HELP! Rabbie’s cancelled both Killarney day tours.

I notice there is a tourist office in Dingle. Here's the link. Have you tried contacting them for their suggestions on tours. You might check also to see if Killarney has a tourist office.
https://www.discoverireland.ie/search-results?q=dingle

Thanks Laurie Beth. I will look when I get back to the hotel.
Literally got Rabbie’s emails 15 minutes before the RS tour regrouped for the afternoon/evening so haven’t had time to research anything other than Wild Kerry’s website is from 2024, so not current. Panic mode set in.

Killarney to Dingle- train every 2 hours to Tralee then bus #275 roughly every 90 minutes.
Buses 14, 40 and 271 also link Killarney and Tralee with a combined headway of close to every 30 minutes.

No suggestions, I haven't been to Ireland for years. But, I wanted to pass on my sympathy. I just had the same thing happen with a long anticipated tour in the Lake District. Medical emergency caused cancellation at 5:30 AM for a 9 AM departure. I had literally set this trip to the Lake District up to take advantage of this particular day tour. No one else offered anything similar. I was in your state of panic - how to use that extra day, could I get to the tour location without a car (no - as I already knew).

My guest house hosts recommended a private driver. Not available at the last minute, but I could re-organize the plans to use his services another day. We still couldn't get to the desired location - site closed on the available day so rather pointless. We used the driver for a Plan B I had had in the back of my mind. Wonderful guy, we enjoyed Plan B. Perhaps your hotel or inn would have a suggestion for tour or driver??? I didn't find this person on my google searches - local insight was quite helpful and I'm very glad I asked my hosts. I know you aren't in Ireland now, but could you email ahead to your booked hotel or inn and see if they can help?

If it was me, I'd DIY on the bus myself in your situation. I say that after having had a tour in Scotland in April this year canceled. I replaced with a tour and company recommended by the canceling company. That tour was fine, but didn't really interest me. If I had been smart about things, I would have done a DIY that I was interested in - lots of options of things that I could have done on my own.

Not the best of years for my day tour schedules - that's for sure. You truly have my empathetic thoughts and best wishes!!

Oh no!! So sorry. I would start with the two recommended by Rabbie’s, then try Paddywagon tours.

https://www.paddywagontours.com/tours/Day-Tours-from-KILLARNEY

It’s a bigger bus, but I did a bigger bus tour in May and it really wasn’t much different than the smaller bus tours. Sure it took an extra couple of minutes to get everyone on and off the bus, but once everyone was off, everyone is all spread out.

The killareny website mentions a few other tour companies too.

https://killarney.ie/things-to-do/#tours

This really makes me mad for you. They need to get their act together or stop taking reservations for tours they cannot honor. They had to cancel a bunch of tours in Ireland in May as well. When I was on my Rabbie’s tour in Ireland this past May one of the passengers mentioned that Rabbie’s has no employees in Ireland, like they do in Scotland. The driver I had for my tour had a Rabbie’s van that also had another company name on it.

Dingle is fabulous. So, do whatever you have to do to get there.

Good luck!!!

Rabbies would be far better - but as that is not an option….. Paddywagon does a big bus day tour around the Ring of Kerry. It makes some nice stops and sees the basic sights.
https://www.paddywagontours.com/RING-OF-KERRY-Day-Tour-From-Killarney
They also have a Dingle tour from Killarney. It drives the Slea Head and stops in Dingle but doesn’t say how long.
https://www.paddywagontours.com/DINGLE-Day-Tour-from-Killarney

We took the PaddyWagon tour of the Ring of Kerry, starting at the tourist office in Killarney. We enjoyed it very much.

Thanks every one!!

isn31c, instead of the train/bus combo, is there any reason I shouldn’t take Tfi bus #276 from Killarney to Dingle? I don’t care about sightseeing in Dingle; it’s more important to go to Dingle Crystal to pick up a housewarming gift to carry to Dublin and buy ornaments to ship home. The bus looks like it’s direct both ways with lots of stops. I can buy tickets at the station, right? The app won’t load on my phone tonight.

Paddy Wagon tours look the way to go to Ring of Kerry so I’ll look at it more tomorrow. This day is just for sight seeing.

None except it only runs 3x a day, so you either have 75 minutes or 5 hours 45 in Dingle.
Buy on board. If you happen to have a Leap card it's 5.05 Euro each way rather than 7. You should be able to buy one at Killarney post office, but not worth it this trip.
The card isn't accepted on the train or express buses 14 and 40, but is on the 275.
If you caught the first bus out that gets you to Dingle at 1030.
If 1145 back is too tight either get the 1230 #275 to Tralee arrive 1333, or have lunch then the 1400 #275, arrive 1508. (11 Euro, 7.70 with Leap)
Bus 40 at 1350, arrive Killarney 1430, or 279 at 1515, arrive 1628 or the 1550 #40.
Bus 40 is 13 Euro, Bus 279 is 8.80 Euro or 6.16 with Leap
Trains from tralee are at 1305 and 1505, 7.55 Euro single on line, 9.10 Euro at the station

By the way there is a circular service bus from Dingle around Slea Head- the 277b, at 1035 and 1540.
There are a number of extra journeys on the 277a as far as Dunquin.
So it would be possible to do a DIY trip to the Blasket Centre, or (weather permitting) a day trip to Blasket Island.

Hopefully you’ve resolved this by now, but in case you’re still working on it…
As I think you know, we also had Rabbies tours of Dingle and Ring of Kerry cancelled earlier this year. We took a larger bus tour from Killarney Executive Tours to Ring of Kerry and a private tour from the same company to Dingle. I would not recommend this company.

One of the challenges with visiting the Ring of Kerry in bad weather is that you really can’t experience the beauty. On the day we went it was both wet and foggy. Unlike the Rabbies tours, most of what the larger tours do is drive you around and let you out at photo stops. Rabbies itinerary differs from these in a number of ways. Our big bus tour went to the bog village (cost extra and paled by comparison to the Muckross Farm open air museum, which we loved. We found this to be quite the tourist trap.) it also went to the sheep dog demo, which also cost extra but was the highlight of the day. We got off at a few spots to take photos in the fog, and were strongly encouraged to eat lunch at a specific restaurant. It probably would have been a better experience on a nicer day, but it was very different in feel from the Rabbies tour we took in Scotland. I don’t know how far in advance you can cancel if the forecast looks bad, but if you’re on the fence about a large bus ring of Kerry tour you might want to explore different options for that day.

I’m so sorry you have to deal with this. I hope you really enjoy your time in Killarney National Park (lots to enjoy there) and whatever else you decide to do!

I’m actually in Killarney right now, and got a phone call from our booker telling us that our Rabbie’s tour for tomorrow was cancelled. They rescheduled us for a different tour, but it’s a weird hassle - and I saw a Rabbie’s bus in town just this morning, so I’m not sure what is going on.

Thanks everyone! For your information, ideas and experience.

Final plan is bus from Killarney to Dingle. Thanks to isn31c for all the bus information. Today I booked the Paddywagon day tour Killarney to Ring of Kerry.

It sounds like Rabbie’s is having driver problems. I took two day trips out of London last week. One driver had been with Rabbie’s for two days and the other for 4 months. It’s very frustrating, isn’t it? I feel bad for you who had tours cancelled day of or day prior.

Slightly off topic: I’m really enjoying the South of England tour. Great guide, Roy. And the nicest group of tour mates imaginable; very inclusive and welcoming.