The Norris Family: An 85th Birthday Tour Through Ireland

We love hearing our travelers’ unique stories, from honeymoon celebrations to mother-daughter vacations, from Game of Thrones tours to reindeer safaris, and everything in between. Today, we’d like you to meet the Norris family who are recent Tenon travelers that journeyed to Ireland to celebrate their grandfather/father/husband’s 85th birthday! 

In looking for a perfect match with a travel company, the grandmother of the group, Hope, shopped around on the internet and perused reviews. They decided to give us a try — and we’re so glad they did. 

“We wanted a hop-along trip where we could have some time on our own,” Hope said. “And every member of [Tenon’s] staff is amazing! They treated us like we were their most important clients all the way through the process. They personalized the trip for our group.” 

While this wasn’t the first time the family had been to Europe, they wanted to experience all the wonders of the Emerald Isle specifically because it’s where their lineage originates. The group of 12 spent 10 adventure-packed days in Ireland traveling to Dublin, Galway, Killarney, Kilkenny and Malahide. Talk about the birthday of a lifetime! 

Visits included Trinity College, the Guinness Storehouse, Aran Islands, Dunguaire and Blarney Castles and tours of the wild and vibrant scenery along the way. Hope remarked that they had the time of their lives meandering through the winding roads, green valleys and cobbled streets. 

While it’s hard to name just one highlight, there was a certain someone that stood out to everyone — their bus driver JB, with Kennedy Coaches: “Our fabulous, funny, knowledgeable bus driver JB was one of the true highlights.” Her family remarked that we here at Tenon couldn’t ask for a better representative of our company, and that he sent them home with the best memories and laughter — not before capturing this great selfie, though!

Hope also loved the Trinity Library and the boat ride to the Aran Islands through the Atlantic swells. But as mesmerizing as Ireland’s rolling green hills are, the most invaluable piece of the trip was the time spent with one another.

“Our favorite thing was that the trip brought our whole family closer together. We had so much fun. As grandparents, we wanted to show our grandchildren their family roots, and also that there was a big world out there to explore. None of them had been to Europe before.”

We are so thrilled the Norris family chose us for a fantastic 85th birthday trip. We can’t wait to travel with you again!