REVIEWS & TESTIMONIALS

Val was an excellent guide of Cork & Cobh. He got us to places quickly and explained thoroughly while allowing us time to explore. Beautiful day!

<no text>

<no text>

My friends and I booked val for a tour, he took us to kinsale and Blarney, it was a lovely one. We also had lunch over the sea view. It was so lovely and Val was great as well. Thank you Val.

Honestly I would give Val 6 stars if I could. He communicated well and was a joy to spend the day with. When he picked us up he suggested a different itinerary, and we were so glad we took his suggestion. He took us to many great spots along the Ring of Kerry. He always told us to take our time, and when the day lasted longer than anticipated he was nothing but gracious. I would definitely book with Val again. Thank you for a great day, Val!

We are extremely happy that we booked our two day tour of the Cork / Galway area with Val Canan. He brilliantly accommodated our changing plans and definitely made the visit to the Ring of Kerry, Killarney, the Cliffs of Moher, Galway and many other fantastic sites the best part of our family vacation in Ireland. We highly recommend Val as a most professional, knowledgeable and personable guide.

Val is a gem. He knows the area as only a local can and obviously loves the place and his job. He took my wife and I to the usual stops but also added some very special ones. You won’t be sorry you booked Val.

We liked our tour with Val. Because it’s a private tour, he personalized it for us and took to places off the beaten path, which we very much appreciated. Val is not a historian but we enjoyed his insights into Irish life and accommodating our dietary restrictions.

Great Ring of Kerry Tour! - We had a great time on our Ring of Kerry tour with Val as our guide. He tailored the itinerary based on our preferences to help us make the most of our day. Would highly recommend Val!

Val knew the area well and did a fantastic job adjusting for the weather, creating a truly wonderful experience for my family and me. Our day was filled with scenic views and delightful conversation, a testament to everything that makes Ireland special.

Val was awesome! Friendly, knowledgeable and most importantly, a good driver. You can’t go wrong with Val.

Had the best experience with Val! Couldn’t recommend him enough and will definitely be using him again when we come back. So helpful and kind - made our trip!

Val was fantastic! He picked us up right on time in Kinsale at our AirBnB and helped us plan our day around some beautiful stops. He dropped us off right at our hotel in Dingle. Would highly recommend.

Fabulous day going from Kinsale to Dingle! We went to the Ring of Kerry and Val was great! Would absolutely recommend!

Fantastic tour, fantastic guide! - We had a wonderful experience with Val Calnan Tours. From the very beginning, Val was incredibly easy to contact, quick to respond, and exceptionally helpful throughout the entire process. When I accidentally canceled our booking, he went above and beyond to get everything rebooked for us without any hassle. He patiently answered all of my questions and made sure we understood everything we needed to know before our excursion. Our tour with guide Trevor Foley was fantastic. Trevor safely shuttled us to and from the port while sharing interesting facts, local history, and pointing out landmarks along the way. He was personable, friendly, and made the entire day enjoyable from start to finish. We visited Blarney Castle, the Woollen Mill, Cork, and Old Head at Ballymackean, which was absolutely stunning. For lunch, Trevor recommended The Speckled Door. It was great! Don't sleep on the apple crumble. It was easily the best dessert we've had so far. The itinerary was perfect, and Trevor made sure we had plenty of time to enjoy each stop while keeping everything relaxed and stress-free. This was an unforgettable day and we would not hesitate to book with Val Calnan Tours or tour with Trevor again in the future. Highly recommend! Thank you for a great day!

Val was great! Very personable and informative.

10/5 so much fun and information. Great information. Clean, reliable, bougie transportation. On time, great driver, wonderful information and entertaining. I would highly recommend booking Val!

Riding with Val was fantastic. We rode with him from Kinsale to Cork and back in the BMW. The ride was fantastic and roomy. Val was very personable and knowledgeable. He mentioned a few different options, but planned excellently around the temperamental weather. He also helped us with some shopping for souvenirs! If you’re a LEO/Fire, Val has some specific tour options that will mean a lot to you.

We did Kinsale and Blarney with Val, a group of 8 people. He is such a charming and funny person, kind and lovely. He brought us to places that the big couches could not reach. Highly recommend to anyone that's interested in having a good time while getting to know the country and its beautiful landscapes. We had the best time.

