top of page
Irish Ancestry Tour
ancestry-tours-ireland-light

Helping you uncover your Irish family tree...

Irish Ancestry & Genealogy Tours in Ireland

heritage tours ireland little gem

Irish Ancestry Tours


Private heritage experiences to explore your family roots with expert local guides.

Reconnect with your Irish roots on a bespoke ancestry tour through Ireland.
Our custom genealogy tours are designed for travelers who want to walk in the footsteps of their ancestors, visiting family towns, local churches, graveyards, and archives. Whether you know your family name, parish, or just a story passed down, we’ll help turn that into a once-in-a-lifetime journey.

​

Uncover the footsteps of your Irish ancestors.

As featured on CBS Sunday Morning
 
Little Gem  Best Private Ancestry Tours Ireland
ancestry-tour-ireland-5.jpg

10 Powerful Reasons to Add an Irish Ancestry Trail to Your Private Tour of Ireland

  1. Go Beyond a Tour – Embark on a Personal Journey of Self-DiscoveryExperience a deeper, more meaningful connection to Ireland through your family story.

  2. Understand Your Roots on a Deeper Level. Discover where you come from and how your ancestors lived, worked, and worshipped.

  3. Create Lasting Memories With Your Family. Share this powerful experience with loved ones — it’s a unique opportunity for connection and reflection.

  4. Enjoy a Personalised and Authentic Perspective of IrelandNo two ancestry trails are the same. Your itinerary is built around your family’s unique story.

  5. Get Off the Beaten Path and Away From Tourist Crowds. Explore quiet villages, countryside chapels, and hidden places most visitors never see.

  6. Support Local Communities and Genealogy ServicesBy visiting lesser-known areas, you help sustain rural heritage centers, small businesses, and local historians.

  7. Build New Bonds and Feel at Home in Ireland. Many guests form lifelong friendships with locals and leave feeling like Ireland is a second home.

  8. Deepen Your Understanding of Irish Culture and HistoryLearn how your ancestry fits into Ireland’s broader cultural and historical landscape.

  9. Visit Sacred Sites: Ancient Graveyards, Churches, and HomesteadsWalk through the places your ancestors knew — often in their exact towns or parishes.

  10. You Can Still See Ireland’s Iconic SightsCombine heritage exploration with famous attractions like the Cliffs of Moher, the Ring of Kerry, and more — it’s your tour, your way.

Litle Gem & Geneology Expert  Claire Bradley
CB_edited

Claire Bradley is a professional Irish genealogist working with both paper records and genetic genealogy. She holds a Certificate in Genealogy from University College Dublin and a Masters in History of the Family from the University of Limerick. Claire is passionate about teaching people how to research their own ancestry. She teaches a beginners’ adult education course now running for over a decade covering all the Irish major sources in Dublin. She is also the Director of Irish Studies at the International Institute of Genealogical Studies and regularly lectures both in person and online to a wide range of family history and historical societies in Ireland and countries with Irish diasporas.

 

Claire's website - www.cbgenealogy.ie

​

Confirmed bookings with Little Gem Tours receive a Complimentary Geneology Consultation with Claire ! Don't forget to mention - Little Gem Tours

