The 4 Shore Excursions in Ireland That Earn Their Price

1.Cobh (Cork) to Blarney Castle & Kinsale – Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 504 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $95Our pick

Join Butlers Shore Tours for an 8-hour trip from Cobh or Ringaskiddy to Blarney Castle, Cork, Kinsale, and St. Colman’s Cathedral. Local guides such as Jamie, Ian, Kevin, and Niall provide lively commentary on the bus. Castle admission is included, and an early departure can help you beat the long Blarney Stone queue.

“Extraordinary tour and historical descriptions! Native tour guide, up on all current events! Thanks!”

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2.Shore Excursion From Cork: Including Blarney Castle and Kinsale

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 470 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $107

Travel from Cobh to Blarney Castle and Gardens, then see Cork and visit colorful Kinsale. Your driver-guide handles port transfers, commentary, WiFi, and admission to Blarney. Guides such as Kevin, Paul, Martin, and Zikor have been praised for humor and timing, but group size can reach 58 and the Blarney Stone queue varies sharply.

“The trip was exactly has described. We were the first tour bus to reach Blarney Castle. Kevin the guide was excellent.”

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3.Cruise Excursion Hop-On Hop-Off Tour & Rail Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 101 reviews · from $36Best value

Start at Dun Laoghaire Harbour, collect your return DART tickets, and ride about 20 minutes to Pearse Station. From there, use a 24-hour hop-on hop-off bus with live English commentary or multilingual audio. Guides such as Damien, Mary, Davey, and Tyrone bring Dublin’s streets and stories to life.

“Uf you are in Dublin by cruise ship, you will definitely want to take the Cruise Excursion Hop-On Hop-Off Tour & Rail Ticket through www.getyourguide.com. They are very professional, easy to deal with and their app is user friendly. We will definitely be using them on our next trip.”

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4.Full-Day Shore Excursion for cruise ships to Killybegs, Donegal

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 54 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $155

Set out from Killybegs Harbour with Chieftain Tours for a 6 to 7 hour journey through County Donegal. Visit Donegal Castle and its Franciscan abbey, shop in Donegal Town, stop at Muckross Head, and reach Sliabh Liag’s huge Atlantic cliffs. Guides such as Kevin, Joe, Brian, and Seamus add local stories, music, and practical help along the way.

“Absolutely excellent Jo and Brian were fantastic hosts. We had a fabulous day. Saw lots had fun. Highly recommended !”

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