Exceptional service! - Val is very friendly and knows the area well! We rode around in his BMW which was very comfortable. I would highly recommend a private tour with Val! You will be so glad that you did!

I had the pleasure of meeting val and getting the blarney and kinsale trip it was top class from start to finish 5stars expérience he knew all the places to take us and he gave us memories of ireland to take back to france for a lifetime highly recommande thank you val will see you again

Trip to cork over Christmas. A hotel found Val for us, Val gave us a great day he brought us to kinsale and Blarney. We had lunch in a country pub and a great lots of fun Val was very helpful.

Trip to cork - Visiting cork over the Christmas holidays a hotel Val found for us, Val gave us a great day in Kinsale and Blarney he sorted a lovely lunch for us in a county pub. A great guide and very pleasant.

I was visiting Cork over Christmas a hotel recommended Val.Val brought us to an unbelievable day to Kinsale and Blarney Castle ,he’s knowledge of the area is amazing.

Val picked us up from Cobh and proceeded to give us a very comprehensive tour of Blarney Castle and the beautiful town surrounding it. Wonderful experience. I would highly recommend this local guide.

A wonderful tour - Val is a fantastic guy. We had a wonderful tour. Very knowledgeable and accomodating. Great craic and all round lovely day. I would highly recommend him.

Great day on our tour at Blarney Castle. Beautiful grounds. I would urge that people who tour castle to be in physically good shape as the stairs are steep and narrow

We got off our ship and had Val as a driver. Val is the cream of the crop!!!! He guided us through our whole experience and never led us astray!!!! From the car ride in and the picture before we entered to where to go while we were on the growns!!! If you want a great experience get Val as your guide!!! Top notch!!!!!

Val is a fantastic guy. We had a wonderful tour. Very knowledgeable and accomodating. Great craic and all round lovely day. I would highly recommend him.

Wonderful transportation service Cork to Galway! We hired Val to drive us from Cork to Galway. It was a pleasurable experience as he was very knowledgeable and accommodating. The vehicle was great as well. He had good recommendations for us and we stopped in Blarney to visit the woolen mills which was a surprising treat. Great communicator. Highly recommend.

STOP GET THIS GUY TO SHOW YOU AROUND! What a FANTASTIC time we had with Val! He showed US Unbelievable scenery we would have not seen on a bus! If your looking for a great time & looking for the true spots & stops of Ireland Omg VAL IS THE GUY! VAL if your seeing this THANK YOU FOR A ONCE IM A LIFE TIME EXPERIENCE!

Our Travels to Cork! Val was a wonderful guide, from the friendly chit chat, to his knowledge of the area. We had a fantastic dinner at his recommendation and would absolutely travel with him again. Thank you Val!

A MUST for anyone visiting Cork! After disembarking in Cobh, we were greeted by the charming Val, who from the minute we met him made us feel like we had known each other for years.

On our way to Blarney, Val pointed out various local landmarks in Cork, such as Blackrock Castle, the port and the incredible Parc Ui Chaoimh. The pride Val has in his local community also shone through as we passed and then was subsequently pointed out, his local GAA club, Glen Rovers. Val is a proud Corkonian, which is clearly evident through the stories he tells.

Throughout our tour, Val offered valuable information into both Cork's and Ireland's storied history. He didn't have to do this, but it is a measure of the man that he took the time out to expand our knowledge on a city and country with so much heritage.

Once we hit Blarney Castle, Val again displayed his vast wealth of knowledge. Any questions we had, he answered fully and more often than not, with a story to boot. The Blarney Stone was a particular highlight of the tour, as well as the vast grounds the castle itself is situated in. The poison garden was a welcome surprise, something we previously knew nothing about.

The only negative of the whole tour was the weather, which was typically Irish. Val somehow found a way to turn this into a positive though. Because of rain, Val decided to take us to Kinsale, allowing us to see another landmark steeped in history and heritage. Having never been to Kinsale before, it is safe to say we will be back! What a wonderful place and setting. As well as getting a glimpse of the local town, Val took us for lunch in a lovely country pub called The Speckled Door, again a lovely surprise.

