Cobh (Cork) to Blarney Castle & Kinsale - Shore Excursion
Description
Exciting Shore Excursion from Cobh to Blarney Castle, Cork City, Kinsale and Cobh. Bus Tour starts/finishes at your ship and is tailored to suit your docking/sailing times. Our Bus Tour Includes: • Admission To The Famous Blarney Castle & Gardens • Shopping at Blarney Woolen Mills - The Worlds Largest Irish Store • Driving Tour of Unique Cork City • Free Time in Picturesque Kinsale for lunch and exploring • The Option of a Free Walking Tour in Kinsale • A Visit To The Magnificent St. Coleman's Cathedral Up to 8 hours Tour day (Tour times are tailored to work with your docking/sailing times) Our bus tour departs/returns right at your ship in Cobh/Cork We're based in Cobh and have over 50 years experience. Our driver/guides are all locals and have lots of interesting facts, fascinating history, fun stories, songs and jokes.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Here you will have the opportunity to kiss the famous Blarney Stone, explore the 15th century castle and discover the magnificent gardens. Admission to the castle and gardens is included in your tour price. Our visit to Blarney will be up to 2 hours in total depending on your ships docking/sailing schedule. Shopping time at Blarney Woolen Mills is included in your 2 hour visit to Blarney
Take time out to shop at the Worlds largest Irish Store, Indulge in a coffee and delicious scone or even sip on a sumptuous Irish Coffee. Please note that your 2 hour visit to Blarney includes time to visit the Castle, Gardens and Woolen Mills. Avail of the free wifi while you are here. Time spent here is part of your total 2 hour approx. stay in Blarney.
Enjoy a panoramic driving tour of Cork city. See the sights like The English Market, Shandon Bells and Murphy's Brewery. Be enthralled by the history of this fascinating rebel city from the the time of Vikings through to The Anglo Norman Invasion and right up to the modern times of the formation of our state.
Stroll around the very charming winding streets of the village of Kinsale and choose from one of the many fine restaurants to enjoy a great lunch or maybe even sample a local beverage. On your stroll you will get to see the 12th century St. Multose Church, Desmond Castle & International Museum of Wine, The Giants House and Market Square. Duration here is up to 2 hours depending on your ships docking/sailing time.
While in Kinsale you will have the option of taking our 30 minute free walking tour of Kinsale which will greatly enhance your experience of this charming village
We will enjoy a short stop here at this majestic Cathedral with the largest carillon of bells in Europe. Take in the stunning harbour scenery here while you learn about the ill fated Titanic, mass emigration, rich maritime history, the gorgeous gael and much more.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Normally departure is 8am sharp but if you ship docks later than 07:30 our tour will depart precisely 30 minutes after the first passengers disembark. At The Port in Cobh - When you get off your ship, turn right and walk 1 minute to the port gates. Our team will be there holding "Butlers Tours" signs (Watch out for our red hats) At The Port in Ringaskiddy - When you get off your ship, turn left and walk 2 minute to the port gates. Our team will be there holding "Butlers" signs (Watch out for our red hats and hi-viz jackets) We will escort you to your bus 3 minutes away. Do not delay getting to your bus as a quick getaway will put you ahead of the crowds and avoid long lines at Blarney Castle.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Front seats can be reserved if you have mobility issues (let us know after you book)
- Good agility is required for the famous Blarney stone which has lots of challenging steps up to it
- Our tours are for ships that dock in Cobh/Cork
- Live commentary is while on the bus only - Blarney Castle is a self guided tour.
- Kissing the Blarney Stone requires good agility
Reviews(589)
Had a great day out on this tour. Emails sent beforehand with meet up point etc were nice and clear and the team got us to Blarney Castle well before the ships tours arrived which meant we didn't have a long wait to get into the castle. Overall, very happy with the tour and they got us back well before the ship was due to leave as promised.
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a great review! We know how stressful cruise ship timelines can be, which is why we make it our mission to beat the ship crowds to Blarney Castle and get you back with plenty of time to spare. We're delighted to hear that the communication was clear and that you had an excellent day out with us. We appreciate the feedback, and we hope to welcome you on another adventure the next time you're in this neck of the woods! The Butlers Tours Team
We had an excellent time visiting the Blarney Castle! Our group of 6 kissed the Blarney Stone! The guides were very informative and friendly. Butler Shore Tours was very professional and ready for us as we disembarked the ship. I would highly recommend this company for a future tour. It was worth the price we paid. The castle and the surrounding grounds were a beautiful experience. Make sure you go straight to the castle to kiss the stone if that is what you want to do. It does get crowded later in the day.
