The stories my guests and I hear while touring around Ireland or England are all the same. Americans, unprepared and inexperienced with “driving on the left” telling their stories of pure terror. Recently, five adults in their 60s admitted they had given up trying to do it on their own and hired a driver to […]
Tag Archives: ireland
Seaweed Bath Fun on the Ring of Kerry, Ireland
It never fails – my clients are always more than a little dubious about taking a warm seaweed bath – right up to the moment they sink into the water. And then, it all changes! Owner / manager Brendan does a great job explaining the history of seaweed use and how good the oil is […]
Unforgettable Stay at an Irish Castle
Repeat guests Sam, Judy, Colleen and Don enjoyed a night at Dromoland Castle in County Clare at the tail end of their recent tour in Ireland, Sept 13 – 23, 2023. This was Don’s sixth tour with European Focus, Colleen’s seventh, Sam and Judy’s fourth.
Dromoland should be called “Dreamland,” because it’s so… yes. The estate was owned by the O’Brien family, and it was not burned during the Irish Revolution of the early 1900s because the family had good relations with the locals, whom they treated with respect. The estate has an 18-hole golf course, extensive woodlands, wonderful paths for walking, a large lake with free rowboats and a gorgeous, peaceful walled garden. Inside, at least three large fireplaces are kept going all day long, adding to the warm atmosphere punctuated by reds, browns and blues. Lush doesn’t begin to describe Dromoland.
I look forward to bringing many more guests to this special place in the future.
Images from our September 21, 2023 stay at Dromoland Castle
Shelburne Lodge Owners release “My Wild Atlantic Kitchen” cookbook
What a treat for the eye, heart and stomach! I received mine in June, 2020 and have already made several of the recipes, some of them more than once. This is a treasure for anyone who has had the privilege of staying at Shelburne Lodge, Kenmare, Ireland or who loves Irish cooking. Shelburne Lodge Mon, […]
Thanks for the Memories, Art and Carol
Nine time clients Art and Carol from New Jersey were going through some photos from their trips (and they take many, many photos!) and Art was thoughtful enough to send a few our way recently. These intrepid travelers live our philosophy of “Stop Dreaming and Start Doing,” and even though they’ve had to take a […]
Memories of the Emerald Isle
How do you play “catch up” on 34 years of missed or delayed vacations? Bernie from Germany did his best on an eight-day tour of his ancestral land, with three nights in Cashel, Tipperary followed by two nights each in Kenmare and Dingle, Kerry. We wrapped up his adventure with a stay in Bunratty, County […]
Exploring Ireland
Most people take at least one vacation per year, sometimes more than one. Not hard working Bernie Friese from Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany. He waited 34 years to visit Ireland, land of his forefathers. His last real vacation was in 1986 to the Pacific Northwest and Utah. In between, he raised a family, ran […]
European Focus Private Tours Are THE Original
May 12, 2016 We’re flattered! Copycat companies are springing up to try and duplicate our concept of private, customized tours for as few as one person (seriously) up to family or friends’ groups of 10. James Derheim started this concept in 1989 and it grew and grew to the point where we have just completed […]