Real Irish - Gifts & Travel — Local services in Ann Arbor

Our Irish adventure began in a small coffee shop in Brighton Michigan when we met Stuart Marley and started discussions for a trip to Ireland. We had some ideas about things we and a group of friends wanted to see and do in the northern and western parts of Ireland. After listening to specific places we wanted to have included, Stuart started with one of his regular tours and customized it to 'fit' our group by augmenting it with many wonderful ideas including places and activities known only by someone who has grown up in Ireland.

Our group of 12 arrived in Dublin where we met Stuart, our planner and guide-in-chief, and Gary, our driver and commentator on everything Irish, from bicyclers in Spandex to the National Bird of Ireland - the thousands of construction cranes in frequent view. It took us only about an hour to recognize the knowledge and sense of humor that would accompany us for the nearly 2 weeks we were in Ireland.

During our visit, we were:

-Exploring Dublin, including the Book of Kells at Trinity College -Engaged in the history of this unique nation -Gaining understanding of the conflict between the North and the South for hundreds of years -Exploring small places where you can't possibly go with a large group -Standing on the edge of the North Sea wondering if we could walk across the Giant's Causeway from Ireland to Scotland -Taking walking tours in numerous charming small and large cities -Meeting locals through Stuart and Gary who seemed to know everyone in Ireland, -Looking at the beautiful cliffs above the Atlantic Ocean, -Staying 3 nights in a 5 star resort near Donegal called Harvey's Point -Experiencing several stops in local restaurants and pubs -Having a nice balance and pace in our sightseeing and free time -And visiting the Aryan Islands.

The entire tour was a wonderful joy and we hope to be able to join Real Irish, Stewart, and Gary again some day.

Jo...

The Ireland trip was absolutely fantastic. Very different than vacations my wife Sue and I normally take. We didn't know what to expect. What we did expect and got was friendly people, and spectacular scenery. Having somebody like Stuart and Gary drive us around as opposed to renting our own vehicle and having to navigate the left hand side of the road was a no-brainer. BUT, what might not be obvious to the "guided tour" shopper is the huge difference the itinerary/agenda, the coach (not bus) size and the groups size could make in the experience. This is where the Real Irish tour was so special. They clearly had done it a million times before, and had thought of and made arrangements to maximize the EXPERIENCE as opposed the number of places seen. Gary was hilarious, and extremely insightful into historic as well as current events in Ireland/UK. It was so rich with history, we came back wanting to learn more about the country and its massive history. Doesn't everybody have Irish in their family tree somewhere? Probably...

The trip was phenomenal, we highly recommend THIS TRIP. It was exactly what we were looking for, comfortable, educational, and stuff. The stops included the obvious (Guinness, Jameson) but also included some obscure (bought belt/wallet/purse at leather shop, scarf, not sure what else at wool shop). Even played golf. The included Celtic music/dance concert was awesome. Gary and Stewart also arranged for spectacular...

We took a chance on the Southern Gems tour in 2018, not having been to the Real Irish shop or having met Stuart except briefly over the phone. But we liked that it was a small group, so we took off and met everyone at the Dublin airport. Wow, we were so impressed. From the first day to the last, it is obvious that Stuart carefully curates and manages the experience along with driver/guide, Gary. They both have a great deal of knowledge about Ireland and relay it with wit and humor. The motor coach is intentionally underfilled so there is plenty of personal space and the various locations are not overwhelmed with a full coachload of people. The stops were nicely thought out in order to provide an interesting variety of activities. I also like that the itinerary is somewhat fluid to take advantage of weather or an interesting activity that presents itself. The hotels and meals that are included were top-notch. In fact, we had such a wonderful time that we signed up with Stuart in 2019 for both The Emerald Isle Discovery Tour and The Majestic Wales Tour. We were not disappointed. Awesome hotels and meals, interesting activities, great driver/guides. I would not hesitate to recommend Real Irish tours to my friends and family and hope to travel with...