✦ Family Travel
Private Family Tours of Ireland
Private family tours of Ireland for one family at a time, run from County Dublin by a family-run chauffeur company. Your driver-guide holds a current PSV licence and carries commercial insurance. You travel in a Mercedes-Benz V-Class seating up to six, and the price is per vehicle, not per person — a full day from €600, seven days from €3,000.
- Per vehicle, not per person
- PSV licensed & NCDA member
- Mercedes V-Class, up to 6
- Reply within 24 hours
What Does a Private Family Tour of Ireland Involve?
Here is exactly what a private family tour of Ireland with Gerry Murphy Chauffeur Services includes, at a glance.
Group size1–6 guests, one family per vehicle
VehicleMercedes-Benz V-Class, up to 6
Larger familiesMini-coach, up to 19 guests
Driver-guidePSV licensed & insured
AccreditationNCDA member
ExperienceOver a decade in Ireland
Pricing basisPer vehicle, per day
Full dayFrom €600
Seven days€3,000–€4,000
Ten days€4,500–€6,500+
TransfersFrom €120/hour
USD pricingOn request
ItineraryWithin 48 hours, free
Reply timeWithin 24 hours
PickupAirport or any hotel
CoverageAll of Ireland + NI
Why American Families Book a Driver-Guide Instead of Renting a Car
Among private driver tours Ireland offers, this is built specifically around families.
Nobody in your family has to drive on the left. That is the actual reason most families book. Narrow rural roads, roundabouts and a right-hand-drive car are a poor combination on the second day of jet lag, with your children in the back seat and your parents beside you.
One adult stops being the navigator. On a self-drive holiday, one parent spends the week parking, reading signs and missing the view. A driver-guide gives that person their holiday back.
Roads a coach cannot take. The lanes into Connemara, the coastal turns on the Dingle Peninsula and the back road that avoids festival traffic in Killarney all take a V-Class and refuse a 50-seat bus.
The day changes when it needs to. If your mother's knee gives out at Glendalough, the walk becomes a coffee and a shorter stop. One message to your guide handles it. Support runs 24/7 for the whole trip, which counts when you are five time zones from home.
Priced per vehicle, so the maths improve as the family grows. A seven-day tour at €3,000 costs €600 each across five people. The same trip for two costs €1,500 each. Larger families get better value here, which is the opposite of how per-person tours work.
Where this does not fitParties over six need the executive mini-coach at a higher rate, and a family on a tight budget will spend less on a rental car. Say the real number of guests and the real budget when you enquire, and you get a straight answer either way.
What's Included in an Ireland Family Vacation Package
Included
- Your certified driver-guide, from the airport pickup to the final drop-off.
- A late-model Mercedes-Benz V-Class, cleaned daily, seating up to six with luggage.
- A day-by-day itinerary built around your family, sent within 48 hours of your enquiry, free, before any deposit.
- Castle, hotel and timed-admission booking, arranged in advance so nobody queues for a ticket that should already be in hand.
- 24/7 support during the trip — a delayed flight, a weather change, or a child who wants to add a stop.
- Wi-Fi and bottled water in the vehicle.
- Mobility support — say what is needed during planning and the vehicle is matched to it.
Not included
- Hotels and meals. Booked for you, paid by you.
- Attraction admissions — the Cliffs of Moher and Blarney Castle both charge separately, and both are flagged before you pay.
- Flights and travel insurance.
How Long Are the Days, and Will the Children Cope?
Read the hours before the highlights. A Cliffs of Moher day from Dublin runs 10 to 11 hours door to door. Blarney Castle and Cork City runs 10 hours. Galway runs 7 to 8 hours.
Those numbers are honest and they matter more than any photograph on this page. Ten hours works for teenagers and for most children over about eight. It is a long day for a five-year-old, and a longer one for a grandparent who landed the day before.
