We had a most excellent week on the waters of Lough Derg with an Emerald star cruiser…read more Being the first week in October, we knew we were taking a risk with the weather and conditions, but we did get a 20% online discount because of this. And while we saw our fair share of rain showers, we also had good sunshine and a rake of fabulous rainbows. After being shown the ropes on how to use everything on the boat and a quick demo drive to the river and back (with a practice mooring), we were all set. But we decided to stay in the yard that night, instead of rushing to a nearby harbour that evening. Then next morning we set off. Because of the time of season it was, the harbours around the lake that we visited were not very busy. Which was great because we could take our time and have room for mooring up safely. We moored up in Portumna, Terryglass and Garrykennedy during our week. Our favourite was probably Portumna. You could see the fish in the water, the castle was only a field away and there was also easy access to the Portumna Forest walks. The showers and facilities were also free to use in Portumna. We bought the Waterways Ireland facilities card in the shop in Terryglass, which we were able to use on the showers at the harbour there and in Garrykennedy. For 6.50 EUR you get ten units and to use a shower for ten minutes you need to use 2 units. The card gives you access to the toilets for free. The shower in Garrykennedy wasn't the best, but did the job. On the boat, the kitchen was stocked with more or less all the utensils and delph you would need. The gas cooker was fine to use. Fridge is great too, if a bit small. But we had a cool box with us, that was handy for the beers and keeping the fridge free for the food. There was plenty of storage also in the main cabin. The bathroom was fine too, but we never actually used the shower on-board TBH as we ended up using the showers in the harbours and in a friends house. So I don't know how well it worked. Over all the whole week cost around 963 for a cruiser that sleeps four. This price includes full insurance and all the diesel we used. Honestly four would be the max for this boat. It's perfect for two, but it's obviously more expensive. A few negatives: The demo could be more comprehensive, especially around rope safety when mooring up. The bedroom got very damp overnight with condensation, to the point you had to wipe it down in the morning to stop the drips - yuck. The positives though far outweigh the negatives: Freedom to go anywhere you wanted on the lake or river The scenery The wildlife and bird life Fishing where ever and when ever you wanted We are definitely going to go again, hopefully next year.

Everything went as planned. We met at the hurling statue, got our life vests and hopped on the…read moreboat. We had a great trip learned a lot about the area and saw some amazing structures. It was laid back and enjoyable. I highly recommend.

Did the Kilkenny boat trip last week - beautiful scenery and wildlife and knowledgeable guide.read more

I'm honestly unsure of the best way to rate this tour company. On one hand, it's Ireland and Irish…read moreweather is unruly. On the other hand, there was a forecast and the forecast called for rain. And as I heard from other local visitors, their tour companies cancelled and refunded their tours in advance. I had purchased an Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher tour via Viator. It was nearly $100 for two, which is rather pricey, but it included views of the cliffs from two angles, a coach bus from Galway, and some time on the smallest of the islands. It seemed like a good deal. The actual tour was boring and flat. I would have liked to stop and take photos at the castles and the lighthouse we passed, but the bus kept on going. I got some drive-by shots, but they're not the same. The bus was also very cold on a very cold day, which was unsettling and uncomfortable. The tour guide only rattled off some basic facts and mostly about the educational system in Ireland. Cool, but not exciting in the least. Once we arrived at the docking area, we were given tickets and boarded the tiniest little ferry on the literally wild Atlantic Ocean. I was terrified. The half-hour journey to the Aran Islands was mortifying to say the least. People were puking. I was doing everything in my power to not join in. The crew seemed fine. We got to the Aran Islands without me puking, which was nice and surprising. We then paid a local guide to drive us around since it was raining so hard. We got to see a nice sliver of the islands, which was nice and probably my favorite part. We then had a small, very bland lunch and I took more motion sickness meds. After about an hour, our group boarded a vessel before being told to get off. We then waited outside in the cold for far too long and were placed on a slightly larger ferry. This time around, I wasn't so lucky on the seasickness front and spent most of the trip back staring at the inside of a bag...along with many other folks. Did I get views of the cliffs from the sea? Nope. Did I get views of the cliffs from the cliffs? Nope. Do I feel kind of ripped off? Yes. But is it Ireland? Yes. Was it their fault? Well, yes, I think so. I found out we were the last ferry to go across that day. The storms from the hurricane remnants were strong. I honestly wish they had given us the option to postpone our tour. I would have in a heartbeat. The next day was much nicer and I would have actually gotten my money's worth. I absolutely know they can't control the weather, but they should have some sort of system in place to avoid such situations.

