Irish Ancestral Group · Bespoke Travel
Bespoke Tours
of Ireland
Choose Your Own Adventure
If you have been thinking about visiting Ireland, you probably already have a few ideas about what you would like to see. You might want to find the place your family came from, explore the coastline or finally visit somewhere you have heard so much about.
The difficulty is often knowing how to bring it all together without spending your entire vacation driving from one place to the next.
We can help you find that balance, bringing together the places you have dreamed of visiting with a few local discoveries along the way, at a pace that feels right for you.
Tell Us About Your Plans
Your interests. Your pace.
What Would You Like
to See and Do?
We at Irish Ancestral Group can help you plan a tour that suits your interests and gives you time to enjoy being here. Whether you are travelling alone, with a partner, bringing the family or organising a group, we begin with a conversation about what you would like from your visit.
You do not need to arrive with a list of ancestral connections to enjoy one of our tours. An interest in Ireland, its people and its history is more than enough. We can build your itinerary around historic sites, coastal scenery, archaeology, traditional music or whatever has drawn you here in the first place.
You may have some places you definitely want to include and others you are happy to leave to us. We will talk through the options, consider the distances involved and help you decide what will work within the time you have. There is plenty to discover, but you should also have time to sit over lunch, stop for a photograph or enjoy a place a little longer.
The suggestions below are just a starting point, and there is much more we can explore together. We welcome your own ideas, whether you have a favourite place on your bucket list or an experience you have always wanted to try. Tell us what you have in mind, and we will be happy to discuss how we can bring it into your own tailor-made itinerary.
Open a section below for a little inspiration.
Follow Your Interests
- Literature, Poetry & Storytelling
- Traditional Music
- Irish Dancing
- Festivals & Cultural Celebrations
- Walking & Hiking
- Farming & Rural Life
- Wildlife & Natural History
- Irish Hospitality & “The Craic”
- Irish Food & Local Produce
- Golf & Championship Courses
- Traditional Crafts & Local Art
- Whiskey Distillery Trails
- Irish Language & Gaeltacht Life
- Irish TV & Film
- Spiritual Tourism
- Photography
- Irish National Sports
- Education
- St. Patrick’s Day
- Leprechauns & Folklore
- Pub Culture
- Off The Beaten Track & Hidden Gems
Explore Ireland’s Landscapes
- The Wild Atlantic Way
- Ireland’s Ancient East
- Connemara
- The Burren
- Boglands
- Causeway Coast
- Dingle Peninsula & The Slea Head Drive
- National Parks
- The Cliffs of Moher
- Inishowen Peninsula & Malin Head
- Dublin
- The Aran Islands & Island Life
- The Ring of Kerry
- Glendalough
- The Fishing Villages of Cork
- Slieve League
- Northern Ireland
- Skellig Michael
- Gap of Dunloe
- Belfast
- Ulster’s Plantation Towns & Villages
- Tory Island
Discover History & Your Heritage
- Clann Gatherings
- Ancestral Roots & Family Connections
- Early Christian Sites
- Newgrange & Knowth
- Blarney Castle
- Emigration Hubs
- Spiritual Sites of the Pagans
- Ireland’s Viking Connections
- The Book of Kells & Trinity College
- The EPIC Emigration Museum
- Castles & Historic Houses
- Titanic Museum
- Rock of Cashel
- Ulster Scots Heritage
- Kilmainham Gaol
- National Museum of Ireland
- Bunratty Castle & Folk Park
- Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery
- Grianan of Aileach
- Derry City Walls
- Kylemore Abbey
Experiences
- Sheepdog Herding
- Fly Fishing on an Irish River
- Learn to Cook Irish Style
- Speak a Few Words in Irish
- Archaeology Dig
- Visit “The Quiet Man” Set Locations
- Stone Wall Building
- Feed & Cuddle a Lamb!
- Spend the Night in an Irish Lighthouse
- Surf Irish Waves
- Wild Alpaca Way
- Ring the Bells of Christchurch Cathedral
- Learn to Pull the Perfect Pint of Guinness
- Cruise the Shannon River
- Stay in a Castle
- Visit the Blasket Islands
- Game of Thrones Location Spotting
- Learn Irish Dance Steps
- Bunratty Castle Banquet
- Make Your Own Claddagh Ring
- Bottle Your Own Whiskey
- View the Northern Lights
For those with Irish roots
Visiting the Place
Your Family Came From
For visitors with Irish ancestry, a family visit can be a particularly meaningful part of the tour. If you know where your ancestors lived, we can discuss including that area and exploring the places associated with them. If you have yet to establish their origins, you may wish to commission research before travelling so that we have evidence to guide the visit.
Sometimes the original home survives; sometimes the connection is to a townland, a church or the surrounding landscape. We will explain what the research supports and plan accordingly. Even where a building has disappeared, visiting the area can help you understand the community your family belonged to and the circumstances in which they lived.
Discuss Research Before Your Visit
The stories behind the places
Seeing Ireland With Someone Who Knows Its History
Our interest in Ireland goes well beyond the records. Through our work in genealogy, local heritage and professional guiding, we explore how people lived and how their experiences shaped the places you see today.
Based in Inishowen, County Donegal, we have a particular affection for the north-west, while our bespoke tours can take you throughout Ireland. We enjoy introducing visitors to the history of a place in a way that leaves room for questions, conversation and your own interests.
From the first conversation to your visit
Planning Around You
Every bespoke tour begins with a free, no-obligation Zoom call. It is a chance to meet us, ask your questions and talk through the possibilities, whether you have a carefully considered bucket list or simply know that you would love to come to Ireland.
- 01 · LET'S TALK
Share Your Ideas
Tell us who is coming, when you hope to travel and what you would most like to experience. We can also suggest places and experiences you may not have thought of.
- 02 · MAKE IT YOURS
Find the Right Balance
Before suggesting an itinerary, we will discuss your travel dates, the size of your party, your budget and the pace you prefer. Walking distances and any access requirements are useful to know about early, so these can be considered when choosing visits and making arrangements.
- 03 · KNOW YOUR PLANS
Decide With Confidence
We will explain the proposed itinerary, what is included and the costs before you decide to book. If your plans include several generations of the family or people with different interests, we can discuss how to make the visit enjoyable for everyone.
A Little Help Before
You Travel
We have written our own Travel to Ireland booklet to help you prepare for your visit. It brings together practical advice on what to pack and what to expect when you arrive, so you can spend less time wondering what you might need and more time looking forward to your vacation.
From preparing your suitcase to getting a feel for travelling in Ireland, it is a useful companion to the conversations we have while planning your tour. Ask us about the booklet before you travel.
Choose Your Own Adventure
Let's Start Planning
Get in touch and tell us a little about your proposed visit. Let us know who is coming, when you hope to travel and any places or family connections you would like to include. If you are still at the “we would love to go, but don't know where to start” stage, that is absolutely fine too. We can help you work through the possibilities.
Start with a free, no-obligation Zoom call.