Kevin Clancy (50) is a tour guide, coach driver and former journalist. He did Fáilte Ireland's four-month advanced tour-guide course, which cost him €1,700. He also speaks French.
"The day can begin between 8am and 9am, depending on the nationality I am dealing with. The job is about providing a snapshot, rather than the panoramic view, of where we are touring. We are generalists but we have specialist subjects. Contemporary politics is mine.
"An eight-day tour of Ireland will include two days of transfers to and from the airport.
"On the other six days, we leave the hotel between eight and nine every morning. It is usually an hour to the first stop and we allow for several photo stops along the way.
"The Cliffs of Moher are a big draw, where we normally spend between an hour and an hour-and-a-half. Then it may be on to visit sights that have specially designated Office of Public Works (OPW) guides. Bunratty is one example.
"The OPW-designated tour guides know the origin of every stick of furniture. I know when I leave my group with them they are in very capable hands.
"You try to make sure we are not on the coach for more than two hours at a time. A lot of the tourists are elderly and the rural roads can make it uncomfortable.
"A day tour is planned to start at one hotel and finish at another. You need to move people along sometimes to ensure that you finish at the appointed time, usually 5pm or 6pm. You need to know how long it takes to travel from one site to another, how long to spend there, where the toilets and viewpoints are and where the coach parking is.
"On an eight-day trip, you become like a mother and partner to your clients. People usually flag after lunch so you try to do the spectacular in the morning and don't overload with information. If you don't know the answer to a question, admit you don't know and say you will find out before the end of the day.
"I have had some guides aboard my coach and their level of knowledge has been atrocious.
"For example, you need to know stuff like what is in Ennis that is of interest, what are the Cliffs of Moher, why is the Burren a very complicated place? You have to be able to make the countryside and its scenery come to life.
"Tourists may not be here for geology or history lectures, but if the story is well told, they will find it interesting and memorable. You have to be a storyteller, not exactly a modern-day seanchaí, because you're telling the truth, not parables."