The excitement was palpable in Dublin Airport this morning as Air Force One touched down, from it emerging President Obama and the First Lady as they began their 24-hour tour of Ireland.  This is the first visit of the President to the Emerald Isle and one which will see him follow in the footsteps of his Irish ancestors as he pays a visit to the home of his maternal great-great-great grandfather, who hailed from a tiny village called Moneygall in the Irish midlands.  Needless to say, the visit by the leader of the Free World to a village with a population of just 300 is creating quite the furore and President Obama can expect the warmest of Irish welcomes when he arrives later on today!  Paint company Dulux has donated 3,500 litres of paint to the town’s residents, who have decorated their homes in stars and stripes in honor of the President’s visit.  The town’s residents, including living relatives of Mr. Obama, will be out in force to greet the President today and he is even rumoured to be dropping by the local pub for a pint of Guinness, where locals hope to join him and raise a glass to his re-election in 2012!  President Obama joins many of his predecessors, including Bill Clinton, JFK and Ronald Regan in tracing his Irish roots with a visit to the Emerald Isle.  If you’re one of the estimated 40 million Americans with Irish ancestry, why not follow in the footsteps of President Obama with a visit to your ancestral home?  At Travel Solutions Ireland, we offer Irish ancestry tours which allow you to uncover your own Ireland ancestry at your own pace.  All of our tours can be fully customized so if you already know the places you’d like to visit on your tour of Ireland, we can incorporate this into your own personal itinerary.  To start tracing your Irish roots today, simply fill out an Ireland vacation planner or call toll free on 1800 242 3610 to speak to one of our Ireland vacation experts today!

Watch President Obama’s address to the nation here!

Here in Ireland, we are proud to welcome Queen Elizabeth II and her husband The Duke of Edinburgh to our country for a 4-day state visit which began yesterday.  This monumental visit has been welcomed by the people of Ireland and marks a new chapter in the relationship between Ireland and our nearest neighbours Britain.  The Queen’s visit is the first of a reigning British monarch to Ireland in over 100 years and during her visit, Her Majesty will visit some of Ireland’s most famous landmarks.  Yesterday, she travelled to the Phoenix Park and Aras an Uachtaráin, the home of Ireland’s president Mary McAleese.  She also paid a visit to Trinity College where she viewed the Book of Kells and finally, she poignantly laid a wreath at the Garden of Remembrance, paying her respects to those who lost their lives for an independent Ireland.  Today, the Queen visited Croke Park, the home of Gaelic football and hurling, Ireland’s national sports. Afterwards, her Royal Highness visited the world famous Guinness Storehouse where she learned how to pull the perfect pint! Later this evening, a state dinner will be held in Dublin Castle in honour of the Queen’s visit.  The four day visit will continue on Thursday and Friday as the Queen departs Dublin and visits the Irish National Stud in Kildare, after which she will travel to Tipperary and enjoy a tour of the Rock of Cashel before departing for Cork, where she will visit the English Market.  The Queen’s visit to Ireland is a truly historic occasion and we hope she enjoys her time in our beautiful country.  If you’d like to follow in the footsteps of the Queen with a customized tour of Ireland where you’ll visit all of the famous sights enjoyed by her Royal Highness, then fill out a vacation planner or call toll free 1800 242 3610 to start planning your dream Ireland vacation today!  Why not get some inspiration from some of our most popular tours, including Ireland castle tours, romantic Ireland vacations, Ireland emigration tours and Ireland golf tours.  Remember, all of our tours can be customized to your exact specifications, so call us on 1800 242 3610 to speak to a friendly Ireland vacation expert at any time!

On 29th April, Prince William married his long term girlfriend Kate Middleton in a lavish ceremony that delighted avid royal watchers all over the world!  If you’re one of the estimated billion people who tuned in to watch the royal couple tie the knot last week, you’ll doubtlessly have been enthralled by the beautiful bride, who delighted audiences in a stunning Alexander McQueen gown as her groom, looking equally dashing in official uniform, greeted her lovingly at the altar. The handsome couple took their vows with the eyes of the world looking on, and a romantic balcony kiss followed a beautiful ceremony, with celebrations continuing through the night for both the happy couple and the millions of well wishers that lined the streets of London! For many, the royal wedding was akin to a fairytale, complete with real-life princes, castles and, of course, romance! If the royal wedding has left you with a longing for the finer things in life, why not consider a very regal tour of Ireland on a romantic castle vacation? Travel Solutions Ireland offers luxurious Ireland castle tours, where you’ll have the chance to live like a King or Queen! Our Lords and Ladies Ireland Castle Tour offers the ultimate in splendor as you tour the Emerald Isle in your chauffeur driven car by day and rest your head in some of Ireland’s most exclusive hotels and castles each night. Or why not take a look at our Romantic Ireland Tour?  This exclusive chauffeur driven tour takes you to the most charming, mystical and romantic parts of Ireland with overnight stays in some of the most breathtaking hotels the Emerald Isle has to offer.  To book your royal getaway today, simply fill out a vacation planner or call us toll free on 1800 242 3610!