Ireland looks small on a map and drives slowly. Speed limits drop through every village, the roads bend, and a tractor in County Kerry sets the pace for everyone behind it. A distance that reads as ninety minutes on a US interstate takes closer to two and a half hours here.
Two ways the days get shorter
- Base in one town for two or three nights and drive out and back, instead of moving hotel every night.
- Pick the shorter day tours — Galway at 7 to 8 hours instead of Blarney at 10.
If a child gets car sick, say so when you enquire. The front seat, an earlier start and a shorter route all help, and none of them costs anything.
Will This Work With Our Children's Ages — and With Their Grandparents?
Yes, with a different plan for each. The vehicle carries one family, so the day is built around the ages actually in it.
Under 6
Keep the days under eight hours and pick animals and open space over ruins. Naps happen in the car, which is one thing a coach tour cannot offer.
Ages 6 to 11
Castles start to land, especially the ones children can climb. Blarney Castle, the grounds at Malahide, and the Giant's Causeway all hold this age. The Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge is the one they talk about at home.
Teenagers
Teenagers do not want a fourth abbey. Galway city on foot, the Cliffs of Moher, Titanic Belfast and the Dark Hedges hold up far better. So does an afternoon with a meeting time and no adults.
Grandparents
Say it during planning and the vehicle is matched to it, with the car waiting at the near gate rather than the far car park. Tell us the slowest walker's honest range in metres — the whole itinerary follows from that number.
Three generations travelling togetherThe most common shape of this trip. It needs the most honest conversation before travel, and the least improvisation during it.
Roughly 35 million Americans claim Irish heritage. Family townlands, ancestral parishes and parish records can be worked into a family route, with a local historian brought in where the research needs one. A morning at a parish church works better with children than a full day of it.
Where Will Your Ireland Family Tour Go?
Dublin and the East
Trinity College and the Book of Kells, Kilmainham Gaol, Temple Bar, and the quieter side in the Wicklow Mountains and the coastal town of Malahide. The right region for arrival and departure days.
The Wild Atlantic Way
Galway, Clare, Kerry and Donegal. The Cliffs of Moher rising straight out of the Atlantic, the Dingle Peninsula, the stone walls of Connemara and the quiet of Donegal. The route runs over 2,500 kilometres.
Ireland's Ancient East
Kilkenny, Waterford and Wicklow. Glendalough sits in a glacial valley and dates to the sixth century. The Rock of Cashel dominates its landscape. Kilkenny keeps a medieval centre most European cities would envy.
Northern Ireland
Belfast, Antrim and Derry. The Giant's Causeway, the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Titanic Belfast, and the Dark Hedges and Cushendun Caves for the Game of Thrones fans in the family.
Cork and the Southeast
The English Market has fed Cork since 1788. Blarney Castle sits nearby, and the coast through Kinsale towards the Beara Peninsula is one of the country's most underrated drives.
Do You Supply Car Seats, and What Does Irish Law Require?
Irish law is clear and worth knowing before you fly. Every child under 150cm in height, or under 36kg in weight, must travel in a child restraint suited to their height and weight. In practice that usually means a seat or a high-back booster until roughly age twelve. A rear-facing seat must never sit in a front passenger seat with an active airbag.
Send each child's age, height and weight when you enquire, and the right seats are arranged before you land.
Bringing your own seats from the States is an option, not a requirement. Most families are glad to leave them at home — a car seat eats your baggage allowance, arrives scratched, and then has to be fitted into an unfamiliar vehicle by a parent who has been awake for eighteen hours.
What Private Family Tours Can You Book?
Gerry Murphy Chauffeur Services runs private day tours and multi-day journeys that can be adapted around the family. The current tour range includes Cliffs of Moher, Blarney Castle and Cork, Dublin and Wicklow, bespoke private tours and multi-day Ireland tours.
Cliffs of Moher Private Tour From Dublin
A full-day private route to County Clare can include the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren and Galway depending on the itinerary.
