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Post Info TOPIC: Very preliminary planning


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Very preliminary planning


Hi Michele!


Great website and very informative book!


There are 8 of us traveling to Ireland for the first time in early May.  We will be flying into Shannon.  6 of us will stay for 10 nights, but the other 2 will have only 6 nights.  We currently have reservations on hold at Glin Castle for the 6th night, and four of our group will be staying in a private home in Milltown for probably 3 nights while the others stay at a nearby B&B.  We have discussed a couple of options and would appreciate your feedback.


1.  Arrive Shannon at 7:45 a.m.  Visit Cliffs of Moher.  Stay in Galway for 2 nights.  Head to Milltown (Dingle Peninsula, Ring of Kerry, etc.) for 3 nights, then Glin Castle for 1 night.  One couple will leave to fly home and the remaining travelers will head to Kinsale for 2-3 ngihts, then head up to Bunratty Lodge for final night.  This appears to involve backtracking to Glin Castle, so it might be best the change the reservation to the 3rd night, if available.


or


2.  Arrive Shannon.  Either stay at Bunratty Lodge for 1 night, then drive to Kinsale for a night or head directly to Kinsale, followed by 3 nights in Milltown and night #6 at Glin Castle, then up to Galway.


What are your thoughts?


Thanks for your help.


Gail



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Guru

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Gail:


I think I would do what you want to do this way, based on what you want to do.


1-2 Galway. Don't go to the Cliffs the first day. That is a fair amount of driving and you can drive right past them on the way south.


3 Glin. Do the Cliffs on the way, take the ferry at Killimer


4-6 Milltown. If your friends are leaving after the 6th night, they might want to only stay in Milltown for two and then get a place close to the airport on the last night (Bunratty Lodge as you mentioned is great)


This leaves 7-10 to get Kinsale in and stay in Bunratty on night 10. You might consider two nights in Kinsale and one intermediate night in between so that you can really enjoy the drive along the coast. I'm a huge fan of the Mizen peninsula and it doesn't get much tourism so it's nice to visit, especially in May. I've stayed in Crookhaven, a tiny fishing village and it's wonderful. There are certainly other nice choices along the coast also, Glandore, Rosscarbery etc. I think I would want to break up the drive between Dingle and Kinsale. There is so much to see and you are going at a great time.


Bill



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Gail,


Thanks for your nice comments about my site and book. Instead of everyone having to drop off the two people and do the backtracking, had you thought that they could take a express bus from Tralee to Limerick? From Limerick they can get a local bus to the Bunratty/Shannon area or take a taxi. If they do this they will probably want to stay very close to Bunratty village (if they choose to stay there) and in that case they might want to consider staying at Bunratty Courtyard, Bunratty Castle Hotel or Bunratty Manor instead of Bunratty Lodge (which is farther away).


Go to my transport page for details on bus travel in Ireland.


That might put an entirely new spin on your itinerary.


Michele



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"Ireland Expert"  Michele Erdvig

Click links for Michele's Book or Custom Ireland Itinerary

Visit Michele's Irish Shop for unique Irish gifts and beautiful photos of Ireland.



Member

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Thank you, Bill and Michele!  We have changed the reservatons at Glin Castle to our third night to allow more flexibility in our plans, and hopefully more time to take the scenic route Bill suggested.  We will definitely look into the bus transportation also. 


Gail



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Gail,


Glad to hear the trip is shaping up and that Bill's info was so helpful to you. (He is a very helpful guy!) Do look into the express bus to Limerick. It would certainly make sense.


Michele



__________________

"Ireland Expert"  Michele Erdvig

Click links for Michele's Book or Custom Ireland Itinerary

Visit Michele's Irish Shop for unique Irish gifts and beautiful photos of Ireland.

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