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Sampling of Comments Also Read Comments about our Spring/Fall Tours
As this was my first trip out of the U.S., I am now “hooked.” And thinking about my next trip. Pat, your guidance – in preparation, while on tour, and the return trip (customs, VAT tax etc.) – was invaluable to me…. I agree that Shannon Airport is the only airport to use due to the pre-clearance – what a treat! I also enjoyed this itinerary so much that I would gladly take the same trip again… Tom was wonderful, as were you all. I have already raved to many friends and family about my experience with your group and CIE, and I plan to return. Thanks again. Stephanie Keyser, Claverack, NY (August 2010 Trip)
Thank you so much for making our rip to Ireland wonderful. Everything was great including the weather. Our family loved the pictures on the computer. John, you did a good job keeping up with everyone. Veronica and Rich Ellis, Red Hook, NY (August 2010 Trip)
….Could have stayed for another week, but we all have laundry to do. Thanks for a great show of Ireland! Keep in touch... (Fr.) Tom Fowler, New Brunswick, Canada (August 2010 Trip)
First let me thank you for a wonderful trip. Everything was just great. All the hotels were first class – convenient locations to nearby restaurants, pubs and shopping. Nice easy walks to our various attractions. …The castle was awesome. It was great to be in a quiet setting. So glad we had the experience. Tom Keane was a wonderful driver and guide. It’s amazing all the recall he has of all the sites. He has actually spoiled us for future trips. Here’s a man who truly loves his job and all of Ireland. Much thanks to Pat, John, and Msgr. Charlie, for all your knowledge and graciousness throughout our tour. You make travel so much fun! Lillian Schad, Red Hook, NY (August 2010 Trip)
I want to thank you again for all that you did to make the Summer Tour so enjoyable. I had a wonderful time! All went well at the airport and the return flight was uneventful. … The pictures on the blog are great as are the comments - the one signed “Mother's Blessing” is from my son Francis. I am looking forward to your next newsletter. Elly Pizzani, S. Pomfret, VT (August 2010 Trip)
Just wanted to let you know that I had the best time on our trip, just in case you couldn't tell from my smiling face you saw every day. Everything was just great: the hotels were first class, the food was excellent, the people were warm and friendly, the weather was better than we were told to expect, the countryside was even more emerald than pictures in books, and the tour itself was interesting and fun. And that brings me to Tom. We could not have asked for a more knowledgeable, competent, and charming tour guide (Tom must have kissed the Blarney stone many, many times.) He kept things fun and interesting all the time, never a down day. How he managed to talk, sing, and joke while keeping us safe on those narrow, winding roads is beyond me. And I can't believe how well our traveling family got along. I've been on tours before, and there was never the bonding that we seemed to have so effortlessly. Thanks so much. Debbie Thomes, Pawling, NY (August 2010 Trip)
Still wishing I were back in Mayo, exploring! If you happen to ever pass through there again before me (which is more likely), would you take a picture of the hedges spelling out the name Bohola? We passed it so quickly, and just like so many moments quickly behind us, too late for a photo. This was my favorite trip, without a doubt! The particular chemistry of the group certainly created that great atmosphere, and then there was Tom Keane, what an angel or leprechaun! Thanks for another wonderful Emerald adventure! MaryEllen Byrne, Poughkeepsie, NY (August 2010 Trip)
I cannot praise your tours enough. I would never return to Ireland without you guys. Discovering that Tom was again our driver was a joyful experience. My fellow travelers in 2004 were wonderful, and in 2010, even better! This last trip for me was the greatest. To get Tom again was an added bonus. Rosemary was ecstatic. Thanks again for providing a memorable experience. MaryAnn Lohrey, Poughkeepsie, NY (August 2010 Trip)
I just want to thank you for having such a wonderful tour. I enjoyed everything. Barbara Melinsky, Tivoli, NY (August 2010 Trip)
….Can’t say enough about the trip - the planning from the time we left to the very end was excellent. Tom Keane, our guide, was knowledgeable and a song-and-dance-man as well. I have told everyone about the trip and what a wonderful time I had. Gloria Keenan, Rhinebeck, NY (August 2010 Trip)