  • What is an Irish ancestry tour?
    An Irish ancestry tour is a custom travel experience that helps you trace your family roots by visiting ancestral towns, churches, graveyards, and historical sites connected to your heritage.
  • What makes an ancestry tour different from a regular tour of Ireland?
    An ancestry tour is personalized around your family history, giving you a more meaningful connection to Ireland. Instead of just seeing famous landmarks, you visit places tied to your ancestors' lives.
  • How do I start planning a genealogy tour in Ireland?
    Simply share any family details you know — names, places, stories — and we’ll guide you through the planning process. We can help fill in the gaps with local expertise.
  • Do I need to research my ancestors before starting the tour?
    We recommend consulting our ancestry experts 12 months in advance. This allows time to gather detailed information and craft a fully personalized private tour based on your family history. But if you have less time, no problem — just contact us and we’ll see how we can help!
  • Can you help me research my Irish family history?
    Yes. We work with experienced genealogists and heritage centers to help you research your Irish ancestry before and during your tour.
  • Is it possible to visit the exact village or parish my ancestors came from?
    Yes, in many cases. If we can identify the region or town your family came from, we build your tour to include those exact locations.
  • How much should you tip during your travels in Ireland?
    There is no set guidelines for tipping in Ireland. People will usually tip based on the quality of service they receive. ​ Meals – ​ This depends entirely on the quality of service and food. The food standard has greatly increased in Ireland over the last number of years and we know some gems of coffee shops & restaurants around the country. 10 to 15% is a good guideline. ​​ ​ Drinks – ​ Bar staff behind the bar would not normally be tipped. Lounge staff who serve you at your table would be tipped approx 10 to 15% percent. Once again this depends entirely on the service quality. ​​ ​ Driver Guides – We are often asked how much should I tip a tour guide in Ireland? Driver/guide gratuity is always appreciated and the amount is entirely based on your tour experience. If you feel that your guides have gone out of their way to provide a unique experience, an average tip would be somewhere between €50 and €100 per day total. This is entirely up to and and should be based on the quality of your experience. ​​ ​ Hotel Staff – A tip for porters & chambermaids is always appreciated but again, this depends on quality of service. Find out more about tipping in Ireland in our blog - Tipping in Ireland
  • How much do private tours of Ireland cost?
    As our tours are individually customised our tour prices vary depending on a large variety of requests including - Tour Length / Group Size / Accommodation Style / Activities Requested. Our tour prices will include Transport / Driver / Guide / Accommodation / Breakfast and certain selected activities. Our contact form provides enough information for us to generate an initial cost so please contact us for further details. ​ CONTACT US
  • Are the itineraries flexible?
    All of our tours are individually customised based on our clients requests therefore our tours always vary and every tour is a new adventure. Our website features some suggested itineraries however they are all flexible.
  • How long is a day of touring on a private tour of Ireland?
    This depends on the style of tour you have chosen. Day Tours - The lengths of our day tours will vary depending on the distance travelled. For example... A Dublin & Surrounds Day Tour could be 5 Hours whilst a Northern Ireland Day Tour could be 13 hours. ​​ ​ Multi Day Tours - The days on our multi-day escorted tours are usually 8 hours and based on a recommended 9:30am to 5:30pm schedule. This is entirely flexible and depending on the itinerary and the group, days can be shorter or a little longer. ​​ ​ Driving Times - Although our vehicles are of the highest comfort nobody likes driving too long. We try to design all of our tours so you will have a stop of interest every 1.5 to 2 hours at the most. There will be exceptional circumstances where a drive of 3 hours is required on our longer day tours.
  • What to wear on a vacation in Ireland?
    Ireland's weather is always an interesting subject and is a subject dear to our hearts! Our weather is constantly changing. Expect during the course of your visit to see all the seasons - days of sun, light rain, rainbows, wind and lots more besides. One point to note however is that we tend not to have extremes. ​ Layers are the best way to go. Bring a fleece, a light raincoat and under armour. Layers are a great way of dealing with Ireland's changing weather ! ​ Also we do recommend good waterproof walking shoes. Not necessarily hiking boots, just a simple pair of waterproof shoes that you can wear for all occasions whether in the van or in the pub! Ireland would not be a particularly formal country in terms of dress so casual wear would be suggested. An exception is when staying in some higher scale 5 star castles. In this case formal dining wear may be required. Find out more on our blog here - What to Wear in Ireland
  • Will there be somewhere to wash clothes during our tour ?
    We are often asked if there is somewhere to wash clothes along the tour route. ​ The answer is yes! There are opportunities to wash clothes throughout your trip, in every location. Your driver guide will also help out with suggestions for this.
  • Does Little Gem provide private tours or group tours?
