Welcome to Essential Ireland Tours

The AUTHENTIC Irish

Experience

VIP Tours for the young-at-heart
Cost-effective, small groups & big Irish experiences

Essential Ireland

BESPOKE TOUR COMPANY FOR the YOUNG AT HEART

Award-Winning Adventures by Ireland's Leading Tour Guides

Essential Ireland

You may only visit Ireland once: experience the Essential Ireland

We bring over 20 years Experience Offering Life Enhancing Tours of Beautiful Ireland

Travel and Guided tours of Ireland

’Essential Ireland’ offers 4 specialised tours:
7 day Luxury Castles & Classics, 7 day Wild Atlantic Way, 5 day True North Tour
& award-winning Private bespoke tours for groups of friends and families

Our tours

‘Essential Ireland Tours’ emphasizes history and culture, and we travel in comfort. 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.
The majority of our small group tours are led by Stephen McPhilemy, a passionate historian and renowned tour-guide who been Rick Steves' right-hand man in Ireland for over 20 years.
Click here to see our 2023 Tour Dates

’Essential Ireland’ offers 4 specialised tours:

Wild Atlantic Way

7 DAY ESSENTIAL IRELAND TOUR

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Ireland’s True North

5 Day Tour

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Private Tours

for small groups

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Castles & Classics

vip tour of ireland's castles

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Essential Ireland is the brainchild of 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.

20% off all tours

We have a special discount code for you to celebrate the launch of our new website and VIP tour. It's valid until January 6th. Enter the following code in the checkout when booking your tour to get 20% off

seamus20

Win a once in a lifetime tour of Ireland

Visit our Facebook or Instagram page to enter the competition. All you have to do is like, share and leave a comment as to what you'd most like to see on your visit to Ireland. Enter before February 1st to be in with a chance of winning a place on our April 2019 Wild Atlantic Tour.

Click Here to Enter

Black Friday special Offer

Get €150 off your next Wild Atlantic or Castles & Classics Essential Ireland Tours with this Black Friday special offer code: Ireland‍ or €115 off the True North Tours with this code: Ireland-North

Limited places so Book Now! Offer valid until 4 December

Fáilte - Welcome from stephen mcphilemy, ready for 2023!

Essential Ireland

Our travel philosophy

Our fun concept of cost-effective, VIP 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 Stephen & Patrick’s 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!

Our Story

Your Experience

We aim to have you experience life like a local for the week (except of course you’ll sleep in luxury hotels and B&B’s). Our tours immerse you in the local culture for a week

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.

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OUR GALLERY

One of the unique features of Essential Ireland Tours is that we bring our own in-house professional travel-photographer and videographer with us on all tours.

VIEW OUR GALLERY

Testimonials

"We loved our tour with Essential Ireland. Stephen was an excellent tour leader — professional and organised, a passionate Irish patriot and what really impressed us was the amount of local Irish characters and personalities he was able to introduce us to. The small group of 15 people was ideal for us and made our vacation a more authentic experience"

Brooke and Brad Antonioni

California

"Fantastic tour. Thanks to Patrick, Stephen and all the team. Oh and can't forget Seamus their gentle-giant Irish Wolfhound and handsome mascot. My family and I loved every minute of our Irish adventures. We will definitely return and we'll be sure to take your tours once again. Thanks for going the extra mile helping us reconnect with our Irish ancestry"

Ash Kelly and clan

Melbourne

"Great service and fun times in Ireland. Bravo to Essential Ireland Tours!"

Rob Sheridan

Toronto

OUR LATEST NEWS

Catch up with the latest news from Essential Ireland Tours

9

Dec 17

Newgrange on Winter solstice. Stephen McPhilemy wins the lottery!

This is an incredible honour for Irish people. Newgrange is one of Ireland's most sacred ancient sites.

Stephen McPhilemy

8

July 16

Hollywood Premiere in Ireland! After-Party hosted by 'Essential Ireland Tours'

Stephen McPhilemy

4

Nov 2019

Marvel at the Grandeur of the Cliffs of Moher

Stories and legends of the Cliffs of Moher

Stephen McPhilemy

VIEW ALL NEWS

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

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

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The AUTHENTIC Irish

Experience

BESPOKE TOUR COMPANY FOR the YOUNG AT HEART

You may only visit Ireland once: experience the Essential Ireland

Travel and Guided tours of Ireland

Our tours

Wild Atlantic Way

Ireland’s True North

Private Tours

Castles & Classics

20% off all tours

seamus20

Win a once in a lifetime tour of Ireland

Click Here to Enter

Black Friday special Offer

Fáilte - Welcome from stephen mcphilemy, ready for 2023!

Our travel philosophy

Your Experience

Who We Are

OUR GALLERY

Testimonials

"Great service and fun times in Ireland. Bravo to Essential Ireland Tours!"

OUR LATEST NEWS

9

Newgrange on Winter solstice. Stephen McPhilemy wins the lottery!

8

Hollywood Premiere in Ireland! After-Party hosted by 'Essential Ireland Tours'

4

Marvel at the Grandeur of the Cliffs of Moher

GET IN TOUCH!

Follow Essential Ireland on Instagram