There couldn’t have been a more perfect trip. The time on the bus just flew by with you, Pat, and Tom, our driver/guide, entertaining us. That peat fire breaks my heart because I miss it so, and will not see another one. Skellig Michael and its history are indelibly etched on my mind, and Muckross Abbey was beyond words. … Thank you so much. Barbara Ellsworth, Loudonville, NY (August 2010 Trip)
Tom Keane made the trip excellent. I do not think it would have been as good with any other driver and guide. His personality is what made the trip very interesting, especially his stories and history of locations and all the information. Don Bass, Aurora, CO (August 2010 Trip)
The tour was excellent. It made me want to come back! Lois Lang, Deltona, FL (August 2010 Trip)
What can I say? Of course, this has been another wonderful trip to Ireland for me. If it wasn’t for you two, I would never have had any of thee wonderful experiences. All the planning and effort that you put into your tours really shows through. Even though I came without my sister this time, I felt right at home with everyone. Thank you for all your help and great advice! We appreciate the advance and follow-up work you do in the interest of providing excellent tour experiences. We have enjoyed each of the three trips we have taken with you. Thanks for providing a terrific tour! As usual, you put together an extraordinary experience for your travelers – hope to travel again with you. Since it was my first trip abroad and my first guided tour, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Everything was very well planned, suiting every possible interest and curiosity. When plans needed to be changed, it was seamless. All the sites and stops were great. Our driver/guide Tadhg was fabulous! I highly recommend a trip to Ireland with “the Ireland Expert” – I will probably take another! What a joy to see you and Tadhg as a welcoming committee at the airport. We knew we were in for a special tour with Tadhg as our dirver/guide. Little did we know what a wonderful group of people we were about to share this trip with. We saw and learned so much. Nature’s color palette of various shades of green is permanently etched in our minds. Msgr. Coen is a joy! Thank you, Pat and John, for doing all the work so that we could just sit back and enjoy the ride. “Excellent tour. I liked our hotels as they all had easy access to the surrounding areas. Enjoyed all the lovely flowers. Ireland is just beautiful. Thank you – your attention to detail and plans were right on! I had an absolutely wonderful time. The tour was extremely well organized and it was so easy to enjoy every minute of Ireland because of Pat’s and CIE’s expertise. Since it was my first group tour, I wasn’t sure how I would like it. It surpassed my expectations – by far! Great accommodations, extremely interesting museums and tours, unbelievable scenery, and a fun group of people. Probably the best part of the tour was our driver/guide Tadhg Murphy. His vast knowledge of Ireland and its history, his obvious pride in his country, and his wonderful sense of humor really made the wonderful components of the itinerary come together into a trip of a lifetime. All in all, it was great! Just what the doctor ordered! I can’t wait to save up and go back to see the south and central areas of Ireland. The trip was wonderful and I really enjoyed everything, even the rain was okay. I am so glad my daughters and I went on this trip. Thanks to all! “Excellent: tour – and a good time – excellent service everywhere. Very picturesque and historical tour! We had an exceptional trip, one that will stay in our hearts and minds for some time! Hopefully, we will be with you again. Ireland is a special place for me – a place for respite, beautiful country, and lovely people. “Excellent” tour. Enjoyed it very much – found the group to be very friendly. I would take another trip (with you). I enjoyed the trip very much. Thank you! “You have a wonderful way of making the world a nicer place to be.” You are very special people. You gave my family a memory they will never forget. We love you both. Thanks for a wonderful trip, Tadhg (the driver/guide) included. Just wanted to say my brother Tom and I had a great time on this tour. You did so much work to make this a perfect trip - and believe me, it was - from beginning to end. It was a pleasure meeting and touring with you all - great having Tadhg as a driver/tour guide again. Safe travels home. I will be viewing your tours for future travels with you and perhaps meet up with some of the same great individuals we met on this tour. Thank you! We had a wonderful time on the trip with you. We are still talking about