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Selected Trips

    Tom Meehan

    Cheerful |  Positive | Professional

    Favourite Place to Play

    The Comeragh Mountains in County Waterford, part of Ireland’s Ancient East

    Not a lot of people know this

    I once recorded a 4 track CD!

    Mini Bio

    After 36 years in the maritime world, initially as a Naval Officer and Ship’s Captain and later as a Port Manager, I changed direction and left the office behind for a career in the outdoors.

    I am qualified as a Mountain Leader and now spend my much of my time sharing my passion for the hills and mountains of Ireland, and giving people the skills to safely explore the hills.

    When not out in the wilderness, I enjoy playing the guitar and singing with my friends in our weekly music session in the local pub.

    Qualifications & Awards Read More
    • Naval Watchkeeping Certificate
    • Ships Diver Officer
    • Helicopter Controller
    • Diploma in Shopping Centre Management
    • Certified Diploma in Accounting and Finance
    • Mountain Leader Award
    • Mountain Skills Trainer
    Previous Experience Read More

    I joined the Irish Navy as a cadet straight from school and served for sixteen years in a variety of roles culminating in two years in command of an offshore patrol vessel. After leaving the navy, I managed a shopping centre in Cork for two years before an opportunity arose to return to the maritime world as manager of a commercial harbour.

    I left the office behind in 2010 to follow my passion for the outdoors. I qualified as a Mountain Leader and Mountain Skills Trainer and now my work is giving others the skills to safely explore the Irish hills and mountains.

    I am immensely proud of everything my country has to offer so it is a joy to share our wonderful landscape, history, culture, food and drink with visitors from overseas as a guide at Wilderness Ireland.

    Travel Read More

    I first experienced north western Spain in 2014 when I walked 300 km of the Camino Francaise. I have returned there twice since then and particularly to the Picos de Europa mountains. I have also travelled to Guatemala and later this year my partner and I will go trekking in Nepal.

    Hobbies & Passions Read More

    My major interests are hillwalking/hiking either on my own, with friends or teaching others as well as music. I play the guitar and sing with a group of friends in a weekly session in and in local pubs. I might even have been known to sing a song or two on my trips! 

    Expert Regions Read More

    The mountains in the southeast of Ireland – I especially love the beautiful and yet underrated Comeragh Mountains. I know the southeast really well (counties Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny,…). I also like the west coast – places like Dingle might be more popular, but there are always hidden gems to be found.

    Adventurer's Stories about Tom

    Tom was fantastic, he was very patient with the slow walkers, and with all the questions everyone had. Tom was very knowledgeable about the local history and the plants. Tom really went out of his way to ensure everyone was happy, even making a special trip to a waterfall for one of our group!

    Juliann Romanin
    Hiking - Kerry & Clare
    Reviewed on 02/11/2023

    Tom is a very nice man, he was patient and understanding to all our group

    Michael Duggan
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 12/10/2023

    Tom could not have done a better job! He was warm, helpful, honest, and truly a delight. Even during an entire day of very wet, pouring rain. His mini concert was a highlight..really good!

    Elena Seibert
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 09/10/2023

    Tom was great!

    Lauren Duggan
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 03/10/2023

    Our guide Tom was great. Took good care of one tour member with medical needs. Wished he was by our side more on some of the rock scrambles on Sheeps Head. At one point another hiker, not on our tour, had to help me snd several other tour members scramble down a slippy rocky ledge. We were too spread out. Sometimes he was too far in the lead snd felt like he lost the tail end of the hikers.

    Rebecca Lewis
    Hiking & Island Hopping - Cork & Kerry
    Reviewed on 18/09/2023

    Tom was capable, friendly, knowledgeable, and musical!

    Ellen Reynolds
    Hiking & Island Hopping - Cork & Kerry
    Reviewed on 13/09/2023

    Tom was very pleasant and easy to be around. He was a great guide.

    Paul Bedard
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 04/09/2023

    Tom looked after us so well, we were always thoroughly briefed, he was always willing to make an extra effort to cater to specific requirements of the groups, super organised and very knowledgeable

    Helen Lalas
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 01/09/2023

    The pace Tom set was great and because we returned to the same B&B each night (and had to pick up our vehicle from a different place daily) he had selected nice spots for us to wait/meet up.

    Kimberly Saller
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 29/08/2023

    Tom was great. Exceeded our expectations

    Bill Saller
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 28/08/2023

    We really appreciated how Tom was intuitive and tuned in to the people our group and knew what we needed or what was right for the moment. He kept tabs on the group as a whole but also gave us the freedom to be ourselves and have our own hiking “styles.” We enjoyed the history he shared each day and singing songs with him. He was a calm and encouraging presence for our group and a connection to Irish history and culture.

    Jennifer Oversmith
    Hiking - Kerry & Clare
    Reviewed on 23/08/2023

    Tom was just brilliant.

    Pernille Norregaard
    Hiking - Kerry & Clare
    Reviewed on 18/08/2023

    Tom was a very knowledgeable guide!

