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What Our Chauffeur Clients Have Said...
July 2008 from Shari G. (Bloomfield, NJ)
Chris-
Our trip has been awesome so far. Dublin was good times, even though we missed a day [they missed their flight for some reason]. We made up for it by shopping all morning when we arrived. :-) The driver is very nice, and we are enjoying being driven around like spoiled brats. He even opens our doors! We are in the second B&B in Killarney and it is gorgeous. Thanks for setting this up, you did a great job!
-Shari
Apr 2008 from Deidre L. (Boston, MA)
Hi Chris!
I just wanted to write you a little note to tell you what a wonderful job you did in planning me and my mother's trip to Ireland. We had a fantastic time. The hotels we stayed in were unbelievable, and our driver Pat Doyle, was just amazing. We got to see everything we wanted to, and the weather even played out in our favor. It was just great. Thanks very much!
Deidre
May 2007 from Lisbeth F. (Katonah, NY)
Chris:
I could not have said it better - the trip and your part in it was BRILLANT!!!!! I also would be more than happy to give a recommendation for your company and/or Taal - she really made our trip.
Thanks Chris!
Boo
May 2007 from Linda S. (Tuckahoe, NY)
 Chris - We had a wonderful time. Thank you. I have attached a 'formal' thank you letter for your file. Please add my name to your reference list.
Our driver, Taal Burke, was fabulous. Recommend her every opportunity you have. She would be especially helpful with an older couple - yet we (young chicks!!) loved her too. She was able to answer every question we presented to her - she is a great ambassador for her country.
We happened to have amazing weather. I used my umbrella once (for 5 minutes) and we had to purchase warm weather clothing (as we had our turtle necks and wool sweaters with us). Not a bad problem to have!! Several of our pictures look like they were taken on the Riviera.
What can I say about the people, specifically the men, of Ireland and their dry sense of humor. We are referring to them as 'the cast of characters.' We met so many wonderful people and had many a laugh with them.
We had a wonderful time - but, 'there's no place like home.' thanks again,
Linda
Mar 2007 from Colleen B. (New York, NY)
Hello Chris,
Belated Happy St. Patrick's Day:-)
I am starting to have the itch to plan a return trip to Ireland. Won't make it this year as things are quite pricey. I am looking to do a return trip in 2008 around the same dates that we planned our 2006 trip.
Besides my parents this go around, I would be adding my brother, his wife and their two girls. My sister and her family are also a possibility to join. A must of any trip to Ireland for me would include a tour guided by Gene Sullivan. He made my first trip magical and we would not want to do it without him.
I will be in touch with more details. Like Gene, I would not plan a trip to Ireland without you:-) Will be throwing different scenarios at you in an effort to make something that works for the family and wanted you to have a heads up.
Talk soon and be well!
Colleen
Colleen B., New York
June 2006 from Colleen B. (New York, NY)
How was Alaska?! I have to out that on the list.
I appreciate you taking care of the "hiccups". Neither put a damper on the trip. I figured you would want to know as you have been more than thorough with everything. I figured I was doing the right thing by surrendering the voucher. I can fax you the bill for the Acton Hotel in Kinsale if it helps. It was beautiful there by the way. The Gresham is a nice hotel and they did the right thing by moving us. I would just hold off on booking them until renovations are done. You can't beat their location.
I can't say enough about Gene. He found out the I am Titanic aficionado so we went to Cobh. It was also where my Grandmother would have sailed from so it was special. I think I would love to spend more time there whe I return. The coolest part of meeting him, Maurenn O'Hara is his neighbor in Glengariff. She uses his services for pick ups all the time and is a testimonial on his website. We ere in Cong having coffee when Gene's phone rang. He showed me the display and it was her. He held the phone up to my ear to hear her and there was no misplacing that fiery Irish lilt. I was sitting there in total glory hearing her while being in the town the movie was shot. You can't make this stuff up. Gene gave me and my Dad autographed memorabilia that Maureen had given him. I would not say he will do that for everyone but it was beyond kind to do it for us. we got to the spot that was used as White O' Morn in the film. How sad it is in ruins. These folks need some marketing ideas!
I am going to write the story of my family's journey to Fethard, Co Tipperary and send it to the local newsletter which is what Gene used to help us find the location. I will send you a copy. As you mention, there are probably so many stories of people finding their roots but each one is unique. There is nothing left but part of the stone wall that was the back of the house. We all took rocks and I brought some home for my siblings and the great grand kids. Our trip could have ended there and my Dad would have been over the moon.
I tried to play Gene's DVD of his business and it won't work for me. I guess there is a difference in the European players? I will forward the one I mentioned to you and see if you have better luck. I emailed Gene to let him know. I think it a great idea you work directly. I can see it being a mutually advantageous relationship as I can't say enough about either of you!
