Custom Irish Tours

"Derek Smith is an extraordinary gentleman. He is extremely knowledgeable, capable and entertaining. Derek is a real historian of both the tour area as well as Ireland’s. History. He arrived promptly to our starting location in a clean and comfortable Mercedes Van that offered easy access and a ride quiet enough that we could all hear his commentary. He made our day one we will never forget! Our group consisted of four mature adults, one with a cane and each and every one of us highly recommend him to you as a true professional in every regard. Thanks Derek! We will see you again!"

"Our family had an amazing 1-day tour with Derek. Before we arrived in the country, I exchanged several e-mails with Derek and he was very responsive. He planned the itinerary for us based on the interests we provided. The tour itself was wonderful. We have so many beautiful pictures and memories. It is clear that Derek loves what he does. He knows the history and also shared his own personal connections with the sites we visited. He pointed out and explained a number of things that would not be possible to recognize on a self tour. Even if you rent a car and do some self-touring (which we did also), I would recommend spending at least some of your time in Ireland on one of Derek's tours. Thanks Derek!"

"Derek is absolutely fantastic. Four of us took a day trip from Dublin to Newgrange, Knowth, and the Hill of Tara. His van is very comfortable and easily held us and our coats and bags. Derek has stories, anecdotes, and helpful tips galore; we talked the entire time! He was very knowledgeable about the sites that we toured and we felt like we walked away knowing much more than we would have, had we relied on our phones or guide books alone. We stopped at a little restaurant midday which served great food - with vegetarian options - and got to pick up a few books from a local bookshop too. Our daytrip with CIT was absolutely one of the highlights of our trip to Ireland. Thank you Derek!"

"Derek (owner of Custom Irish Tours) created and executed a wonderful tour full of history, diverse landscape and Irish culture that connected with each of us. He filled our days with a nice variety of events and sites that fit the pace we were looking for. Each day you could feel his excitement and knowledge of every topic or site that was discussed. It was amazing to feel his love and passion as he was still awed by his own country's beauty along with us. We got to reap the benefits of Derek's wonderful network and relationships he has created throughout all of Ireland from hotels to the laundry mat. His connections and preparation allowed us to feel like we were travelling with VIP status and see so many things that would never been seen by a bus tour. I would recommended Custom Irish Tours to everyone."

"Derek Smith is by far one of the BEST travel guides I have ever worked with. We hired Derek for a 12 day Ireland excursion. We toured the island in a counter clockwise fashion beginning and ending in Dublin. Derek was instrumental in helping plan our itinerary and execute it. He became famous to us for his "short cuts" and "hidden gems". Derek was very knowledgeable of Irish history and his sense of humor was an added treat. Choose Derek as your Ireland tour guide; you will not be disappointed!"