Best for: Families visiting western Ireland for the first time.
Blarney Castle and Cork City Tour
The route includes Blarney Castle and Cork City, with stops such as the English Market and St Fin Barre’s Cathedral listed on the current tour page.
Best for: Families combining history, gardens and city sightseeing.
Ring of Kerry Private Tour
The Ring of Kerry route can include Kenmare, Sneem, Waterville and Cahersiveen.
Best for: Families who want coastal scenery and small Irish towns.
Connemara Private Tour
A Connemara route can include Clifden, Sky Road and Leenane.
Best for: Families who want countryside, coastal roads and time outside the main cities.
Bespoke Private Tour of Ireland
A bespoke itinerary starts with your dates, group size and preferred places. The route can then be planned around those priorities.
Best for: Families who want several regions without following a fixed itinerary.
Multi-Day Private Ireland Tours
Multi-day trips allow the family to move between regions without changing transport arrangements every morning.
Best for: Families spending five days or more in Ireland.
What Does a Private Family Tour of Ireland Cost?
From €600 for a full day for up to five guests, and €3,000 to €4,000 for the seven-day route most American families book. The rate is per vehicle. Two guests pay it. Six guests pay the same and split it six ways.
| Tour | Length | Guests | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galway city day tour from Dublin | 7–8 hours | up to 5 | from €600 |
| Blarney Castle and Cork City | 10 hours | up to 5 | from €995 |
| Two-day private tour | 2 days | up to 5 | €1,200–€1,600 |
| Best of Ireland — Dublin, south and west | 5 days | up to 5 | €2,500–€3,200 |
| Classic Ireland | 7 days | up to 5 | €3,000–€4,000 |
| Grand Ireland, north and south | 10 days | up to 6 | €4,500–€6,500+ |
| Private transfers | hourly | up to 6 | from €120/hr |
A five-day tour at €3,000 shared between five people works out at €600 each — close to what a fixed-schedule coach tour charges per head, with nobody else in the vehicle.
Pricing comes in US dollars on request, so you know the number in your own currency before you confirm. No conversion fee lands on your card mid-trip.
Not in the priceHotels, meals, attraction admissions and flights. Admissions to the Cliffs of Moher and Blarney Castle are charged separately, and both are flagged to you before you pay anything.
What Do We Do if It Rains for Three Days?
You go out anyway, and the plan shifts indoors where it has to. Rain in Ireland arrives in showers rather than in walls, and a private vehicle means you sit them out over lunch instead of standing in one.
Wet-day options that hold children: Trinity College and the Book of Kells, Kilmainham Gaol, Titanic Belfast, the English Market in Cork, and Bushmills or Jameson for the adults with a plan for the children.
The honest version: a wet week on the Wild Atlantic Way is still a wet week. Rain gear beats umbrellas, the wind takes umbrellas, and nobody in Ireland waits for the weather to clear.
Best months for familiesMay, June and September. June and July are the peak. May and September carry similar weather with fewer people at every stop.
Routes can change once booked, including on the morning itself — weather, a sick child or a slow start all change the day. Booked hotels and pre-paid admissions are the exception, since those follow each property's own terms.
How Does Booking a Private Family Tour Work?
Send your dates
A rough window is enough — "the first two weeks of June" works. Say how many are coming, and whether children or older travellers are in the group.
Tell us what matters
Castles, coastal drives, a family townland in a specific county, a golf course. Say what would bore the teenagers, too.
Read your itinerary within 48 hours
A day-by-day plan arrives free, with no deposit taken. Ask questions and suggest changes — most families revise twice.
Confirm the booking
Hotels, castle stays and timed admissions are locked in from there.
Meet your guide at Dublin Airport arrivals
Bags in the boot, water in the cup holders.
Message any time during the trip
Support runs 24/7 for weather, delays and last-minute changes.
Who Is Driving, and Is the Vehicle Licensed?