    Kitty Singh
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 24/07/2023

    Tom was a seasoned and expert guide. Very knowledgeable and friendly.

    Brian Shaffer
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 22/07/2023

    Tom did a great job. He was always pleasant and attentive and tried to meet every need of the group.

    Elaine Geary
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 17/07/2023

    The territory and weather were superb, matched by the qualities of the guide. (See earlier comments).

    Helen Sandilands
    Hiking & Island Hopping - Cork & Kerry
    Reviewed on 23/06/2023

    Our guide was great. He was knowledgeable and had a good sense of humour. I really thought that I got the most out of my holiday.

    John Klukowski
    Hiking & Island Hopping - Cork & Kerry
    Reviewed on 23/06/2023

    Tom was an excellent guide and we all enjoyed our time with Tom and the whole group!

    Kelley Storment
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 18/10/2022

    The trip would not have been the same without Tom. He was top-notch, in all regards - care and concern for others, friendliness, organization, communication, etc. He always checked with everyone in the group as to their overall well-being, as well as their preferences for any given day or evening. He just exemplified all of the charm, friendliness, and generosity that I found in the Irish people everywhere we went. Tom and our main driver for the week were wonderful - just listening to their chatter gave us quite a chuckle each day. He shared his musical talents for us one evening, at the remote coastal inn - what an unexpected and special treat. I would search out another trip with Tom in the future for sure!!!

    Teri Simpson
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 12/10/2022

    Tom was an excellent guide and made sure that we were all looked after as individuals and a group. My birthday occurred during the trip and he and fellow group members gave ma special evening to remember.

    John Barrett
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 11/10/2022

    Tom was top-notch! He really made the trip go from great to excellent! He was very good at coordinating, pacing, entertaining, and communicating. And when we were lucky enough to have him share his own music, we knew we lucked out as it really topped off our week! He also made sure we got to see a lot of the towns we were in at night as well. Everyone got what they wanted from quiet nights in, to fun music-filled nights out! I cannot say enough about how wonderful Tom was and I would request him in the future!

    Katherine Jewell
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 08/10/2022

    Tom was a nice, quiet, knowledgeable, kind and modest guide. Although this was his first time guiding this trip (he mostly does trips in other part of Ireland s) it did not feel that way. He knew were to go and guided us well through the walks.
    Tom’s performance on the guitar one evening was absolutely an highlight; what a voice!! That was such a nice evening.

    Saskia van Tongeren
    Hiking - The Causeway Coastal Route & Donegal
    Reviewed on 01/08/2022

    Tom was great. Flexible and organised. I wish some of the walks could be longer and skip some of the shopping time in small towns

    Luisa Girola
    Hiking - The Causeway Coastal Route & Donegal
    Reviewed on 01/08/2022

    Tom was a fabulous guide. He was attentive to the needs of all members of our group, and we had hikers with varying levels of skill and experience. He was extremely kind to my children (ages 18 and 22). Each evening he gave us accurate descriptions of the next day's hike. I felt well prepared for each day's hike as a result of the prior evening's description. Tom treated us to a guitar concert one evening which was definitely a highlight of the trip. Tom was responsive to our requests and made our requests for swimming and whiskey tasting happen. He took amazing care of our group. I cannot imagine having a better guide than Tom!

    Alexis Elward
    Private Hiking the Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 18/07/2022

    Our guide, Tom, was excellent. As I said in a previous response, he gave good history, good hiking advice, spent time with all of us, kept us at a good pace without pressuring anyone to keep up or move faster. I would take a tour with him again.

    Andrew Theising
    Private Hiking the Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 18/07/2022

    Tom was phenomenal! He was knowledgable, kind, funny, good-natured, flexible, and encouraging. I appreciated his organization, timliness, sense of humor, professionalism, and musical talents. He went out of his way to find music for us on our final night in Dingle, and I will be forever grateful!

    Lorri Knaus
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 16/05/2022

    I feel like I found the proverbial pot of gold with Tom as our guide. I would recommend him for the guide hall of fame!

    Darcy Jaffe
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 13/05/2022

    Tom Meehan was excellent.

    Dan Hodes
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 09/05/2022

    Tom was a kind and helpful guide, and a talented musician.

    Ann Bedard
    Deluxe Hiking - The Kerry Mountains
    Reviewed on 26/08/2021

    Tom Meehan did an absolutely wonderful job taking care of us. He is exceptional. He made certain we had options for times we were not up to the planned trip. We loved his music the night he played his guitar and sang in Killarney.
    We feel very fortunate to have met him and traveled with him. He listened and was attentive to people’s wants and needs and was the most accommodating and intuitive person.

    Kathleen Alves
    Deluxe Hiking - The Kerry Mountains
    Reviewed on 23/08/2021

    Tom was a great guide--very knowledgeable and personable. He was also very flexible as he tried to accommodate some of our individual requests and did a great job providing us with a few alternative itineraries when we couldn't visit some sites due to weather.

