Recommendations

What Past Clients Say About Irish Blessings Tours

After rejecting plans from a few local travel agents as “too vanilla” or too much of a religious pilgrimage/too many shrines, etc., and completely missing the boat on what we really wanted, we contacted Patricia Monaghan (“Red-Haired Girl from the Bog“), whose program inspired our Celtic Women International group’s desire organize a tour to celebrate St. Brigid’s Day in Kildare. Pat recommended we contact Bee Smith to help us plan and organize our Celtic Women International “Brigid’s Day/Imbolc Tour”, and Bee did an amazing job.

 

We kept throwing ideas at her – lots of free unstructured time in Dublin, the theme of Brigid/St. Brigid woven throughout the trip, we want Jury’s Christchurch in Dublin, we want this particular bus company, we want, we want, we want…, and she would reply “yes, and would you also be interested in….?” She planned and guided us on the most special journey imaginable. Everywhere we went, we had local experts giving us tours, workshops, lectures, storytelling (Tony Cuckson was spellbinding), megalithic tours by an archaeologist, organic gardening lectures, Brigid’s cross making, and more. Our accommodations include elegant hotels as well as a stay at a sustainability center (Benwisken Centre).

 

On top of all of her wonderful planning, she was also flexible during the course of the tour. Most of us truly considered this the trip of our lifetime.

 

If you are thinking of visiting Ireland, want a really special personalized trip, I can’t suggest Bee and her Irish Blessings Tours highly enough. She listens to what you want and reads between the lines to suggest marvellous other ideas. And somehow manages to do it all in a very cost effective fashion. 

 

Maureen Smith, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Celtic Women International

On the suggestion of a friend here in the States, I booked a day long tour for friends and myself  with Bee and Tony in  the Cavan, Leitrim, Sligo area of Ireland.

We were immersed for the day in the local flavor and lore and really felt like we got the deepest knowledge of the places we visited. Bee and Tony know so much about the off the beaten path places. I didn’t feel like a tourist, rather more like an explorer!

It’s my intent to bring a group of students to Ireland for a sketch-journaling workshop and I will be using Irish Blessings Tours to help organize our visit. They are a treat to work with and by the end of our visit in 2011,we came away from the experience with new friends as an added bonus. Highly recommend Bee and Tony and Irish Blessings Tours!!

Amy Bogard, Cincinnatti, Ohio, USA

Your knowledge, sharing of these sacred sites, the beautiful “old” liminal spaces that are really timeless, brought so much new and wondrous mystical experiences into my life and being.  I’m sure if someone were to ask me to recount “facts” and the stories you shared, I’d be at a total loss because I was so immersed in the feeling  and the living energy of all these elements (even elementals).  Please share with Tony that I can’t express my gratefulness adequately for playing the guitar, singing, storytelling, and just “holding space” for us.

Just to share or describe what those short days in Fermanagh were like:  and even the rest of the trip – I was transported (allowed) to go back to being that Divine Child of our Mother Earth and reconnect with all the mystery and wonder that I knew as a chid who lived in the woods and rivers.  It was like finding and recovering a part of who I was and reminded me of who I still am.

 

Again, thank you to both of you from the bottom of my heart.

 

Anita Strong, Virginia City, Nevada, USA

 

Bee Smith created Irish Blessings Tours to serve travelers to Ireland who want the unique and inspirational packaged for their group’s desires and needs. Bee seeks the source to manifest your dream Irish vacation according to your budget and time scale. She has a special interest in Fairy folklore, Celtic Spirituality and the Natural Heritage of western Ireland and Northern Ireland. In 2011 Bee became one of the first trained tour guides that act at ambassadors for the UNESCO designated Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark. Send her your dreams for your Ireland vacation package to bee@irishblessingstours.com