Ireland West Tours
Ireland West Tours
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Ireland West Tours provides the perfect solution for those that do not want to have the restraints of a Coach Tour but don't want the strains of a self drive tour. We provide private personalised tours where the customer gets to choose the timetable, itinerary and pace of the tour. We bring you to see the real West of Ireland and we bring you to places where the tour buses don't go.
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5.0
121 reviews
Excellent
118
Very good
2
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
1
chiquitacoyne
Manzanillo, Mexico3 contributions
Mar 2015 • Couples
We hired Ireland West Tours because we did not want to go on bus tours, so we decided to have our own driver to take us wherever we wanted to go.
Jim helped us make the best itinerary according to our needs and comprising all the places we were interested to visit, he was awesome.
Paul Hehir, our driver was the most pleasurable person to drive throughout Ireland with; he explained everything to us and took us to all the places we wanted to see, if you asked me for just one word to describe Paul, it is Excellent, but my husband and I know he went. beyond excellent. All we have to do is to thank Paul for all he did for us.
Jim helped us make the best itinerary according to our needs and comprising all the places we were interested to visit, he was awesome.
Paul Hehir, our driver was the most pleasurable person to drive throughout Ireland with; he explained everything to us and took us to all the places we wanted to see, if you asked me for just one word to describe Paul, it is Excellent, but my husband and I know he went. beyond excellent. All we have to do is to thank Paul for all he did for us.
Written 25 March 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michelle G
Kailua, HI10 contributions
Sept 2014 • Couples
Thanks to Tripadvisor we were so fortunate to find Jim Parslow and Ireland West Tours. Jim took my husband and I on a full day tour of the Burren. He was very personable, knowledgeable, and willing to accommodate any wishes we had. We especially enjoyed a quick stop at a local cheese/fudge shop - in fact we still have a little of the fudge in our fridge. We look forward to getting a copy of the photo's he took. I would highly recommend this private tour. Well worth the cost!! Michelle & Art, Hawaii, USA
Written 21 October 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sharon V
Luton, UK9 contributions
Jun 2014 • Friends
My mother and Father are from Galway (Connemara) and 5 sisters, 1 x cousin and 1 x daughter surprised my sister for her 50th birthday with a trip to Galway. We didnt have cars and wanted to visit family homes. I found Ireland West tours through the internet and was very glad I did. Not only did Jim know he way around and spoke gaelic which helped us but he hada great sense of humour, we felt so comfortable in his company and he took photos shared our experiance and couldnt do enough for us. Jim picked us up early in the morning, took us whereever we wanted to go, nothing was too much trouble and dropped us safety home, it was a good 8 hour day for him and us. We will certainly be contacting Jim and Ireland West tours again and again. Thank you Jim xx
Written 19 September 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alfredo G
The Hague, The Netherlands4 contributions
Jun 2014 • Friends
We were a party of three, from which 2 didn’t speak any English, taking a tour through the area of Galway, and we got recommended to contact Jim to guide/drive us around and to take us to all the beautiful places this region has to offer. Well, that was the best piece of advice we could have got.
Jim is a wonderful guide… He not only will drive you around, adapting himself and the tour to your own pace and your very needs, but also will teach, explain, comment and inform you about many, many different issues that you are needing to know, but you are not aware of.
We were absolutely satisfied with his service and we want to recommend him deeply to anyone needing an experienced, reliable and flexible guide.
Thanks again Jim..!
Jim is a wonderful guide… He not only will drive you around, adapting himself and the tour to your own pace and your very needs, but also will teach, explain, comment and inform you about many, many different issues that you are needing to know, but you are not aware of.
We were absolutely satisfied with his service and we want to recommend him deeply to anyone needing an experienced, reliable and flexible guide.
Thanks again Jim..!
Written 27 July 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
abcfox
Inver Grove Heights, MN110 contributions
May 2013 • Family
After debating whether to drive ourselves or take a bus tour of Connemara--neither of which we really wanted--we found Ireland West Tours. I corresponded with Jim by email before our arrival, and on the day we selected he had planned a tentative route for us through the Connemara area. Along the way we changed it a bit, as he got to know us and our interests. We ended up with one of the best days we had in all of our trip to Ireland. Jim took us down little side roads that we would never have dared to drive on, he knows the area and its history in great detail, and he went out of his way to be sure that all four of us, with our widely varying interests, had something special to see. Connemara itself is beautiful, and seeing it with Jim's helpful guidance made it even more special. The final treat was receiving a link to the photos he had taken of us during the day, at no additional cost--you'll never get that on a bus tour!
Written 21 May 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
melissakp81
2 contributions
Oct 2011 • Friends
I had wanted to visit Connemara for a long time and when I did get an opportunity, I only had a couple of days to do it. What I was looking for was a tour that would take my friends and I to the types of places we wanted to go to, to see things we wanted to see, without the hassle of trying to navigate with hire cars and maps and coming across things that weren't as expected. Thankfully, I found Ireland West Tours, which had the added bonus of being a personal tour, with only ourselves and our guide Jim, which allowed us to not only tailor the day generally but to have options during the day that suited us.
