Young Couple - First Trip to Ireland

splitstar · Member

Young Couple - First Trip to Ireland

Itallian Chauffeur · Moderator

Try reading:

http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=65127&p=3&topicID=11030313

Compare that to your expectations and then bring back your itinerary.

7 days NOT counting departure?
Arriving from overseas (US) or EU?
Already bought tickets? If not, DON'T -- Get an into Shannon, out of Dublin !
Go to www.aaroadwatch.ie and type your route intotheir route planner. Ignore THEIR travel time estimates and divide the TOTAL MILES DRIVEN by 35 (30 on Day One -- particularly if coming from US).
Pick an AREA -- NW - Galway and North, SW - Cork and Kerry or SE - Kilkenney, Wicklow, Dublin -- and concentrate on it.

Bob

splitstar · Member

Thanks, Bob, for the tips. Yes, we have 7 full days in Ireland. Travel to and fro to the US takes an additional 3 days. Obviously reflecting our ignorance, we booked our fllights to Dublin already, not realizing there were other choices. At least we did pick an airport in Ireland

So we might then concentrate on Mayo and Galway and maybe see a bit of Dublin at either end of the trip. Would still like to move around. Is it OK to call ahead each day for a room or would you have one or two bases (e.g., Clifden, Westport, Kinvara, Roundstone, Spiddal)? I guess if we don't like a B&B we can always leave after the first night? Book a car (automatic) now or on arrival?

Itallian Chauffeur · Moderator

To be SURE of an automatic, book soon.
If you plan to stay IN Dublin, particularly on a weekend, book YESTERDAY!
Seriously, reasonably priced rooms in Dublin fill up EARLY. Arriving jet-lagged, you won't want to drive far, if at all, the first day. Since you immediately 'locked onto' Galway and Mayo, I assume that is the area that is your priority.

Forget about needing a car in Dublin, you DON'T EVEN WANT a car while IN Dublin. You could take the train to Galway, spend a day or two and THEN rent the car there and drop it off in Dublin.

It would be possible to do a nice little LOOP from Galway to Westport to Achill to Ceide Fields to Sligo, then 'hot-foot it' back to Dublin. There IS a train from Sligo to dublin, but I dunno about a one-way car rental, Galway to Sligo. You could also do the loop back to Galway and THEN train into Dublin ...

Let's see, off the top of my head:

Day1- Arrive Dublin, take train to Galway and spend the night (See note, elsewhere about NOT drinking the water!).
Day2-Daytrip to Aran's Inis Mor via shuttle bus/ ferry or flight (my recommendation) from Galway airport. On return, pick up rental car. Overnight Galway.
Day3- Drive to Lenane, via Kylemore Abbey and travel the Doo Lough Valley through Delphi and Louisburg. Spend night in Westport.
Day4-Daytrip to Achill. Overnight in Westport.
Day5- Drive to Sligo via Mulraney, Bangor and Ceide Fields. Overnight Sligo.
Day6-Drive down to Galway, via Carrowmore and Carrowkeel. Drop off car and take train to Dublin. Overnight Dublin.
Day 7: Tour Dublin

Alternately, Pick up Clifden on Day 3, Doo Lough/Westport Day 4, Achill on Day five and then return to Galway on Day6, having eliminated Sligo.
OR:
Depart for Clifden immediately upon return from Arans, on Day 2 and keep Sligo.

I would think the Dublin nights should be 'locked in' within a week, to be on the safe side, so you probaly have through the weekend to decide on a rough itinerary. For the rest of the accommodations, you could 'wing it' but it WOULD be a good idea to reserve ahead in order to secure a good, central location so that you wouldn't have to drive at night for food, music or drinks.

Bob

-- Edited by Itallian Chauffeur at 22:55, 2007-04-09

Michele Erdvig · Host

splitstar,

Welcome to the forum! As you have found out Bob is full of great advice. I like his thought of taking the train to Galway. Since I don't know your exact dates, I will tell you that Galway can fill up at the weekends. Also, if Galway is your first night's destination after an all-night flight it would be wise to have reservations in place. You will be tired and don't want to have to search for a place to stay. Make your Dublin reservations ASAP! Bob is right on the money with that tip.