Here in the Emerald Isle, we’ve been enjoying unseasonably warm temperatures over the last few weeks. The longer evenings and changing temperatures can only mean one thing: summer is just around the corner!  At Travel Solutions Ireland, we just can’t wait for summer in Ireland and all the wonderful festivals, sporting events and outdoor pursuits that go with it. It’s been a long winter and we’re just about ready to hang up our heavy jackets and boots in favour of something a little more summery! Ireland really comes to life when the weather warms up and the summer sees locals and visitors alike flocking to the many music, food and sporting festivals that take place. For music fans, not only does Ireland play host to Europe’s largest music festival, Oxegen, but we also offer some fantastic traditional Irish music, food, comedy, arts and literary festivals throughout the summer. Quite simply, there’s a festival to suit everyone! And, for those of you who enjoy a flutter every now and again, there’s no better place to enjoy all things equestrian than in Ireland!  For the racing enthusiasts amongst us, Ireland is awash with horse racing festivals in the summer months, including the Galway Racing Festival and the Listowel Racing festival, while Dublin offers up some show jumping excitement with the International Dublin Horse Show in August. Of course, if being a spectator isn’t really your thing and you’d rather be in the thick of things, then there’s no better place than Ireland for sporting vacations.  Whether you’d like a romantic tour of Ireland by horseback, a relaxing fishing vacation with friends or a challenging golf vacation on the famous courses of the west of Ireland, there’s an activity vacation in Ireland to suit all interests and abilities.  Here at Travel Solutions Ireland, we offer customized sport and activity vacations of Ireland, including a whole range of Ireland golf tours. So, to book your dream summer Ireland vacation today, simply fill out an Ireland vacation planner, email info@travelsolutionsireland.com or call us toll free on 1800 242 3610 today for your no obligation quotation! 

With the feast of our patron saint coming up tomorrow, the team at Travel Solutions Ireland would like to wish each and every one of you a very happy St. Patrick’s Day!  Whether you’re toasting your Irish roots with a pint of Guinness or you’re simply going along to a parade to soak in the celebratory atmosphere, there’s little doubt that St. Patrick’s Day is truly a global celebration, and we are proud that our country touches so many hearts!  If you didn’t make it to the Emerald Isle for a tour this St. Patrick’s Day, don’t worry!  With spring now upon us and summer just around the corner, there’s really never been a better time to enjoy a tour of Ireland.  The Emerald Isle is truly the land of a thousand welcomes, so why not think about taking an Easter vacation in Ireland?  This Easter falls at the end of April, when the days are getting longer and the sun a little brighter, so it is an ideal time to view all of the breathtaking scenery that Ireland has to offer.  Alternatively, if you’d prefer to postpone your Ireland vacation until a little later in the year, think about traveling on one of our self-drive Ireland vacations in June, July or August.  Or, if you’d prefer to relax and let someone else do the driving for you, then our chauffeur Ireland vacations will be right up your street!  And, for the more active amongst you, Ireland offers the most spectacular and challenging golf courses – both links and parkland – in the world.  If you dream about teeing off on golf courses that have already played host to the likes of Tiger Woods and Bill Clinton, then have a look at our Ireland golf vacations!  Here at Travel Solutions Ireland, we have an Emerald Isle vacation for everyone so to start planning your customized Ireland tour, simply fill out a vacation planner or call us toll free on 1800 242 3610 for your no obligation quotation today!