We did a full day tour, we explained what we wanted to see, and were able to ask the extremely knowledgeable Jim about certain attractions and their suitability depending on how interesting they were, how long they would take, and how they suited the weather. We made an odd request to see some Connemara Ponies up close, and whilst he didn't seem 100% sure, he managed to take us to meet two of them in the wilds of Connemara, which was fabulous. We also got taken for a lovely lunch in a quiet pub, and had The. Best. Irish. Stew. Ever.
There is nothing quite like a guide who knows an area like the back of their hand, and we had that. There is also nothing better than a personalised tour (so much better than jumping on a bus and being limited to a set route, and to going to places only buses can get to).
I'd recommend this tour to anyone who wants a knowledgeable, friendly, flexible personal guide. We had a great day.
We did a full day tour, we explained what we wanted to see, and were able to ask the extremely knowledgeable Jim about certain attractions and their suitability depending on how interesting they were, how long they would take, and how they suited the weather. We made an odd request to see some Connemara Ponies up close, and whilst he didn't seem 100% sure, he managed to take us to meet two of them in the wilds of Connemara, which was fabulous. We also got taken for a lovely lunch in a quiet pub, and had The. Best. Irish. Stew. Ever.
There is nothing quite like a guide who knows an area like the back of their hand, and we had that. There is also nothing better than a personalised tour (so much better than jumping on a bus and being limited to a set route, and to going to places only buses can get to).
I'd recommend this tour to anyone who wants a knowledgeable, friendly, flexible personal guide. We had a great day.
Written 24 November 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GeckoGirl1025
Manchester, NH65 contributions
Oct 2022 • Couples
Booking this tour was the single best piece of advance planning I did to prepare for our trip to Ireland. Jim was quick to respond and courteous, and we had Patrick for a driver. We didn't really give them a plan of what we wanted to do - maybe Connemara marble, or Kylemore? Patrick was incredible. I can't say enough good things about him, honestly. First he offered to bring us to a crystal factory and then off-the-beaten path ruins of a castle tower. I've been researching my trip for a while and I had not stumbled upon either of those tours - but they were fascinating, fun, and some of the best parts of our whole trip. Patrick walked us up to the guides in each situation and passed us off. He was always waiting patiently for us, opening the taxi doors and off we went again. He even had water bottles for us, which we needed for how much talking we all did. I asked a ton of questions about everything and he knew the answer to all of them. Also his stories about his grandkids are adorable and his adventures as a driver are hilarious. Besides Patrick, it was so relaxing being driven around safely in a clean, spacious car, looking out over the Irish landscape. This is what I picture when I think of Ireland - kind people, beautiful scenery, and rich heritage. Thank you Ireland West Tours!!!
Written 20 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amy S
1 contribution
Sept 2022 • Couples
Our tour with Phil was hands down the best tour experience I have ever had! I highly recommend booking with him if you have a chance!
Written 10 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jenroths
Englewood, CO9 contributions
Sept 2019
We toured with Jim Parslow and Ireland West Tours for two days in September. Everything about our time with Jim was terrific!
Starting with his response to my e-mail when we were planning our trip, Jim was so helpful. He responded promptly with information about how he could help make our plans for traveling from Cork to Galway work and see sights along the way. We did not want to rent a car and navigate the roads from Cork to Galway so Ireland West Tours was the perfect answer! For an additional fee, Jim traveled from Galway to Cork to pick us up. It was well worth it!!!
We told Jim in advance what we wanted to see the first day and he laid out the perfect itinerary so that we could see everything we requested along the way including the Ennis Friary, the Cliffs of Moher, the Poulnabrone Dolmen, and the Hazel Mountain Chocolate factory along with a couple other sites. Despite the rain, we had a wonderful day!
The second day we wanted to tour Connemara and left all the planning to Jim. We spent a full day seeing beautiful scenery and sites throughout Connemara. An absolutely spectacular day.
Jim is an excellent tour guide, and even more, he is a warm, friendly, kind gentleman with a great sense of humor. Jim's knowledge of the area enabled us to see places and learn things that we would not have on our own. We thoroughly enjoyed the two days that we spent touring with him. If you are looking for a private tour guide in the west of Ireland, I highly recommend Ireland West Tours and Jim Parslow!
Starting with his response to my e-mail when we were planning our trip, Jim was so helpful. He responded promptly with information about how he could help make our plans for traveling from Cork to Galway work and see sights along the way. We did not want to rent a car and navigate the roads from Cork to Galway so Ireland West Tours was the perfect answer! For an additional fee, Jim traveled from Galway to Cork to pick us up. It was well worth it!!!