    Little Gem are exclusively private tours for groups of all sizes. We specialise in crafting customised itineraries for private groups such as families which include private luxury transport, a professional driver guide and a selection of boutique and luxury accommodations. ​ We ensure our tours are flexible, personal and professional and are designed around each private groups wishes. We endeavour to take you off the beaten path and away from the crowds whilst also taking in the main attractions along the journey. Learn more of our private tours here - Private Tours of Ireland
  • What are Little Gem Tour's Terms & Conditions?
    Terms & Conditions & Cancellation Policy ​ Private Irish Tours T/A Little Gem Private Tours of Ireland Terms & Conditions Please read the following document carefully and sign and date to confirm that you have read and fully understood the terms and conditions. 1. Booking, Confirmation & Payment ​ In order to complete a booking a deposit of 25% of the total tour value is required to secure the tour dates. - We cannot secure tour dates until a deposit is paid. This deposit allows us to reserve accommodations and secure tour dates. Full payment is to be made if the booking is within 90 days of the tour date. For Day Tours we request full payment up front. We will then send you a written confirmation of booking so as to confirm a binding contract between us which will be governed by the laws of Ireland and subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Irish courts. The balance of the holiday must be paid no later than 90 calendar days prior to departure and if not received on time we reserve the right to treat the booking as cancelled. Payments may be made by credit card or bank transfer/wire. For payment by credit card, we accept all major cards. Little Gem Tours are not liable for any bank charges associated with bank transfer/wire. ​​​ Please find bank details on link below if you wish to pay by wire/transfer. ​ *** If you pay by wire/transfer please inform Little Gem Tours via email that you have made payment. ​​ LINK TO LITTLE GEM BANK DETAILS *** To ensure payment is processed as smoothly as possible, please inform your bank of the payment details prior to payment. This will ensure your bank does not block the transaction. *** ​______________________________________________________________ ​ 2. Client Alterations If, after we have confirmed a booking, the client requests a change in the dates or content of the agreed itinerary we will do our best but cannot promise to meet the revised requirements. Any alterations may mean an increased cost in tour prices and a change in tour itineraries and/or accommodations. ​ Client Requested Accommodation Changes - Changes can be made to confirmed accommodations without a fee up to 6 months prior to your tour date. For any client requested changes to confirmed accommodations within 6 months of the tour fees shall apply. ​ No alterations can be made to itinerary dates and overnight locations within 90 days of tour date. In the case of altered overnights and accommodations within 90 days of tour date this will be treated as a new booking and associated costs will apply. ​​ ______________________________________________________________ ​ 3. Client Cancellations If, after we have confirmed a booking, you request a cancellation the following cancellation policies apply: Deposit Payment – ​​ If you cancel your tour up to 91 calendar days from the tour start date the deposit or payment is 50% refundable. The deposit or payment is non-refundable within 90 or less days from the tour start date. ** Balance Payment – ​ Full payment is required 90 days or more before the tour start date. This balance payment is non-refundable unless the tour is cancelled by Little Gem Tours. In this case see section 4 below. ​ ​ ______________________________________________________________ ​ ​ ​ 4. Little Gem Tours - Alterations or Cancellation Once your booking has been confirmed we will make every effort to provide you with the booked holiday arrangements but reserve the right to alter or cancel the whole or part of the holiday if we cannot avoid doing so. In the event of cancellation of a tour by Little Gem Tours, Little Gem Tours will offer a full refund of the tour price only, less any nonrefundable elements, or alternative travel arrangements to all clients booked onto the tour. In these circumstances, no incidental or consequential expenses will be paid by Little Gem Tours. Little Gem Tours will endeavour to help in finding alternative transport arrangements in this circumstance. ​ ​ ______________________________________________________________ ​ ​ 5. Insurance The price of your ticket does not cover your travel insurance. Little Gem Tours strongly recommends that the client purchases comprehensive travel insurance cover for cancellation, medical expenses, personal accident, personal baggage, money and public liability before you travel. *** It is highly recommended that insurance is purchased which includes cover for Covid related cancellations **** The client should ensure that any activities undertaken by the client during the Tour are covered by their insurance, in this regard, please note that certain activities may require specific insurance and it is a matter for the client to ascertain the position with their insurer before partaking in any activity. Little Gem Tours reserves the right to refuse admission to a passenger unless the client has arranged appropriate insurance. ​ ​​ ______________________________________________________________ ​ ​​ 6. Weather Warnings Little Gem Tours will follow government advice with relation