First trip to Ireland April 4 need advice

cowgirl227 · Member

First trip to Ireland April 4 need advice

Michele Erdvig · Host

Linda,

Welcome to my forum. I'm glad my book arrived in a timely manner. I hope it gives lots of tips for traveling to Ireland. What a fun plan! I'm sure you will enjoy your week in Dingle. It is one of my favorite places in Ireland and the scenery is fantastic.

The drive from Shannon to Doolin takes about 1-1/2 hours. I think you will be fine doing that on your first day. Don't forget to add the Cliffs of Moher to your list. You might also be able to do the Aran Islands on your second day in Doolin.

Killarney and Kenmare are so close that I think it would make more sense to stay in one instead of breaking it up. Did you know that Killarney to Dingle is 1-1/2 hours? Consider staying in Killarney and doing day trips.

Make your reservations for the Bunratty Castle Banquet as it is very popular.

Michele

CowboyCraic · Guru

Linda,

If you find that you cannot get into the Castle banquet, there is another Dinner offered in the Folk Park which is more of a traditional ceilde atmosphere.

In Doolin, you might check into the Doolin Activity Lodge for lodging. It is just up the hill from Fisher street and Gus O'Connor's Pub, as well it is down the road from the other two pubs with good traditional music. It is affordable. When last we stayed, there were 5 of us, we were given what amounted to a three bedroom apartment complete with a kitchen. For a truly amazing experience whilst in Doolin, you might consider taking the Cliffs of Moher Cruise, if the weather allows.

What fabulous memory you will be building together!

Slan Beo (Take Care),

Bit Devine

cowgirl227 · Member

Michele, Thank you for your advice. I am already rethinking many things. We have four people in a midsized car, I want to spend as little time as possible carting around luggage and relocating. On of my sons is built like a defensive linebacker at 6'3" 280 lbs. We are going to be tight enough in this car.   I would like your advice as to whether this is too much to try to get in. If we should need to drop something should it be Connemara/Galway or the Beara Peninsula? or something else? Do you think three days at each b and b is best or two at Doolin and 4 at Killarny? I really appreciate you advice.

- Sat - arrive at Shannon and head to Doolin Stay three days at Doolin
           - Cliff of Moher (maybe a boat trip weather and other plans allowing)
           - Buren
           - Galway
          - possibly Alliwee Caves
           - Connemara (is this to ambitious?)

Tues arrive at Kilarny for three days
           - -Killarney national Park
               - Possibly the Gap of Dunloe
             - Ring of Kerry
             - Dingle peninsula
             - hopefully time for the Beara Peninsula
             - Ross Castle
Friday arrive around Shannon for Bunratty Castle medival banquet ( we were able to get reservations today) and possibly folk park as time allows. We opted for the 5:30 reservation.

We are really getting excited.
Linda    idea

cowgirl227 · Member

Thank you so much for the advice. If you look at the post above this you can see I am looking at revising our plan. I looked at the lodge you linked to and it looks great. Is there any place to shop in Doolin, a supermarket?? I am guessing we could save a some money staying in an apartment. I am just not sure yet. I am going to email them to find out more. We will certainly consider the boat ride but we are going pretty early in spring so it may be too cold for that but you never know. I am also torn about Connemara and the Beara pen and am open to suggestions. We are going to have a wonderful time no matter what we do! We feel truly blessed.
Linda

Michele Erdvig · Host

Linda,

There is only so much you can fit into a week. Obviously some things will have to be cut out as you just won't have time to see them. Connemara is a trip that takes all day and then having to drive back to Doolin might be a bit much. If you want to see Galway and Connemara then perhaps one night in Doolin and two in Galway would make more sense. Galway is a young college town and may please your sons.

The Gap of Dunloe trip is an all day affair that departs around 10 am and lasts to around 4 pm. Dingle requires a full day. You can easily fill another day with Muckross, Killarney National Park, Ross Castle, Torc Waterfall, and the area right around Killarney. The Ring of Kerry is a full day as is Beara. As you see, something will have to be cut here.

Glad to hear you have banquet reservations. Perhaps one of your sons will get thrown in the dungeon. I don't think the big one will fit though!

Michele

CowboyCraic · Guru

Linda,

There is a small grocer on Fisher street in Doolin. The key word being "small". They have the basics and a good selection of deli meats. We didn't use the kitchen whilst there, except for making coffee and nhot water for tea. It was just nice to have the room to spread out and not be on top of each other.

Connemara is not close enough to Doolin to be a happy day trip. As Michele said, perhaps a night in Doolin and two in Galway might be better, if the Connemara region is a must see.

I, however, would not try to be so ambitious with the amount of time you have. If your main goal is to introduce the boys to the Southwest, I would leave Galway and the Connemara region for another trip. From Doolin, reasonable day trips would be Inis Mor, the largest of the Arans or a drive through the Burren and some time in Galway. At their age, your sons would appreciate GAlway for being a College town and the "scenery" that goes along with it.

