I recently sat down with Mairtin Óg Lally of Lally Tours, an award-winning, family-run tour operator based in Galway, the lively heart of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. For over twenty years, Lally Tours has been introducing travelers to the breathtaking beauty of Ireland’s West Coast. As a second-generation tour operator, I wanted to find out what growing up immersed in the world of tours has taught him and the lessons he’s picked up along the way.
Mairtin is full of stories (including one about turning a furniture store into a pub!) and has a natural gift for storytelling—something that clearly comes from his long history as a guide. In just a short time, I walked away with some great insights: how he keeps the sense of adventure alive on every journey, the importance of consistent communication with suppliers, and how his philosophy “keep things simple, keep things human” shapes everything Lally Tours does.
His love for Galway City and Ireland’s West Coast is contagious, and it’s now firmly on my own personal bucket list.
Lally Tours has a long, storied history. Can you tell me how it all began?
Our story begins in the mid-1980s. I come from a big Irish family—seven kids, six boys and one girl—and we lived above a pub in Connemara, right by the sea. Our end of summer family holidays were camping trips around Ireland or taking the ferry to northern France. But moving all of us plus luggage (and an ever growing extended family!) wasn’t exactly easy with regular cars. So, out of necessity and to keep everyone together, my parents bought their first minibus.
The bus was always parked outside our pub, and it didn’t take long for the regulars to notice. They’d ask if we could help transport sports teams, wedding parties, or other community events. In the summertime, tourists would stop in for a pint and a bite to eat, spot the bus, and ask if someone could take them around. Most were looking for a break from driving their rental cars on “the wrong side of the road.” And just like that, our first tours began. That’s how Lally Tours was born. Today, we run day and multi-day tours around the West Coast of Ireland.
Did you grow up working in the tour business?
Oh, absolutely. Me and my siblings were always involved in some way: washing the buses, or even doing a bit of guiding when needed. But I suppose like many young adults, I wanted to branch out on my own and felt a pull to explore the world. So after college, I headed to America and ended up in Annapolis , Maryland doing something completely different, working Sales and Marketing with a construction company. As a side project, our company took over a furniture store … which we eventually turned into a pub.
From a furniture store to a pub? That escalated quickly! So when did tours come back in the mix?
While running the pub in Lancaster, PA, we built a great community of regulars, and many of them would say, “We’d love to visit Ireland someday—would you take us?” At first, we thought they were joking, but as more and more people expressed genuine interest, we started taking the idea seriously. At some point, we were planning a trip back home to visit family, so we thought, why not organise a group tour while we’re at it? That’s exactly what we did. We brought a group of our regulars to Ireland for a 9-day trip, hiring a bus and driver from my parents tour company back home
It feels like returning to tours was always destined to happen …
It does feel that way now! But at the time, it wasn’t meant to be anything big—just a fun, one-off trip with our regulars from the pub. But the feedback from that first tour was incredible and got me thinking there might be something more here. The group was completely blown away by Ireland and the unique experiences we took them on. It was nothing like what they’d expected—I think they imagined more of the clichés: diddly-eyed potatoes, leprechauns, and pots of gold. Although, to be fair, there were plenty of pints of Guinness!
One tour turned into another, and then another, and while touring, I fell back in love with Ireland too. Having traveled the world, coming home and guiding a group gave me a whole new perspective. It reminded me of my heritage and all the things that make Ireland so special, stuff that we took for granted when growing up there as kids. The trip also sparked my love for multi-day tours. Spending so much time with guests, you form real connections and end the journey as friends. It’s such a rewarding experience that I knew I wanted to keep doing it. So, I wrapped up my work in the States and moved back to Ireland full-time to focus on Lally Tours.
How has your journey evolved from these humble grassroots beginnings (or should I say pubroots) to managing multi-day adventures on a larger scale?
As we grew, one of the biggest shifts was formalising our supplier relationships. In the early days, it was all pretty casual—just a few groups and informal agreements with suppliers who were often long-time friends. But as we started managing more tours and bringing in larger volumes, those relationships naturally became more structured and business-oriented.
We were determined, though, that formalising things wouldn’t mean losing the personal touch. Communication became the cornerstone of maintaining those supplier relationships. We focused on staying on top of the details—reservations, volumes, logistics—to set clear expectations and avoid surprises. Consistent, proactive supplier communication is essential, creating a foundation of trust and professionalism that has allowed us to scale up while not just maintaining but even strengthening those personal connections we’ve built.
Consistent, proactive supplier communication is essential, creating a foundation of trust and professionalism that has allowed us to scale up while not just maintaining but even strengthening those personal connections we’ve built.
What does great supplier communication look like to you?
It’s all about consistency. Even when there’s nothing new to share, it’s important to check in—confirm dates, update numbers, and keep the dialogue open. For example, letting suppliers know, “Here’s where we stand right now, and here’s what we’re holding,” helps set expectations and keeps everything clear.
Many of the suppliers we work with—like local, boutique hotels—are small businesses themselves. If we hold rooms too long and release them too late, we risk impacting their ability to fill those spots, which can harm their business. At the same time, we rely on them to be proactive, letting us know if they can’t accommodate certain dates so we can adjust our plans.
This kind of open, two-way communication builds trust. When suppliers know they can count on you to be clear and considerate, it strengthens the relationship and often gives you better access, like getting rooms or resources during peak times. It’s a two-way street.
These are great lessons. Is there one lesson you wish you knew when you started?
If I could go back, it wouldn’t be to learn something new—it would be to recapture the spirit of those first few trips, where everything was novel and new. There was a natural curiosity and excitement that came with running those group tours for the first time. Even for trips we’ve done many times, we work hard to keep that same sense of adventure and discovery alive. No matter how much we’ve grown, we aim to bring the same excitement and sense of adventure to every tour.
How do you keep that sense of adventure alive when running repeat tours?
Variety is key. We make sure our drivers and guides have enough diversity in their work to keep things fresh. While familiarity is good, mixing things up—whether it’s adding new locations, tweaking itineraries, or reversing routes—keeps everyone engaged. These little changes help us stay connected to that sense of adventure. The tweaks we make often come directly from guest feedback. We’re constantly listening and observing how guests react and making adjustments to improve each tour.
Our guides play a huge role too. When hiring drivers and guides, we look for those with curiosity, creativity, and who aren’t afraid of suggesting new ideas. We encourage them to share suggestions, whether it’s visiting a new location or doing something a little different. It’s part of our culture to have fun, experiment, and be playful with how we deliver tours. That enthusiasm keeps it exciting for us, and it naturally translates into a better experience for our guests.
And honestly, being in Ireland helps! You can visit the same place five times in a week, and it’ll feel different every time. The weather, the people, the atmosphere—it’s always changing, and that keeps things feeling like an adventure.
Do you have any advice for other tour operators who want to streamline their operations?
Keep it simple. Keep it human. That’s the philosophy we run our business on. Planning trips can sometimes feel like piecing together a giant jigsaw puzzle, but we try not to overcomplicate things. If we’re choosing between three options, we’ll always go for the simplest one. Complexity often creates chaos and takes away from the natural flow of a tour.
Keep it simple. Keep it human. That’s the philosophy we run our business on … Complexity often creates chaos and takes away from the natural flow of a tour.
The same goes for technology. We want tools that are intuitive and straightforward. No one wants to spend all day buried in spreadsheets or complicated systems. We look for tools that help us think the way we think and work the way we work, keeping the human element front and centre.
How can people connect with you and the Lally Tours team?
You can reach us through our website or social media channels. We’re always sharing updates and stories, and we love connecting with people who share our passion for Ireland.
