We've been there three times and always went on our own. In fact, we've never gone anywhere on an organized tour. It's just not our thing. We like the adventure of getting lost by ourselves.

Once when we were in Ireland we met up with some friends who spent part of their trip on an organized folk music tour and part on their own and they said that there were advantages to both ways and neither was better than the other.

It must be nice to be able to go down what passes for a country road in Ireland and take in the beautiful scenery without having to watch for hay wagons, cows, sheep and other obstructions which may be lurking around the next curve!

In any event, do your best to converse with the Irish - the friendliest people on earth.

Bev and Jerry