the perfect choice to meet you and introduce you to Dublin and Ireland. My only regret is that we did not have more time to spend with and learn from him. Irish Rail is amazing. The reserved comfortable seating & the ability to purchase snacks onboard was great. The Trainmen ensured our comfort and enjoyinment of our trip. Upon arriving in Cork, a quick taxi ride to the historic Imperial Hotel. Check in was easy and although our room was not quite ready, they sat us in the beautiful Fredrick Douglas lounge where we ordered our first pot of tea and scones. Once we settled into our spectacular room, we walked all around pedestrian friendly downtown Cork. We Had our first taste of Irish Fish and Chips at the Clancy Pub which is the oldest Pub in Cork. The next morning, we took a prearranged tour to Blarney, Blarney Castle, Fort Charlesworth, Kinsale and Cobh. Simply amazing countryside and cityscapes. The following morning, we traveled by rail to Killarney to the International Hotel. Another historic hotel with spectacular accommodations. We were right across the street from Killarney National Park with opportunity to ride in horse drawn buggy's or just walk around and smell the wonderful fragrance of wild Irish garlic. While in Killarney we took two tours, one to the Ring of Kerry and one to the Dingle peninsula. One of our favorites in the Ring of Kerry was to watch how Border Collies herd sheep. An amazing demonstration and a must-see for all. On Dingle peninsula, we met a local dog who is famous for sitting on a burro and posing for pictures, saw amazing cliffs and coastlines and had a delicious lunch in the Dingle Bay Hotel with a dessert of ice cream at Murphy's, a tradition for all who visit. The next morning there was a private car chauffeured by Michael to Galway with stops in Adare and Bunratty/Bunratty Castle, both of which were amazing and well worth the time spent. Once in Galway we stayed at the Hyde Hotel, another Historic hotel in the middle of downtown Galway. The restaurant in the "Hyde", Jekyll, is a seriously spectacular restaurant. Reasonably priced with incredible decor, service and amazing food. Their pizza is a must try and that's coming from a Brooklyn NY born pizza snob. Galway is also very pedestrian friendly and lots of fun to walk around and explore the shops and dining. We took a tour to the Aran Islands Inis Mor. This was our favorite place to visit on the trip. Inis Mor has a population of approximately 800 and our tour guide, Bertie Mullen Kilronan was so much fun. He took us to see so much and truly experience the lifestyle of the Inis Mor residents. While in Galway we did our own pub crawl and enjoyed dining which was very convenient and delicious. From Galway we traveled back to Dublin for a quick overnight in the Spectacular Camden Court hotel. We treated ourselves to another pub crawl, browsed "The Last Bookshop" and totally enjoyed the pedestrian friendliness of Dublin. We ate in the Bleeding Horse Pub and off the next morning to Belfast and the Titanic Hotel which is in the Titanic Quarter. We did hop on hop off bus touring throughout all of Belfast visiting the murals and the peace wall which I did get to sign; a bucketlist item. We toured the Titanic Museum and the SS Nomadic. Truly a sobering historical accounting of the events surrounding the Titanic. After two amazing days in Belfast, we went back to Dublin for the last two days of our tour. Again, hop on hop off bus tours, tour of the Guinness Warehouse, upper and lower Camden Court, amazing dining experiences and just lots of fun at our own pace. We toured numerous castles, The Royal Botanic Gardens and many churches throughout our 12-day rail tour. Irish Tourism Structured our trip so that we had many choices and opportunities to pick and choose what we wanted to participate in and what we wanted to opt out of. We were so busy by our own choice and could not wait to get to the next event on our itinerary. Again, Many thanks to Nuala Sheedy and all of the folks at Irish Tourism that made our trip one that we will never forget.

Irish Tourism made the logistics of our trip easy and gave us great suggestions for site seeing. We had the comfort of knowing there was someone we could reach out to if we had any complications.

Irish tourism was the perfect help in planning our Ireland vacation. Our trip was smooth and wonderful. Look forward to our next adventure