Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Ireland for Families: Castles, Folklore and the West Coast
9 days for families with children 6 and up: Dublin with hurling and a Viking river cruise, Kilkenny Castle, two nights in Killarney, a night in Dingle, Bunratty, the Cliffs of Moher and two nights in Galway with a bike day on Inis Mor.
9 days · Dublin to Shannon or Dublin · up to 12 guests
The Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, on day 7 Photo: Elias Ehmann eliasehmann, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cliffs_of_Moher,_Ireland_(Unsplash_0WDgjo8_l-Q).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 9 days, 8 nights
- Start and end
- Dublin to Shannon or Dublin
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Longest drive
- 4.5 h on day 3
- Activity level
Easy
About 2 hours on foot most days, on city pavements, park paths, farm lanes, beach sand and gravel cliff paths, with castle spiral stairs at Bunratty and Kilkenny and steps in Aillwee Cave. Day 2 has 90 minutes of Gaelic games at each person's own pace. Day 8 is the active day: about 14 km by bike on a quiet island road and a 1 km rocky climb to Dun Aonghasa, with an island minibus for anyone who would rather not cycle. Any walk can be sat out in the van or a cafe.
- Meals included
- 8 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 2 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 1,045 (estimated price)
- Season
- April to September
Highlights
Why this trip
- A hurling and Gaelic football lesson with club coaches on a Dublin pitch
- A Liffey river cruise with the story of the Vikings who founded Dublin
- Kilkenny Castle and its parkland, with room to run
- A jaunting car through Killarney National Park to Ross Castle, then a boat out on Lough Leane
- Border collies gathering sheep by whistle on a Dingle Peninsula farm, after a morning on Inch Beach
- A candlelit medieval banquet inside Bunratty Castle
- The Cliffs of Moher before the midday crowds, then underground at Aillwee Cave
- Cycling Inis Mor to Dun Aonghasa, a stone fort on a cliff edge above the Atlantic
What makes this trip different
Short drives, all published
Every drive is listed day by day. The longest is 4.5 h, on day 3.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 1,045 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 4.5 h, on day 3.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Dublin: St Stephen's Green and EPIC
Dublin Airport to your hotel, then St Stephen's Green, Grafton Street, the Liffey and EPIC
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Dublin
- Drive about 30 min
Morning
Overnight flights from North America land in Dublin in the early morning, and a driver meets your family in arrivals for the ride into the city, about 10 km.
Evening
We ask the hotel for early check-in, and your luggage is held if the room is not ready; the first plan is a rest, and an extra night before the trip can be booked if you would rather arrive the day before. At about 2:30 your See Sight Tours guide meets the families in the lobby for a gentle walk: through St Stephen's Green, a Victorian park with a pond full of ducks and a playground in the middle, down Grafton Street to Trinity College's gates and along the Liffey to the Docklands. There we visit EPIC, the Irish Emigration Museum, a hands-on museum in the vaults of an old customs building that tells how millions of Irish people left and what they did abroad, with games, passports to stamp and screens children can touch. It takes about an hour and a quarter. We finish with an early welcome dinner, so younger children can be in bed on time.
Included
- Private transfer from Dublin Airport (DUB)
- Walk with your guide: St Stephen's Green, Grafton Street and the Liffey quays
- EPIC, the Irish Emigration Museum
- Early welcome dinner
Easier option: Take a taxi from Trinity College to EPIC instead of walking the quays.
Free time: Free until the early-afternoon walk
Activity: About 2 km on flat city pavements, plus an hour on your feet in the museum.
Hurling lesson and a Viking river cruise
Dublin: a club pitch for Gaelic games, then the Liffey by boat
- Breakfast
- Stay in Dublin
- Drive about 45 min
Morning
This morning is for running about. A short ride takes us to a Gaelic games club pitch, where local coaches teach the families hurling, played with an ash stick called a hurley and a small leather ball, and Gaelic football, which mixes kicking, catching and bouncing. Parents play too, or watch from the side; there is no score that matters. It takes about an hour and a half, helmets are provided for hurling, and it is the best cure for jet lag we know. Back in the centre we board a covered boat for a cruise of about 45 minutes on the River Liffey. The guide tells how Viking ships came up this river and founded a trading town at the black pool, Dubh Linn, in the 840s, and points out the bridges and quays the city grew around. The rest of the day is free from lunchtime: the National Museum of Archaeology on Kildare Street is free, with Viking swords and Bronze Age gold (we confirm opening hours at booking), and Dublinia, a Viking and medieval museum by Christ Church, is an optional extra.
