Author Archives: jim

Driving on the Left? No Problem.

Posted on by

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 […]

2024 Rundown

Posted on by

2024 Rundown with “/” separating trips. With 35 years of experience, only European Focus Private Tours can take you to all of these places and many more, with one guide, one driver, one organizer even in multiple countries on the same trip. No hand off to third parties, no uncertainty, no missed opportunities due to […]

Seaweed Bath Fun on the Ring of Kerry, Ireland

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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