Kilkenny, Wicklow & Glendalough: Sheepdog Trials from Dublin

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/17

Duration10h

GroupUp to 63

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

A Working Sheep Farm & 1,400 Years of Irish History in One Day

You'll depart Dublin early, spend a guided morning in medieval Kilkenny with free time to explore, drive through the Wicklow Mountains with a photo stop at 475 metres, walk around the 6th-century monastic ruins at Glendalough, and watch working sheepdogs move a flock on a traditional farm. Lunch and refreshments are on you, but the coach includes WiFi, restroom stops, and a dedicated guide throughout. You're back in central Dublin by early evening.

10h

Step-by-step itinerary

Kilkenny, Wicklow, Glendalough tour

Depart Dublin early morning
Guided walking tour in Kilkenny
Free time to explore Kilkenny
Drive through Wicklow Mountains
Photo stop at Wicklow Gap
Visit Glendalough monastic site
Optional guided walk at Glendalough
Free time at Glendalough
Sheepdog trial at traditional farm
Return to Dublin in evening

The Experience

There's something about watching a sheepdog respond to a whistle from across a hillside that makes you stop checking your phone. The farm visit in Laragh sits roughly halfway through this full-day tour from Dublin, and it's the moment most people say they'll remember — not because it's staged, but because it's real. You're standing in the Wicklow countryside watching trained dogs move a flock with barely a sound, and your guide is telling you how shepherds have done this for generations. It's the kind of thing you can't quite capture in a photo, which is probably why you try anyway.

The day starts early — you'll meet between 8:10 and 8:30 AM at one of three central Dublin locations, then travel by luxury coach through County Kildare toward Kilkenny. You arrive around 10:00 AM for a guided walking tour of the medieval city, where your guide points out the narrow streets, the castle grounds, and the spots locals actually eat. After that, the time is yours — you can wander into Kilkenny Castle's parklands, browse the artisan shops, or grab lunch at a café your guide recommended. At 12:30 PM, you leave for the Wicklow Mountains. The drive itself is the kind of slow, green scenery that makes you understand why people call this region the "Garden of Ireland." If the weather holds, you stop at Wicklow Gap, a mountain pass at 475 metres with views that stretch across the rugged landscape — the same scenery used in Braveheart and Vikings.

Glendalough arrives around 2:15 PM, and you have just over two hours to explore a 6th-century monastic settlement set between two lakes. Your guide offers an optional walking tour through the ruins, the ancient graveyard, and the 30-metre round tower that once served as a bell tower and refuge. After that, you're free to walk to the lakes, sit quietly, or grab tea at the visitor facilities. The sheep farm stop happens on the way back — 30 minutes watching the dogs work, maybe holding a lamb if it's spring, talking to the farmer about what the work actually involves. It's the kind of detail that makes the whole day feel less like a checklist and more like something you stumbled into.

The coach returns to Dublin by 6:15 PM, dropping you on Westmoreland Street (summer) or D'Olier Street (winter), both within walking distance of Temple Bar and O'Connell Street. You've covered roughly 100 kilometres, seen three distinct landscapes, and watched something most tourists miss entirely. The winding mountain roads mean this isn't ideal if you get motion sickness easily — front-row seats are reserved for mobility needs — but if you're comfortable with that, it's a solid way to see rural Ireland without renting a car or figuring out the train schedule yourself.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel or central Dublin pickup between 8:10 and 8:30 AM, guided walking tours in Kilkenny City and at Glendalough's monastic site, a scenic photo stop at Wicklow Gap (weather permitting), a 30-minute visit to a working sheep farm with a live sheepdog trial demonstration, WiFi on board, regular restroom and comfort stops, an air-conditioned luxury coach with a dedicated guide and professional driver, parking fees, and secure luggage storage.
Glendalough entry is included; lunch is not, though you have free time in Kilkenny and light refreshments are available at Glendalough's visitor facilities.
Return to central Dublin by approximately 6:15 PM.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for back problems

Operated by Wild Rover Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see rural Ireland, medieval history, and mountain scenery without driving yourself or piecing together train connections — the fixed schedule and guided stops handle the logistics, which is what makes fitting all three regions into one day possible.