Included
- Gaelic games session with club coaches: hurling and Gaelic football, helmets and hurleys provided
- River Liffey boat cruise with the Viking story of Dublin
Optional experiences
- Dublinia, Viking and medieval Dublin (extra, price shown at booking)
- The Guinness Storehouse for adults (extra, price shown at booking)
Easier option: Watch the Gaelic games from the side and join in for the penalty shots at the end.
Free time: Afternoon free in Dublin
Activity: About 90 minutes of running games on grass, at whatever pace each person chooses, then a seated boat cruise.
Kilkenny Castle and on to Killarney
Dublin to Kilkenny, then Cahir and Mitchelstown to Killarney
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Killarney
- Drive about 4.5 h
We leave Dublin at about 8:45 and drive south-west for about an hour and three quarters to Kilkenny, a small medieval city on the River Nore. Kilkenny Castle was the seat of the Butler family for nearly 600 years; we tour its restored rooms, including the long picture gallery, and then let the children loose in the parkland behind it, with plenty of room to run.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in the city.
Evening
The afternoon drive to Kerry is the longest of the trip, about four and a half hours at the wheel in all and half an hour over our usual cap: it saves a one-night stop and a repack on the way. We break it with a leg-stretch at Cahir, beside the walls of its castle on the River Suir, and the van can carry chargers for tablets on request. We reach Killarney at about 5 pm. The evening is free: the town is small and walkable, and in season many pubs have traditional music early in the evening.
Included
- Kilkenny Castle, its rooms and parkland
- Sit-down lunch in Kilkenny
- A stop at Cahir Castle, seen from the riverside
Free time: Evening free in Killarney
Activity: About 2 hours on foot in Kilkenny, on castle stairs, park paths and city pavements. The rest of the day is seated.
Jaunting car, lake boat and Muckross farms
Killarney town to Ross Castle by jaunting car, a boat on Lough Leane, Muckross Traditional Farms and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Killarney
- Drive about 45 min
Killarney National Park starts at the edge of town, and we see it the old way. At about 9:30 the families climb into jaunting cars, horse-drawn carts with a driver called a jarvey who tells stories as he goes, and ride through the park to Ross Castle, a 15th-century tower house on the shore of Lough Leane. From there we take a covered boat out on the lake for about an hour, with the castle behind us and the mountains ahead; the guide tells the legend of O'Donoghue, the chieftain said to live under the water. The van takes us on to Muckross Traditional Farms, where three farmhouses, a forge and a schoolroom show how Kerry families lived before electricity, with fires lit, hens in the yard and farm animals to meet.
Afternoon
Lunch is at Muckross.
Evening
We are back in town by about 2:30, and the afternoon is yours: ice cream, the shops, or a rest before an evening in town.
Included
- Jaunting car ride through Killarney National Park to Ross Castle
- Boat trip on Lough Leane from Ross Castle
- Muckross Traditional Farms
- Lunch at Muckross
Optional experiences
- A guided tour inside Ross Castle (timed tours in season, extra), in the free afternoon
Easier option: The guide shortens the loop at Muckross and the van meets you at the farm gate.
More active option: Walk a lakeshore stretch of about 4 km with your guide, then the van brings you into town.
Free time: Afternoon free in Killarney
Activity: About 2 hours on foot on farm lanes and park paths; the jaunting car and boat are seated.
Inch Beach, sheepdogs and a night in Dingle
Killarney to Inch Beach, then Dingle and a sheep farm on the peninsula
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Dingle
- Drive about 1.5 h
We drive west out of Killarney, about an hour, to Inch Beach on the Dingle Peninsula, a strip of sand about five kilometres long running out across Dingle Bay. We give it time: buckets, a paddle for the brave, kites if the wind is right, and plenty of space even in summer.
Afternoon
Then on to Dingle town, a fishing port in the Gaeltacht, where Irish is spoken day to day, for lunch together. In the early afternoon we visit a working sheep farm on the peninsula, where a farmer and his border collies show how sheep are gathered from the hill by whistle and call alone; children usually get to meet the puppies and the newest lambs in season. We are back in Dingle by about 4 pm, and the rest of the day is free. Dingle Oceanworld, an aquarium on the harbour, is an easy optional, and the town's sweet shops and ice cream makers are a short walk from anywhere.
