We lucked out weather wise as it was a beautiful day. There is a lot of driving to the cliffs and…read moresome narrow winding roads. Our driver was friendly and gave us a lot of information about the area and Irish history.

I booked the Blarney & Cobh half-day tour more than a month in advance, only to have it canceled…read moreshortly before my trip due to an "unforeseen issue." While I understand that unexpected situations can happen, what I cannot understand is the complete lack of transparency and poor customer service. I asked multiple times why the tour was canceled because the booking was made through Microsoft for a company event, and I needed to provide an explanation. Instead of answering a simple question, I was repeatedly told that "all information was provided in the first email"--even though the email never explained the reason for the cancellation. A company that cancels confirmed bookings at the last minute should at least be willing to provide a basic explanation. Instead, I received dismissive responses and no accountability. The cancellation itself was disappointing, but the way it was handled was far worse. If this is how Paddywagon Tours treats customers when something goes wrong, I cannot recommend booking with them. There are plenty of tour operators in Ireland that value communication and customer service more than this one.

This is not a distillery tour. It is an education in Irish whiskey -- and a genuinely memorable…read moreone. The Midleton Distillery Experience is home to seven iconic Irish whiskey brands: Jameson, Redbreast, Powers, Midleton Very Rare, The Spot Whiskeys, Method and Madness, and Knappogue Castle. The site itself is the original Old Midleton Distillery, and walking through it means moving through restored 19th-century warehouse buildings where whiskey has been aged in oak casks for generations. The history is embedded in the walls, and the experience is designed to make sure you actually feel it rather than just walk past it. We booked the private premium tasting tour, and the decision to go private changed the entire dynamic of the visit. Our tour guide -- French by birth, now based in Ireland having moved to learn English -- was exceptional. His enthusiasm for Irish whiskey was completely genuine, his knowledge was deep, and his ability to translate that knowledge into something both accessible and fascinating made the experience far better than any standard group tour could have. The kind of guide who makes you leave knowing things you did not expect to know when you arrived. The premium tasting takes you through four prestige whiskeys from the distillery's range, each contextualised properly rather than just poured and moved on from. The difference between what's available here and what you find on a standard shelf is immediately apparent. The highlight, and the moment that made the visit stick: I purchased a cask strength expression at 61% and bottled it myself directly from the cask. That is a singular experience -- standing in a working distillery, filling your own bottle from a numbered cask, corking it by hand. It is not a gimmick. It is exactly what it sounds like, and it earns every penny. If you are in the Cork area, include this in your itinerary without hesitation. The experience here is more thorough and personal than anything the Dublin distillery offers. Go private if you can, and stay long enough to bottle something. Visited on Weekday Wait time No wait Reservation recommended Yes

Daniel gave us a wonderful and very informative tour of the whiskey distillery. There was a…read moretasting afterwards, complimentary drink and a wonderful little cafe to sit. The gift shop is full of options for yourself or others. You won't leave empty handed!

Butler's Coach of Cork Ireland. John O'Donovan provided us Irish history, music, sports, and…read moreculture as well as safe driving and beautiful scenery. His narrative as we went through Belfast still affects me. He took us to the very best places and helped us experience the best of Scotland as well. He also made sure our little flock was safe and happy through 12 dayd. From pub suggestions to directions to concert halls, we couldn't ask for more. Ask for Mr. O'Donovan and you'll be pleased with your Ireland and Scotland experience.

From the owner: Coach, Bus and minivan hire. Stephen Butler Coaches is a family run coach company, who specializes…read morein luxury private coach, bus and minivan hire. Stephen established his business in 1979, to date we are celebrating over 40 years in business. We are based in the bustling town of Midleton, Co. Cork, which is also home to Jameson Distillery, Midleton. We operate one of the most luxurious and modern fleets of chauffeur driven vehicles in Cork, Ireland. We strive every day to ensure all of our customer's needs and expectations are exceeded. Contact us today for all your coach, bus and minivan hire requirements.

