2026 Kinnfolk Music of Ireland Tour

Dia dhaoibh! We’ve just completed our SECOND tour of Ireland with Healy Tours! Hard to believe that we’ve led people through this beautiful country not once, but twice, with another tour on the way in 2027 (if you’re interested in that trip, we recommend scrolling to the botttom and signing up for our e-newsletter.)

This year’s trip was both similar and completely different from 2025. We still roamed around the country, seeking beautiful landscapes and cultural landmarks by day—and authentic Irish traditional music by night!—but the experiences were wonderfully new.

Here's a blog of some of our favorite moments from the trip—mostly in picture form, because we know what the people want! 😉📸

Day 1: Arrival + Malahide Castle

First stop: Dublin Airport to assemble the group.

Second stop: Malahide Castle, one of Ireland’s oldest continuously inhabited castles. (800 years of history in the oldest parts, with additional structures added in the 1700s, 1800s, and beyond.) We wandered ancient halls, explored beautiful gardens, visited the butterfly house, and generally shook off the jet lag. Afterwards, we all retired to Castleknock Hotel for a welcome dinner—there’s no better way to get to know your traveling companions than enjoying a leisurely, scrumptious meal together!

Day 2: Brú na Bóinne

Today we visited the burial mounds at Brú na Bóinne, dating back all the way to 3200 B.C. What a privilege it is to step backwards in time and explore over 4,000 years of Irish history, all in our first two days of our trip!

Brú na Bóinne is one of the richest archaeological landscapes in Ireland, featuring (amongst other monuments) three famous passage tombs that date all the way back to the Neolithic era. We explored the perimeter of one of these tombs, Knowth, taking in abundant examples of prehistoric carvings and architectural engineering (not to mention some unusually gorgeous Irish weather). Afterwards, we entered the inner chamber of Newgrange, famous for its alignment with the rising sun on the winter solstice.

Special shoutout to our onsite tour guides, Mary and Gráinne, who brought history to life with their engaging storytelling. We were especially moved by the simulation of the winter solstice inside the belly of Newgrange—a truly life-changing experience!

Day 3: Donegal - Ballybofey

Today we left Dublin and ventured into the beautiful county Donegal. After a journey through green landscapes and scattered castles and cathedrals (it’s casual), we made our way to the town of Ballybofey.

After a few hours of relaxing and a delicious group dinner at Jackson's Hotel, we went out on the town for our first trad session of the trip! A big thank you to the musicians, staff, and patrons of Bonner’s Corner Bar for making us feel so welcome!

Day 4: Slieve League Cliffs 

Today we ventured out from Ballybofey to visit the beautiful Slieve League Cliffs. Stretching 1,972 feet above the sea, these weathered beauties are nearly three times taller than the famed Cliffs of Moher. After three days of sunny skies, we encountered our first bout of “authentic Irish weather”…but hey, the mist only augmented the beauty of this place!

A special shoutout to our guide Eunan Mcintyre, who not only led our group to the cliffs, but also regaled us with several of his own original songs!

After the cliffs, we headed to the cozy The Rusty Mackerel (established in 1892). Here we performed an hour-long informal concert for our tour guests as everyone warmed up with Irish coffees and pints of Guinness. What a day!

Day 5: Derry Guided Tour

Today we took a day trip into Derry—or Doire, as it was originally known (Irish for “oak grove”). We spent the afternoon learning about Derry’s long history, especially The Troubles in the second half of the 20th century. Our local guide, Angela, led us to significant sites within the city, including Free Derry, a number of monuments and murals, and the last two remaining bullet holes from the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre. We appreciated her insight, as well as the efforts that have been made to preserve these areas—history comes alive when you stand on the land where events like these happened.

After the guided tour, we enjoyed a few free hours exploring the city. Upon returning to Ballybofey, we found our 3rd trad session of the trip at Gallens Bar!

Day 6: Sheepdogs and Westport Town

We left Co. Donegal today and traveled south along the Wild Atlantic Way. On the way, we stopped for a herding demonstration with Atlantic Sheepdogs (highly recommend!) and learned about the relationship between dog, sheep herder, and the process of training the animals. Plus, we got to pet adorable sheep. Shoutout to Martin and Trish for an informative and welcoming stopover!

Next, we stopped in Sligo for lunch and a tour around Sligo Abbey . Like other sites we’ve visited, this abbey has a long history of construction, destruction, and ownership spanning multiple centuries. We finished off the day with our arrival in Westport and a delicious dinner at the Westport Plaza Hotel.

Day 7: Achill Island Touring

Today we drove out to Achill Island to take in some truly breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean. We stopped by Caisleán Ghráinne, a 15th-century tower famously known as pirate queen Grace O’Malley’s castle, and then FELT THE WIND as we explored seaside overlooks across the island. We finished our tour of Achill with a visit to the deserted famine village, a chilling reminder of the conditions people endured during the Great Famine in the 19th century.

Our day ended with a trad session at the famous Matt Molloy's Pub in Westport, which absolutely made our year. So much good music to be found across this country!

Day 8: Westport to Galway

This morning we left Co. Mayo and made the drive down to Galway. The weather was wet, windy, and grey…but we were on the bus, so hey!  We rolled into the hotel mid-afternoon and cozied up with food and drinks at the bar.

The evening was free, so some people enjoyed a night in while other opted to explore the city. We made our way over to the famous Crane Bar and sat in with the 10pm session. It’s always good craic at The Crane!

Day 9: Galway

Free day in Galway! Sometimes, traveling means a full day of “choose-your-own-adventure” time. Today our group spilt up and explored Galway in whatever which way pleased them. Some people visited the Spanish Arch, others the outdoor market near St. Nicholas’ Cathedral, and at least one couple went on a tour of the local distillery. For our part, we took a nice stroll along the Salthill Prom, enjoyed the colorful sights along Shop Street, and ended the evening with a rollicking session at Taaffes Bar.

Day 10: Sean's Bar & Back to Dublin

Today we made our way back to Dublin! The morning started with a “Galway singalong” on the bus (how many Galway songs can you remember and perform on the spot? We made it to 4 ). From there we visited Sean's Bar in Athlone, Ireland’s oldest pub (established 900 A.D. and predating the town’s castle by about 300 years! ) and gave an impromptu concert for all the drinkers.

From there we continued on to Dublin. After a bit of rest, we came together one last time for our farewell dinner at the Portmarnock Resort.

Day 11: Departure from the Dublin Airport

Some of us woke early, some of us slept in...but today we each made our way to Dublin Airport and boarded our planes home. We're so, so thankful for the time we got to spend with our 2026 Healy Tours group. We made some truly once-in-a-lifetime memories on this trip, and that’s worth more than a pot of gold💚

To everyone who joined us this year: safe travels whereever the road takes you, and we'll see you all again (hopefully sooner rather than later)!

COMING SOON: Kinnfolk Muisc of Ireland Tour 2027

Enjoying the photos and stories from our 2026 Ireland trip? Wish you could go yourself? Well, we have good news...

We're planning a whole new trip for next year, and YOU are invited to join us! Sign up for our newsletter (bottom of the page) and be the first to receive information once the 2027 trip goes live. More details should be coming very soon!

Sláinte mhath!

~Josh & Julie