Included
- Time on Inch Beach
- Sit-down lunch in Dingle town
- Sheepdog herding demonstration on a working farm
Optional experiences
- Dingle Oceanworld aquarium (extra, price shown at booking)
Easier option: Stay by the van and the cafe at Inch while others walk the beach.
More active option: Walk the full length of the beach towards the dunes and back with your guide, about 5 km.
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Dingle
Activity: Short walks on sand and farm grass. Bring a windproof layer and a change of socks for the beach.
The Shannon ferry and Bunratty Castle
Dingle to Tarbert, the car ferry to Killimer, then Bunratty
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Bunratty
- Drive about 3 h
We leave Dingle at about 9:30 and drive north through Tralee and Listowel to Tarbert, about an hour and three quarters, for the car ferry across the Shannon Estuary to Killimer. It is a crossing of about twenty minutes, and children can stand on deck and look for dolphins, which are often seen in the estuary.
Afternoon
From Killimer it is about an hour and a quarter through County Clare to Bunratty, with a stop for lunch on the way. The afternoon is at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park: a tall 15th-century tower house, restored and furnished as it would have been in the 1500s, with steep spiral stairs to climb, and around it a folk park of farmhouses, a village street, a forge and a school from about a century ago.
Evening
We sleep at Bunratty, and in the evening we go back to the castle for a medieval banquet, eaten by candlelight with singers and a harp, then walk the short way back to the hotel.
Included
- The Tarbert to Killimer car ferry across the Shannon Estuary
- Bunratty Castle and Folk Park
- Medieval banquet in Bunratty Castle
Easier option: Skip the castle's spiral stairs and spend longer in the folk park, which is mostly level.
Free time: Late afternoon free in the folk park
Activity: About 2 hours on foot on level paths in the folk park, plus the castle's steep stone stairs.
The Cliffs of Moher and the Burren
Bunratty to the Cliffs of Moher, Doolin, Aillwee Cave and Poulnabrone, then Galway
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Galway
- Drive about 3 h
Afternoon
We leave Bunratty at about 9 and drive about an hour and a quarter by Ennis and Lahinch to the Cliffs of Moher, arriving before the midday crowds. The cliffs run for about 14 km and rise to about 214 m over the Atlantic, and the paths near the visitor centre are walled at the edge, which matters with children. We spend about two hours: up to O'Brien's Tower, a short way along the paths, and in the visitor centre's exhibition. Lunch is in Doolin, a village known for its music. In the afternoon we cross the Burren, a landscape of bare grey limestone, to Aillwee Cave, where a guided walk of about 35 minutes goes underground past a waterfall and the bones of a brown bear. Our last stop is Poulnabrone, a stone portal tomb more than 5,000 years old standing on the bare rock.
Evening
We follow Galway Bay by Kinvara into Galway, arriving at about 5, and the guide walks the families through Eyre Square to the Latin Quarter and, for anyone who wants it, to an early-evening traditional music session in a family-friendly pub (drinks not included).
Included
- The Cliffs of Moher visitor centre, exhibition and cliff paths
- Sit-down lunch in Doolin
- Aillwee Cave guided tour
- Poulnabrone dolmen in the Burren
- Short walk with your guide to Galway's Latin Quarter
Optional experiences
- The birds of prey centre at Aillwee (extra, price shown at booking)
Easier option: Stay on the paved paths and platforms by the visitor centre and O'Brien's Tower.
More active option: Walk south on the cliff path for about 30 minutes and back with your guide, older children with an adult.
Free time: Evening free in Galway
Activity: About 2 to 3 hours on foot on paved and gravel paths, some slopes, and cave steps. Cliff paths can close in high wind.
A bike day on Inis Mór
Galway to Rossaveal, the ferry to Inis Mór, Kilronan to Dún Aonghasa by bike and back
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Galway
- Drive about 1.5 h
Today we go out to Inis Mór, the largest of the Aran Islands. We leave Galway at about 9:15 for the harbour at Rossaveal, about 45 minutes away, and take the passenger ferry, a crossing of about 40 minutes. At Kilronan, the island's harbour village, we pick up bikes, with child bikes, seats and tag-alongs booked ahead to fit each family. The ride west to Kilmurvey is about 7 km on a quiet road between stone walls, with stops whenever anyone needs one. From Kilmurvey a rocky path climbs about 1 km to Dún Aonghasa, a stone fort on the edge of a cliff about 100 m above the sea, with no railings; children hold an adult's hand here.
Afternoon
Lunch is in Kilmurvey. On the way back we stop where seals haul out on the rocks.