As for vehicle size, when we traveled over, four of us, we had a hyundai santa fe which we rented from AutoEurope. Of the four passengers, one was a man of 6'2 and one was a large size female. Had we not had a guitar, our costuming and all of her luggae, I think it woudl have been a very comfortable ride. As it was, I came home knowing what a sardine must feel like. If you can find a similiar vehicle here in the states, it might behoove you to go and sit in it, all of you.

If I had to choose between the Beara Peninsula and the Ring of Kerry, I woudl have to choose the Beara. I prefer its rugged solitude and breath stealing coastline.

Slan Beo,

Bit

lighthousefan · Member

Hi Linda!
You are going with a great attitude! You will enjoy whatever you see (and there is alot!) Everyone has given you great advice. When you are driving on Dingle and want to drive Connor's Pass, make sure the weather is clear. It is a narrow winding road with unbelieveable scenery! At one point we and another car had to rool down our windows and fold in the mirrors to pass each other. Be sure to drive Connor's Pass if you can- it is well worth it! IF you need a great B&B just outside of Dingle, look up Forest of the Roses. Jimmy, the host is great! We plan to stay with him when we go again in May.
Enjoy your trip!! wink

Heidi

Sidz · Guru

Nice weather for Conor Pass? That would be ideal, but we went anyway! Here is a picture from last year of us going down it with just a bit of sleet on the road. Not the sanest thing we ever did, but memorable! What a setting and experience.

-- Edited by Sidz at 13:28, 2008-02-14

cowgirl227 · Member

Again, I cannot thank all of you for your comments and help. We are going to forego Galway and Connemera. Here is where we are now.

Sat april 5 - arrive at Shannon and head to Doolin Stay two nights at Doolin we just reserved O'Connors Farm house and have a family room for the 4 of us for 100 Euro per night.(thank you Michele for the info in your book)
           - Cliff of Moher (maybe a boat trip weather and other plans allowing)
           - Buren
           - possibly Alliwee Caves
           - maybe lunch in Galway if the weather is bad and the other sites are
                 difficult to see

Tues arrive at Kilarney for four nights - we are pretty certain we want to stay walking distance to town so the boys can be a little more independent and have some time to themselves when mom and dad crash with exhaustion aww . So we are looking at the Applecroft, the Ashville or possibly the Chelmsford. Emails to the chelmsford keep getting kicked back to us. The Ashville has a family room for 120 euro per night available and we have not yet heard from the applecroft - Friars glenn is too far out of town and Loch Lein Country House is out of our price range (if it were just my husband and I we may have gone for that but not with us footing the bill for four weirdface ).  Any ideas or suggestions are welcome. We don't mind sharing a room we do that a lot when we travel it seems to keep us close and we all do get along well.
           - -Killarney national Park
              - Possibly the Gap of Dunloe
             - Ring of Kerry
             - hopefully time for the Beara Peninsula
             - Ross Castle
(we decided to forgo Dingle, the boys will miss it but since Michael and I are renting a cottage for a week near the tip of the Dingle Peninsula we will have a week to explore it at our leisure - there are plenty of other things for our boys to see and it does not make sense for us to do something twice)

Then one night in Bunratty - we are considering Either the courtyard (120 euro per night for a family room) or Headley Court (at $120). The Courtyard is walking distance from Bunratty but I am not sure how important that is. I think either would be nice but I have a feeling that Headley Court may be the nicer but we would have to drive back after the banquet. I am open to anyones opinions on this. I will run it by my husband but he is letting me make the plans so what ever I decide will be fine with him.
We have 5:30 reservations at the Medieval Banquet - I think that will be a great send off for our boys as they will return to PA the next day and my husband and I will be off to Dingle Peninsula for a week of rest and relaxation and time to enjoy each other again. I can not wait. Each day we get closer to pulling the trip together in one package.

Again, any ideas from all of you are appreciated.
Friday arrive around Shannon for Bunratty Castle medival banquet ( we were able to get reservations today) and possibly folk park as time allows. We opted for the 5:30 reservation.   How is the folk park at Bunratty? Are we better off sight seeing in Kilarny on Friday morning or heading right out to Bunratty??

Also starting to get some items together. Picked up some small totes umbrellas, we all have lightweight Columbia rain jackets. Will pick up two small flashlights, making copies of passports, zip lock bags, wet naps (thank you for your advice again Michele) - anything else anyone can think of will be greatly appreciated.
Linda

cowgirl227 · Member

If you read my post to Michele you will see our updated plans. Anything you can add would be greatly appreciated.
Linda

cowgirl227 · Member

I just love that picture of Connor pass, that will be a must. We will be in that area for a week I am sure we will get one reasonable day weather wise.
Linda

Michele Erdvig · Host

Linda,

Your itinerary sounds ideal for you. I also highly recommend Loop Head Drive if you have good weather. I'm sure you will get your lodgings for Killarney sorted out. You can always phone them if you are having email problems. Also look at Fairview, which is right in town.

Headley Court is very nice indeed. It is about 1-1/2 miles from Bunratty village. Many people want to be in walking distance so they can go pub crawling after the banquet. The Courtyard is nice too. You can always flip a coin to decide.

It sounds like you are giving my book a workout. You will be well prepared for everything. And you will have to let us all know about your adventures when you return.

Michele