Thank you for the lovely review. We are thrilled your group of six had a great time and managed to kiss the Blarney Stone. Heading straight to the castle first thing is the only way to beat the crowds. We take great pride in being lined up and ready the second our guests disembark. A quick getaway makes a big difference. We hope to see you on another shore excursion in the future! The Butlers Tours Team
Great value and no worries about pickup and return to cruise ship. Guide was excellent and my only regret was not having more time
Thank you for your review! We make it our absolute priority to deliver great value and 100% stress free shore tours, so we are glad we nailed that for you. If your travels bring your ship back to our neck of the woods, we would love to show you even more of the area. The Butlers Tours Team
was what they offered ,nice place had fun
Thank you for your review. I am delighted you had fun on our tour. The Butlers Tours Team
Easiest tour guides to find when exiting our ship. Lovely guides who sang to us and showed us such a beautiful part of Ireland. Blarney Castle was stunning, and the town of Kinsale had very nice shops and restaurants to visit.
We are so grateful for your wonderful review! It is great to hear that our team was easy to find upon your arrival. We are thrilled that you enjoyed the music and the scenic visits to Blarney Castle and Kinsale. Thank you for your kind feedback
Perfect day visiting Blarney, Cork etc. Very well run by our guide, John. Would definitely recommend them.
"Thank you for the fantastic review! We are so pleased to hear you had a perfect day exploring Blarney, Cork, and the surrounding areas. It is wonderful to know that John took such great care of you and ensured everything ran smoothly. We truly appreciate your recommendation
Organized and prompt service on a nice and clean bus. We were one of the first to arrive at blarney castle before crowds. Plenty of time to explore grounds and kiss stone if you desired. Quick drive by tour of Cork city. Kinsale is a cute walkable town for shopping and eating. There is a historical walking tour included which unfortunately we missed but did explore town on our own. Arrived back in Cobh with enough time to walk the waterfront and enjoy some of its activities. Very well organized and timed tour
We appreciate you taking the time to review your tour. It is wonderful to know that our clean coaches and punctual, professional service met your expectations. We are delighted that you had a great experience visiting Blarney Castle ahead of the crowds and enjoyed the scenic beauty of Cobh, Kinsale, and Cork. We'll catch up with you next time for the walking tour Thank you for your recommendation, and we look forward to welcoming you back for another Irish adventure
Jamie was our guide and Billy was our driver for this excursion. It was easy to locate them when we disembarked, and we enjoyed the drive through the beautiful Irish countryside, our first experience on the Emerald Isle. Jamie shared history and culture along the way. The Blarney Castle was a wonderful experience that began with a bagpiper at the entrance. We first climbed steep circular stairs in a castle tower. Then we made our way around the top and were able to "kiss" the Blarney Stone by lying on our backs, grabbing metal bars, and sliding over the edge just enough to make contact - all while being securely held by the person supervising this activity. We walked the colorful gardens before heading to Kinsale for lunch, where we enjoyed the best fish & chips and chicken strips at Dino's. Back in Cobh, we had enough time to stop to see the inside of the lovely Cobh Cathedral before returning to the ship.
Thank you so much for choosing us for your first trip to the Emerald Isle! We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the beautiful countryside and that Jamie and Billy made your excursion so memorable. It sounds like you had a fantastic day exploring Blarney Castle, enjoying the gardens, grabbing a delicious lunch at Dino’s in Kinsale, and visiting the Cobh Cathedral. We truly appreciate your detailed feedback and hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon
The trip to Blarney castle and Kinsale was much better than I had expected. Going to the castle and kissing the stone, which I admit was stupid, it’s still something I’ll always remember. The walk around Kinsale was also very enjoyable. However, our tour guide Ian was the best part of the trip. Entertaining the bus with jokes and descriptions of the area. I fully recommend the trip.
Congratulations on Kissing the Blarney stone !! choosing to travel with us. We are especially pleased to hear your kind words regarding Ian. He takes great pride in his work, and we are thrilled that his jokes and insightful descriptions of the area enhanced your travels. From Ian and everyone on the team, thank you for choosing to travel with us. We hope to welcome you back again soon.
This was a great tour of the castle and Kinsale. Ian the tour guide was great fun and Phil our driver did a wonderful job of keeping us safe. We were able to get to the castle fast to assure we wouldn't have a lengthy wait to kiss the stone. Only a 30 minute wait. Ian was fun and funny. The short walking tour of Kinsale was worth joining.
Thanks for your feedback! We're thrilled you enjoyed the castle and Kinsale. It's great to hear Ian's personality and Phil's safe driving made your trip special, and that you avoided a long wait at the stone. We'll pass your kind words to both. We hope to see you again soon!
