Celebrating 10 Years of Real Irish Travel

So, how does a U.S. based retail business end up organizing tours across the Atlantic?

It started, as most good things do, with a conversation. For years, folks chatting with us at the retail store and out at the summer Irish festivals kept asking the exact same question: "Do you organize tours to Ireland?" It became pretty clear what people were looking for. They didn't want to be herded on and off a massive bus just to check a box they’ve seen something. They wanted a real mix—the major attractions, sure, but also the special, hyper-local places that most tourists never find.

That planted the seed. We gathered a group—mostly locals from the greater Detroit area—and met up beforehand so everyone could meet face-to-face and ask questions. In October 2016, we set off on our first adventure to Ireland. That first October trip was so much fun, and we haven't looked back since.

When it came time to name the tours, we stuck with what we knew. Our business name is Real Irish because for the last 25 years we have sourced the vast majority of our products directly from Ireland, and we wanted to continue that ethos into the travel side, so Real Irish Travel was an easy choice.

I carefully create an itinerary that visits  well-known attractions visitors expect, but the secret ingredient is the locals. We bring in local Irish people to share their knowledge as tour guides and lead our walking tours. In towns like Galway, Belfast, and Derry, there are specific guides I return to time and again. They are great storytellers, and they always bring a bit of humor into the conversation. That's where you find the real connection and craic. Craic is the Irish word for witty conversation.

How we travel matters just as much. On our small group tours to Ireland, we use a coach that is double the size of the group. That means people are not jammed packed together—you can spread out in comfort, and there’s always a window seat. And let me tell you, the big windows offer the best views of the countryside we travel through. Being elevated allows you to see above the cars and the hedgerows.

I plan the trip so that we never spend more than an hour or so in the coach at a time. When we do stop for the night, it's at certain unique hotels that meet our high standards for prime location, comfort, and hospitality. (and we don't rough it—we stay in beautiful four- and five-star accommodations).

Even on this small island of Ireland, I can’t limit our favorites to just one. Over the last decade, a few spots have become absolute staples.

The Wonders of Nature

•  The Giant’s Causeway: Seeing and walking on the interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption approximately 60 million years ago on the Antrim coast in Northern Ireland is something you don't forget. It’s also one of Ireland’s three UNESCO world heritage sites.
•  Sliab League/Slieve League Cliffs: Rising almost 2,000 feet (598 meters) above the Atlantic Ocean, Sliabh Liag (Slieve League) is among the highest sea cliffs in Europe. Offering one of the most breathtaking views in Ireland. A totally different experience than the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, Slieve Liag embodies the spirit of Donegal itself—wild and rugged.
•  The Cliffs of Moher: One of Ireland's most iconic natural landmarks and always worth a visit. The Cliffs of Moher are entirely vertical, rising approximately 700 feet from the sea and the cliff edge is abrupt. On a clear day, the views are tremendous.

The Footprints of History

•  Newgrange/Brú na Bóinne (Palace of the Boyne): It is one of the world's most important Neolithic landscapes, comprising at least ninety monuments including passage tombs, burial mounds, standing stones and enclosures. The highlight of this ancient area is being able to walk inside the passageway and chamber.
•  Belfast Black Taxi Tours: This puts our group members in the passenger seats of traditional cabs, with local drivers who explain the complicated and sensitive issues of the period of time in Northern Ireland known as ‘The Troubles’ between the 1960’s and 1990’s.

Ireland is known for its changeable weather. On one trip, we drove into the Cliffs of Moher visitor center parking lot and, lo and behold—a thick, heavy mist completely enclosed us. We couldn’t see the stunning cliffs, or anything that was more than a few feet in front of us. What a disappointment.

But, knowing the weather, I had the group go into the café for tea and scones. Sure enough, the fog lifted or vaporized (I know not), and a blazing sun burned upon the cliffs, the sea, the wildflowers, the grasses, the seabirds—and all of us. We were enraptured by the beauty. Magical!

Sometimes, it's the hiccups that make the best stories. We once had a married couple traveling to Ireland separately. The wife arrived first, but the husband missed his connection and got stuck at JFK. He decided he wouldn’t continue on, and went home. You can imagine how his wife felt.

After a couple of days, I arranged a new flight for him, and talked him through getting a bus from Dublin airport to Donegal. Later, as me and my group were arriving at the central square in Donegal Town, called "the Diamond", who was disembarking from the bus in front of us? The husband! Everybody was surprised and the couple were very happy to be reunited.

On our tours, we always visit Real Irish’s vendors so people can meet our suppliers. We often do workshop tours, and our guests are always amazed at the handmade products they create, whether it's clothing, caps and hats, or pottery. We will often visit a hand-weaver who works at a loom to produce woolen cloth for clothing, which is always a thrill to see.

A lot of what our vendors produce is only available at that location, so guests are always happy to take home a physical memory of their trip. At the end of the day, the skill, the heritage, and the authenticity of the people and the products are what matters most.

That authenticity spills over into the group itself. Because our group sizes are usually around 20 people, it doesn’t take long for folks to get to know their travel family. Group dinners help break the ice, and from there, people just talk. There are always people who keep in touch, and some have become close friends. It’s not unusual for someone to come back on another tour with someone they have met on a previous tour. We also have a lot of repeat customers on our tours, some have even been on up to 4 tours with us. We had 2 sisters who had been on all of our tours and they contacted us again to go on a tour they had already been on because they liked it so much and felt so comfortable traveling with us. I was thrilled with that compliment.

The Next 10 Years

Looking ahead, we are excited to keep evolving but our commitment to small groups and authentic experiences will never change. While our priority is on tours on the island of Ireland, we have future plans for excursions to Scotland, Wales, and Northern England.

After ten years of doing this, people ask why I keep going back. When I listen to people talk about a site or place we have visited, that's when I know. I know they are excited and thrilled to have had that experience and I’m very happy that they feel that way. That is my satisfaction.

We invite you to join us

We'd love to have you join us on a tour – we have a few spots remaining on our May tour, May 7-20, 2026 on our 12 day North by Northwest tour. For future tour information please email: info@realirish.com or call me, Stuart Marley, to chat at 734-846-2025