to weather warnings. Met Éireann, the Irish National Meteorological Service, is the leading provider of weather information and related services for Ireland. ​ In the case of a red weather warning being issued by Met Éireann touring will cease until the red weather warning has passed. Please see link to the Met Éireann Weather Warning System - HERE ​​ ​ ______________________________________________________________ ​ 7. Photos & Marketing Your driver guide will request to take photos during the tour. These photos may be used online by Little Gem Tours solely for the purpose of marketing Little Gem Tours. If you do not wish your photos to appear online please inform your driver guide and we will ensure your wishes are respected. ​ ______________________________________________________________ ​ ​ Contacting Us If there are any questions regarding these terms & conditions, you may contact us using the information below. Private Irish Tours T/A Little Gem Private Tours of Ireland www.littlegemtours.com tours@littlegemtours.com 00353 86 047 4836
  • Do we need to bring an electric converter ? What type of plugs are used in Ireland ?
    In Ireland the power plug sockets are of type G. The standard voltage is 230 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. ​ Most appliances like smartphones don't need a converter. They just need an adaptor as they are built to manage the voltage. Appliances such as a hairdryer would need the voltage adaptor. Hairdryers will be readily available during the course of your travels in the various accommodations You can get a mored detailed description here - https://www.power-plugs-sockets.com/ireland/
  • What type of Accommodation is best in Ireland?
    We partner with a large variety of accommodation options from luxury 5 Star Castles to boutique farm stays. Once again this is a completely flexible and customisable element of your tour. We find that guests like a variety of accommodation styles so we try to mix up our overnights with a combination of 5 Star / Luxury B&B / Farm Stays & Castle Stays. We will always ensure that the accommodation is of the highest quality standard regardless of the ratings. Find our more about our accommodation partners here - Little Gem Accommodations
  • What are daily expenses on a private tour of Ireland?
    Daily costs will vary depending on individual cases however a rough guide would be as follows... ​ Note: We do not include activity entrance fees in our quotes. The reason for this is to allow for flexibility in terms of the tour content. ​ Meals - ​ Breakfast each morning is included in all of our multi-day tours. Lunch - Approx € 10 to € 15pp Dinner - Approx € 25 to € 100pp depending on style of restaurants Quality Pub Dinners - Approx € 20pp ​ Activities - (there would be usually one or two of the below per day) ​ Boat Trips - Approx € 20pp Museums - Approx € 5 to € 15 Heritage Farms - Approx € 10pp Large Exhibitions - Approx € 20pp Brewery's - Approx € 15pp Distilleries - Approx € 15pp National Heritage Sites - Approx € 10pp Live Music Shows - Approx € 50pp Private Hawk Walk - Approx € 60pp 1 Hour Private Demonstrations - Approx € 80 ​ Entertainment - ​ Pint of Guinness - € 5 to € 7pp Pint of Beer - € 5 to € 7pp Pub music - Usually Free Theatre - € 15 to € 50pp Live Music Show - € 20 to € 50pp Find out more about tipping in Irerland here - Tipping in Ireland
  • When is the best time to visit Ireland?
    Well, each of the seasons and months have their own advantages and charms when it comes to travelling in Ireland. Take a look at our blog post on the topic on when to travel in Ireland for more details about Irish weather... ​ When To Travel in Ireland Blog Post
  • How does the booking work for our private tour of Ireland?
    Step 1 - Browse our website for inspiration on your trip to Ireland. ​ We have suggested day trips and multi-day tours throughout our website. Take a look through the options and remember - your tours are private and fully customisable! ​ Step 2 - Contact us with as much details as possible. ​ Provide details around your length of trip, the number of people and your preferences on attractions / locations / accommodations / room styles, etc. The more information you provide about yourselves and your likes / dislikes the more likely we are to design your perfect tour. ​ Step 3 - We revert with initial suggested itinerary. We will now assign your private tour planner who will be your dedicated point of contact for your travels. You will receive an initial itinerary proposal. This will include our costs with full itinerary details including accommodation options and day to day sight seeing and activity options. ​ Step 4 - Feedback on the initial proposal. Now is your chance to provide feedback and any requested amends on the initial tour itinerary. ​ Step 5 - Deposit payment to secure your tour dates We finalise all initial itinerary details and request a deposit of 25% to secure your dates of touring. This allows us to proceed with your accommodation bookings if required. * Note: For day tours we request full payment up front. ​ Stage 6 - Accommodation Confirmations ! We will get back with your confirmed accommodations for your adventure as well as details of room styles and upgrades. ​ Stage 7 - Balance payment and condensed driver guide itinerary. Approximately 60 days before your tour date we will request the balance payment for your tour. At this stage we will then also go through the finer details of your day to day activities using a condensed driver guide itinerary. ​ Stage 8 - Pack your bags and get ready for an adventure of a lifetime with the Little Gem Tour Team !!!
Check Out Our Ancestry Tour Blog....