I could not recommend Val enough as a tour operator. His demeanour, coupled with his vast knowledge of the local area, as well as the isle of Ireland, set him apart from his peers. I look forward to our next visit to Cork, where we will for sure be taking in the Ring of Kerry with our new friend Val.

Beautiful excursion from cruise - After docking in Cobh from our cruise, we enquired into visiting Blarney Castle. Val Calnan was recommended to us for a tour to the castle and the beautiful grounds on which it sits. Val was so knowledgeable about the area and history (quite the character). We truly had a wonderful time. The Blarney woolen mills was my personal favorite for some great shopping. Well worth the price between six of us. The castle grounds are beautiful.

After docking in Cobh from our cruise, we enquired into visiting Blarney Castle. Val Calnan was recommended to us for a tour to the castle and the beautiful grounds on which it sits. Val was so knowledgeable about the area and history (quite the character). We truly had a wonderful time. The Blarney woolen mills was my personal favorite for some great shopping. Well worth the price between six of us. The castle grounds are beautiful.

Val was absolutely great!!! He is knowledgeable, fun, and accommodating. Our group absolutely loved Val. With the rain he was able to make the changes last minute to make sure our experience was not hindered from the weather. We highly recommend Val if you are ever in Cork!!

Val was voted best and funniest tour guide by our group of 5 adults. He was very funny in addition to being a font of knowledge. He personalized our tour and pick up spot making it very easy for us to see what we wanted. He timed our visit to Blarney Castle with real knowledge so we avoided a long wait. He had us into the Jameson Distillery and all together the day trip was fantastic. We highly recommend Val.

Your Cork, Ireland Expert! We had such a nice time and Val was so helpful with areas. It was refreshing to have a knowledgeable local to show us important places and give us information only a local would know. We recommend! Friendly, kind, and easy going!

Cork visit! Val collected us from Cruise ship in cobh and brought us to blarney. We had a truly magical time. Val is a gent so professional he helped to make our visit to cork amazing thank you Val

A Spectacular Day Made Special by Val! We had such a wonderful experience on our private Carey tour in Ireland. Even though it was raining, Val turned the day into a fun adventure. We explored Blarney Castle, kissed the famous Blarney Stone, and stopped for a cozy pub lunch filled with local charm. Along the way, we were treated to breathtaking views of the ocean from incredible vantage points. The tour ended with a moving visit to a garden that highlighted the deep bond between the people of Ireland and the United States. What could have felt like a dreary weather day became an extra special one thanks to Val’s warmth, knowledge, and thoughtfulness. It’s a day we’ll never forget!

Cork family tour! After our original tour guide cancelled on us, we were so fortunate to find Val since the tour he provided was absolutely wonderful . Val was super friendly, extremely patient and accommodating to our requests and provided an excellent tour for our family of 6. (2 Seniors, 3 50somethings and a 26YO). He worked the tour around a time scheduled visit to the Midleton Jameson Distillery, without limiting the length of time at the Blarney Castles & Gardens. Val drove us through the city center showing various historical sights and to see St. Finn-Barre’s Cathedral. Val even offered to help us locate additional tours guides while in the British Isles should we have another last minute cancellation. His hospitality was was greatly appreciated and I would highly recommend Val as a guide for any tour while in the region.

Fantastic private tour! Val was a great tour guide! He knows everyone in every town he takes you too. Also the fact he has a brand new BMW M5 sedan was a huge plus in my book. I look forward to using him again my next trip to the Cork area.

Great Blarney Castle experience. Val picked us at Cobh port from our ship he was so friendly and professional. Took us on a fantastic tour of Blarney Castle.

Had an amazing time and great weather… Trevor and Val were very knowledgeable about Ireland. We had a great time and highly recommend this private driving tour to the Blarney castle and Cork.

Best tour guide in Cork! We arrived this morning off the Norwegian Dawn cruise ship, we had Val for the day which he brought us to the Ring of Kerry, we went to Killarney, Muckross House and Gardens, Torc Waterfall and Molls Gap, then headed on to Kenmare and Sneem, we had amazing weather, views and craic all day.

