Join us for an action-packed week touring the beautiful West Coast of Ireland. You’ll enjoy the benefits of a true small group experience with an expert local guide,  16 people max led by Stephen McPhilemy or one of our team of 100% Irish and experienced guides.

2026 Dates:

Departs Dublin every Sunday from March to late October! (returns Saturday early evening)

2026 SPECIAL OFFERS:

15% discount (use code NONREFUNDABLE15)* - almost €400 off the regular tour-price, that can be better spent on Gifts, Grub or Guinness!

10% discount special price (use code REFUNDABLE10)** - save €299!

This is the ideal tour to experience the Wild Atlantic Way. 

You’ll stay in the charming and lively towns of Killarney, Dingle and Galway. 

Enjoy music-filled pubs, meet the locals (and our Irish Wolfhounds!), sing our songs and learn the lively history of our proud land.

This is a fun, relaxed and VIP-style tour full of authentic Irish experiences.

The small group-size ensures wonderful personalised service.

[9AM] Meet at the Leonardo Hotel opposite Christchurch Cathedral at 9am for departure.

Then its onwards for Galway via Clonmacnoise. 

Well take a leisurely drive across the midlands of Ireland to the bogland of County Offaly.

Clonmacnoise is the ancient monastic city  perched on the banks of the epic River Shannon.

Our Founder and Chief-Guide, Stephen, was a judge in the ‘Best Place in Ireland to Holiday’ competition for the National newspaper, the Irish Times, and recently lamented that travel in Ireland was a like a donut, all sweet around the outside with nothing in the middle. 

We'll prove that theory wrong today.

Your 'Essential Ireland' guide will lead a concise and informative guided tour of the historic site (around 30-45 minutes) and afterwards ensure you have ample free time to explore the Celtic crosses and Round Towers and see where Pope John Paul II said Mass here in 1979.

Early evening: Arrive in lively Galway, checkin to hotel and later go for a nice stroll through the old town to hear the history and see sights.

Your 'Essential Ireland' Guide will suggest a pre-dinner meet-up in one of the funky and fun pubs in the latin-quarter.

Free for dinner. Great Irish music on offer.

Depart Galway after a leisurely Breakfast

En route to the majestic Cliffs of Moher we'll enjoy a scenic drive through the Burren.

(advisable to pick up a sandwich in Galway to eat for lunch, the 2 cafes at the Cliffs of Moher are often very busy and lining up for lunch there is not an efficient use of your time)

Enjoy the majestic Cliffs of Moher with time to hike and explore one of Irelands most famous natural attractions.

We'll cross the River Shannon by Ferry (30 minutes scenic crossing) and enter the Kingdom of Kerry.

Arrive in lively and charming Killarney. 

A fun-filled evening of Irish music lies ahead. We have some great recommendations!

Free for dinner 

After a delicious breakfast and a leisurely morning, we’ll enjoy one of our trademark ‘Mini Ring of Kerry’ Tours.

Visit picturesque Kenmare, famous for it cute shops and colourful streets, maybe you'll take the opportunity during your free time to go and see it’s ancient stone circle, built by our ancient pre-Celtic ancestors and possibly used as a ceremonial sites by our Celtic Druids. 

A place of strong spiritual energy.

Enjoy a photostop up at Molls gap and Ladies View on the Ring of Kerry and take in the breathtaking scenery, a real highlight.

Visit Torc Waterfall, we highly recommend the short hike through the native woodland and up to the falls in the middle of the forest, 15 minutes max walk and suitable for all walking abilities.

Then we'll visit Muckross House and Gardens. Plenty of time for a stroll though the gardens of Muckross House. You’ll enjoy free time in the lakeside lawns before and have time to tour the beautiful stately home.
[Late afternoon] Back in bustling Killarney with the evening free to to dine, dance, sing, shop or relax!

A recommendation for your free time: Consider a relaxing ‘Jaunting car ride through Killarney National Park, the local traditional horse & carriage experience for 150 years. The Jarveys, usually can only accept cash payment, and this is an optional activity not an official tour-activity, so any guests who wish to enjoy it simply pay themselves.

Free for dinner.

Excellent Irish music options.

After a lovely breakfast we will take the 1 hour scenic drive to magical Dingle, one of Ireland's best loved fishing-villages and the epicentre of Irish traditional music.

On arrival we'll enjoy a short orientation drive around the streets of Dingle, our favourite Irish village. (population 1,671)

We'll visit the Dingle Crystal workshop and observe the Master Sean Daly at work (the former Master-cutter at Waterford Crystal), this family business has provided the crystal bowl of shamrock to the US President at the White House on St. Patricks Day for several years. At 'Essential Ireland' we're proud to support local small-businesses and traditional craft producers.

