Gallivanting Tours: Meet Lorraine O'Dwyer
Are you a Wexford native and exactly how did you get your start “gallivanting” around Ireland?

My mum is a native of Wexford and my dad is from Dublin and that’s where I grew up. But we spent every summer and Christmas and most weekends here. I always felt more at home here and so it made sense that as soon as I could I moved here permanently, I did.
I was 22 when I moved to Gorey in North Wexford and I've never looked back! I am raising my own kids here now and it is a wonderfully warm and close community to live in. I couldn't imagine going anywhere else!
We have the best of both worlds here. The lovely lush green countryside and small-town pace of life, but within an hour’s drive I could be in Dublin City center! I get seriously itchy feet, always looking for the next adventure.
I love to work but couldn’t find a job to suit, so I created one! It’s not just the tours that I offer. I also work with the National Tourist Board, our local county council and schools, and I also host Storytelling Nights across the country, so every day is different. I’m always off gallivanting!
Did you have any previous experience in the tourism industry before becoming a tour guide?
I grew up in the industry. Dad is a hotelier and a publican and very well known here in Ireland for his themed bars and unique hotels. Family holidays were really research trips so, from a very young age, I was immersed in it! I began my own career at 14, working in the bars and hotels, which included waiting tables, serving at the bar, front desk, reservations, accommodation…. you name it, I've done it!
I didn't receive a formal education. I left school early. But the education I did receive through my experiences was invaluable and I really feel I was very, very lucky to get the upbringing I did!
What do you feel is different about the southeast where Gallivanting Tours is focused as opposed to other places in Ireland?
Ireland is a strange island, so small and yet each county or province is really different! Wexford is special to me for many reasons.
First off, it’s not as well known by international visitors and yet it’s the number one place for Irish people to come and stay. Every summer, we are invaded by families from Dublin, Galway, Cork, and Belfast!

So, we have loads of great places to stay, things to do, places to eat, along with a working Internet service and a good road system! But at the same time, while we are set up for tourism, we don't have that “diddly-aye I'm a Leprechaun” nonsense!
Instead, we have real authentic stuff, including the Storytelling Houses, the trad nights, the farmers' markets, and some of the best beaches you'll find on the island!
You mention “unique visitor attractions” that can be found in Wexford. What are your own personal favorites?
That’s a really hard question! But I adore the National Heritage Park. I love that you can sit down by the fire in a Celtic Ringfort, wrap a woolen cloak around you and pretend you've gone back to the time of the Celts or the Vikings.

It was a real favorite for my kids growing up as it’s such a large park and so much fun to visit. You can even stay overnight, dressed as a Celt and sleeping under animal skins! I might be weird, but I found it terribly romantic!
It's somewhere that feels very real, the management and the staff really try to make it as authentic as possible and it’s a real gem of a place to explore.
You offer all kinds of different walks and tours. Could you tell us about some of the popular ones.
Sure. I offer a foraging and folklore walk that allow visitors to discover not only the local woodland but also a whole new world underneath its leafy canopy.

You can enjoy a glass of WILDabout’s sparkling nettle drink as you explore with me on this 2.5-hour tour, which exposes participants to a blend of seasonal herbs, nuts and fruit along with leaves that taste like butterhead lettuce, flowers that were used to cure medieval viruses and a huge variety of wild herbs that are perfect for teas and tinctures.
Glendalough Goddess Walk is another popular excursion that I run, which takes participants through the popular attraction and on a walk to the Upper Lake during which ancient stories are retold.
I also offer tours of farms in the region, with participants having the chance to experience a sumptuous lunch complete with local ingredients, including bread, butter, honey, chutneys and jams.
Tourists these days are looking for vacations that offer genuine experiences. Do you feel that they’ll get that at Gallivanting Tours?

I know they will. I pride myself on it! I have no interest in anything else. I am very happy to say that I get a lot of return customers and referrals as a result and I would be utterly horrified if someone left one of my tours not feeling like they have made a new friend in Ireland!
How can readers of Ireland on a Budget find out more about your tours?
Visit my website or email me at [email protected].
If there is anything you’d like to add, feel free to mention it below
I work with Taste Wexford as their official food tour guide. We often run special food events throughout the year, so check out their website for more information on this!