Cliffs of other, Coast of County Clare and the Burren Day Tour from Galway…read more My husband, daughter and I had a informative and fun day long tour with Patrick as our guide. He took us to the places that were listed along with additional perfect pictures spots and a local pub for lunch. We learned history and insights about the area from a local. The day went by fast and I would highly recommend a Patrick and Spirit of Ireland Travel

I booked the Cliffs of Moher & The Burren half day tour through Galway Tour Company this past…read moreNovember. The value of the tour was great, only costing around $45 (42.50 euros) for an eight hour tour. I was able to select the pickup point at a nearby hotel. The bus was prompt and we headed on our way shortly after 10am. The tour bus driver was an absolute delight. Incredibly friendly and full of knowledge and funny stories. We stopped at a couple spots along the way including a castle, a very old cemetery, and a pub in Doolin. We drove through the Burren on our way which was a really interesting sight to see. I enjoyed learning about the geology of such a unique place. We had adequate time to explore the Cliffs of Moher once we arrive - almost 2 hours to roam around, take pictures, and check out the gift shop. Then we made our way back to Galway and arrived around 6pm. The timing was perfect and I really feel like it was a valuable experience. So glad I booked a group tour instead of renting a car and trying to navigate to the cliffs myself - the roads to get there were really wild and I'm not sure I could've handled it on my own (plus, it would've been way more expensive). I'll also note that the tour company reached out the day before my scheduled tour to let me know they had to reschedule due to the snow and ice that rolled through that night. They put me onto the tour the following day and communication was seamless throughout. I highly recommend booking your tour through Galway Tour Company!

My friends and I went on a tour to the cliffs of moher and the burren with Galway tour company and…read morewe had the most amazing time! Dave is such a great tour guide and very informative. This was easily our favorite day in Ireland!

Ferry Ride I…read morevisited the largest of the islands 23 years ago Worth the ferry ride for lunch Must visit? Perhaps, maybe,.... I have experienced a number of ferry rides

Early in the 1970s, I saw an article in National Geographic about this set of 3 islands in Galway…read moreBay. "Ive got to go there someday" I swore. In less than 5 years in was on a small plane from Galway city to Inishmore, the largest of the islands. All of Ireland is beautiful, but Inishmore was absolutely stunning. We passed on the horse and buggy ride and made our way on foot to the north side. Thousands of miles of stone walls line the roads and fields. We stopped at the stone hut that was used in the filming of "Man of Aran." At this point, we realized that we had to get back to the plane, so we managed to use a crank phone to put in a request to the island's one cabbie. We had enough time to take one more walk to the cliffs on the west side of the island. In 2008, we managed to go back and see Inisheer, the smallest and most southerly of the chain. At dinner, we had the only truly great steak I'd eaten in Ireland (usually better to stick to the lamb). I'd hoped to get a sunset shot, and the one I got showed all three islands at once. High on my bucket list is visiting the third island someday.

Inis Oírr & Cliffs of Moher Cruise Combo is worth the price and a great time. It was a calm day at…read moresea so we saw everything very clear and got to see everything up close. The boats are heated inside and have a bathroom. The crew was helpful and funny and it was a fun cruise. I just wish they sold beverages/snacks on board but it was not a big deal.

I would not recommend taking any of the ferries from the Doolin pier to the Aran islands. 1) There…read moreis no way to know which ferry to take as there is no signage. We paid for passage to Inish Mor but were herded from line to line and taken to wrong island. 2) When we asked the crew about getting to the other island they were unconcerned and advised us to make sure we were back at the pier early in order to get back to Doolin. 3) When we arrived to the pier to return there were mobs of people, no signage, and no information. There were probably 300 people waiting for return ferry but there was no way of knowing what ferry to board or if other ferries would come as there were mind of people and not enough ferries. 4) Extremely unsafe environment as mobs of people trying to push into tiny gangway with nothing but a gap between pier and boot to fall into and be crushed between boat and pier.

Portumna Quay is a nice place to visit for a range of reasons:…read more Swimming Fishing Canoeing Photography Dog walking Lake watching We did all but one of those on our first visit alone. There is a section for swimming only, so you wont be bothered by jetskis or boats. There are toilets too, which were unlocked when the lifeguards came on duty, at around midday I think it was. It's one of the great amenities Portumna has.