Kevin McKrell: Travel with Kevin

So why take a tour with me ? Tons of tours out there, some more expensive, some less. They all seem to offer pretty much the same things. Some hit all the tourist hot spots, Killarney to Galway to Dublin. Taking in all the shop stops, slurpin' down the free Irish coffees, buying up the sweaters, the crystal and the lace. Some smaller groups focus on some of the more out of the way places
Westport to Dingle to Ballinasloe. There are pub crawls with the lads all snozzled and legless from the time you leave the U.S. until they get back, God knows they may even offer a week stay in rehab upon return. There are new age tours on which you troop through the bogs with some smelly bearded fella channeling Brian Boru waving about a divining rod searching out the holy hot spots, vegan samichs, tin foil hats , after hours yoga classes and nightly cognitive behavioural therapy included. There are history tours and mystery tours, ghostie haunted castle tours. football tours, rugby tours, literary everybody's an Irish novelist tours.
There are even religious tours, dragging your jetlagged butt up the top of Croagh Patrick, packing you into Knock waiting for Mary to make a holy show, gulpin the blessed water and buying a piece of the true cross. Daily confessions and time off for good behavior all part of the package. And then there are the self drive tours where you fly into Shannon pick up your rental and spend 5 harrowing days with yourdear loved ones screaming bloody murder, LEFT LEFT ya damn fool LEFT!!!!! As you careen down the picturesque back roads of Donegal seeing nothing but hedgerows and sheep's arses. ( the only deadly weapon allowed on the streets of Erin's Green Isle is a Yank behindthe wheel of a rented Omni). This one may include your introductory visit to a divorce lawyer, check with your travel agent for details.
So with all these choices why would you choose to go to Ireland or Scotland or Italy with me . Don't know really. I can tell ya there will be tons of music, mine and any others we find along the way,music sessions every night. The company I work with Celtic International Tours are the best at what they do. In Ireland we try and focus on some of the out of the way spots with enough of the traditional touristy stops to keep the shoppers happy, but with plenty of off the beaten path bits of hidden ancient Ireland to remind you what was here long before us. In Scotland the focus is on history, castles and ghosts but still music is always on our minds, the folk clubs of Inverness and Edinburgh are some of the best in the world. In Italy it is the art, the food, the wine and the small medieval villages that make this tour so special. Lucca, Pisa, San Gimignano, Arrezo, and of course Firenza (Florence). And we do have quite a laugh. So check out the tours see what you like and come along for the ride.
Whirled peas and mushy carrots.
KM
Contact: Celtic International Tours 800-833-4373 or 518-862-0042

Ireland March 24th-31st 2011
Highlights from that tour are:
Dublin http://www.maldronhotels.com/hotel-cardiff-lane/
Trinty College Guinness Brewery Templebar
Newgrange http://www.knowth.com/newgrange.htm
Kilkenny http://www.kilkennyhibernianhotel.com/
The Dunbrody Famine ship http://www.dunbrody.com/
The Rock of Cashel http://www.sacred-destinations.com/ireland/rock-of-cashel Ennistymon http://www.fallshotel.ie/ http://www.cliffsofmoher.ie/
Galway City
1,279.00 plus taxes and surcharges.
Tour includes
Roundtrip airfare Newark to Ireland
Six nights first class hotel accomadations
Dublin
http://www.maldronhotels.com/hotel-cardiff-lane/
Kilkenny
http://www.kilkennyhibernianhotel.com/
Ennistymon
http://www.fallshotel.ie/ http://www.cliffsofmoher.ie/
Full Irish breakfast every morning excluding day of arrival’
Three hotel dinners (One in each city).
Admissions to  Newgrange,Dunbrody Ship Musuem , Cliffs of Moher and Rathburn Farm. Delux motor coach with driver guide. Tips and taxes while in Ireland except for gratuities to Driver/Guide.

For complete information call Kathy Gordon @ 518-862-0042 or 800-833-4373ext 316

We had such a blast on the trip with you and all the other travelers a week or so back! Jim and I had not been on a plane in over 30 years but this trip was well worth facing our fears of flight! I cannot imagine a more wonderful place to be nor a more congenial group with whom to travel. You, Laz, Jeff and Dave were sensational every night! I cannot express how thrilled we were with all aspects of the trip! The hotels, the food, the scenery, the history, Dave Walden, and the music! Splendid!! I feel like we made 50+ new friends! Thank you so much for the experience of a lifetime!

Dear Kevin,

Our recent trip to Ireland with you totally exceeded our expectations. The itinerary was exceptional, we had access to points of interest that independent travelers could never find. The driver and other guides and hosts were so knowledgeable and helpful. We learned about our heritage, had fun, and loved the nightly sessions with the band. Our McKrell tour belied a nagging perception that as members of a group tour we might feel herded. Rather we loved our group and were gently guided to explore what interested us. We highly recommend traveling on a McKrell tour to others.

We traveled to Ireland with Kevin McKrell in March of 2004.Having never traveled overseas we were a little apprehensive on our first trip.The pretrip meeting answered a lot of questions and the direct bus to the airport was just great.When we arrived in Ireland we were greeted by our driver and got settled into our hotel.Wow here we are in Ireland so whats next.Well we were about to find out.The next week was probably the most fun filled flat out best week of our lives .The driver was a gem with more knowledge of Ireland than in a whole encyclopedia and with a great sense ofhumor to boot.Kevin was just everywhere helping out answering questions and interjecting his unique Celtic take on the world.Great group of people,visits to the tourist stuff but also places not many people get to. But to spend most nights with Traditional Irish Music by Kevin and others .In a word "priceless" If you only get to go to Ireland once go with Kevin.

Hello Kevin, Our trip to Ireland with you March 2004 is still topic of many a conversation, and believe it will be until we return hopefully November/March 2006. We could not think of a better way to experience Ireland ! Every little detail was covered, and our only care was to make sure our bags were infront of our door every other day. The pints and the music were like others have mentioned most memorable, but all aspects made this a trip of a lifetime. From the time we hit Boston we felt like family, and were treated so until we said our goodbyes at the baggage claim in Logan. Anyone thinking of going on a Mckrell tour better do so before they are all booked up !

Wow, it's quite a challenge to summarize one superb week in a short e-mail. Our favorite things were: Climbing around on the Giant's Causeway; the spectacular views at the Cliffs of Moher; the music each evening with Kevin and Dave; the neat little towns like Westport (not yet spoiled by Walmarts); the "trad music" in the pubs; the REALLY OLD castles, abbeys and ruins (e.g. 6000 year old Court Cairn) all over the place; the nice people we met on the trip; the scenery in general (our lawn at home is nowhere near that green!)from the Burren to the coast; the cider and scones!

We were surprised that: the weather was as nice as it was; the country was as prosperous as it was; crossing in to Northern Ireland was like crossing a state line; our fellow travelers were from all over New York and several other states (and Canada), when we expected nearly everyone to be from the Capital District, and that they ranged in age from 16 to 70+; the topography of Ireland was as varied as it is, parts looking a lot like Scotland; Dave really was able to squeeze the bus through all those tight spots; the hotels were as nice as they were.

This was our first Kevin McKrell tip - but not our last!

My trip to Ireland was luvely. It is one of the best vacations of my life. Upon my return home, many commented I had a glow (perhaps a result of the sunburn received that beautiful day at The Giant’s Causeway).