In March 2025, Excursions Ireland’s Head Guide Coordinator and resident Guide Trainer, Cathie McKimm hosted a series of guide training events across the country.
With a total of 7 full day training events these sessions attracted approximately 250 guides and along with training Excursions Ireland’s existing guiding team this venture also recruited approximately 60 new guides for the Atlantic Ports. From West Cork to Donegal, ships are quickly discovering the beauty of the Wild Atlantic Way and the harbours and ports along this incredible stretch of rugged landscape are becoming more and more popular as each new cruise season looms. Calls to these ports are set to increase significantly in the coming years but hopefully following this recent guide training, the demand for high quality guides will be comfortably met. As beautiful as this part of the country is, it does come with its challenges. Needless to say the Atlantic Coast can be a wild weather destination which can hamper any cruise line’s best intentions. With far from favourable weather conditions, difficult access roads and restricted capacity for touring options the Atlantic Coast is a challenge for the larger cruise lines but it is most certainly one worth taking and hopefully following this successful round of guide training and recruitment this is a part of the package that won’t pose any difficult challenges.
Along with Cathie, all 4 guide co-ordinators joined these events at various points along the way. The company’s 4 wonderful guide coordinators are Denise McCann, Ed Byrne, Jane Morgan and Claire Baily. The countrywide events were also attended by a variety of staff from the Excursions Ireland office. The notorious Golden Girls, Carmel & Ann represented the team at the Dublin & Cork events and some of the younger generation were let loose on the West Coast, with Kerrie, Ben, Aisling & Joe on the Galway & Bantry leg of the tour. EI was also well represented by some very familiar faces in the guiding community, a strong cohort of dedicated guides who have shown loyalty and friendship to the company for many years, none more so than the lovely Liz Morgan. Also attending the Cork training session was Tom Mahon one of Cork’s lovely Port Managers. Tom’s dedication to the cause shone through as he hobbled his way through the session still recovering from surgery!
