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TRAVEL AND GUIDED TOURS OF IRELAND
’Essential Ireland’ offers specialised tours:
7 day Luxury Castles & Classics tour of Ireland (overnight in Ashford Castle)
7 day Wild Atlantic Way tour (Killarney, Dingle and Galway)
5 day True North Tour (Northern Ireland and Donegal)
& Award-winning Private tours of Ireland for groups of friends and families
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Our tours
‘Essential Ireland Tours’ emphasizes history and culture, and we travel in comfort. You'll experience the best of Ireland. We guarantee great music, food, pubs, and fun on every journey. You may only visit Ireland once; it’s important you experience the Essential Ireland.
A large number of our small group tours are led by Stephen McPhilemy, a passionate historian and renowned tour-guide who has been Rick Steves' right-hand Tour Guide in Ireland for over 25 years
Essential Ireland was lovingly created by Stephen McPhilemy, one of Ireland’s leading Tour-Guides who has been Rick Steves' Irish protege for over 20 years,
and Irish-American Entrepreneur and Ireland-lover, Patrick Wade. Hosting and welcoming guests to Ireland is their passion.
Essential Ireland
Our travel philosophy
Our fun concept of cost-effective, VIP style travel for small groups, was a response to the hundreds of travel requests from international friends, our clan and families, and people in our extended networks who desired:
Luxury Tours - with a value-for-money, affordable price
Small-group Tours - 8 to 16 people average - safe & unique
Lively Tours - Itineraries framed by our unique travel style; relaxed, insightful, fun and focused on essential Irish experiences
Tour-time & Free-time - A nice mix of tour-time/free-time philosophy, freedom to enjoy your own free time while also maximising your tour activities.
100% Irish Experiences – A tour that emphasises authentic Irish experiences and meeting the Irish people, everyday!
Your Experience
We aim to have you experience life like a local for the week (except of course you’ll sleep in fine hotels and B&B’s). Our tours immerse you in the local culture for a week
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About US
Who We Are
Stephen McPhilemy and Patrick Wade are the co-founders of Essential Ireland Tours. One Irish and one Irish-American, they met 20 years ago while Patrick was backpacking through Ireland and Stephen was his tour-guide.
Two decades later they (and their Irish Wolfhounds) are experienced and respected figures in the Irish tour and hospitality scene with a passion for providing high quality tours. Authentic Irish experiences for unbeatable value.
Testimonials
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Contact us
GET IN TOUCH!
If you have any queries or questions, or would like to Stephen McPhilemy (who has Rick Steves' trusted right-hand man and tour-guide in Ireland for over 20 years) to custom build a special itinerary for your own private group of family or friends, send us a wee note right here