Meet Dave
I'm Dave O'Connor and as an award-winning adventure guide of Ireland and owner of Wolfhound Adventure Tours, I'm happy to welcome you to my site, my company and my adventures. I'm sure Ireland will be one of your great adventures also.
Wolfhound Adventure Tours is the result of the many lessons I’ve learned during my 20 or so years of guiding around Ireland. Wolfhound is about you and what your dream adventure of Ireland can be. We travel in small groups in the 'Wolfmobile' and I'll gladly entertain you with the stories, mythology, poems and history that makes Ireland such a wonderful country to visit. Wolfhound will bring you beyond your expectations on a legendary adventure with a mixture of hikes, wildlife and history.
I have learned that what people really want is to get away from the mainstream, to meet the locals, to explore ancient forgotten places at leisure and not to be tied to a fixed itinerary. So, on a Wolfhound Adventure Tour of Ireland you'll enjoy 'exploring more' far away from the well-trodden path. You'll get to share pints and laughs with genuine locals, have picnic lunches in stunning wilderness and I'll personally guide you to some of Ireland's greatest places like Skellig Michael or Dun Aengus.
I am a History graduate of Trinity College Dublin and I have always had an adventurous streak through my life. As a youngster I could regularly be found on the slopes of Ireland's hills and mountains or exploring her ruined castles and remote clifftops. This interest of mine in the outdoors has taken me on some amazing adventures. I worked as a mountain guide in the wilderness of Tasmania in Australia in my twenties and I climbed to the Summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro in the year 2000 to raise money for orphans after the genocide in Rwanda.
My father was a writer and my mother a ballet dancer and from this I inherited a passion for the arts and for Irish culture. I have always felt that a trip to Ireland is wasted if you are not hearing about our vibrant history, listening to the stories of myth and legend, absorbing our music as you pass through the landscape or hearing a poem or song recited by a local. So I make it my business to ensure that every Wolfhound adventure not only involves great outdoor activities like hiking and lots of fun optional extras but also a mix of history, poetry and culture, both ancient and modern.
I have been guiding people around our beautiful island now for over 20 years (15 years of that Wolfhounding) and I love what I do with a passion. I am one of the privileged few in the world who have been able to do what I love for a living and I count my blessings every day. Whether it's watching as a winter Atlantic storm rolls in over the wilds of Dingle, or simply sitting and chatting with my clients over a creamy pint by a turf fire after a hard day's exploring I sometimes feel that I struck gold somewhere along the way.
Wolfhounds feature often in Irish Myth and Legend and were once considered to be the hounds of royalty here at the edge of the world so in honour of this when I was choosing a company name there was only one name on the list: Wolfhound. As the name suggests, your adventure will be full of excitement as you travel through and learn about Ireland's ancient past and changing present. I hope you will get the same exhilaration as I do from Ireland's awesome landscape, her rich traditional Irish music, great food and wonderful forgotten places.
Wolfhound adventures are designed so that each trip is different from the last. I will personally tailor-make your adventure to suit your needs and capabilities. We will hike to ancient castles, explore forgotten villages and discover Ireland's rich flora and fauna in a relaxed and fun way. Wolfhound is not just a hiking trip - instead it's a relaxed paced, multi-active adventure vacation to the hidden corners of my island. So, from seaweed baths to surfing lessons, from kayaking with seals to buying local crafts, I know you'll love it.
So if you're considering a trip to the friendliest country in the world you need look no further. I will be delighted should you book with Wolfhound. And once booked you can be sure that you'll explore Ireland with a 100% Irish owned company dedicated to the highest levels of customer service and you'll have an unforgettable adventure delivered with passion and a smile.
I very much look forward to seeing you on board and exploring more of Ireland with you.
Slainte (Irish for cheers)
Dave O'Connor