From New York to Nevada and Sydney to Singapore, millions of people all over the world unite every year to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on 17th March. In cities on every continent, St. Patrick’s Day (or Paddy’s Day, as we Irish affectionately call it) is celebrated by people of Irish descent, and even those who aren’t of Irish descent join in the celebrations! The feast of St. Patrick is traditionally celebrated with a flamboyant parade, along with lots of singing, dancing and, of course, a pint or two of Guinness! In the US, New York’s St. Patrick’s Day parade is undoubtedly the most famous and this year marks the 250th Paddy’s Day parade for the city. This festival is often dubbed the world’s largest exhibition of “Irishness” and New York is certainly a good place to go to see this fantastic spectacle for yourself! However, to truly immerse yourself in this fantastic celebration of all things Irish, there’s surely no better place to be than in the Emerald Isle itself! Every year, Irish people come out in their droves on this public holiday to toast the patron saint of our country with a fantastic array of parades and parties. Come to Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day and you’ll be treated to proud Celtic marches all over the country, from East to West. The biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebration takes place in Dublin every year and festivities kick off on 16th March, continuing until 20th March.  The feast day of 17th March is of course marked with a colorful parade and throughout the course of the festival, visitors will enjoy a feast of all things Irish, including film, comedy, culture, “craic” and music. St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland is not to be missed and it’s not too late to book your tour of Ireland in time for the celebration on 17th March!  We offer specially customized tour packages of Ireland, so call us toll free on 1800 242 3610 or fill out a vacation planner form for your personalized St. Patrick’s Day tour today!  Prefer to wait until the summer to visit the Emerald Isle?  No problem! We have dozens of Ireland vacation packages on offer, including chauffeur drive Ireland tours, self-drive Irish vacations and Ireland golf vacations, so you’re sure to find something that suits you.  And, as always, don’t forget that all of our tours are fully customizable, so if you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for on our site, feel free to email info@travelsolutionsireland.com for a free, no obligation quotation.

If, like President Barack Obama, your roots can be traced back to the Emerald Isle, you’ll be fascinated to hear that the most famous ancestry song of all time has been re-released for 2012!  This new version of the popular song, dedicated to the President of the United States and performed by The Corrigan Brothers, celebrates Barack Obama’s Irish connection.  The Corrigan Brothers have already amassed over 7 million You Tube hits with their 2008 hit “There’s no one as Irish as Barack Obama” and they’re now back with a new version of the song! The band have had a very busy three years since their first hit, having toured the USA, racking up over 40 TV appearances and playing at President Obama’s inauguration. This new version of the song has already seen them invited to many campaign events later this year. Canon Stephen Neill and President Obama’s cousin Henry Healy will join the brothers for a recording of a new video in Ollie Hayes’s pub in Moneygall, Ireland, in early February.  Ultimately, the band hope to play the song for President Obama when he finally visits his ancestral home in Moneygall, so we’ll be sure to keep you posted if their aspirations are realized!  If you’ve got Irish roots like President Obama, then why not consider a fascinating voyage of discovery on one of our Irish ancestry tours?  Embark on a captivating journey as you trace your Irish roots, or take a journey back in time and experience your ancestry first hand on our Ireland Emigration trail tour. Whatever Ireland vacation you desire, Travel Solutions Ireland will work with you to create the perfect itinerary for you!  Fill out an Ireland vacation planner today or call our Ireland travel experts toll free on 1800 242 3610 for your no obligation quotation today!

It’s the dawn of a brand new year and we would like to wish all of our customers a very happy and healthy 2011 from the team at Travel Solutions Ireland!  With the New Year often comes a wave of resolutions, from weight loss and fitness to money saving and personal development.  In fact, the most common New Year’s resolutions are fitness, quitting smoking, saving money  and helping others and the number one New Year’s resolution is to spend more time with loved ones. According to recent polls, over 50% of Americans vow to spend more time with family and friends at the start of a New Year, so why not make recreation time with your family and friends a priority for 2011?  If you’re looking for inspiration, what better way to spend time with your loved ones than to organize a 2011 vacation to Ireland? The team at Travel Solutions Ireland is here to create your customized Ireland vacation, designed with your exact requirements in mind. We offer itineraries to suit every interest, age, group size and activity level, so your dream Ireland vacation is just a few steps away.  Whether you’re interested in Ireland golf vacations, Ireland castle vacations, Irish cookery tours, Ireland ancestry vacations or sports tours of Ireland, our team will work to create the perfect itinerary tailored to your needs.  The Travel Solutions Ireland team will ensure you have an unforgettable Ireland vacation and we will leave no stone unturned in creating your seamless tour of Ireland. We will organize everything from transport and accommodation to drivers, guides, meals, attractions and golf tee times.  We worry about all of the details so you can sit back, relax and enjoy quality time with your friends and family in the surroundings of the beautiful Emerald Isle.  This year, make a vacation to Ireland your New Year’s Resolution.  Visit our homepage and view sample itineraries or fill out an Ireland Vacation Planner form to check dates and rates for your chosen tour today!  If you’d prefer to speak directly to one of our friendly Ireland travel advisors, simply call toll free 1800 242 3610.  And don’t forget to follow all of our updates on Facebook and Twitter.  Happy New Year!