Evening
We take an afternoon ferry and are back in Galway by about 6:15, in time to change before a farewell dinner together. If the sea is too rough to sail, we spend the day in Galway instead.
Included
- Return van to Rossaveal and the ferry to Inis Mór
- Bike hire on the island, with child bikes, seats or tag-alongs
- Dún Aonghasa fort and visitor centre
- Lunch in Kilmurvey
- Farewell dinner in Galway
Easier option: Take an island minibus tour to Kilmurvey instead of cycling, then join the group at the fort.
More active option: Cycle on past Kilmurvey to the beach and the seal colony, about 4 km more, with your guide.
Free time: Free hour in Galway before dinner
Activity: About 14 km by bike on a quiet, rolling island road, and a 1 km rocky uphill walk to the fort. The island minibus is there for anyone who would rather not cycle.
Depart from Shannon or Dublin
Galway to Shannon Airport (SNN) or Dublin Airport (DUB)
- Breakfast
- Drive about 2.5 h
Morning
The last morning is short. After breakfast two transfers leave, one to Shannon and one to Dublin, depending on your flight: Shannon is about an hour and a quarter from Galway and the closer airport, Dublin about two and a half hours on the motorway. Tell us which airport you are flying from when you book. For Shannon, book a flight leaving after about 12:30; for Dublin, after about 3 pm, so nobody is rushing breakfast with tired children. Both airports have US preclearance, so families flying to the United States pass US immigration and customs before they board; allow extra time for it.
Evening
If you have an early flight, we can book a last night near the airport instead, and families who want more time in Ireland can add nights in Galway or Dublin at the same hotels. Your guide travels with the Shannon transfer, and the Dublin van goes with our driver.
Included
- Private transfer to Shannon Airport (SNN) or Dublin Airport (DUB)
Free time: Morning free until your transfer
Activity: Shannon flights after about 12:30, Dublin flights after about 3 pm; US-bound families should allow time for preclearance.
- Dublin2 nights
- Killarney2 nights
- Dingle1 night
- Bunratty1 night
- Galway2 nights
- Shannon or Dublinend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Ireland's weather changes by the hour, so the guide keeps the order of a day flexible and swaps indoor and outdoor stops in heavy rain. The Cliffs of Moher, Inch and Inis Mor are windy, and cliff paths and the Aran ferry can stop in a gale. Seabirds, puffins among them, nest on the Cliffs of Moher from about April to July; seals haul out on Inis Mor most of the year; dolphins are often seen in the Shannon Estuary but never promised. Lambs are on the farms in spring. Days are long in June and July, with light until about 10 pm.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Families with children aged 6 and up on a first trip to Ireland
- Grandparents travelling with grandchildren, with an easy option on every active day
- Children who like doing things: hurling, horses, boats, sheepdogs, caves, castles and bikes
- Parents who would rather not drive on the left with children in the back
Not for you if you want
- Children under 6: the trip is designed for ages 6 and up
- Pushchairs and step-free access: castles have spiral stairs and the fort path is rocky
- Adults travelling without children: our 9-day Dublin, Kerry, Cliffs of Moher and Galway trip suits you better
- Families who want Northern Ireland, the Giant's Causeway or the Blarney Stone: this trip stays in the south and west
Minimum age: 6
Most guests are Families with children aged 6 to 14
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
8 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Dublin2 nights
- Killarney2 nights
- Dingle1 night
- Bunratty1 night
- Galway2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 8 nights: 2 in Dublin, 2 in Killarney, 1 in Dingle, 1 in Bunratty and 2 in Galway
- Central hotels of a 3-star-plus standard with private bathrooms, family or interconnecting rooms where available, and a lounge or bar; we name each hotel when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Private transfer from Dublin Airport (DUB) on day 1, and to Shannon Airport (SNN) or Dublin Airport (DUB) on day 9
- A private minivan and professional driver for the group from day 2 to day 9, sized for 7 to 12 guests, with child seats or boosters on request
- The Tarbert to Killimer car ferry across the Shannon Estuary
- The return ferry from Rossaveal to Inis Mor
- A River Liffey cruise and a boat trip on Lough Leane
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group for the whole trip, from the day 1 walk to the day 9 airport transfers
- Club coaches for the Gaelic games session, a jarvey on the jaunting car, a farmer at the sheepdog demonstration and the site guides at Aillwee Cave
Activities
- Dublin: EPIC, the Irish Emigration Museum; a Gaelic games session (hurling and Gaelic football); a River Liffey cruise with the Viking story
- Kilkenny Castle and its parkland
- Killarney: a jaunting car through the national park to Ross Castle, a boat on Lough Leane and Muckross Traditional Farms
- The Dingle Peninsula: Inch Beach and a sheepdog herding demonstration on a working farm
- Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, and the medieval banquet in the castle
