A Taste of Ennis Past, With Stories to Savor

THE ENNIS TASTING HISTORY TOUR

TOUR TYPE

Private

DURATION

90 minutes

GROUP SIZE

1-6 people

PRICE

€270 (excl fees)

THE EXPERIENCE

PRICING: €270 per group (1-6 people) with additional €30 per extra person up to 12 people. For larger groups please enquire about our special rates.

INCLUDED: Expert Local Guide, Dr Jane O’Brien
Amplification device (for groups over 8)
Tastings (equivalent to a small plate)
Please let us know of any dietary restrictions and we will do our best to accommodate you.
Not included: Gratuities (not expected, but always welcome).

CHECK-IN: Arrive 5 minutes before the tour start time and meet in the courtyard area shared by the Ennis Tourist Office/Clare Museum and the Temple Gate Hotel.

GOOD TO KNOW: This meeting point is just off the main O’Connell Square in the centre of town and is next to a large parking area. You may request an alternative meeting point for your group if you wish. SEE MAP

CANCELLATION: Full refund or credit with 24 hours notice of cancellation. Also full refund or credit in case of operator cancellation due to extreme weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Contact us by phone or email to cancel or inquire about a cancellation. No-shows charged the full price.

CANCELLATION: Full refund or credit with 24 hours notice of cancellation.

Also full refund or credit in case of operator cancellation due to extreme weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Contact us by phone or email to cancel or inquire about a cancellation. No-shows charged the full price.

WHY BOOK THIS TOUR?

Join us on a feast for the senses with the Ennis Tasting History Tour! This isn’t just a history walk—it’s a delicious journey through time where every stop offers a taste of the past and a story to savour. Dr Jane O’Brien will lead you on an an entertaining and fascinating insight into the vibrant market town of Ennis, the history of Irish food and how food and attitudes towards it have shaped Irish society – an edible experience of the town’s past and present with samplings along the way.

Experience the ancient art of butter making; learn about the actual famine ‘lumper’ potato that caused such devastation for our ancestors; and explore the many innovative ways that local people used the wild produce of the shores and woodlands to supplement their diets. Wild pigs once caused such a nuisance in the town that it was ordered that they be shot on sight! Get a chance to taste the real pigs ‘blood pudding’ traditionally made in the small farmhouses of the county, as well as the once infamous illegally distilled Poitín – the ‘darling liquor’ of the townsfolk.

The tour will end with a stop at a local food supplier to taste and learn more about the wealth of fine local produce currently available including Clare Farmhouse Cheeses, Burren Smoked Salmon, Clare Jam, Chocolate and more. Food isn’t just something we eat—it’s our history, our culture, and our very identity. And what better way to experience it than by tasting the past, one bite at a time!

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Churn your own butter

Connect directly back to the history of this market town by making butter just like our ancestors did!

Banquets and Mead

Explore the importance of the lavish Gaelic feasts of Ireland’s High Kings and sip their legendary honey mead.

Friars and Feasts

Sample oatcakes with local honey at the 13th-century Ennis Abbey, just as medieval monks once did, and learn about daily life for the Friars.

Bow-ways and the Great Famine

Explore the town’s narrow laneways and learn how scarcity of food and fear of hunger shaped Ireland’s food traditions.

O’Connell Monument/Old Courthouse

Step into the world of Biddy Early, Clare’s most infamous healer, and discover how people foraged Ireland’s wild landscape for food and cures.

McParland House (c. 1620)

Admire Ireland’s oldest half timber-framed house while delving into market-town life and the vital role of the pig in Irish homes (with a taste of the traditional blood pudding!).

Chapel Lane

Sample once-forbidden poitín, now legally distilled with age-old techniques by a sixth-generation maker, perfectly paired with artisan chocolate.

Ennis Old Markets

Step into the lively world of centuries-old markets, and honor tradition with a taste of freshly baked soda bread served with your own golden homemade butter.

Ennis Gourmet Store

Your tour closes with a delicious tasting of the finest local cheeses and Burren smoked salmon – a true taste of Ireland!

FAQ’S

Everything You Need to Know About Your Ennis Walking Tour

The Ennis Essential History Tour and the Ennis Dark History Tour last for approximately 70 minutes each. The Ennis Tasting History Tour usually lasts about 1.5 hours.

Ennis Walking Tours has run tours for 1 person and for up to 100 people! Groups of up to 40 people are regularly accommodated, so contact us with the number in your group and we will arrange whatever suits you best. 

