Feb 28 - March 8 trip - Need help

njmom · Member

Feb 28 - March 8 trip - Need help

Sidz · Guru

Hi Diane:

Your plan sounds pretty reasonable to me. We drove from Shannon to Doolin the first day we landed, and it was doable. Heck, we even used the clear day to go over to the Cliffs of Moher (only a few miles from there) and had enough steam left for that! Slept well that first night for sure.

And you are staying at two places that I've stayed before (Daly's and Emlagh Lodge), so I know those are great spots. If you find a better place to stay than the Emlagh Lodge in Dingle, please post it on this site, as I think many would want to know. Maggie runs a great place at her B&B.

You want traditional music? Doolin has three pubs that have it every night (you mentioned O'Connors), and Dingle has many great places -- my favorite is the Small Bridge.

I'm not a big Galway fan, as finding parking can be a real challenge -- although they have many places that cater to a younger crowd that your daughter might enjoy. I like the smaller villages.

Killarney has some great things to see around the area, and the drive from Killarney to Kenmare is really something special. Try the Beara Peninsula if you get the chance. Not as crowded as the Ring of Kerry and just as wonderful.

Sid

-- Edited by Sidz at 17:19, 2008-01-28

njmom · Member

Sid,
I probably chose those B and Bs based on your posts, haha. I've tried to skim as many as possible. Not enough time to order Michele's book before this trip. Figure I'll get the updted version for the next trip.

I debated between Emlagh Lodge and The Shores. Easy decision. The Shores doesn't open until mid march. But, I think my daughter will prefer to be in DIngle town and I'm happy to hear we can walk places. Maggie is booked earlier, so I had to rearrange things so we could stay there.

How long did you stay in the Doolin area? Just one night or should I allocate more time?

Diane

Michele Erdvig · Host

Diane,

Sorry to hear about your mother. I hope she gets well soon. What a good excuse to return to Ireland again!

I think your plan will work. The drive from Shannon to Doolin takes about 1-1/2 hours. If you find yourself getting sleepy stop in a town for a walk around and a cup of tea or coffee. You will definitely want a nap on arrival day. The music in the pubs doesn't start till after 9.

I think you should save Galway for when you have time to stay there for a few days and can do Connemara. There is plenty to do in the Killarney area for three days. You can easily go from Adare to Cahir/Cashel for a day trip ending in Bunratty.

Emlagh Lodge is very nice. Sidz, Emlagh House is outstanding but in a different category from a B&B. Heaton's is also very good.

Michele

Sidz · Guru

Diane:

We stayed in Doolin two nights. It is a small village, and you can easilly see everything there in one night (and go to the three pubs that have traditional music), but we also used it as our base for the Burren on day 2 (after a good sleep and shaking off the all night flight). A wonderful day trip would be to go north out of Doolin following the coast road in Country Clare, heading towards Ballyvaughn, Kinvara, etc., and then cutting back to Doolin straight through the Burren. It was a great outing.

If you make it to Ballyvaughn, have lunch at Monk's -- the best seafood chowder we found during the trip.

Sid

-- Edited by Sidz at 10:16, 2008-01-29

njmom · Member

Sounds great. I will try to get to Monk's since I love seafood. Now that my daughter is in college and has an apt, she eats almost everything. Finally done with chicken fingers.

Sidz · Guru

Have fun if you take the scenic coastal road in County Clare -- it's not to be missed. And watch for these kind of road signs! Things like this are great, cause you to smile if you aren't in a hurry, and make driving over there (in my opinion) interesting and memorable! Every time the wind picked up, I figured the signs changed a bit. biggrin

-- Edited by Sidz at 14:54, 2008-01-29

njmom · Member

Sidz,
My daughter is a Graphic Design major so I'm sure I'll be hearing all about the signs, over and over. OTOH, she may be helpful since she tends to "notice" signs and maybe she will help direct me, while I attempt to drive. My husband is nervous as h... to say the least.

Sidz · Guru

To me it's great fun if you are not in a hurry. And over there it's best not to hurry anywhere. It's also another reason I like to drive in rural areas in the west and not try getting through the likes of Dublin and Cork.

Not sure much graphic design was used in that sign grouping!

You guys will do great, as you have the exact combo needed -- a driver and a navigator. I'd hate to try and do both, but I can handle one or the other fine. And never lose sight of the fact that in Ireland, getting off the beaten path (and lost a couple of times) is part of the fun. You will meet some interesting people for sure.

-- Edited by Sidz at 15:50, 2008-01-29

GARYVOL · Veteran Member

Sid
I viewed your pic. Gee, it is quite busy looking. I thought the pic. I had of a sign post corner in Kilkenny, near the castle was active. I'll have to checked it
out when I go through. About Monk's Restaurant. Any idea how they
got to name the place.??
-gary

Sidz · Guru

Have no idea what it refers to unless it is Monk fish or something along those lines. All I know is that I was told prior to the trip that the chowder was tremendous, and that was the case. Simply the best we had the entire trip.

The coastal road in Country Clare from Doolin to Ballyvaughan, Kinvara, etc. is spectacular as well, and not crowded. I'm going back this Fall, and it's hard to land in Shannon and not go to that region for a day or so. Just so nice and stocked with rural charm.

-- Edited by Sidz at 15:21, 2008-01-30

Michele Erdvig · Host

Gary,

Monk's has a picture of a monk (as in friar) on the sign so I think it does not refer to monkfish. The seafood chowder is good although I have had better. I saw the seafood platter at another table and it was piled high with everything. Now that looked good: http://www.monks.ie/index.html

Michele