OUR Essential Ireland BLOG

United Kingdom Electronic travel authorisation (ETA), required for Northern Ireland. How to apply

2026 ESSENTIAL IRELAND Tour Dates Prices include all activities, hotels and breakfasts Enjoy our proud 100% never-ever cancel guarantee!

2025 Essential Ireland Tour Dates. Our 2025 dates are open for reservation! Our Wild Atlantic Way Tour will depart every Sunday (many dates already sold out!) Our famous 'Castles & classics' tour has two departures with availability - April & October And for 2025 the ever-popular 'True North' tour now has an even better price than 2024! Our aim is to bring you better value all the time and maximise the efficiency and value of your tour

Recommended reading list for Ireland travel and tours

We Never Cancel! Essential Ireland Tours have a 'never cancel' guarantee

Ashford Castle was magical on this 'Castles and Classics' Essential Ireland Tour,

2024 Essential Ireland Tour Dates

Stephen McPhilemy discusses Dublin on Rick Steves' Monday Night Travel

The Dublin hotel recommendations by Stephen McPhilemy

stephen-g-mcphilemy-irish-songs-for-the-road

Who is the real Saint Patrick and what did he do?

Sustainability and protecting our beautiful Irish landscape is so important to Essential Ireland Tours. We also put a lot of effort into ensuring things are happy and sustainable for the wonderful humans (and animals) who work with us

To enjoy a falconry experience or a hawk walk in Ireland is one of the best activities for any visitor. These majestic birds of prey are magical

Winners of our grand 'green-selfie' contest enjoy their VIP tour of The Essential Ireland

The New 11 Day ALL-Ireland Tour is the pride of Essential Ireland Tours , 11 days & 10 nights to explore the 4 corners of our beloved Ireland

It is the most surreal celebration of our patron Saint and our Irish identity in living memory. An unwelcome guest (normally a contradiction in terms in Ireland) has arrived on our shores. Coronavirus.

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

Explore the wild beauty and rich history of the Dingle Peninsula

On February 1st, we celebrate Saint Brigid of Kildare’s feast day and the pagan midwinter festival of Imbolc

2022 Tour Dates have been announced, sign up now for a classic 'Essential Ireland' Tour

Essential Ireland Tours are back on the road in 2021. Happy Days

Ireland has many native species of animals, majestic in their own ways. Here are some that you may spot on your Essential Tour of Ireland

Stories and legends of the Cliffs of Moher

A Christmas message from Stephen Mc

Castles & Classics VIP Tour 2019

Learn all about the myths and the history of the Rock of Cashel

Happy Christmas 2018. Warm greetings to all our friends, clan and tour guests throughout the world.

Seamus the Irish Wolfhound, and our mascot at Essential Ireland tours, gets a new playmate!

Essential Ireland Tours are proud to present our epic 2018 tour series.

Essential Ireland's colours and banner inspired by the Flag of the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin