An Authentic Irish Experience with MunsterBus Tours
Experience Ireland like a local with MunsterBus Tours on our semiprivate small coach tours of Ireland. Starting and ending in Dublin, Ireland’s vibrant capital, our tour consists of a full circuit of the south of Ireland, showing you highlights of Ireland’s Ancient East and the Wild Atlantic Way.
Led by Irish native and tour guide extraordinaire Tony Murphy, you will be escorted across the country onboard Mercedes mini coach with 14 other guests. The mini coach and Tony’s local knowledge will let you experience Ireland like a local, exploring some of the most popular Irish destinations as well as incredible spots off the beaten track.
We travel around the south of Ireland at a relaxed pace, spending our nights in 4-star and boutique hotels before heading off on another adventure. If you are interested in joining us on a truly unforgettable trip across Ireland, get in touch with us today.
Life on the Tour
Tour Highlights
This 6-day journey takes you across the country, starting in Dublin and visiting Kilkenny, Cork, Kerry, Clare and Galway before returning to Dublin. You will visit unforgettable Irish destinations such as Glendalough, Blarney Castle, The Cliffs of Moher, see the Lakes of Killarney, Dingle, Slea Head drive and much more.
Just a taste of what's waiting for you
Over six days, you'll travel through some of Ireland's most iconic landscapes and stumble upon the kinds of places most visitors never find. Here's a flavour of what's in store.
Glendalough
A glacial valley tucked into the Wicklow Mountains, with a 6th-century monastic settlement that still stops people in their tracks.
Kilkenny Castle
One of Ireland's most impressive Norman castles, sitting proudly over the River Nore.
Rock of Cashel
A dramatic cluster of medieval buildings perched on a limestone hill. The kind of place that makes you stop talking and just look.
Cobh
The last port of call for the Titanic and the departure point for generations of Irish emigrants. If you've Irish roots, this one will mean something.
Midleton Distillery
Home of Jameson Irish Whiskey. A visit you'll want to toast.
Blarney Castle
Yes, you can kiss the stone. But even if that's not your thing, the castle and its grounds are genuinely stunning.
Ring of Kerry
One of the most celebrated drives in Ireland, and for good reason. Mountains, coastline, and views that'll fill your camera roll.
Dingle and Slea Head
A charming harbour town and one of the most spectacular coastal drives in Europe.
Lough Tay
Better known as the Guinness Lake, this Wicklow gem looks uncannily like a freshly poured pint. Instagram will thank you.
Cliffs of Moher
Over 200 metres of sheer Atlantic coastline. There's nowhere quite like it on earth.
Joe Joyce's sheepdog demonstration
Watch a working sheepdog do what it was born to do, on a real Irish farm. One of those experiences that turns out to be a trip highlight.
Sean's Bar, Athlone
Officially recognised as the oldest pub in Ireland, dating back over a thousand years. The craic is just as good now as it ever was.
Glendalough
A glacial valley tucked into the Wicklow Mountains, with a 6th-century monastic settlement that still stops people in their tracks.
Kilkenny Castle
One of Ireland's most impressive Norman castles, sitting proudly over the River Nore.
Rock of Cashel
A dramatic cluster of medieval buildings perched on a limestone hill. The kind of place that makes you stop talking and just look.
Cobh
The last port of call for the Titanic and the departure point for generations of Irish emigrants. If you've Irish roots, this one will mean something.
Midleton Distillery
Home of Jameson Irish Whiskey. A visit you'll want to toast.
Blarney Castle
Yes, you can kiss the stone. But even if that's not your thing, the castle and its grounds are genuinely stunning.
Ring of Kerry
One of the most celebrated drives in Ireland, and for good reason. Mountains, coastline, and views that'll fill your camera roll.
Dingle and Slea Head
A charming harbour town and one of the most spectacular coastal drives in Europe.
Lough Tay
Better known as the Guinness Lake, this Wicklow gem looks uncannily like a freshly poured pint. Instagram will thank you.
Cliffs of Moher
Over 200 metres of sheer Atlantic coastline. There's nowhere quite like it on earth.
Joe Joyce's sheepdog demonstration
Watch a working sheepdog do what it was born to do, on a real Irish farm. One of those experiences that turns out to be a trip highlight.
Sean's Bar, Athlone
Officially recognised as the oldest pub in Ireland, dating back over a thousand years. The craic is just as good now as it ever was.
And plenty more along the way. Every day brings something new.
6-Day Small Bus Tour Itinerary
Day 1
From the Big Smoke to the Marble City
Our tour kicks off in Dublin, ‘the big smoke’, but you will soon leave all that behind for our first stop of the day, Lough Tay in the Wicklow Mountains. This is one of the most photographed locations in Wicklow thanks to the white sand and shape of the lake which make it looks like a pint of Guinness. From there we will head to Glendalough, a site renowned for both its natural beauty and historical importance as ‘monastic city’ dating back to the 6th century. The iconic round tower that Glendalough is known for dates to sometime between the 10th and 12th centuries and has survived Viking attacks and English armies.
After visiting this top attraction in Ireland’s Ancient east, we head to Kilkenny, ‘the marble city’, where brave travellers can climb the tower at St Canice Cathedral. After a lunch stop, we head to Kilkenny Castle, a 12th century castle steeped in history from Strongbow, the first Norman king of Leinster, to Oliver Cromwell, the ‘bogey man’ of Irish history. From here, you are welcome to explore the town, visit craft hubs and shops along the winding lanes of Kilkenny or visit The Smithwick’s Experience, home to Ireland’s oldest ale. We will spend the night in a lovely central hotel in Kilkenny before heading off to our next stop.
Day 2
Through Ireland’s Ancient Heartland
After breakfast in our Kilkenny hotel, we head off to the Rock of Cashel which was home to the High Priests and High Kings of Ireland. This spectacular ruin located on a plateau in the heart of Tipperary was once the seat of the High Kings of Munster dating back to the 5th century. Visible from miles away, this monument to early Christian Ireland is one of the highlights of Ireland’s Ancient East and a trip highlight for many.
From the heart of Tipperary, we head south the Cork, the rebel county. We will visit Cobh, the last port of call for the Titanic and the immigration hub of Ireland in times gone by. Over two and a half million Irish people immigrated to the USA, Canada, and Australia. In Cobh, you’re welcome to visit The Titanic Experience where you will embark on your own journey experiencing everything from the sights and sounds of Cobh in 1912 to the fatal accident that took the lives 1,501 passengers and crew through the eyes of Titanic survivors.
After our stop in Cobh, we head to Midleton to visit the Jameson Distillery where the iconic Irish whiskey is made and you will have the opportunity to taste some of the ‘uisce beatha’ before we head to Cork City to spend the night in Ireland’s ‘real capital’.
Day 3
Exploring the Rebel County and Kingdom of Kerry
Our first stop of the day is Blarney Castle where you have the opportunity to get the ‘gift of the gab’ and kiss the Blarney stone. Blarney Castle is a medieval stronghold dating back to 1446. If kissing medieval stones isn’t your idea a good time, there are award winning gardens to explore surrounding the castle.
From Blarney, we head west to the tranquil Gougane Barra where legend has it that St Finbarr fought a fire breathing, ferocious create called Luiwee. The battle lasted 5 days and 5 nights before St Finbarr finally won and decided to settle in the area and found a monastery. This is a beautiful and tranquil place with a picturesque oratory located at the edge of a lake.
Onwards to County Kerry where we will take one of the most iconic roads in the country from Glengariff to Kenmare. The Caha Pass is littered with rocks and sheep and offers a spectacular view of the kingdom of Kerry once you reach its highest vantage point.
After lunch in the colourful town of Kenmare, we will experience some of the highlights of The Ring of Kerry including Moll’s Gap, Ladies View, and even Torc Waterfall. Interested guest can hire jarvey and explore the park in a horse drawn jaunting car. At the end of the day we will check into our hotel in Killarney and enjoy all that this highly rated tourist destination has to offer.
Day 4
Stepping Back in Time on the Dingle Peninsula
After a full Irish breakfast, we will set off to explore the Dingle Peninsula, a beautiful and rugged part of Ireland where Irish is spoken daily and traditions are kept alive. As part of our tour, we will traverse the Slea Head Drive, experiencing sweeping vistas of the Atlantic Ocean, the Blasket Islands where you can still see the buildings of the now uninhabited village. We will be able to see the craggy island of Skellig Michael from a distance, famously the dwelling place of medieval monks and more recently the filming location for the most recent Star Wars films.
We will step back in time to 5000 years ago when we visit the beehive huts which date to 2500 BCE. Constructed from stone without any mortar, these huts have been a part of the landscape for centuries.
We will stop in the lovely chocolate box town of Dingle where you will have the opportunity visit the colour shops and craft stores. This is a wonderful location to pick up unique souvenirs or treat yourself to a lovely Aran sweater. Dingle is also a well know culinary destination with an array of restaurants where you can sample the local seafood.
At the end of the day we head back to our hotel in Killarney where you will have time to freshen up before setting out to enjoy a pint (or two) while listening to traditional music in the wonderful town of Killarney.
Day 5
Experiencing the Rugged Atlantic Landscape
Today we leave Kerry behind and travel north to take in more of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. On our way north, we will pass through the delightful town of Adare where you can see thatch roofed cottages and a riverside castle.
In County Clare, we will visit the Burren which is a striking karst landscape made up of rocky stones and sparse greenery buttressed by the Atlantic. We will spend the afternoon at the Cliffs of Moher which tower more than 700 feet (213 metres) above the Atlantic Ocean and look out towards the Aran Islands. Depending on the weather and group size, there is an opportunity to arrange a boat trip to see the Cliffs from below, their most spectacular angle.
Lunch is spent in the picturesque village of Doolin where we highly recommend sampling a ‘Dooliner’, the local brew before you take a wander around this lovely little village and visit the shops and crafts stores.
The rest of our day is spent in the city of Galway, known as ‘The City of the Tribes’. In Galway you can walk down busy Shop Street, popping into bustling pubs or little shops. Visit the Spanish Arch or Eyre Square, Galway is truly ‘Ireland’s Cultural Heart’. In the evening, enjoy the city’s vibrant music scene in one of the many traditional pubs where you can find local traditional musicians playing.
Day 6
The Rocky Road to Dublin
On our final day of the tour, we embark on our cross-country journey back to Dublin, our final destination, making time to visit a couple of iconic stops along the way.
Our first stop is Joe Joyce’s Sheep Farm which is one of the best sheep dog demonstrations in the country. It is located in a beautiful part of Connemara which you may recognise if you are a fan of the film Marley & Me which was filmed here.
From there we travel on to Cong, a lovely little quintessentially Irish village that was used as the filming location for The Quiet Man, the most famous Irish movies of all time.
Our final stop before Dublin is in the town of Athlone where we will visit Sean’s Bar, the oldest pub in Ireland. This pub has been listed in both ’25 of the Most Incredible Bars in The World’ and ’50 Bars to Blow Your Mind’ by Lonely Planet and is truly a must-see destination. Sit down for a pint, Irish Coffee or a cuppa before we hit the road for Dublin and part ways after an unforgettable 6-day trip around the Emeral Isle.
