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Clonmacnoise Monastic Site and Birr Castle Full-Day Tour

Discover the rich history and scientific heritage of Ireland’s Midlands on our private Clonmacnoise and Birr Castle Tour. Travel in a luxury car with your personal driver-guide for a comfortable and personalized experience, exploring some of Ireland’s most captivating cultural landmarks.

Begin your journey at Clonmacnoise, one of Ireland’s most important early Christian monastic sites. Founded in the 6th century, this riverside complex features impressive ruins of churches, high crosses, and round towers, showcasing exquisite medieval craftsmanship. Immerse yourself in the tranquil atmosphere and learn about the site’s significance as a centre of religion, learning, and artistry for centuries.

We will also visit Birr Castle and its stunning demesne, an elegant estate blending medieval and Victorian architecture with beautifully landscaped gardens. Explore the castle’s grounds, rich in history and natural beauty, and discover the world-famous Birr Telescope. Built in the 1840s, this colossal 72-inch telescope was the largest in the world for over 70 years and played a pivotal role in advancing astronomy.

We will be able to recommend a place for a light lunch.

This exclusive tour offers a unique blend of ancient spirituality and ground-breaking science, all experienced at your own pace with expert insights. Perfect for history buffs, science enthusiasts, and curious travellers alike, it’s a day of discovery and inspiration in Ireland’s heartland.

Pick up time at your hotel: 8 am

Drop-off: 6 pm

To skip the queues, we recommend using our concierge service. With this option, we can handle purchasing of your Clonmacnoise Monastic Site and Birr Castle Demesne admission tickets for you. If you choose to proceed, please email us after booking this tour online, and the cost of the tickets will be charged separately. The price per person for the Clonmacnoise Monastic Site is €8 and price per person for the Birr Castle and Demesne is €12.

  • duration-icon Duration: Full-Day
  • family-icon Suitable for: All age groups
  • group-icon Group: 1-3 (larger groups, contact us)

Sites we will visit

Clonmacnoise Monastic Site
Clonmacnoise Monastic Site

Clonmacnoise, located on the banks of the River Shannon in County Offaly, is one of Ireland’s most important early Christian monastic sites. Founded in the 6th century by St. Ciarán, it became a major centre of religion, learning, and craftsmanship. The site features impressive ruins, including several churches, high crosses, and round towers, showcasing stunning medieval stonework and intricate carvings. Clonmacnoise was a thriving spiritual hub for centuries and played a key role in preserving Irish culture during turbulent times. Today, it offers visitors a peaceful glimpse into Ireland’s rich monastic heritage amid beautiful riverside surroundings.

To skip the queues, we recommend using our concierge service. With this option, we can handle purchasing of your Clonmacnoise Monastic Site admission tickets for you. If you choose to proceed, please email us after booking this tour online, and the cost of the tickets will be charged separately. The price per person is €8.

Birr Castle Demesne
Birr Castle Demesne

Birr Castle, located in County Offaly, is a historic estate renowned for its stunning architecture and beautiful gardens. Home to the Parsons family since the 17th century, the castle combines medieval and Victorian design elements. It is famous for the Birr Telescope, once the largest in the world, built in the 1840s by the Third Earl of Rosse, making the castle a significant site in the history of astronomy. The extensive grounds feature landscaped gardens, exotic plants, and a science centre. Birr Castle offers visitors a unique blend of history, science, and natural beauty in a tranquil Irish setting.

To skip the queues, we recommend using our concierge service. With this option, we can handle purchasing of your Birr Castle Demesne admission tickets for you. If you choose to proceed, please email us after booking this tour online, and the cost of the tickets will be charged separately. The price per person is €12.

Birr Telescope
Birr Telescope

The Birr Telescope, also known as the Leviathan of Parsonstown, is a remarkable 19th-century astronomical telescope located at Birr Castle. Built in the 1840s by the Third Earl of Rosse, it was the world’s largest telescope for over 70 years. Its massive 72-inch metal mirror allowed astronomers to observe distant galaxies and nebulae in unprecedented detail, significantly advancing the field of astronomy. The telescope’s innovative design and ground-breaking discoveries earned Birr Castle international scientific acclaim. Today, the restored telescope stands as a symbol of Irish scientific heritage and ingenuity, attracting visitors and astronomy enthusiasts alike.

Includes

  • Private tour in a luxury car
  • Fully-qualified tour guide

Excludes

  • Meals
  • Admission tickets
Price: €690

Plus booking fee

You will get a full refund if you cancel your tour up to 7 days before your tour date

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Got A question?

We’re all ears! Give us a call or drop us an email and our knowledgeable team will be happy to help you.

