We just completed a 10 day tour of Ireland a week ago, and having never been to Ireland before we opted for a fairly ambitious schedule to cover as much ground as possible. Since we all wanted to really see everything, none of us wanted to do the driving, so we made arrangements through the travel company (Specialized Travel Services) to have a driver for the 7 of us. So we expected a Driver.
Wow. What we got, was a Driver, a Tour Director, a Story Teller, a Historian, a man filled with knowledge, compassion, humor and FAR more than we had anticipated. Paul McGlinchey was (in one word) INCREDIBLE. I came to "see" Ireland, I left with having seen allot of Ireland, but also with newfound knowledge of Irish History, Irish Traditions, Irish Culture, the Irish Troubles, the Irish people, and so very very much more. I'm sure that without Paul I would have loved seeing Ireland, but I can't for the life of me imagine that the trip would have had the profound and everlasting impacts on me that this trip did. Being of Irish decent, Paul was able to tell me some of the back-story of where my family name originated, what is meant in Gaelic, and all this from behind the wheel of a VERY nice and comfortable travel bus belonging to Cronin's Coaches.
If I could give 6 stars out of 5 I could.....it's not everyday that I feel touched, Paul just has that ability with people.
If anyone from Cronin's reads this review, please pass on to Paul the following afterthought: "...Paul, remember when we told you we saw someone at the Guinness Storehouse who we thought MUST have been famous but we didn't know who it was? Well a few Google searches after we left Ireland revealed that it was indeed 'The Edge', the legendary U2 Guitarist...just as you told us, just hanging out shaking a few hands...."
Highly recommend Cronin's Coaches and Specialized Travel Services to all future travelers. We will be back, Ireland, of this I can be 100% sure.
It truly was Grand !!!
Kevin Merrill
Fairfield, Vriginia USA read more