Have a read of our travel blog and find more about our private ancestry tours of Ireland. 

Little Gem Blog Irish Ancestry Tours

Little Gem 10 - Reasons to try an Ancestry Tour of Ireland...

 

A Little Gem guest favourite is our personalised, ancestry trails of Ireland. Uncover your family roots and gain a deeper understanding of Ireland's history and culture. This highly personal addition to your family private tour of Ireland provides you with a completely unique, private Irish experience. Below we have put together our top 10 reasons to try our ancestry tour of Ireland along with lots of useful links...

​

Go to our BLOG...

Stories from Travelers Who Reconnected with Their Irish Roots

The Tour Feedback

Having been to Ireland 3 previous times, we had visited all the ‘coach’ venues, so we were looking for an off-the-beaten path experience. My wife also had a list of hamlets to explore for family genealogy.
So how to combine these interests into a meaningful trip?
We had heard positive things about Little Gems tours doing small custom tours. From our initial contact it was obvious they truly were interested in understanding what we really wanted to do and see…or not see. Rural Ireland…farms…local crafters…country pubs and local meals…historical sites…and the genealogy destinations. A few contacts followed as a trip outline was developed.
AND THEY DELIVERED…a fantastic trip ensued. Led by our knowledgeable and thoroughly engaging driver/guide Martin, we went on small roads to see Jakob sheep; learned the history of fairy trees and the Otherworld, learned to cut peat out of a bog; saw ring forts; and visited the impactful Famine Museum at Strokestown. On the genealogical front, my wife’s highest hopes were not only met, but exceeded. Martin used his local Irish charm at key moments to go into shops and knock on house doors…and we ended up at what we are all certain was the very street and property of the ancestor at the heart of her search…a truly touching highlight of a marvellous customized trip.
If you are looking for a customized Irish trip, Little Gems Tours should definitely be contacted.

