Great Churches and Cathedrals
of Old Dublin Walking Tour

Testimonials

"Thank you so much Antoin, we enjoyed our time with you very much. Your knowledge was shared in such an engaging way. Fascinating historical stories! Truly was what we needed after a difficult trip. Thank you!"
- Maureen

"I had the opportunity to do the Churches and Cathedrals tour. The journey had something special because the guide was passionate about Irish culture and language. It was fascinating to hear stories and facts about Dublin and see the beautiful churches that make the city a rich culture. I highly recommend this Tailteann Tours for the excellent customer service."
- Acauan Malta

"We enjoyed spending part of our day with Antoin. Due to some scheduling issues, he was gracious enough to rearrange his schedule for our tour, which we really appreciated. He is very knowledgeable about the city, was punctual and very accommodating. He even offered to extend our tour to cover extra areas."
- Private Client

"Our tour with Antoin was excellent! In addition to the information about the various buildings, parks, statues, etc. in Dublin, Antoin gave us an in-depth history lesson of Ireland - the Vikings, the famine, the 1916 rebellion, the many poets and writers, etc. I highly recommend taking a tour of Dublin with Antoin!"
- Private Client

"Outstanding guide and tour. Thank you Antoin for making this tour exceptional for us and for our grandchildren"
- Private Client

"We're sorry to be leaving the lovely Emerald Isle after our amazing week. Before we boarded we enjoyed a guided tour from Antoin at Tailteann Irish Tours around Dublin, we even found the pub where it all began for the Dubliners"
- Mannion Travel

"A fantastic city tour if you are looking for a personal and genuine experience with interesting facts and funny anecdotes about almost everything along the way! Not one of our many questions about Dublin history remains unaswered after this day with Antóin. Highly recommended!"
- Ellen Edvall

"Thanks for your email and for looking after my group of 65 divided into three smaller groups on the recent walking tours of Dublin. We were all delighted and enjoyed your excellent services and explanation of the history of Dublin. I look forward to your service again for future Immaculate Tours groups visiting Dublin."
- Ron and group from California

"Antoin is an exquisite guide. He showed us around Dublin. He told us many interesting and less known facts and in general it was a great tour and experience. Definitely going to book him next time in Dublin as well."
- Ivanka, Private Tour (School Group)

"Antóin took us on a long 5h walk through Dublin. With lots of passion delving into the cities Viking history and more recent the Irish struggle for freefom. Not forgetting to show us the brightest Georgian building and the darkest Irish pubs where Davy Arthur and the Fureys used to play and some of the colourful Dublin figures dwelled. Thanks Antóin for showing us your city!"
- Tom & Marzena from Belgium

"The Viking/Medieval walking tour was an amazing experience and a great way to start my time Dublin. Antoin was a great guide with such a wealth of information and knowledge about the history of Dublin and its origin and how over the centuries, things have changed. I enjoyed the stories about the different people of Dublin and all the places of interest as we walked the streets of Dublin. I would highly recommend this walking tour as it helps people understand the heritage and history of them Irish people. I would give this tour a top star rating."
- Rosanna

"The tour by Antoin and Talltean Irish Tours was fantastic. I covered exactly what we were looking for related to the Rising, the War of Independence, and the Civil War. Antoin was funny and very knowledgeable. I recommend the tour to anyone interested in Irish history."
- Theodore

"Thanks very much for very interesting, informative, and enjoyable tour. We all came away with lots we don't know. Hope we were not too difficult to handle as you skillfully managed us."
- John

Inspirations

I

To enthral to appease, monuments to eternity and emotion
Signifying iconic enlightenment tailored with sincere devotion
Layers of sunlight and sadness commanding
All that is cherished and frowned upon not withstanding
Surveying all and sundry from its perch of hallowed redemption
Cajoling and extolling the virtues of narrow exemption

II

A doorway to the other we mock sometimes with caution
Life’s threadbare story is told with genuflected exhaustion
Steeples’ and steps convey the cross of Gethsemane
This city’s pains will view it through the looking-glass of enmity
Grey and foreboding as it commands its sacrifice to immortality
It begs the forgiveness of its flock’s external solidarity

III

The ghosts of the conqueror and conquered remember them all
Treading softly and loudly we can still hear their call
Buttressed through time with the cement of hardened pleasure
The stained glass of miscellany that we must always treasure
Contemporaries of the cult of all consuming madness
Stare jealously at history’s bestowal, its monuments of gladness

IV

The catacombs of consciousness where their memories lie hidden
Salutations to solemnity where all sins are forgiven
Tombs to the unknown, the known and their peoples
I remember them still as I stare at the steeples
The wretched and rich that assembled so loudly
Let us remember them all in quiet prayer but perhaps proudly.

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Antóin Ó Lochraigh