As far as finding B&Bs on the run, take a look at my "Lodgings" page for good places to stay. Make a list of places that you like so that you can call ahead while on the road. My book has a whole lot more places in it. Or you can ask here on the forum for specific recommendations. Also, if you find a B&B you really like they often will refer you on to a comparable B&B in another location. The tourist offices will also book B&Bs for a small charge.

Book your car soon. Take a look at my "Car Rental" page for tips and important info you need to know before renting. It is complicated so take your time reading through the info. If you need clarification, we are here to help.

Michele

splitstar · Member

Thank you, Bob and Michelle, for the very helpful information.

So we're assuming that car rental is the best way to go over public transport for tourists with limited time like us. We checked out on the Web several companies that will ship us a rental phone here in the US before we leave but we've seen on the Web other advice that it's cheaper to just buy a phone on arrival at the airport. Any recommendations?

Sounds like with just a week that we need to choose between Mayo/Galway or Clare/Kerry. Just from reading we get the impression that Mayo/Galway is less a tourist mecca and more wild scenery, Irish music, Gaelic speaking, etc. So there's where we'll target. Do you like Inishbofin and Clare Island in addition to the Aran Islands?

If we get to Dublin and find that the next couple of days are forecast as steady rain in the West, could we then switch to Dublin/Meath for the beginning? I can't think of any other part of Ireland where there are enjoyable activities in the rain.

CowboyCraic · Guru

Inisbofin is a wonderful Island, especially if you want to see Island culture as it used to be. I was surprised by the amount of Trad music we found there, though I shouldn't have been. Also, if you are a birder, there are several species of birds only found on the Island. All of that being said, with only 7 days in Ireland, you might have to consider leaving it for another trip. IMHO, Inisbofin is best experienced with an overnight stay so that you can enjoy the Trad music and the stillness of the island in hours before the day tours arrive.

Have a most excellent adventure!

Slan Agus Beannacht,

Bit

Michele Erdvig · Host

splitstar,

Renting a car will make best use of your short time. It will allow you to go where you want, when you want without being tied to schedules.

You can buy a cell phone (called a mobile phone in Ireland) pretty inexpensively. Look for the Vodaphone booth at Dublin Airport.

You are wise to concentrate on only one area. As for the islands, make your decision when you are there and see what the weather is. In a pinch you could choose Achill Island, which is connected to the mainland by a bridge (so no ferry to contend with).

You can, of course, change your itinerary around to suit yourself. But do have reservations for the Dublin portion.

Michele

splitstar · Member

Thanks everyone for their valuable help. We decided not to rent a car. We both feel too intimidated at this point for our first trip abroad.

If we're going to base our week in Dublin and Galway, can anyone one recommend good day trip tour bus operators to Newgrange, Wicklow, Burren and Connemar? We also plan a cruise on the Galway loughs and to the Aran islands. Do you recommend reserving these day trip tickets and the train passes now or wait to arrival?

Itallian Chauffeur · Moderator

Michele will doubtless have a whole bunch of them for you, but this is the only ones that comes to my mind for non-drivers:

www.railtours.ie/ They operate Rail and bus tours of Ireland out of Dublin, some of which are overnight. Deros runs tours out of Killarney ( www.derostours.com ) that cover the Ring of Kerry, Dingle and Gap of Dunloe, if you want to split your time three ways. There are a couple of Aran Island day OR overnight options out of Galway (two different ferry companies AND small aircraft flights) that originate near Eyre Square, in Galway.
Ferry: www.aranislandsdirect.com and www.aranislandferries.com
Air: http://www.aerarannislands.ie

This will get you started.

Bob

Michele Erdvig · Host

splitstar,

Bob started you off with some good tours.

Newgrange: http://www.newgrangetours.com/

Glendalough, Powerscourt & Wicklow: http://www.buseireann.ie/site/home/

Burren: http://www.ontours.biz/ & http://www.lallytours.com/

Connemara: http://www.ontours.biz/ & http://www.lallytours.com/

You can book when you are in Ireland at the nearest tourist office. For the train you can book 28 days in advance if you want or wait till you get to Dublin.

Michele