We offer the highest quality private, custom-made walking tours of Dublin city.
Our sight-seeing tours involve a huge variety of subjects and themes, which ensures that you never get bored. Our guides are carefully selected and purposefully trained to deliver a tour experience that’s uniquely tailored to the needs of the traveller and the client.
We ONLY do private tours, which means that we have become the best in the country for listening to the expressed and unexpressed needs of travellers.
You may not know what you want when you visit Dublin, but we do.
Our tours include sightseeing tours, themed tours, combination tours as well as bespoke tours and itineraries that can be created just for you.
How Dublin Tour Guide is different
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Quality
Quality: We focus on quality, not quantity.
- We don’t offer dozens of tours. We offer only a few private walking tours. Keeping the choice low means we can keep quality high, because we can continue to perfect our tours. Most tour companies try to be the ‘jack of all trades’ and end up ‘the master of none’. We distinguish ourselves as the leader amongst all those offering walking tours of Dublin.
- Another way we focus on quality is by keeping the group sizes small AND private. Though our company would, in theory, make more revenue from bigger groups as well as from offering public tours, we don’t believe that results in a high-quality experience for our guests, who are our top priority. Consider the experience of guests who have a private tour with our guide, where it’s just the four of them, compared to a group of 30 strangers on a tour. It’s Michelin compared to McDonalds.
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Our guides
Our guides are carefully selected from the best tour guides of Dublin. Besides the necessary experience and knowledge, they’re chosen for their personality and ethos – they want to authentically connect with people and truly want to give them the best tour they’ll ever have.
- We, however, believe that it takes a guide with the right mix of personality, listening skills, talents, professionalism, intellect, travel experience, enthusiasm, knowledge and passion to deliver a truly outstanding and memorable experience. Many tour companies just look for a few of those qualities.
- At Dublin Tour Guide, we focus on a guide’s personality over their experience. Tour guiding experience can be acquired through training, but the personality fit for Dublin Tour Guide is grown through years of personal development.
How we choose our guides:
- Recruit trained and experienced guides (we prefer guides who have lived in another, preferably non-Anglophone, country. This perspective change is a difficult personal rite of passage and it has, as a result, a lasting impact on people: it enables them to be more empathic to those of different backgrounds and viewpoints.)
- Demonstrate our ethics and vision to them
- Ascertain their scores on various parameters (from knowledge and experience to communication skills and personality traits)
- Determine their suitability for small, private tours (our core business)
- Take them on as a trial guide until they get 3 stellar reviews
- On-board them as a junior internal guide and nurture them to become even better tour guides. The more 5* reviews they get, the more they’re paid.
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Connection
We emphasize the importance of making a personal connection with Ireland through a very personable guide. Travellers don’t want to walk around a destination inside a tourism bubble. They want to experience the destination as much as possible, to really understand and feel the spirit of a place. The best way to do that is, naturally, with a tour guide, but a tour guide that doesn’t just relay cold facts like dates, but one who gives unique cultural insights and, most importantly, one who wants to connect with travellers.
- Our guides have warm, extroverted personalities and therefore are sincerely interested in getting to know the traveller. As a result, in the course of just five hours, we establish friendships that have already lasted years. Invitations to come visit have been offered and accepted. In some cases, more than once. These travellers will never forget their Dublin tour.
- We don’t focus on the black & white of history – academia. We don’t blabber on endlessly with superfluous information. We believe that the traveller’s attention is limited and so the guide must carefully choose the information. You don’t need to know the architect of a building (our guides do), but you do need to know what that building means to the people. A city without its people is called a ruin. We focus on informing, for example, you about how people feel about a building, what it means to them today and what it meant to them in the past.
Most Tours Our Tours The goal Share information about Dublin and Ireland Connect visitors with the country and its people, present and past The content History (too many dates) History (dates kept to a minimum), current affairs, sociology, culture, modern life, language, music, food & drink The guide Trained and knowledgeable Trained, knowledgeable, personable and passionate, good communicator The delivery Can be monotonous due the oftentimes scripted and iterative nature of the tour Animated and varied. We do not offer scripted tours of fixed itineraries: the guide is happy to follow client’s suggestions and requests and to develop the route as they go The presentation Spoken only, with occasional maps and images Spoken, Visual (images, maps etc.), and sometimes poetry and songs will be recited. -
Our Story
Dublin Tour Guide was started in 2012 by Garvan Rushe to strive for something magnificent. Garvan wanted to give people the best tour they’ll ever have. Due to incredible success on TripAdvisor, there wasn’t enough Garvan to go around so he began a difficult search for tour guides who shared the same passion and values.