it., and now looking at the pictures. You all know how to run a good tour, and, of course, Tadhg (our driver/guide) put the icing on it all. Thank you so much from all the Keanes. The Massachusetts group got home safe and sound, full of memories of a wonderful trip. Well, the trip was beyond my wildest expectations, mainly because of you. Thanks you for all of your hard work, kindness and concern. I’d love to travel with you again! What a great group of people to share our trip with. Hope everyone keeps in touch and maybe we will all meet again next summer. Thanks again for a magical and amazing adventure! A special thank you for your guidance, and putting together our wonderful trip. Can't wait to see our photos -- lots of good memories. Somehow the Catskills (Mtns.) don't look as green as they did when we left. The heat and humidity are still the same though. We really miss all of our new friends -- hope to keep in touch. So until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand. Stay well everyone. We returned home through Newark ahead of schedule. We both thoroughly enjoyed the trip and hope to do it again someday. Had a great trip home but wish I was back on tour. Great group of people. It was a good way to spend my birthday. Wish I could do that every year. Keep in touch. Thank you for a great tour! It was a great group to travel with. (We had so much fun, so many laughs.) I miss everyone. I miss the tour. And, I wish we could have stayed longer. But, we must go back to work and make money for the next trip, right? The addition of the Blog was a wonderful idea. We now have so many great memories of the trip (I thoroughly enjoyed reading it everyday. And, the relatives loved it, too!) Hope we all can keep in touch - perhaps plan to go on another tour together? Just a quick note to let you know what a superb and excellent time I had in Ireland, thanks to all of you and especially Tadhg. I can not praise Tadhg enough, you sure picked a good one! I can only hope on my next visit to Ireland I will be just as lucky. Everything was taken care of for me, therefore my trip was magical, especially the Blarney stone (:-) Just a note to say how much I enjoyed my trip with you. It was better than I expected, and Tadhg made it terrific. Many thanks for a wonderful visit to Ireland. It is a beautiful country! Everyone I met was friendly and helpful. Of course, I didn’t expect anything less. Thank you again! Sorry that its taken me so long to let you know what a wonderful time my family had in Ireland. We're still talking about it to friends and family. The brochure that we received in the mail this weekend, Pat will take it to work to show one of his co-workers. He and his wife have been talking about going for years. Thanks for a wonderful time and everlasting memories. We both had the greatest vacation ever. The pace was relaxing and not the least bit stressful. And the company was enjoyable as were our leaders and driver. The hotel accommodations left nothing to be desired. Locations were great and one could walk out/or down town without any problem or hesitation. We are waiting to see next year's itinerary…. Thank you so very much for a wonderful trip. While we were in Dublin, I visited the Grand Lodge of the Masons of Ireland. It was a Sunday, and I left a note. The secretary of the Lodge just happened to miss his train to Belfast, so he went to the Lodge where he found my note. He came to The Westbury Hotel and brought me to the Lodge where we spent three hours. We now have a wonderful friendship. My father always wanted to go to Dublin but never got there. My great-grandfather was the Master of his Masonic Lodge in 1881. He was given a masters Jewel, gold with precious stones. I have donated the Jewel to the Grand Lodge of Ireland in Dublin. There are no more Masons in my family and I believe that my father and grandfather would have wanted this. Now it will reside in their museum for all to enjoy. If it were not for you and the trip, this opportunity would not have been there…. Thank you again! Thank you for a wonderful trip! I would recommend your trips to anyone who is planning on going to Ireland. I had a wonderful time on the tour! The hotels and meals were first rate. I found the bus very comfortable, the stops were paced perfectly to allow for restroom breaks; and the driver - Pat - could listen to his commentary all day long! I still remember Pat telling us a story about St. Patrick and it happened in the 400's - and I did a "double take" because he said 400, not 1400! I think it was the first time I had ever heard so much history that happened before 1000 A.D.!! Thank you for the most