​

21 June 2023

ancestry.jpg
ancestry.jpg
ancestry-tours-roots.jpg
Ancestry Tour Example 1-
A trip in memory of our Mother
The Tour Feedback

When my brothers and I started talking about a trip to Ireland, Tom, the organized one of the family, started researching tour companies and found Little Gem Tours and Rosie Dooney. We lost our mother early last year, and since both of her parents emigrated from Ireland we decided to take a family trip in her memory. In choosing Little Gem Tours for our private tour we found the pot of gold.
We visited in May 2023 and had a few must-do items on our agenda like stay in a castle, visit our grandfather’s homestead, hike the Costal Walk on the Cliffs of Moher, and visit a distant cousin of our mother’s. Rosie got to work and planned a wonderful trip that included time for all those destinations and so much more. From the time we were picked up by our tour guide, Tony Corcoran (more about this amazing lad later) we were on a whirlwind tour of Ireland. The accommodations were amazing – first we stayed in Dublin at the spectacular Merrion Hotel, and then the next two nights were at a working Irish farm. We also experienced the life of the aristocracy staying two nights at 800 year old Ashford Castle in Cong where Rosie upgraded our rooms to a beautiful water view. Further south in Doolin we stayed at Sheedy’s Bed and Breakfast where we had some of the most beautiful breakfasts of our entire stay, and that says a lot since we had the breakfast experience twice in the George V Dining Room at Ashford Castle!
Rosie also booked side adventures along the way. We dug peat on the farm with Eddie Joe, had a walking tour of the local village, and ended with a wonderful evening of local music by the fire in the cottage. We visited 9 Irons Forge and welded with the local blacksmith Pat, which was really fun. We had high tea at Ashford Castle, a carriage ride around the grounds and a boat tour of Lough Corrib, which was amazing. Rosie took our agenda into consideration and allowed us a lot of flexibility, and that’s where Tony took our days and gave us an up close and personal view of his Ireland. Rosie could not have picked a more perfect tour guide for our family. (see Tony’s review)
We highly recommend Rosie Dooney and her company, Little Gems Tours, for planning your Ireland vacation. She not only listened to our ideas, but also made suggestions according to what we wanted to do and customized a tour to meet our abilities and expectations. It was by far the best trip we could have ever planned, and when we go back to Ireland we will call Rosie to plan our trip and Tony Corcoran to be our guide again as we cannot imagine Ireland without them.

​

May 2023 

purple-celtic-wave-x3.png
Ancestry Tour Example 2 -
The Quinn's 7 Day Northern Ancestry Trail
The Tour Feedback

Having been to Ireland 3 previous times, we had visited all the ‘coach’ venues, so we were looking for an off-the-beaten path experience. My wife also had a list of hamlets to explore for family genealogy.
So how to combine these interests into a meaningful trip?
We had heard positive things about Little Gems tours doing small custom tours. From our initial contact it was obvious they truly were interested in understanding what we really wanted to do and see…or not see. Rural Ireland…farms…local crafters…country pubs and local meals…historical sites…and the genealogy destinations. A few contacts followed as a trip outline was developed.


AND THEY DELIVERED…a fantastic trip ensued. Led by our knowledgeable and thoroughly engaging driver/guide Martin, we went on small roads to see Jakob sheep; learned the history of fairy trees and the Otherworld, learned to cut peat out of a bog; saw ring forts; and visited the impactful Famine Museum at Strokestown. On the genealogical front, my wife’s highest hopes were not only met, but exceeded. Martin used his local Irish charm at key moments to go into shops and knock on house doors…and we ended up at what we are all certain was the very street and property of the ancestor at the heart of her search…a truly touching highlight of a marvellous customized trip.

If you are looking for a customized Irish trip, Little Gems Tours should definitely be contacted.

​

Betty & Doug Quinn - June 2023

purple-celtic-wave-x3.png
20180417_154940.jpg
Ancestry Tour Example 3 -
The Flanagans 6 Day Ancestry Discovery Tour
Itinerary private tour Ireland
The Tour Details

6 Day Private Tour - Day 1 - Dublin to Killarney via a day finding the family in County Limerick / Day 2 - The Ring of Kerry / Day 3 - Dublin to Bunratty via The Dingle Peninsula / Day 4 - Bunratty to Galway via The Cliffs of Moher / Day 5 - Galway to Dunboyne Castle via Ashford Castle / Day 6 - Dunboyne to Dublin via Newgrange