If the inimitable atmosphere, rich heritage, famous sights, fabulous food and the renowned Irish “craic” do not give you enough reason to want to hop on the first plane bound for Ireland’s capital city, here’s something else to entice you to Dublin!  Despite the recession, it has this month been announced the Irish air travel tax has been reduced from €10 per departing passenger to €3 from March 1st, 2011. This is of course welcome news for the tourism industry and, as the reduction comes just before St. Patrick’s Day, there’s never been a better time to visit the Emerald Isle and celebrate this fantastic festival in Dublin as you raise a glass to Ireland’s patron saint!  And it’s not only St. Patrick’s Day that sees Dubliners get into the festive spirit; there are dozens of fantastic festivals of music, comedy and culture to be enjoyed all year round in Ireland’s capital city. And, as we look forward to a prosperous 2011, Dublin’s inaugural New Year Festival of Celebrations was announced this month.  This festival will be taking place over three days and among the major events announced for the program are shows from world renowned street performers. Also featuring will be ‘Solas’, a family event at Dublin Castle which will be transformed into a wonderland of light and illumination. The Dublin Gospel Choir will be performing a very special choral recital at the historic setting of Christ Church Cathedral and other events planned for the city include fun fairs, family circus workshops and ‘New Year Live’ at the Guinness Storehouse, with four floors of eclectic entertainment and lots of famous Irish hospitality. This festival looks set to become an annual event, so why not think about making Dublin your destination for New Years Eve 2011?  And, if you’re interested in visiting Dublin at any time of the year, don’t forget to contact us to create your customized Ireland vacation! We have so many tours to choose from, including Cultural & Heritage tours of Ireland, Ireland pub tours and Ireland golf tours. Fill out an Ireland vacation planner today to start planning your dream Emerald Isle vacation!   

Despite its small size, the Emerald Isle has a hugely disproportionate number of descendants dotted throughout the world and, in particular, the United States is home to a large number of people with Irish ancestry. In the 1800s, Irish natives flocked in their droves to the United States, with the Great Famine forcing many Irish from their homes and on to ships to start a new and often daunting life in the Land of Opportunity. This mass exodus altered the landscape and culture of the United States forever and, to this day, there are millions of proud Irish-Americans living in the US. The Irish Diaspora is a term used to describe the Irish emigrants and their descendants living in countries all over the world. If, like Conan O’Brien, JFK, Shaquille O’Neal and even Barack Obama, you are a member of the Diaspora, then why not think about joining us on a fascinating tour of Ireland, where you will trace your roots and learn all about your forefathers as you travel to the place where it all began. At Travel Solutions Ireland, we understand the strong ties that bind our countries and, with so many Irish descendants living in the US, we understand the need to learn about where it all began. Imagine seeing firsthand where your ancestors came from and maybe even meeting living relatives in the Emerald Isle!  With this in mind, we have created three new tours which have been devised to give you the opportunity to trace your own roots and visit the homeland of your ancestors. Whether you’re a Fitzgerald, an O’Neill, an O’Brien or a Murphy, our tours will be sure to fascinate and delight you in equal measures. We give you the opportunity to learn about your own personal family name and heritage while you enjoy an unforgettable tour of the Emerald Isle. And, before you arrive, why not give yourself a head start by researching your roots on Ancestry.com, one of the world’s largest genealogy databases? Our tours are completely personalized to you and your particular requirements, but you can view a sample tour here based on the ancestry of the Fitzgeralds, one of the most well-known Irish-American surnames.  We’ve also just launched a brand new Emigration Trail tour, where you’ll learn all about Irish emigration in the 1800s and visit the many emigrant ships, ports and museums all over Ireland. To get your free, personalized quotation, simply call us toll free on 1800 242 3610 or email info@travelsolutionsireland.com and an Ireland Vacation expert will be in touch to discuss your Emerald Isle vacation!