Every one of our private guided tours of Ireland families book starts with a licensed, insured driver-guide.
Every driver-guide holds a current Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence, issued under Ireland's National Transport Authority framework, and meets Ireland's certification standards for professional driver-guides. All carry commercial insurance and have passed background checks.
Gerry Murphy Chauffeur Services is a member of the National Chauffeur Drivers Association, and is family-run, which means the person answering your email is the person building your itinerary.
Ask before you pay a deposit — of us or of anyone else: is the price per vehicle or per person, and are child seats supplied.
Who This Does Not Suit
- Families over six guests in one vehicle. The executive mini-coach takes up to 19, at a higher rate.
- Families who want a new town every night. Children unpack badly and grandparents unpack slowly. Two or three nights per base works better.
- Travellers on a tight budget. A rental car costs less than €600 a day, and there is no shame in driving yourself if the roads do not worry you.
- Anyone wanting a fixed departure with other families aboard. Every day here is yours alone, which is exactly what costs more.
- Late-night trips. The days start early and finish at dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions About Private Family Tours Ireland
Is a private family tour priced per person or per vehicle?
Per vehicle. A full day starts at €600 for up to five guests, and the seven-day route runs €3,000 to €4,000. That figure does not change with the number of people in the vehicle, so a family of five splitting a €3,000 week pays €600 each. Pricing in US dollars is available on request before you confirm.
How many people fit, and what if we are seven?
Six guests in the Mercedes-Benz V-Class, with luggage. Families of seven and up travel in the executive mini-coach, which takes up to 19 and costs more per day. Tell us the real headcount at enquiry, including children, because a booster seat takes a full seat.
Do you supply car seats and boosters?
Irish law requires a child restraint for any child under 150cm in height or under 36kg in weight, which usually means a seat or high-back booster until around age twelve. Rear-facing seats never go in a front seat with an active airbag. Send each child's age, height and weight when you enquire.
How long is a typical day with children?
It depends on the tour. Galway from Dublin runs 7 to 8 hours, Blarney Castle and Cork City runs 10 hours, and the Cliffs of Moher runs 10 to 11 hours door to door. For children under eight, the shorter days work better, and basing in one town for two or three nights cuts the driving further.
How do we choose the best private family tour of Ireland for our children's ages?
Compare the answers, not the photographs. Ask any operator: is the price per vehicle or per person, how many hours a day are you actually in the vehicle, do they supply and fit child seats, and will the same guide be with you every day. An operator who answers all four in writing before taking a deposit is the one to book.
How far ahead should we book for June or July?
Six to twelve months for summer, and three to six months for spring or autumn. June through August is peak season and multi-day itineraries fill first. Family hotel rooms that sleep five book out earlier still, so start with the rooms.
Can you take a four-year-old and her grandmother on the same trip?
Yes, and that combination is common. The itinerary is built around two limits: how long the youngest will sit in the vehicle, and how far the slowest walker can comfortably go. Give both honestly at enquiry and the days hold together.
Can we change the route once we have booked?
Yes, including on the morning itself. Weather, a sick child or a slow start all change the day, and support runs 24/7 to handle it. Booked hotels and pre-paid admissions are the exception, since those follow each property's own terms.
Ready to Plan Your Family Trip to Ireland?
Ready for your Ireland family tour? Send your dates, your headcount and the ages of the children. A day-by-day plan comes back within 48 hours, free, with no deposit until the plan is right.
WhatsApp +353 83 148 4498 · drivers@gerrymurphychauffeurservices.ie
Related Pages
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What Private Tours of Ireland Cost
Full price table by duration and group size.
Private Tours vs Group Tours vs Self-Drive
The honest comparison, including when a rental car wins.
Ireland Private Tour Itineraries, 5 Days to 3 Weeks
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Best Time of Year for a Private Tour of Ireland
Month by month, with the family months called out.
What Is Included in a Private Driver-Guided Tour
The full inclusions list.