Bryan Lewis is one of the founders of Tenon Tours.

Creating long-lasting, meaningful connections to Irish culture is at the forefront of planning events and services here at the Irish Cultural Centre of New England. Such connections on behalf of ICC members do not happen in a vacuum. Ongoing outreach within the Irish community is a hallmark of the Centre. An example of this is the affiliation that the ICC has enjoyed with Tenon Tours Travel Company over the past several years.

ICC members know that the Centre often provides enrichment opportunities for preparing to travel “home” or for tracing family roots through workshops such as “Travel to Ireland 101” or “Using Genealogy Resources.” Given this focus, it seemed only natural to Louise O’Shea, ICC Director of Programming and Events, that the ICC forge a relationship with Tenon Tours as a source of travel information, specials and customized tours for ICC members pursuing Irish cultural, genealogical and historical travel interests.

Just back from a trip to Ireland, Bryan Lewis, one of the founders of Tenon Tours, is committed to providing customized travel experiences so that travelers to Ireland really experience “the benefits of authentic travel as a way to being connected culturally to one’s roots more than ever.” While many ICC members have family and friends in Ireland with whom to stay, there is a growing number of second and third generation Irish who are looking for more than a special airfare for flights home. These are the “Irish travelers interested in connecting the dots of their heritage through travel and cultural experience and not so much through hard core research,” observes Bryan. The destination-specialists at Tenon Tours help these folks create the exact travel experience that they want for feeling connected to traditions and specific cities and counties. This knack for infusing “travelers’ time with a freedom to do as they wish” is the very quality Bryan believes caught the attention of Inc. 500, a premier national business magazine and earned Tenon Tours this month’s recognition as “the #1 fastest growing travel agency in the U.S.”

Bryan is pleased with the way his team of planners “take a page right from the book of Irish hospitality” and ensure that “no request is too large for customizing a family or individual vacation.” In keeping with the atmosphere around the ICC, Bryan finds that people looking for the uniquely Irish travel experience are people who “are true to their heart” and just “know Ireland is a different kind of place with its mix of social cultural and historic characteristics evident in its array of beauty, landscape and attractions.” He goes on to add, “the experience is there in customized travel destinations for all ages.” The relaxed pace and freedom of an Irish Tenon Tour is very much in keeping with the relaxed atmosphere and genuine traditions which fill the functions, gatherings and classes on this side of the Atlantic at the Irish Cultural Centre.

Bryan appreciates the way the ICC has maintained its “long-standing relationship of trust and feel of approval” with Tenon Tours. He likes that just as “the ICC maintains its focused identity, Tenon Tours sustains its focus as a tour agency for travel to Ireland.” With this kind of dedication, the ICC and Tenon Tours are able to serve ICC members with a genuine “feel for the Irish way.” Bryan hopes even more people take the opportunity to enter the ICC membership to become an ICC member or renew membership and be entered in the membership raffle for the Tenon Tour trip to Ireland which is given away every year at the Irish Cultural Centre of New England in March.

For more information about membership at the Irish Cultural Centre and Tenon Tours please visit www.irishculture.org or call 781-821-8291.