Casey O’Connor, an Irish Life Experience Counselor, travels with Tenon Tours. Read more about what she has to say about her experience.
Exploring Edinburgh.
We traveled to Scotland and Ireland. I was traveling to Glasgow to attend my TCRG (Certified Irish Dance Teacher) Graduation at the World Irish Dancing Championships. We wanted to travel around both Scotland and Ireland, since we were already across the pond.
Who did you travel with?
I was traveling with my mom, Kay, and our two friends, Bridgid and Renny. They all help me run The O’Connor School of Irish Dance at home in Baltimore. The graduation ceremony was for me, but I knew I couldn’t have done it without their help.
Casey receiving her TCRG (Certified Irish Dance Teacher) Diploma.
I had never been to Scotland and didn’t know what to expect. Hands down though, Edinburgh was definitely in my top three. That city was amazing-I loved the layout/architecture, and history. We were also able to visit the Elephant Cafe where JK Rowling first wrote Harry Potter!
I had been to Ireland several times and had already seen a lot of the major tourist attractions, so for, me, I loved the surprise villages we would come across, or any of the unexpected views we would stop at during the drive from one town to the next.
We came across a waterfront town, Portrush, that jetted out into the sea. The waters were bright blue and the weather was gorgeous. It was not a typical “Irish” scene compared to the chilly foggy green hills we were use to seeing up to that point.
What a beautiful day at the Cliffs of Moher.
Honestly, the best part was seeing my mom having such a good time! She was laughing a lot on this trip. I also love taking photographs, and there was hardly ever a moment that wasn’t worth capturing.
Why did you choose Tenon Tours? What advantages did you have booking with Tenon Tours?
I work as a Counselor with the Irish Life Experience (ILE), a summer study abroad program in Ireland open to North American high school students. The woman who runs the program, Taryn Harrison, also works for Tenon Tours. The ILE is such a well organized program, I just put our entire trip in her hands! Well, and in the hands of Tenon Tours!
I didn’t want to spend time searching B&B’s or places to go. I knew that Tenon Tours were the experts in that area so I had them create our itinerary. They also set up our rental cars, flights, and even a few extra tours (Bus tours, Ghost tours…). And it was all organized and we had no issues with traveling on this trip.
The Giant’s Causeway was breathtaking!
Taryn and Molly were great! Any time we had a question, they had an answer. They worked with us to create an itinerary that worked best for what we wanted and had a handful of traveling tips.
Any advice about the weather?
We were in Scotland and Ireland at the end of March. It was a mix of chilly, rainy, and sunny days. The weather didn’t bother any of us. You have to know to expect rainy days, but those days are always good for pubs.
Tell us about any new friends you may have met along the way.
There was a night that Renny and Bridgid had gone to bed, and my mom and I decided to get a drink in our hotel bar (Galway). The bar was practically empty, maybe two other people in there, the barkeep, and two musicians playing traditional tunes and singing a few songs. We got to talking to them and I even played a tune myself on the one man’s fiddle. It was funny, because we had run into the fiddle player two more times while we were walking around Galway.
Slainte!
What destination is next on your list?
I would like to go to Italy. One of my dancers visits her dad in Italy during the summer and has invited me to come next year after ILE!
Well, Casey, we look forward to assisting you with your future trip to Italy! š