We told Jim in advance what we wanted to see the first day and he laid out the perfect itinerary so that we could see everything we requested along the way including the Ennis Friary, the Cliffs of Moher, the Poulnabrone Dolmen, and the Hazel Mountain Chocolate factory along with a couple other sites. Despite the rain, we had a wonderful day!
The second day we wanted to tour Connemara and left all the planning to Jim. We spent a full day seeing beautiful scenery and sites throughout Connemara. An absolutely spectacular day.
Jim is an excellent tour guide, and even more, he is a warm, friendly, kind gentleman with a great sense of humor. Jim's knowledge of the area enabled us to see places and learn things that we would not have on our own. We thoroughly enjoyed the two days that we spent touring with him. If you are looking for a private tour guide in the west of Ireland, I highly recommend Ireland West Tours and Jim Parslow!
Written 28 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for your very kind words. It was my pleasure to go to Cork for you and transfer you to Galway via The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher. I thoroughly enjoyed the couple of days with you and hopefully, we will meet again som day. Jim
Written 29 October 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jtwiz
Pt. Pleasant, NJ4,810 contributions
Jul 2019 • Family
From beginning to end, all of my communications and experiences with Ireland West Tours were excellent. Upon my initial email with Jim, I got an immediate response and a wealth of information.
As the guys were off golfing for the day, the ladies (2 50-somethings and 4 nieces ranging in age from 17 to 25) decided to do a 6-hour tour of the Connemara region starting from our lodging in Galway. Our guide/driver Patrick was a delight! He was prompt, knowledgeable, funny, polite and patient with all of us.
We really felt like he listened to what we wanted to see and do, and then put together a great itinerary for us. I will say that 6 hours goes quickly with all that there is to see and do in the Connemara region! Some highlights from our trip include Ross Errily Friary, Joyce Country Sheep Dog Demonstration (the girls went nuts over the puppies!!), Ashford Castle, Kylemore Abbey and absolutely gorgeous photo stops to see the lakes, mountains, etc. Not to mention sheep, donkeys, horses, goats, etc.
It was a wonderful day out and I could not recommend Ireland West Tours highly enough.
As the guys were off golfing for the day, the ladies (2 50-somethings and 4 nieces ranging in age from 17 to 25) decided to do a 6-hour tour of the Connemara region starting from our lodging in Galway. Our guide/driver Patrick was a delight! He was prompt, knowledgeable, funny, polite and patient with all of us.
We really felt like he listened to what we wanted to see and do, and then put together a great itinerary for us. I will say that 6 hours goes quickly with all that there is to see and do in the Connemara region! Some highlights from our trip include Ross Errily Friary, Joyce Country Sheep Dog Demonstration (the girls went nuts over the puppies!!), Ashford Castle, Kylemore Abbey and absolutely gorgeous photo stops to see the lakes, mountains, etc. Not to mention sheep, donkeys, horses, goats, etc.
It was a wonderful day out and I could not recommend Ireland West Tours highly enough.
Written 9 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jim,
How do I go about getting copies of the pictures you took during our tour? Thanks!
Written 21 July 2018
Jim do you have any availability for Sunday June 17th? We are arriving this afternoon plans changed
Would like to surprise my husband a private tour to the cliffs of Moher and anything else ?
Thanks
Angie
Written 16 June 2018
Sorry.I only became aware of your query now and it's probably too late. You can call me at +35391751910 if it's not too late. Jim
Written 17 June 2018
I tried contacting you through your website contact form two weeks ago and haven't heard back. I would like to book something for myself and my family for the end of May 2018.
Written 15 April 2018
I do apologise but for some strange reason. I don't seem to have received an enquiry from you. If you don't mind, can you send me a copy and I'll reply immediately? Jim Parslow
Written 16 April 2018
Hi Mr. Parslow - We are interested in a private tour around the coast of county Mayo - Lough, Letterfrack, Clifden, Kylemore Abbey, Castlebar Leeanun /Doo Lough Pass to Louisburgh then West to Killeen near the Srahmee Megalith Tomb then Westport. I don't know if this is in the right order but we would like to see ancient ruins, churches and small towns. there will be three of us. What is the cost? I can send you my email if you can send me yours in private. Thanks, Jessica Josephson
Written 19 August 2016
I have tried to contact you through email and have not received a reply. Is there another way to get in touch with you? I haven't had any luck with your phone number either. Thank you!
Written 16 April 2016
Hi, we have had some intermittent problems with our email but it is working again or my landline is 0035391753103 and cell phone is 00353872257339. Apologies for the inconvenience. Jim Parslow
Written 17 April 2016
There would be 5 of us during the period from April 24, 2016 to April 29, 2016. your suggestions? Can you accomodate us together? One of our party would like to go to Galway and include the Aran Islands. Thanks you.
Written 15 January 2016
Hi, just trying to get an idea of cost for a week. There will be 4 adults.
Written 12 July 2015
HI, all our tours are tailor made and there are many permutations. If you could send your email address to me via our website I will be only too pleased to forward you detailed information, Regards, Jim Parslow
Written 13 July 2015
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