I think my return to Ireland will wait until next June. Thinking of an England visit to spend more time with my cousins in late October. I assume you can help me plan on that front?
Thanks for everything, Chris. I will be in touch.
Colleen
Sep 2005 from Cheryl C. (East Sandwich, MA)
Hi Chris,
We had a terrific time. I took hundreds of pictures. I cannot believe we are home over a week. We all loved Ireland and we all did our part for the Irish economy - SHOPPING! My mother loved Ireland so much she was "threatening" not to come home. Our driver was great! His name was Frank O'Reilly - he was a retired policeman - very nice and very helpful. Having the car and driver was the best way to go with elderly travelers. He picked us up at 10 everyday which gave my Mom and Ginny time to get up and moving without rushing.
As for hotels....
We weren't thrilled with some of the hotels but some were lovely. We didn't like Jury's in Galway - the rooms were really not clean - carpets were really stained and Ginny's room had a bed and next to it what looked like an air mattress on the floor. We didn't even have a chair - just beds.
At Breaffy House, they did not have a twin room for my mom and me for the first night except one a full set of stairs downstairs from lobby in the basement and no elevator (a problem for both my Mom and Ginny) - so they put us in a double ---one bed - in the old part of the hotel. Rooms were tiny and really "beat". Second night they moved us to much better rooms.
At Tower Leisure Center, the first room they gave me overlooked the vent from the kitchen - incredible noise and god awful smell ---I went down and insisted they change it - which they did and the second room was fine.
The Bayview in Cork was beautiful - nicest rooms we had anywhere except for Dromoland of course. Only thing about it is that it's so far off the beaten path that once the driver dropped us there, there was nothing to do for the evening ---same was true of Breaffy House, if you don't have a car....you can't get out easily.
Great Southern was fine. By the way ---the Flesk restaurant in Killarney is excellent and very reasonable.
Complete lack of Air conditioning was a bit of a problem for me --I am ALWAYS HOT.
We had an "adventure" in Ennis at the Old Ground Hotel. Ginny called me at 1:15 am ---her knee had locked up on her, she was in agony, and could not get off the bed and she had put the deadbolt on! The hotel staff couldn't find the right pass key, so with much effort - they broke down the door and off we went to the hospital in an ambulance! The door problem was a comedy - two young men in a panic ---trying to kick in the door. One was going to run at it with his shoulder but I stopped him --told him that only works in the movies and we would most assuredly have 2 patients going to the hospital - one with a bad knee and one with a broken shoulder or collarbone. He had also considered going out the window....but I stopped that also - we were on the 4th floor! Finally they got a crowbar and broke in. It would not have been funny if the person in the room had been having a heart attack - it took almost 2 hours to get in the room. Anyway, Ginny spent the rest of the trip on crutches.
Dromoland Castle - absolutely beautiful but you need to warn people that dining room is formal attire ...we did not have anything suitable to wear and the menu was way, way over the top ....very gourmet and very expensive. There was no where else to eat except what was essentially a hallway outside the dining room ( some celebrity was having a wedding there the night we were there) so we went back to our room and ordered room service .... $112 USD for 3 sandwiches, 3 desserts, and 3 teas!
We had great weather mostly - only 2 rainy days and other than those it was shirtlsleeves for me and sweater or light jacket for Mom and Ginny.
In Killarney we saw Liam O'Connor and Lisa Aherne show at our drivers recommendation - it was very good!
Thanks much for your help -Overall, it was a wonderful trip!
Cheryl
Aug 2005 from Peggy D. (Wheatland, IN)
Good Morning Chris!
Yes, we got back last Wed. REALLY LATE! :-(
Our plane from Amsterdam was late to Detroit and we missed our connection to Evansville, IN & home! 7 hours in the Detroit airport are 6 hours too long! :o)
The Ireland trip was great, but we were soooo tired from the day before
we could hardly stay awake on the minibus. Our driver was just right for
us. He is a retired policeman and once worked fro the UN! Very
knowlegdable about the Western side of Ireland and says he does that trip most of the time. His name was Pat, & I would recommend him to anyone.
The B&Bs were wonderful, especially the one in Galway...a wonderful home and great breakfast. All 3 were good however the first was OUTSTANDING, though the hostess was a little cool. The other hostesses were younger and more talkative. Paula in Bunratty was extremely helpful with the taxi.
All total we were very pleased and I cannot wait to go again...now that I
have slept for 3 days!!
