Our Tours

Catriona Ryan

Private Tour Operations

As our Private Tour Operations specialist, Catriona manages custom tour experiences from initial enquiry all the way through to post-tour follow-up. Drawing on her hotel industry background, she excels at creating seamless itineraries that balance the needs of multi-generational groups - keeping kids engaged, parents satisfied, and grandparents comfortable.

Known for her ability to think quickly under pressure and solve problems on the fly, Catriona maintains direct contact with guests throughout their journey, often responding to queries outside business hours to ensure travellers receive support whenever they need it. Her personal approach has earned her a loyal following of repeat customers and referrals.

Catriona Ryan

Catriona’s background

Catriona joined My Ireland Tour in May 2022, bringing extensive experience from the hotel industry. Her background in hospitality provided a natural transition to tour operations, particularly in managing supplier relationships, coordinating logistics, and anticipating guest needs.

"Anyone that knows me would say that planning and organising things is definitely my field of expertise," Catriona explains. As a mother herself, she approaches multi-generational tours with particular insight: "I look at it from being a mother - what would I do or what would I like? Small things like hotels with swimming pools so the kids have something in the evening. It's the small tweaks that make people happy."

Key focus

"My focus is making the tour as seamless as possible. People are on holiday - that's not their job to worry, that's my job to worry. Whether it's weather disruptions affecting the Cliffs of Moher boat cruise or finding alternative attractions on short notice, I work directly with our driver-guides to solve problems quickly."

"I maintain close contact with guests throughout their journey. I'm always at the other side of the phone."

Tour specialisations

  • Custom private tours for multi-generational families
  • Balancing diverse age group needs and mobility levels
  • Off-the-beaten-track attraction knowledge and alternatives
  • Real-time problem solving and itinerary adjustments
  • Building long-term relationships with repeat guests

Working style

Catriona works closely with driver-guides to ensure tours run smoothly, valuing their on-the-ground insights for future itinerary improvements. Guests that are familiar with Catriona will often contact her directly to book their next tour.

"We get a lot of return customers. People don't even email the general inbox anymore - they come directly back to me. I've had numerous tours where guests return year after year, or friends and family get my email and reach out. That's how you know you're doing something right."

Philosophy on travel

"Keep the kids happy and the parents are going to be happy - that's the way I always look at it. Once you have enough in the day to keep everyone engaged, while the parents still get to see what they want in Ireland and grandparents can participate comfortably, that's success. We have so much to offer, and I always try to find that middle ground."