Guides

DB O’Connor was born a few miles outside the town of Killarney within the shadow of the Pap mountains also referred to as the Paps of Danu and in the Gaelic language, An dhá Chonic Danu. The mountain is named after The Goddess Danu who to the ancient Celtic people represented mother earth and fertility.

To DB the mountains represent home and indeed have been home to countless generations for thousands of years and this is evidenced by the many Bronze age, Iron age and early medieval ruins such as the Cairn at the very summit of the mountain and the ring fort at the base referred to locally as “The City” which is possibly one of the oldest sites of continuous religious worship in Western Europe, well over 5,000 years of activity.

The home that DB grew up in doubled up as a very successful local general store at a busy rural crossroads in the townland of Gorthnahawn Bui East “The Field of the Yellow Flowers” within the parish of Rathmore “The Big Fort”

DB’s Grandparents, Danny and Molly and later his parents provided many goods from their store, indeed everything that was required to supply the surrounding community, such as bicycles to geese to socks and soap.

The shop was in many aspects a local community centre and in those days’ past, it was known as a “Rambling House”. During the long winter evenings, the kitchen with its big open fire transformed into a gathering place for the local community. Music, stories and song flowed from within the warmth and into the dark night. It is here that DB’s love and passion for history, folklore mythology and storytelling began.

Following on from an idyllic childhood in this warm community of friends and close family DB went on to become a Fáilte Ireland National Tour Guide and later gained a Diploma in local history and archaeology.

DB has enjoyed an extremely successful career of over 20 years guiding and driving tours both in Ireland and in Scotland, enjoying every moment and getting to share his incredible knowledge of his country with guests visiting from abroad. We can say without doubt that DB has a genuine passion for his country and to be lucky enough to  travel with him is indeed an inspiring and memorable adventure.