- The Cliffs of Moher visitor centre and cliff paths
- The Burren: Aillwee Cave guided tour and Poulnabrone dolmen
- Inis Mor: bike hire with child bikes, seats or tag-alongs, and Dun Aonghasa
- A short guided walk in Galway's Latin Quarter
- All parking and site fees for included stops
Meals
- 8 breakfasts
- 5 lunches, on days 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8
- 3 dinners: an early welcome dinner in Dublin, the medieval banquet at Bunratty Castle and a farewell dinner in Galway
Not included
- International flights to Dublin, and home from Shannon or Dublin
- Visa, if your passport needs one (Canadian and US passports do not)
- Travel insurance
- Lunches on days 1, 2, 6 and 9, and dinners on days 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7
- Drinks, including at the banquet and the welcome and farewell dinners
- Optional activities: Dublinia, the Guinness Storehouse, the Ross Castle interior tour, Dingle Oceanworld and the Aillwee birds of prey centre
- Tips
- Personal expenses
- Extra hotel nights before or after the trip
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 1,045 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the Ireland family trip price include?
Eight nights in central hotels, 8 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 3 dinners including the Bunratty banquet, airport transfers, a private minivan and driver, two ferries and two boat trips, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, and every family activity in the day plan, from hurling to the Inis Mor bikes. Drinks, tips and a few optional extras are not included.
What ages is this trip for?
Children aged 6 and up, travelling with a parent or grandparent. The activities suit ages 6 to 14 best, and teenagers enjoy the hurling, the bike day and the cliffs. Under 6 we suggest the private version, so the pace can follow nap times. Every child must be with an adult at all times.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests, adults and children counted together, in a minivan, never a coach. Other family trips in the market take 20 to 24 people. Twelve fits one table at lunch, one jaunting car convoy and one ferry queue, and children get to know each other quickly.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide is with the group from the first walk in Dublin to the airport transfers on day 9, with a professional driver at the wheel so the guide can look after the families. Club coaches run the Gaelic games, a jarvey drives the jaunting car and a farmer runs the sheepdog demonstration.
How much walking and cycling is there for children?
About two hours on foot most days, on pavements, park paths and beach sand. Day 8 is the active day: about 14 km by bike on a quiet island road, with child bikes, seats and tag-alongs, plus a rocky 1 km walk to the fort. An island minibus is there for anyone who would rather not cycle.
I'm a single parent. Do I pay a single supplement?
No, if you share a room with your child, since prices are per person sharing. The single supplement, from CAD 1,045, applies only to an adult who wants a room alone. Child rates for a third or fourth person in a family room are quoted when you request to book.
When is the best time for a family trip to Ireland?
April to September. July and August match school holidays and have the longest days, with light until about 10 pm, but are the busiest. Easter, May and June are quieter, with lambs on the farms and puffins on the cliffs. Rain is possible in any month, so the plan stays flexible.
Is a family tour cheaper than renting a car in Ireland?
Usually not cheaper, but closer than it looks. A self-drive family pays for a large car with child seats, collision insurance, fuel, parking, tolls and every entry, boat and ferry separately. Our price adds a guide, a driver, 16 meals and booked activities. When you request to book we can send the itemised list so you can compare.
Is the Cliffs of Moher safe with children?
Yes, on the paths near the visitor centre, which have a stone wall along the edge, and that is where we take families. Children stay with an adult and away from the unfenced sections further along. The paths can close in high wind; then we use the exhibition and viewing platforms.
How does booking work?
Choose a date and send a request to book. We confirm your family's places within 24 hours, and no payment is taken when you send the request. Prices are per person sharing a room, taxes included: the small group starts from CAD 6,135, and private from CAD 11,045.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip runs as a private trip for your family only, on a date you choose, with your own guide and vehicle and the same activities. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote hotels and transfers.
Do our children need visas for Ireland?
Not with Canadian or US passports for a tourist visit. Every child needs their own passport, valid for the whole stay. Ireland is outside the Schengen area and sets its own rules, so other nationalities should check before booking. If a child travels with only one parent, carry a consent letter from the other.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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