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What we believe
- We believe that people don’t just want ‘a tour’, but they want to experience the city like the locals do. They want to truly understand Dublin and her people on a deeper level. They want to know what it feels like to BE Irish.
- We believe that creating unforgettable experiences is what makes life worth living.
- We believe that memories are worth investing in.
- We believe the world needs to know about the cultural treasures of Ireland and how wonderfully unique and passionate the Irish are.
- We believe in connecting curious travellers with passionate and inspiring guides.
We are embarking on a journey to transform ordinary trips into extraordinary ones.
Our goal is to give the client the best tour they’ll ever have.
We want the client to not only see Dublin but feel it. We want every visitor to remember Dublin in five years and recall how they felt when they stood on the cobbles of Dublin Castle or the hallowed ground of the General Post Office. We want the client to recall fondly the charming and lovable guide with whom they made a deep connection. The client will look back on the tour and feel like they didn’t pay for a tour with a professional tour guide, and it was merely a transaction, but rather like they met up with an old friend.
Who we are
Office - Garvan
Garvan is the Founder, Owner and Managing Director of GPR Tours Ltd (with trading name as Dublin Tour Guide). He is a certified tour guide with B. A. Int. in Medieval Irish and Celtic Studies. He spearheads the growth of the Company, identifying new markets, hiring qualified tour guides and strategic financial planning. He works closely with clients, guides and virtual assistants to maintain the quality of tours being offered and see to it that DTG achieve its financial and corporate goals. Garvan is a passionate historian, thespian, linguist, rocker, beer-drinker, as well as an experienced, energetic, passionate, enthusiastic and knowledgeable tour guide of Dublin City.
Office - Kathleen
Kathleen is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA – Philippines). She has over 10 years of experience in accounting and finance. She is currently the Financial Manager of Dublin Tour Guide and has been working with the company for almost 3 years. She is responsible for managing the company’s finances and is responsible for financial reporting, assessing financial risks and opportunities. She also set and tracks the financial goals, objectives, and budgets of the company. Kathleen was a former Senior Accountant of International Manufacturing Company, Project Accountant at Upwork (with Top-Rated Badge), Senior Accounting Analyst at IBM Business Service, and an Accounting Staff at Department of Environment & Natural Resources. Kathleen graduated with a Degree in Accounting from St. Louis College.
Office - Fitri
Fitri has over 10 years of experience in human resources, technical writing, company supervisory and coordination. She is currently the Booking Manager of Dublin Tour Guide and has been working with the company for almost 1 year. She is responsible for communicating with clients which include answering inquiries, providing details of the company, coordinating with tour guides and accounting and booking the tours on different platforms. She also works closely with the accounting and marketing team to achieve the required volume of bookings. Fitri was a former Operations team leader and Fleet Executive of PT Buffalo Tours Indonesia, HR & GA Officer of PT Indo Seleksi Makmur Abadi, Freelance Copywriter of Private Leisure Asia and crewing assistant PT Indoseleksi Makmur Abadi. Fitri graduated with a Degree in Linguistics/Languages from Warmadewa University.
Office - Nicholas
Nicholas is a seasoned professional with 8+ years of expertise in Sales, Marketing, and Customer Experience. Currently serving as the Business Development Representative at Dublin Tour Guide since early 2022, he manages B2B clients, drives sales growth, and collaborates with the bookings department. Nicholas, hailing from Nairobi, Kenya, is passionate about connecting with people and providing exceptional customer experiences. Holding a BCom degree in Marketing from Kenyatta University, he showcases both academic and professional prowess. Previously, he worked as a Business Development Manager at Symmetric Training, focusing on Biopharma Industry training programs across Europe and the USA, and has diverse experience across Entrepreneurship, Transport, Technology, NGO, Customer Service, Construction, Media, Training, and Finance sectors.
Office - Jessica
Jessica stands as a versatile professional, skillfully navigating the intersections of diverse industries with finesse and dedication. In her role as the Booking Manager and Bookkeeper at Dublin Tour Guide since early 2023, she excels in orchestrating client interactions, tour logistics, and financial management. Originally from the scenic province of La Union in the Philippines, she finds inspiration in the exquisite beaches and the dynamic local culture that thrives with energy and vibrancy. Her heart is deeply connected to the lively events and traditions that define her community – she relishes being a part of its spirited festivals, joyous celebrations, and meaningful connections with fellow community members. Holding a Degree in Nursing from Union Christian College, she’s all about complete well-being. Beyond her academic achievements, her innate curiosity fuels a passion for exploring novel horizons and immersing herself in diverse cultures. Whether through nature walks, dancing, or embracing new experiences, she actively broadens her perspective on the world. With a background covering accounting, social media, admin work, and customer service for more than 5 years, she’s skilled at handling a variety of tasks and ensuring customers are satisfied.