wonderful trip. Being born in Co. Monaghan, Ireland, and my husband from Co. Galway, we would always go to see family with our seven children – never to see the other parts. We were both from the farm, and the children loved bring on the farm, so we just went from Galway to Monaghan and back again. We enjoyed the tour very much, as usual. The bus driver was great – very nice and very knowledgeable. You do run a terrific tour…. I wanted you to know how much I appreciated all the time and effort you put into making our July Ireland tour so wonderful. It could not have been better! Thanks for all the photos, newsletters, list of addresses, and the web site that helped my family keep in touch. I'm sure you are getting ready for your October trip, so have a safe and great time. It was nice to meet you both, and I hope to travel with you again. Eileen Mosher, Rhinebeck, NY (July 2006 Trip)
Now that the suitcase is unpacked, the souvenirs distributed and the pictures are in an album (all 245 of them!), it’s time to sit back and reflect on our trip. Pat and John, my thanks to you for one of the highlights of my life. Your expertise does not go unnoticed. The trip was so well organized one can tell all the time and effort you put in to the planning of it; and Tony (the driver/guide) was the greatest! It was a pleasure to meet you both as well as Msgr. Charlie (he’s a lot of fun). Before my next trip to Ireland, I shall have to learn the Irish set dance as well as more songs (maybe even the tin whistle I bought!). Take care and have a safe trip in the Fall. Lorraine Looney, Troy, NY (July 2006 Trip)
Thanks so much. I've been meaning to drop you a note and tell you how much my family enjoyed the trip. Your incredible knowledge and thoughtful planning made for such a pleasurable, memorable trip! It could hardly have been better! I hope to go again in the not too distant future. Kelly Mosher, Red Hook, NY (July 2006 Trip)
I cannot thank you enough for the wonderful time we had on our recent tour to Ireland. It was great fun travelling with you, seeing many places I had never seen before and enjoying again a few that I had seen... While everything might not have always seemed tranquil from where you were, it all seemed easy to us. It was enjoyable, informative and very congenial. Thank you again and I hope that I will see you again.
Thank you so much for our wonderful trip to Ireland. We had such a terrific time thanks to you, John, and Tony. We're still busy telling everyone about it. In fact two couples here in Saugerties want to join you next spring or summer. Again, many thanks. Hilda & Vinnie McDermott, Saugerties, NY (July 2006 Trip)
Thanks so much! We'll never forget the wonderful time we spent in Ireland. We've been reveling in our heritage ever since. Greg & Ann Quinn, Hopewell Junction, NY (July 2006 Trip)
We both enjoyed the trip. We had a wonderful time. We hope to be joining you again. Thanks for everything. William & Nancy Ford, Verona, NJ (July 2006 Trip)
The trip for me was a gift and a complete delight, and being in your company made it ever more special. I felt you two really took us all under your protective wings. Thank you! Carol Lamb, Merrick, NY (July 2006 Trip)
I certainly chose the best tour for my first trip to beautiful Ireland. It is a trip I will remember for a long time. You certainly know how to plan a trip to get the best of Ireland. You both were a pleasure to be with. I really enjoyed our side trips and scenic stops to take pictures. I am still reliving each day. A month ago today we were leaving Westport for the Woollen Mills in Foxford and William Butler Yeats’ grave, and many other memorable places. I am so glad I was on this trip. I met some wonderful people. God Bless both of you for the pleasure you give to others. Sr. Marie de Lourdes, O.P., New York, NY (July 2007 Trip)
Thank you for managing to put together such a wonderful tour of the West of Ireland. I learned so much from Tony (our driver/guide) and the rest of you about Ireland's past and present. I especially enjoyed meeting the other people on the tour. I think I am correct that many were Irish Americans. I think all of us truly appreciated learning so much about the beautiful country where our family members were born…. When I returned home from my wonderful trip to Ireland and told my family and friends about the trip I told them what surprised me the most was how prosperous Ireland is now…. The other surprise was learning about Irish traditional music… I have been reading the Blog following your progress back to Dublin and your last few days there. I would love to go back to Ireland again and take my whole family and rent a place someplace in the West and do some exploring on our. Elaine Baxter, Burlington, IA (July 2006 Trip)