We had a beautiful lunch overlooking Kenmare Bay, the tour lasted 7.5 hours and would highly recommend booking Val for a tour, he was very experienced and knowledgable, a great help all day!

Poor. We wasted more the hour in a horse ride for which we paid additional $125. Ring of Kerry lasted less then 2 & 1/2 - What we saw of Ring of Kerry was not impressive at all. Out of 8 hours of this private tour we spent no more then 1 or 2 hours on the Ring.

Five star day with Val jr. - Our day started with Val Sr. Greeting us ship side with a sign so it was easy to find him. He introduced us to his son Val Jr. who was our guide for the day. Val had a Personalized tour planned out giving us all the best of Cork and getting us to Blarney Castle ahead of the lines just before they opened. We were probably the 25-30 people up the castle stairs giving us plenary of time to tour the gardens and enjoy the property. Across the street was the Blarney woolen market, where I was able to purchase a few items on my bucket list at great prices- I was pleased that the mark up was not ridiculous. On to lunch and then around Cork with spectacular views. On to English market for fresh strawberries and olives. Definitely a must. Then on to Jameson Distillery for a tour and tasting. Then more of historic Cork at the St. Fin Barre Cathedral. Val was a wonderful guide, fun, professional and very knowledgeable. We had a 5 star day to remember.

Wonderful Private Guide - Val was friendly and very funny. Loved hearing his stories. He was adaptable and changed our trip to best accommodate the weather as the day unfolded. I would definitely request
him again.

Val saved our day and made it incredible! Our PaddyWagons tour bus left us without us on it (along with a ton of other people), but fortunately Val was there and literally saved our day! He was extremely friendly and helpful, and even when I thought I was going with PaddyWagons I wished I could have gone with him instead, so when we found out they weren't coming back for us, we happily jumped in his taxi and had a great day touring Blarney, Cork, and Kinsale.

He took us to places that PaddyWagons never would have taken us, and were some of the most spectacular places we've seen in our entire lives. He was well worth every penny spent and went the extra mile to make sure we were happy with the day and even helped us get refunds from PaddyWagons. He's just a genuinely kind and helpful person, and as a bonus gives knowledgable and excellent tours!

Ring of Kerry just how you like. Great trip to the old sites on the Ring of Kerry. Cal gave us ample time to do whatever we wanted and stay at our stops as long as we wanted. We saw so many amazing things. Was
a relaxed trip that felt comfortable for our larger group.

Highlight! Ring of Kerry was a highlight of our trip. We had the pleasure of having Val as our driver and enjoyed it greatly. He went above and beyond to give us a special experience for our day with him. We were greatly appreciative to him for his excellent communication and wealth of knowledge along the way. Thank you so much Val!

Great Day, Great Guide!! Highly recommend this tour. Val was very friendly, informative, and accommodating to all in our group. We saw so much in one day, but never felt rushed. He went above and beyond to make sure we had the best day.

A Nice Day in Ireland - Val used his experience to tailor our day for the perfect tour. We saw more in one day than we thought possible! Val was engaging and friendly, resulting in a nice, relaxed day.

VAL was amazing. We walked off the ship and there he was, ready and waiting. He started communicating with me almost a week earlier to ease my hesitation and answered all my questions. He knew the area and truly gave us a culturable immersion experience. We did not feel crowded or rushed at any of the stops. I would love to come back and just hang with him over a pint! I would recommend him every time and wish he was available in more ports! All of the 7other clients on this trip gave him a 5-star rating! Don't book anyone other than Val in Cork!

Great guide/driver named Val Calnan, Private Van was awesome, Wonderful tour! Our driver Val Calnan was wonderfull! Knowleable, fun and clean comfortable vehicle. He gave us plenty of time to explore Blarney Castle and Gardens, Woolen Mills and a delicious lunch at an Irish pub. We had a great day! Thank-you Val!

<no text>

Hello, I am writing to pass on our Thanks and to recommend Val Calnan. We chose Tours By Locals specifically to have a tour that was outside of the larger tour companies where we had more control over our schedule. I discussed specific destinations with Val in advance and the tour was set. The Ring of Kerry was amazing and it's now checked off my bucket list. We were in Cork for our daughters continuing education. Val was an excellent guide but more importantly he helped welcomed her to Ireland!