Talk again sometime,
Peggy
Aug 2005 from Sharon D. (New Egypt, NJ)
Yes, we are all back safely! With all the heightened security in London, we really did not experience very much in searches -- the usual with removing shoes, x-ray of bags, etc. I had put my completed film in a ziploc bag on the way home. I was hoping to NOT have to put the film canisters through the x-ray machine. I have heard negative stories of the pictures being effected. I sent them for developing-- hoping for the best. We also had digital cameras.
Everything went well. The driver, Ted, was at the airport waiting for us. He had checked the arrival time--we were a little delayed when arriving in Dublin. Ted drove us directly to the Dublin hotel--front door service. Just as we wished. Before he left us, Ted confirmed with our tour driver, Dermot Fogarty. I recognized the name, Dermot, as this was the tour driver recommended to me by a friend who had used his services about 4 years ago. Dermot was GREAT! The cousins wished to spend time in a local pub about 2 miles from where we were staying at the Welcome Inn and Dermot had no problem picking them up @ whatever time they wished! Dermot was the perfect driver for our group.
The hotels (Dublin, Tower Derry, etc) were wonderful. Derry is so full of history -- and still so "ripe" with the division of North and South. We left Swanlinbar on Monday morning and headed west to Bonduran and Donegal-- stopped in each town for a short period to shop, sightsee, eat.... Hindsight -- I would have picked Donegal to stay overnight. It was a long drive to Dunfanaghy. All we did was sleep there--shops and bars stop serving dinner @ 9:00p. We left @ 10:00 the following morning and made a short stop in the Glenveigh National Park. Grandpa needed a day to rest in-between days of travel. I should have thought of that. Portrush was nice--visited the Dunluce Castle ruins, the rope bridge and Giants Causeway. Stayed 2 nights in Portrush instead of stopping in Monaghan on Thursday night. We drove straight from Portrush to Dublin on Friday morning/afternoon.
Overall, a very nice trip. The relatives in Ireland arranged for a get-together and dinner at the Welcome Inn on Friday evening. Grandpa was very impressed -- he met 7 of his first cousins. There were about 50 people there. They had Irish music and dancers. We partied until the wee hours of the morning.
I have not checked my home email--a problem again. I usually just connect at work--yes, back to the same old grind.
Thanks for everything! Sharon
May 2005 from Tricia M. (Naperville, IL)
I cannot tell you how excited I am about our trip! It has been a fabulous experience working with you and I am a great commercial for you whenever anyone asks about the trip planning!
Have a fabulous week!
Tricia
Aug 2004 from Thomas T. ()
It was wonderful. The driver was the best person that I've met in a long
time. We were very happy. Accomodations were good.
Jul 2004 from Diane (California)
Hi Chris!
Your right, unfortunately we are home and settled back into that normal routine already!
We had a FANTASTIC time... what a beautiful country. I can not even fathom trying to see all that we saw without a driver. (We would have been lost, in a wreck, or off in a rock wall somewhere). Our driver's name was Ken and he could not have been better. He was extremely helpful, kind, courteous and told us some great stories and information. We sure covered a lot of ground. We were up and out usually by 9:00 am and stayed out until 10 or 11 at night, since it stays light so late.
The kids were real troopers... I was surprised but they never once complained about all of the walking, touring, driving, or getting up and getting going. We had really full days and they just went like crazy. Not even any complaints about food or anything. Amanda just loved going from B & B to B & B and couldn't wait to see each home and meet the lady of the house. Justin was very inquisitive about the history. He had a TON of questions about the history of England, Ireland etc. He is now debating things about history with his friends.
Everything went very smoothly. All of the accomodations were great. Tim especially loved his full Irish breakfasts each morning. The castle was AMAZING. The rooms were huge. Tim and Justin went fishing with a guide in the morning and Amanda and I ordered room service (she thought she was surely a princess :) It is so hard to choose a particular place that we liked best... Doolin was so small and quaint, Adare so traditional, Kilarney I think was Justin & Tim's favorite- the lakes, golf etc, Kinsale was incredibly beautiful. I think Kilkenny and Dublin were probably our least favorite just because especially Dublin is such a big city. I think we truly enjoyed the country!
All and all a FANTASTIC time with wonderful memories. Our home computer is down so I am sorry I hadn't written sooner. When I get our pictures developed I planned on sending you a few. (Especially one with Amanda and yes, a donkey- you're lucky).
I can't even begin to thank you for all of your help and assistance etc etc etc. A few people have already asked me how we made the arrangements and if any decide to travel you can bet they will have your name! You certainly helped make it a trip of a lifetime.
Thanks so much,
Diane (& Tim, Justin & Amanda :)
Sep 2002 from Linda L. (Washington, DC)
Yes, it's evident that it's more than a job for you. Your enthusiasm is infectious!
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