Free time in Dingle to find a nice lunch-spot and to enjoy the bustling streets and colourful shops. ‍Maybe enjoy an artisan coffee or maybe a Murphys Ice-Cream.

After lunch we'll depart on our scenic scenic drive around the Dingle peninsula.

Hold some baby lambs at the family farm of our friend, Aidan O'Houilihan, maybe even bottle-feed the wee rascals! 

Checkout the amazing archaeology including original  'Beehive Huts' built by the early Christian monks. 

The ocean views and scenery here are simply unreal. 

A big highlight of the afternoon is our included visit to the Blasket Islands Interpretive centre to learn of the Gaelic heritage of the local people.

We'll explore the 12th century ruins of Kilmalkeadar Church. View the ancient form of Celtic writing called 'Ogham' on the historic standing stones. 

Then we'll checkin to our Dingle Hotel, and for next 3 days and nights, we'll be offering some incredible Irish experiences. 

Evening free for dinner and/or the pub-music, many fine choices on offer in Dingle 

Today is a lovely bus-free day.

After a blissful breakfast,  we'll enjoy a 'Welcome to Dingle' walking tour, exploring all areas of cultural and historical significance and also meeting the local characters. ‍

Note: It's very important for us to introduce our Tour-Guests to one of the most important hidden gems in Dingle, the 'Harry Clarke Windows'. Masterpieces of stained glass in a formerly private Church. We'll go inside and gaze in awe.

We'll end our walking tour by peeking into the famous Dick Macks pub.

Most days, our friend Aron the Belt Maker, is in the bar turning strips of leather into attractive and reasonably priced belts. If he's there, we'll introduce you. Always fun to watch a craftsman in action.

Free for lunch.

After Lunch:  Dingle Falconry Experience! Hold and fly majestic Birds of Prey in this once in a lifetime experience. ‘Essential Ireland Tours’ has our very own Falconry School and we offer our Tour Guests a unique opportunity to experience the ancient Irish art of Falconry, which came to prominence in 12th Century Ireland with ancient Norman clans like the Fitzgeralds and Fitzmaurices.
( The timing of the falconry experience can be subject to change due to weather conditions etc Our beautiful birds of prey have little interest in flying in the rain)

Our School of Falconry has 50 birds of prey and a Master Falconer and 2 other full-time falconers who will introduce you to a wide range of Birds of Prey as you slip on a long leather glove (very medieval!) and hold and fly Hawks and Owls and meet Orla our Golden Eagle in her aviary. All on the beautiful backdrop of Dingle Harbour, a great photo opportunity but an even greater travel experience…

[5pm] Complimentary Dingle Gin & Tonic cocktails in our very own ‘Robert Mitchum Bar & library’. 

Free for dinner.

Some wonderful music options ahead.

Today is your 'holiday from your holiday. 

Our tour-activities are in the evening.

 Enjoy a delicious home-cooked and leisurely Irish breakfast.

[Free day in Dingle to enjoy a host of possible activities, or just relax and update your travel journal before our fun evening ahead.

Some guests enjoy a tour of the Dingle whiskey distillery or weather-permitting a Dingle Sea Safari. And some just prefer a day of shopping, snacking and trying out a few more of Dingle's 56 pubs!

We offer a complimentary Irish whiskey tasting with our resident expert, your Essential Ireland guide!

This evening's activities are always a highlight for our Tour-Guests.

We'll experience an enjoyable evening of traditional Irish music and entertainment. A wonderful 'farewell to Dingle'.

The Rock of Cashel and the golden Vale of Tipperary 

Depart after a fine and early breakfast on Dingle Bay.

We'll take a break en route in beautiful Adare, Ryder Cup host 2027 and National winner of the Tidy Towns contest. Time to enjoy the picturesque thatched cottages and Norman history that this lovely Limerick village is famous for.

Onwards to Tipperary!

We'll enjoy a guided tour of the Rock of Cashel, following in the footsteps of St. Patrick himself. The Rock is where St. Patrick himself once preached and is one of Ireland's most glorious archeological sites. 

Stunning vistas, rich history and deeply inspiring.

Depart for the Capital City.

[3pm approx] Arrive back in Dublins fair city, where we will say our goodbyes and drop you back to the exact same spot that we departed from.

Go n-éirí an bóthar leat / may the road rise to meet you.

* we can only drop off at the point that we departed from in central Dublin (for 2025 this is the Leonardo Hotel at Christchurch Cathedral).  Due to understandably strict driver-hour legislation, under no circumstances can we drop tour-guests off anywhere else in Dublin city-centre and/or Dublin Airport hotels and/or Dublin airport. Occasionally a few tour-guests still ask if we can drop them off somewhere other than the designated drop-off point, but the answer will always have to be a polite 'no'. Taxis are easy to hire from the drop-off point. 

Many thanks for your understanding. :)