The Tour Feedback
The Flanagan Family on a private tour of Ireland

" ....We then proceeded to try to find the tiny town of Mountcollins where my husband's grandfather was from. It's not on any maps to speak of (including Google!) so Maggie being the trooper that she is, would stop and ask the locals. Thanks to her translating the Limerick County accent, we were able to find it. Located the cemetery, talked to a Mr. Naughton who knew the family and gave us directions to my husband's relative's farm, but not until we tried a Guinness at Tommy Mick's Pub ( wonderful local village pub). Robbie found the farm - and we met our relative - Out tour ended eventually ended but the knowledge and experiences that Little Gem through their adept and kind guidance will give us lots of great memories and stories or years to come... "

​

The Flanagan family of 5 from Maryland, United States, April 2017

purple-celtic-wave-x3.png
Ancestry Tour Example 4 -
The Kiminskys Ancestry Discovery Day Tour
The Tour Details

Boyne Valley and Drogheda Family Ancestry Day Tour from Dublin

13 Hour Day Tour including - The Boyne Valley, Newgrange, Trim Castle, The Hill of Tara, The Hill of Slane, Mellifont Abbey & Family Meet & Greet

The Tour Feedback

" ....We took a tour around the Boyne Valley area and Drogheda areas of Ireland to trace some ancestry. Robbie made wonderful suggestions as to which locations to visit and we felt that we had a busy day filled of exploration. One of our favourite visited of our entire time in Ireland was Newgrange, as per Little Gem Tours' suggestion. It was a bit tricky as we were trying to meet some relatives in Ireland as part of our ancestry, but Robbie was easy going and able to meet our last minute requests. He filled in the remainder of our time with additional stops along the way which worked our perfectly! The additional suggestions by Robbie included Mellifont Abbey, Hill of Slane, Trim Castle an 8th Century Celtic cross and more. At the end of the day, Robbie dropped us off at a restaurant he suggested and we all thoroughly enjoyed.... "

​

The Kiminsky family of 6 from Pittsburgh, United States, July 2017

Itinerary chauffeur tour ireland
Irish Ancestry Trail
purple-gem
Some Recommended Activities & Resources

Below we have compiled a list of the activities that Little Gem recommends to help you discover your Irish ancestry whilst you travel Ireland. By taking in some of these excellent and informative museums, exhibitions and local experiences you will gain a great sense of real Ireland both present day and during the times of emigration. Whether it be the great Ulster emigration of the 18th century or famine emigration of the 19th century, through to the present day these activities will help you complete your Irish exploration. Add these to your ancestry discovery tour and enhance your private tour of Ireland experience.

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum is an interactive experience located in Dublin’s Docklands. It will inspire and guide you on a journey to discover the stories of Irish emigration around the world, from early times to the modern day.

Dublin City

Follow the trail of thousands of emigrants from the thatched cottages of Ulster, on board a full-scale emigrant sailing ship to the log cabins of the American Frontier.

Omagh, Northern Ireland

Explore a real working Irish village and meet the locals including beef farmer and amateur historian Eddie-Joe, blacksmith Pat Strahan and sheepman Michael. A true Irish experience off the beaten path and away from the crowds.

County Mayo

Please reload

The National Library of Ireland in the heart of Georgian Dublin may be your first port of call in your Irish Ancestry journey.

Dublin City

Visitors to this restored Georgian house in the heart of Dublin City today, are acquainted with the story of its first occupant, Mrs. Olivia Beatty who moved here in November 1794

Dublin City

Learn about the Irish Emigration story, trace your ancestors, hear about the ill-fated Titanic and the Lusitania, and immerse yourself in Irish naval and military history at Cobh Heritage Centre.

Cobh, County Cork

Please reload

Scenic Irish landscape featuring grazing sheep alongside tranquil lakes, with rolling green hills in the background – a serene and picturesque view of Ireland's natural beauty

Contact Us
Contact us to find out more about our services and to customise your Irish Ancestry Tour..

bottom of page