The Ennis Essential History Tour and the Ennis Tasting History Tour leave from the courtyard shared by the Clare Museum/Ennis Tourist Office and the Temple Gate Hotel – as shown on this map (Ennis Tourist Office). An alternative town centre meeting point can also be requested for private tours. 

The Ennis Dark History Tour leaves from the lobby of the Old Ground Hotel situated on the corner of O’Connell Street and Station Rd – as shown on this map (Old Ground Hotel).

Distances we cover on the tours are approx. 1 – 1.5 km (less than 1 mile). Within this distance we cover the main medieval core of Ennis town and all its historical landmarks.

Yes! Ennis is a compact town, and each tour is run at a leisurely walking pace and is suitable for those with reduced mobility. There are about 10 stops on the tours and there is somewhere at most stops to sit and rest if required. 

For tours departing from the Temple Gate Hotel Courtyard there is a public car park just beside this (Friars Walk Car Park). For tours departing from the Old Ground Hotel there is street parking on Station Road just outside the hotel entrance. 

Tours are run by the owner/operator of Ennis Walking Tours, Dr Jane O’Brien. Jane is a local of Ennis and an expert Guide with over 20 years of tour guiding experience. She holds a Masters in Local History from the University of Limerick and a History PhD from the University of Galway. She has been running Ennis Walking Tours since 2005. 

Rain or shine, we run our tours! Please dress appropriately and if it does rain chances are it will not last for long. We can find suitable shelter for very heavy showers. 

We offer tours in English only, although we can work with a group’s translator if required.

Yes, children are most welcome, and a reduced child rate applies to children and teenagers. Children under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. School groups must be accompanied by at least one teacher. 

Yes, all our tours are suitable for children, and for most children the stories told on the Dark History Tour are intriguing and just a little bit scary. 

Yes, the tours are generally wheelchair accessible. The route is mainly on flat ground with kerbstone dips available along the route. 

No, we stop at the old Ennis Abbey and talk about its history, but we do not go inside. There is a charge to visit this attraction, and we do encourage people to return there after the tour and spend some time exploring the site. 

Book your tour on our website, or from an authorised online travel agent. We advise you to book in advance as we may not be able to accept ‘walk-ups’ if the tour is full or cancelled. 

Please visit our Bespoke Tours booking pages and fill in our online enquiry form or just email us directly at info@enniswalkingtours.com and outline your request. We usually reply inside 24 hours. 

You will receive a booking confirmation email with all necessary details. 

You may print your ticket if you prefer but we also accept a visual image of your ticket from a mobile device.  

On busy days we may not always be able to accommodate everybody, so booking in advance or phoning ahead is advised. If nobody is booked on a tour 24 hours beforehand, we may cancel that tour.

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund. If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded. Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted. Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

A tip is not expected but is obviously really appreciated for a good tour.

For medium- to large-sized groups a small microphone amplifier can be used to ensure that all the group can hear clearly. Also, all stopping points have plenty of room for the group to gather and the guide always speaks slowly and clearly. 

The bite-sized tastings that the Guide provides, along with the samples from a local food supplier, is equivalent to a small plate of food per person. In addition, we serve two small tastings of an alcoholic beverage. 

Yes, we can provide gluten-free alternatives for certain tastings. We can also provide a non-alcoholic substitute for the alcoholic tastings if required, or for children attending the tour. Please let us know of any dietary restrictions in advance of the tour.

If you can’t find the answer to your question above, please do not hesitate to send a message either by using our Contact Form, or by emailing us at info@enniswalkingtours.com or by calling us at +353 87 6483714

Clare in cafe with tour member - medium shot

All About

YOUR GUIDE

Clare native and owner and operator of Ennis Walking Tours, Dr Jane O’Brien is an expert Guide with a Masters in local history and a History PhD from the University of Galway. She has been sharing her knowledge and running tours of Ennis since 2005 and her uniquely Irish storytelling skills bring history alive for all who embark on an Ennis Walking Tour. Jane is deeply passionate about her hometown and uses rich insightful sources to recreate the historical dramas and daily life of this extraordinary town and its place in Irish history. Jane is also Castle Historian at Dromoland Castle – once the seat of the Gaelic O’Brien Kings and now a luxury hotel.

READ ABOUT YOUR GUIDE

TOUR REVIEWS

Slide 1

“Very interesting historical tour of Ennis that included food tasting of historical and local items. e.g. mead, blood pudding, cheese! It was a great way to start our vacation in Ireland.”

August 2024

Slide 2

“This was an excellent walking tour of the centre of Ennis accompanied by food! Jane was brilliant! Her knowledge of Ennis and indeed Irish history is second-to-none.”

October 2023

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