Who We Are
Founded in 2022 by Irish childhood friends Emma and Doreen, this tour company provides a distinctive approach to exploring the heart of Ireland. The two friends grew up in the neighbouring Counties of Tipperary and Offaly, both from family farms and both entering the same sector of hospitality on leaving school in the late 1980’s. Doreen found herself settled in the US while Emma eventually, after much culinary travel, settled back in Tipperary. Families reared and after a 30 year gap, the friends are now offering travellers an intimate look at Ireland's hidden heartlands gems, combining comfortable accommodation, exquisite dining, and carefully curated day trips. It's an ideal choice for those seeking a more immersive and sustainable holiday.
Meet The Team
Emma Rudd
Irish & European point of contact.
Emma is the founder of Green Door Tours.
Emma completed a Cordon Bleu course in Dublin after leaving school. She travelled and worked as a private chef in Los Angeles, Africa and Greece with stints back home in Ireland working and planning her next travel destination.
Emma married and stayed at home to raise her family of four on a farm in Tipperary. Now they are grown up, She has returned to the outside world to work and obtained a National Diploma in Tour Guiding while travelling the length and breath of Ireland working for a tour guiding company, Emma launched her business in 2022 and now adds her magic to your Irish experience.
Doreen Lawton
American point of contact.
Doreen is based in Pittsburgh, where she lives with her husband and daughter, yet with friends and family spread across the length and breadth of Ireland, the connection she has there remains strong. Emma and Doreen have been friends for fifty years, attending elementary school in Tipperary together. They have worked together in the restaurant and hospitality trade.
Doreen received a National Diploma in Hotel and Catering from Galway in ’89. Her dream of sharing the hidden treasures of the Midlands has become a reality with Green Door Tours.