    Ann Marie Gervino
    Hiking & Island Hopping - Cork & Kerry
    Reviewed on 10/09/2019

    Tom was key to a wonderful trip. He was mindful of safety and the ability of participants. He was engaging and endeavoured to meet the diverse needs of the group. His skills at bringing all of us together were very much appreciated.

    Jan Lackstrom
    Hiking & Island Hopping - Cork & Kerry
    Reviewed on 03/09/2019

    Top of the range !

    Leigh Ashby
    Hiking & Island Hopping - Cork & Kerry
    Reviewed on 02/09/2019

    Our guide Tom was professional, friendly and knowledgeable and went over and above to make our experience a memorable one

    Fiona Ashby
    Hiking & Island Hopping - Cork & Kerry
    Reviewed on 02/09/2019

    Tom know what he's doing; he stopped one of our hikes after we had forded a couple of streams and hit one that was turbulent with very high water. It was a tough decision because we wanted to keep going, but the right one. It gave me a great deal of confidence to know we were with an experienced hiker.

    Tom has a light touch with people; he was deft at dealing with idiosyncracies and concerns. This is not an easy thing to do when you have different personalities from various countries.

    Jean Jabanoski
    Hiking & Island Hopping - Cork & Kerry
    Reviewed on 02/09/2019

    Our guide Tom was knowledgeable, accommodating, respectful to all our needs and made all possible efforts to ensure our satisfaction.

    Pazi Deutsch
    Private Hiking the Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 29/07/2019

    Tom Meehan was great. "A Quiet Man" I called him..but a super guide and informative at the same time.

    Mary Kay Thomas
    Hiking - The Wicklow Way
    Reviewed on 27/07/2019

    Our guide Tom is what made our hike in Ireland so memorable. He took excellent care of us and went out of his way to make sure we enjoyed ourselves and that everything ran smoothly. The logistics (luggage transfer, van pick up, check in to our lodging, evening meals) were all very smooth, and the daily hikes included a few challenges, incredible vistas, and walks along the beach. His good humor, expertise, and patience were all greatly appreciated!

    Tama Engelking
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 23/07/2019

    Again Tom was great! I can't say enough positively to reflect how much I enjoyed his knowledge and support during our week with the tour. The highlight was Tom's impromptu concert at the Enniskerry Inn pub

    Dan Wherley
    Hiking - The Wicklow Way
    Reviewed on 19/07/2019

    The guide was first class and could not have been more helpful.

    John Barrett
    Hiking - The Wicklow Way
    Reviewed on 18/07/2019

    Tom was the total package of a fine guide, from patience, knowledgeability, tolerance, flexibility, and seasoning to a well-honed sense of humor, generosity, and fine musicianship.

    Kent Young
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 07/07/2019

    Tom did a great job. An 11 out of 10.

    Bonnie Jones
    Hiking & Island Hopping - Cork & Kerry
    Reviewed on 03/06/2019

    Tom was a good man. Even sang us a few tunes at dinner one evening.

    Allen Shaw
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 01/08/2018

    Tom was very good and looked after us well. It was his first Dingle Way expedition and as such he did well. His guitar playing and singing were most enjoyable and a rare treat.

    Antoinette Norman
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 25/07/2018

    Tom was really friendly, and helpful and went out of his way to make sure we didn't miss stuff - he drove a few of us to see something we would otherwise have missed after dinner. He also drove me to my accomodation after the trip which was very much appreciated. Not quite as experienced or as knowledgeable about flowers and things as the last trip I went on but he still knew loads more than me!

    Isobel Pennington
    Hiking - The Dingle Way
    Reviewed on 24/07/2018

    Book a trip with Tom

    Trip / DepartureAvailabilityStatusPriceBook
    Hiking & Island Hopping – Cork & Kerry
    8th Jun - 14th Jun 2024
    2 place(s) leftGuaranteed €2,520Book Now
    Hiking & Island Hopping – Cork & Kerry
    22nd Jun - 28th Jun 2024
    1 place(s) leftGuaranteed €2,520Book Now
    Hiking – The Dingle Way
    6th Jul - 12th Jul 2024
    4 place(s) leftGuaranteed €2,490Book Now
    Hiking & Island Hopping – Ireland’s West Coast
    27th Jul - 2nd Aug 2024
    4 place(s) leftGuaranteed €2,390Book Now
    Hiking – The Dingle Way
    17th Aug - 23rd Aug 2024
    1 place(s) leftGuaranteed €2,490Book Now
    Hiking & Island Hopping – Ireland’s West Coast
    21st Sep - 27th Sep 2024
    6 place(s) leftGuaranteed €2,390Book Now

    Make Trip Private

    Sometimes it's nice to get family and friends together and travel privately for some quality time. This means you benefit from all the features of the group departure, including hand-picked accommodation and expert local guides and we'll take care of it all. Then you can make your choice of departures dates and we'll get back to you to finalise the details.

    We work together with our team of guides to decide which departures they lead each year. As part of that, guides provide available dates that they are free to be booked. This means that any of the dates you see in the first field of the form below, could be perfect for your private departure or customised tour.

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