Thank you very much…. Had a great time, look forward to going again. I just finished my 360 pictures to a DVD with Irish music … Kathleen Miles, Rhinebeck, NY (July 2006 Trip)
Thank you SOOOO much...what a wonderful trip...and you and John and Msgr. Charlie were just as jolly as ever...and seem to enjoy the trip just as though you've never done it before! That Tony...the driver...he was excellent. Carole Kuhn, Fishers, IN (July 2006 Trip)
Both Sister Marie de Lourdes and I had a wonderful time in Ireland. We enjoyed every minute of our travels and truly enjoyed the company of all who took the trip, too. We recognized your contributions to making the trip possible and express our deep gratitude and admiration. May the days ahead be filled with God's peace and joy. Sr. Agnes Boyle, Newburgh, NY (July 2006 Trip) Just returned from the most wonderful trip to Ireland! Everything was absolutely perfect - all the planning you did, our group, the country, the people, the food, and yes, even the weather.... Although I have been home for two weeks now, my heart is still there. I have never had a more enjoyable vacation in my life! Thank you so much for all your hard work. Pam Gunning (July 2005 Trip), Saugerties, NY The trip to Ireland was simply SPECTACULAR! I have expressed to so many people what a wonderful time I had, and all because of how well you had organized every avenue of the trip. Of course, your choice of Tom Keane, CIE's driver and tour guide who brought us so much laughter with his Irish wit, was a definite enhancement. His knowledge of this beautiful country certainly cultivates one's own interest in its history. Having both of you and Fr. Charlie present with us during the entire trip also gave it a special touch, as each of you seemed so at ease as you shared your own unique talents, and made this trip all the more memorable. Each person on the tour itself contributed toward a great time, with exhibitions of friendliness, kindness and consideration of one another. May you both be blessed for all of the kindness you show to others. I look forward to seeing you again in the near future… I am so glad to have had the opportunity to meet you and get to know you. Dolores McDonnell (July 2004 Trip), Pleasant Valley, NY We both want to thank you for the awesome trip you planned for us. It was great, and for “first timers” like us, we enjoyed everything and every bit of this trip. We know you must work very hard to have a trip run so smoothly and that is why we want to thank you for all your hard work and efforts. May God bless you. Christa and Gerry Blenkle (July 2004 Trip) , Yorktown Heights, NY "The Quinns" thank you for making our visit to Ireland '04 so very enjoyable. Your thoughtfulness and courtesies are so appreciated. Mary and Catherine Quinn (July 2004 Trip), Forest Hills, NY
Well, we finally made it to Ireland, and it couldn't have been more enjoyable. From the take-off of Aer Lingus to our touchdown at Shannon, to our introduction to Tom Keane (driver/guide), to our terrific accommodations, everything was perfect. We're still laughing at Tom's jokes and think it was pretty crafty of CIE in having time as driver and guide at the same time. Thanks to CIE for the welcome drinks, and to you, Pat, for all your hard work, planning and behind the scenes professionalism. Thank you for a memorable trip! Pat and Ted Martin (July 2004 Trip) Red Hook, NY
Before the summer is completely over, we want to thank you for an absolutely wonderful trip to Ireland. We had such a good time. Everything was great – food, accommodations, entertainment, the bus, and Tom Keane was a super bus driver and tour guide. If we could, we would go again next week. We will thank Fr. Charlie when we see him. Anne and Jim O'Toole (July 2004 Trip) Red Hook, NY
Just loved the trip and all here have heard all my stories! Photos are in an album and look nice…. MaryAnn Lohrey (July 2004 Trip) Poughkeepsie, NY
Thank you for everything! Maureen Rahilly (July 2004 Trip) Kingston, NY Hurley, NY Thank you for
a beautiful trip. Every time we return to Ireland, it's like the first
time—so much to see and do. Please keep us on your mailing list! Our first trip to Ireland was better than we could have ever
imagined! You attended to everything and the trip was great. This is just a note to let you know that we had a great
time. We are counting the days until next year. The tour was excellent and of course the weather cooperated. Thanks again to
you for making our trip great. The
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