Office - Iliana
Iliana brings over 15 years of diverse experience in the travel industry, offering expertise from working with companies of all sizes. Her comprehensive understanding of the field encompasses both its intricacies and dynamic nature. Beyond her travel industry prowess, she holds a strong passion for innovative exploration and social media marketing. Iliana’s academic background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Travel Economy and a Master’s in Marketing, complementing her practical knowledge. Her journey showcases a continuous pursuit of growth, blending dedication to the travel industry with a knack for bridging traditional practices and emerging technologies.
Guide - Cathal
Cathal comes from a colourful background with an Arts degree in German, Philosophy and Archaeology, as well as a Masters in Film Studies. He is currently an Internal Senior guide of Dublin Tour Guide. Cathal is very passionate about Irish culture and history and is honoured to guide you around the wonderful, interesting, beautiful, strange, and funny city that is Dublin. Cathal has also worked and trained as a professional actor and tries to get his acting chops in action as often as he can throughout his tours. With the multitude of stories in every square metre of Dublin, he has his pick of dramatic tales to choose from. Like all of the guides in Dublin Tour Guide, he is also fond of blasting out an old Irish song on the odd occasion.
Guide - Carl
Carl is a professional and passionate guide who has been giving tours of Dublin since 2012. He is currently an Internal Prime guide of Dublin Tour Guide. Carl has given over a thousand tours of the city covering every topic you can imagine from History, Sights, Traditional sports, Vikings, The Famine, Independence to the recent IT boom and everything in between. He is fortunate to have represented the country at chess throughout his life and he is currently the Irish International chess team captain so it is not just a hobby but a big part of his life. Carl believes that travelling is one of the factors for why he got into this industry and to date he has visited over 40 countries and is still planning to see many more.
Guide - John
John was born and raised on the Northside of Dublin, and has been active professionally as a tour guide since 2015. He is currently an Internal Junior guide of Dublin Tour Guide. He prefers working outdoors – whatever the weather – probably owes something to his provenance from farming folk on Ireland’s rugged Western seaboard. In spite of these earthy origins, He can talk Irish Blarney in any of three languages (Russian, German and our own Gaelic) and has recently published an ebook on door-to-door sales training. He believes Tour guiding is one of the best decisions he ever made, and he just loves the job. He likes to think that it shows too, in the 400+ 5-star reviews which he has logged online to date, across numerous review websites. Outside of tour guiding schedules he is an avid astronomy nerd, likes to maintain a strict keep-fit routine and a French cuisine aficionado.
Guide - Austin
Austin, a native Dubliner with a strong connection to the city’s history, possesses curiosity and a genuine fascination with people. His background in graphic design and IT Publishing led him to explore the world, but his heart always remained with history. He transitioned from being a part-time genealogist to becoming a tour guide after achieving a National Tour Guide Badge in 2017. Austin’s deep devotion to Dublin’s history and essence is evident as he enthusiastically guides walking tours, sharing the city’s captivating stories and embracing its charm. He welcomes you to join him on an enriching journey through Dublin’s culture and narratives.
Guide - Mark
Mark is a dedicated storyteller known for his unique guided tours that bring history to life. He started in 2015 as a U2 walking tour guide in Dublin, sharing the story of the iconic rock band. From 2016 to 2020, he specialised in Haunted History tours, leaving a lasting impact with his expertise in ghost stories and knowledge of haunted sites. Since 2022, Mark has expanded to conducting bus tours across Ireland’s famous locations, carefully crafting each itinerary to highlight rich historical context. Throughout his journey, he’s committed to creating unforgettable moments, blending entertainment, education, and a deep connection to the past for every traveller.
Guide - Lorien
Starting her guiding journey at 19, Lorien has become an experienced guide, moving from Wexford to Dublin, where she explored iconic sites like the Guinness Storehouse and Kilmainham Gaol with her English and History degree from Maynooth University. Her expertise extends to beer, Irish whiskey, and a deep passion for myths and folklore, seamlessly woven into her narrative. Achieving her National Tour Guide qualification in 2020 fueled her enthusiasm for sharing history. From ancient sagas to modern tales, Lorien is dedicated to crafting enriching journeys that explore Ireland’s cultural heritage, offering vibrant explorations of its history and culture.
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