Dermot Ryan's Kinsale Heritage Walk was wonderful. You walk around the town of Kinsale at a…read moreleisurely pace no one would find difficult to keep up with, stopping to hear the local history and see photos of your surroundings as they were way back when. Lighthearted and funny and loving his home town, Dermot definitely makes the best tour guide you'd every hope to have. I loved this tour - it was absolutely wonderful.

The *only* harbour tour in Cork, just opened this year, & they do a marvelous job!…read more We took the Cailin Ór guided tour (not the skeleton boat) from Cork to Cobh. Our guide was absolutely wonderful, so knowledgable & friendly, & she clearly cared a lot about the nature and history in Cork Harbour. Among other points, this was a great overview of the history of Cork city & the environs, and also a good way to learn the geographical layout of the area. We saw estates not visible from anywhere on the mainland, learned a bit about Viking & pirate invasions of cork, learned first hand what the Cork city seal symbolizes, and so much more. And it was just a lovely way to make the trip to Cobh. This is now my must-do trip whenever I am traveling with new visitors to Cork.

We loved Ireland! We loved our tour except we tried to pack too much into too little time! Some…read moreguidance regarding the time on the bus would have been appreciated especially since I asked about that particularly. Our driver was great and took us through the back roads and the twist and turns with skill and aplomb! The accommodations were excellent. When we had a small problem with one of our travelers, the tour company was extremely helpful and considerate. We did receive an excellent value for the price we paid!

From the owner: My Ireland Tour is a family-run company based in Cork. We have been offering escorted tours of…read moreIreland since 1989. We offer a range of tours including our wonderful Escorted Group Tour Series, Private Customised Tours and many specialist tours including Agricultural Tours, Music Tours and more. Your vacation will be personally managed by one of our team, and you can speak to that same person each and every time you are in touch. Booking with an independent, family-run business of 26 years, you can be assured that your Ireland holiday plans will get the full care and attention they deserve.

Kieran was an outstanding tour guide! He has deep knowledge of the area and it's history and we…read morethoroughly enjoyed our time walking with him--even in the rain! His tour prompted us to find out more about this period in Irish history, listening/watching documentaries while driving from place to place. He was spot on and really knows his stuff. Thanks, Kieran! Bob and Mary Larkin

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Kieran. He's got such a deep knowledge of the history of this…read morearea. I loved getting to see and learn about all the little hidden, sometimes invisible, historical spots around Cobh. I especially found the prison beneath the church interesting (and troubling!). Thanks Kieran! This was well worth the money and the time!

THE ROYAL GUNPOWDER MILLS WALK Combine history, exercise and…read morefresh air as you walk on the banks of the Lee in Ballincollig's Royal Gunpowder Mills. History is a little less accessible these days because the information centre for the Mills closed a few years back. That section is now all closed off but you can glimpse part of it behind the wire and the greenery. Turn west here and you have quite a long walk to the Inniscarra Bridge. In truth, the single walk isn't that long but don't forget you must also get back to your car. And of course you may start at either end, in the east (by the old Gunpowder Mills tourist centre) or at the west (by the bridge). Allow at least an hour to do the round trip. Turn in by Aldi's on the main road and then veer right down to the Powdermills. Walk through the gate facing you at the end and you are on your way. If you then take the grass path down to the right, you'll be by the river. The path here is studded with tree roots while the main path west is much easier to walk on. No matter which way you go, and there are a few loops and detours, you'll pass more of the ruined buildings of the old Powdermills complex and you'll soon get the impression that it was busy here in the 19th century. The mills once employed over 500 people. It wasn't that busy at all this morning as I passed along the river, walked over one or two of the canals (dug for the mills). Didn't go the whole way this time but did a few weeks back. The western end is more by the river and then too you have the football pitches on your left as you head for the Inniscarra Bridge. All in all an interesting walk and you can get more info from one of the info boards on the walk.