“First Visit To Ireland” tours

Most of our inquiries are from people who have never been to Ireland before. Their requests are based on what other people recommend to them. This generally focuses on west and south west Ireland on a circuit that I call "Boardwalk Ireland"

Our second most popular inquiries are to travel North West Ireland. These come from people who have been recommended by people who have traveled with us. Many of our vacations cover south west, west and north west Ireland and we do find most people enjoy their time in North West Ireland the best.

What is nickname "Boardwalk Ireland" generally starts at Dublin, onto Kilkenny maybe, Waterford for the crystal,  maybe Cobh at Cork to attempt some ancestry tracing, certainly the Ring of Kerry and a visit to Killarney Park with Muckross Castle, maybe into Dingle, but certainly onto Bunratty Castle and cross the Burren to the Cliffs of Moher, off to Galway to try and seek out traditional music, Onto the Connemara to see the ponies and share the tales of the famine, then back to Dublin with maybe visits to Newgrange and Glendalough.

A "Boardwalk Ireland" tour can create a very good fun packed vacation. This is the tour most people do when they come to Ireland so this is what they recommend to others.  They do not have anything else to compare to.

My passion with our Celtic Ways tours is to introduce our travellers
to the genuine rich culture of Ireland.

With us you can experience traditions such as

• real local traditional music in hidden village pubs,
• song, dance and storytelling ceilis around cottage turf fires,
• breathtaking hidden scenery with ancient relics of legends
• walk and relax on vast, clean and empty sandy beaches
• roam the hills to share our abundant flowers and wildlife
• learn and share the heritage and traditions of the ancient festivals
• enjoy a country house bardic evening with songs and harp
• pet our friendly donkeys
• enjoy the hospitality and yarns of local people
• learn the truth about the famine, clearances and troubles
• enjoy the wonderful food here, much better than you may expect,
• and even try some of our crafts such as making a Brigid's Cross.

..... all providing happy glowing lifelong memories.

The "First Visit Tour" is one we custom create for you.

You have a choice of driver, guide and minibus touring,
the freedom of self drive touring,
or the highly recommended mix of both.

We recommend a 10 day vacation
with a maximum of 4 different accommodations.

Two disappointments a first time visitor may experience

First , trying to do all of Ireland staying a different place every night.

Ireland is not as small as you may think. There so much to see and do over small distances and we do not have fast freeways to connect everything. We travel a lot on single track country roads at around 30 - 40 mph, essential for getting to and seeing the best of Ireland. The stress of packing, unpacking and getting to the next accommodation by a check-in deadline is a horrible vacation killer.

With a 10 day vacation we recommend spending 3 nights at each of 3 accommodations and a final night in Dublin, if you fly from Dublin. We recommend flying in and out of Knock (Ireland West) Airport and will explain how to do this when you inquire.

Second , is touring Ireland without some guide help

If you have a 10 day vacation, make is a 10 day vacation rather than 6 days of stress trying to find things and places and 4 days actually finding and enjoying places. Without a guide you could easily miss out on places that would be so important to your interests.

Unless you are with a large group hiring a guide for 10 days can be expensive but a guide for your first day or two will help you set up your vacation so that it becomes a vacation that is stress free, relaxing and full of experience. This is a very important service of Celtic Ways.

Your Itinerary

For each of your 3 nights stays we recommend

Keash, Co. Sligo

We highly recommend you start with this and, yes, we realize hardly anybody has heard of Keash (pronounced kaysh) and it is hard to find on the map. Apart from being where the Celtic Ways HQ is this is the home of Ireland's most epic legends and root of many of its traditions. We feel that the legends of England King Arthur, Avalon and Glastonbury are cloned from here and even originated from here as our stories date 300 - 500 years earlier than Glastonbury's. With respect to Glastonbury, that's an essential place to visit one day too.

After your first night at your Keash accommodation visiting our Tintean Clairseach cottage, theater and labyrinth we will guide you to our local wonders of spectacular scenery, ancient passage cairns, stone circles, holy wells, local story tellers and music sessions, all according to your energy, of course.

Most important, we will guide and provide you with the information, guide books, maps, passes and tickets you may require for the rest of your vacation if you intend to continue as a self drive vacation.

Self drive combined with guest house accommodation is the best budget option but we can upgrade you to wonderful castle and country house hotels or provide driver-guide and transport if you do not wish to drive.

For your second day, after your second night we can recommend a range of choices including sites and activities in counties Leitrim, Cavan and even Fermanagh.

After your third night you will head to your next accommodation with a visit or two on the way. 

Westport, Co. Mayo or Leenaun, Co. Galway

On your journey to either we highly recommend a visit to Hennigan's Heritage in Co. Mayo. A visit to Tom Hennigan's hideaway cottage, his presentations,  collections and storytelling is far more fulfilling and revealing than any museum or contrived visitor's center in Ireland. Hennigan's Heritage is truly a "must do" for anyone wanting an experience of Irish History that they will remember and take away for life. A remarkable man, a remarkable presentation.

Westport is one of the loveliest towns in Ireland, good shopping town and good "craic" town with Matt Malloy's bar being the most famous. Matt is best known as flautist with The Chieftains and formerly The Bothy Band. When he is not touring is behind the bar serving pints or joining in music sessions in his bar.

Leenaun is one of the loveliest villages in Ireland in a beautiful "fjord" valley and also providing a good "craic" with the locals through an abundant of storytelling and music. Very nice small local craft gift shops too.

For your two days of travel we highly recommend one day around the Joyce Country, Lough Corrib and Lough Mask, some of the most scenic country in Ireland. We will supply suggestions of sites, activities and lovely eating places. The other day we recommend around the Connemara, visiting Westport again or even climbing Croagh Patrick.

Kenmare, Co. Kerry

Another of Ireland's most beautiful small towns with good shopping, good "craic" and very famous for its wonderful cuisine. Booking restaurants well ahead of arrival is essential.

Before you leave Co. Galway on the way to Kerry we highly recommend a visit to Brigit's Garden, a wonderful presentation of the ancient festivals of Ireland that are still important for traditions today.

After your first night in Kenmare we recommend two day tours, one of the Bearra Peninsula which we regard as one of the most beautiful places in Ireland, and far more interesting than Ring of Kerry. For your second day we recommend a visit the beautiful monastic valley of Gougane Barra and the beautiful mystical roads that surround there and nearby Bantry Bay

Ardara,  Co. Donegal

Here's an alternative to going west and south west from your days in Co. Sligo

From here we recommend a day around Glencolumcille trying out a hike around some of the 15 Turas stations pilgrimage of beautiful carved standing stones, holy wells and cairns in this beautiful valley and then finishing with a bar meal and music session at Biddy's Pub. This is where a unique fiddle style developed that eventually became the roots of bluegrass music in the USA. Also at Glencolumcille is an interesting preserved old village and Gaelic heritage center.

The coastline of south west Co. Donegal is spectacular. We highly recommend this day includes a visit to Slieve League that we rate as being more spectacular than Cliffs Of Moher.

For a second day its worth heading north of Co. Donegal into the wilds of Glenveagh Estate and a visit to Leo's Pub in Gweedore. Leo is the father of the Brennan family who formed the famous Celtic band, Clannad, and Enya. As well as hospitality, good food and local music there is also a visitor's center showcasing their famous family and their Tory Island roots.

Dowth, Co. Meath

If your vacation heads into Co. Donegal we suggest heading from there back south east to Co. Meath as a base for exploring the wonders of Meath, Kildare and maybe even Co. Wicklow.

As you travel from Co. Donegal to Co. Kildare we encourage time with the Augha Killy Maude Men Of Straw of Fermanagh by the beautiful historical islands lake of Lough Erne, one of the largest lakes in Ireland. At their theatre and workshop you will have fun sharing the ancient traditions of straw costumed folk drama, local traditional dances and a ceili of local songs.

From your Dowth base, we recommend one day touring some ancient sites of Meath such as Tara Hill, and the passage cairns and ancient art of Loughcrew along with the decorative high crosses and visitor's center of Kells. Newgrange is possible with generous advanced booking.

For the second day here its worth visiting Kildare and following the story of St. Brigid as you explore her holy wells and ancient flame hearth. You may prefer time  exploring the scenery of the Co. Wicklow mountains with a visit to the beautiful valley of St. Kevin's Glendalough. At the start of your vacation we may well have shown you where St. Kevin was ordained in Co. Sligo. Its about a mile from the Celtic Ways HQ.

Dublin

Our recommendation, for your first Ireland visit, is an overnight stay
on your last night in Ireland.

If you wish more time in Dublin, replace one of the 3 day segments above or simply add a couple more days onto your vacation to allow time in Dublin too

Pricing for your whole vacation:

We custom price each vacation as we seek to find the best deals for you.

• 2 people renting a compact car for 9 days
• staying 10 nights in comfortable guest houses
• starting off with one day touring  with Celtic Ways
• vacation orientation with Celtic Ways
• and dining in traditional bars and cafes
  can get through a vacation with budget of around
  €1200 ($US 1800 ) per person sharing
  plus cost of your air fares and travel insurance

If you wish to book me as your driver-guide
using my minibus for more than your first day
my charge is a flat rate of €300 ($US 440) per day
shared between all travellers,
8 maximum as we need space for luggage.

Over 8 people?  Check out our group services

If there are 6 - 8 of you travelling together
you will find it worth booking me for as your driver, guide
and transport for your entire vacation

For more info on Self Drive vacations and pricing,
please read here