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Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Pick up at your hotel in counties Dublin, Meath, or Louth at 8 am.

End point

After the tour we will drive you back to your accommodation. Drop-off at 6 pm.

Breaks

Breaks when requested.

We will schedule time for a light lunch.

Clonmacnoise Monastic Site and Birr Castle Tour Showcase

Clonmacnoise Monastic Site
Birr Castle Demesne
Birr Telescope
Newgrange Day Tours

Experiences of Our Guests

tripadvisor-icon (1)

Superb Day Tour, Highest Recommendation

We were returning from a trip to Asia and only had one day to spend in Ireland. At the last minute, I booked a day tour with Owen to the Cliffs of Mohr and Bunratty Castle. My wife and I have traveled to 15 countries and I can honestly say that Owen is the BEST tour guide we have ever experienced. He made our single day in Ireland an unforgettable experience. Owen is extremely knowledgeable, providing great insights about the places we visited and Ireland as a whole. The best thing was he made us feel so comfortable from the first moment. It felt more like we were family than customers. The time en route passed quickly because of the great conversation and wealth of information.

Mar 2025 • Couples

Burgoyne Hughes

Great Driver & Tour Guide

We had a private tour to a couple places we wanted to go and Owen was a great driver, very friendly and very knowledgeable about the country. We went to Rock of Cashel and to Jerpoint Park and it was a great day—he even took us to a local grocery store on our way back to Dublin. His vehicle is so comfortable, so much so that I let my husband ride in the front and we both had great views and were quite cosy. I highly recommend hiring Owen for any private tour you need in the area. You will not regret it. In addition, and as a bonus, he is a super nice person.

Oct 2023 • Couples

AliciaRJ

Went to New Grange and the Hill of Tara with a few little suprises along the way!

I had an incredible time on my tour with Owen. He was friendly, very knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. My expectations were far exceeded on my tour and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to tour the incredible history and magic of Boyne Valley.

Jun 2024 • Solo

Roxie H

Phenomenal Tour!

Owen was a phenomenal tour guide, and we felt he curated the perfect experience to maximize our time in Ireland! We were impressed with each and every stop he suggested during our personalized tour of County Wicklow. If you’re looking for an exceptional experience with a guide who pays attention to little details, Owen is the guide for you!

Jul 2024 • Family

Stephanie Waller

The G.O.A.T. of Tour Guides

Owen is not a tour guide, he is THE tour guide. He was the MVP of my Ireland trip. I could listen to him talk all day, no stops or attractions necessary. The second you step into his car, you can immediately see he’s a kind, family man with a love of Irish history. He masterfully tailored the tour to our family’s needs and interests; He shifted between providing detailed information for history lovers, and giving broader, more general information for those of us who were learning about Irish history for the first time. This is one of the many ways Owen makes each of his private tours special for his guests. He took us to two great cafes in the Irish countryside, and recommended an excellent steakhouse back in Dublin for dinner (the cheesecake was just as good as he said it would be. Owen always has your back!). We visited a couple of megalithic sites; and were even able to fit in Trim Castle and the Hill of Slane. Both were “must-do”s on my bucket list, and we wouldn’t have gotten to them on our short trip without his help. Thank you so much Owen!

Aug 2024 • Couples

Tara T

World`s Best Historic Adventure!

Owen was a magnificent guide full of unique knowledge and wit! We’re from the US and it was our first trip to Ireland. We have some Irish family ties and wanted to see special sites like The Hill of Tara, Newgrange and Trim Castle. All the group tours were booked up but Irish luck was with us when Owen and his private tour granted our request to take us around with a few days notice. Owen was like a warm, witty podcaster, full of terrific knowledge of Irish history. My daughter is a history major from a top notch school who’s studied history abroad and she was astounded with his accuracy and the new information he provided to all of us. We highly recommend Owen and hope we someday we get to tour with him again ! We plan to return !! Thank you Owen for everything – including the delicious scone we stopped for in the nearby village ! It’s was a treat we will remember.

Aug 2024 • Families

Alicia T

Awesome Wicklow Tour With Owen

We need more than 5 stars to tell you how amazing our trip with Owen was! We toured the Wicklow Mountains, stopping at a monastic site, the Upper Lake in Glendalough, and Powerscourt Waterfall / Gardens. The weather was a bit foggy in the morning, so we missed the Lough Tay Guinness Lake, but the view at the Upper Lake more than made up for it! Owen is a class act. My wife was a bit woozy going through the mountains, and he allowed her to ride up front and made several adjustments to our path/schedule to make things more comfortable. We really enjoyed chatting about culture, family, and just life in general with Owen. We will definitely be booking another trip with him the next time we make it to Ireland!

Aug 2024 • Couples

Pat A