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Post Info TOPIC: Short notice trip -- Itinerary advice
kbpeng


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Short notice trip -- Itinerary advice
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I am taking my parents to Ireland on an almost last minute trip for my fortieth birthday.  We will arrive in Ireland (in and out of Dublin) on June 17th and departing on the 25th.

We have read a lot of postings on this and other boards and are currently working with the following itinerary (very aggressive we know).  We would love to receive any advice/alternatives.  We are concerned that we are underestimating the driving despite consulting the AA.  We have purchased Michele's book and are planning to consult it on B&B's.  We are planning to try to reserve the B&Bs by e-mail (and phone if necessary) during the next couple of days.

Day 1:  pick up rental car and head to Kilkenny (possible via west coast south of Dublin) ON kilkenny
Day 2:  Rock of Cashel and on to Kinsale (Cobh in the afternoon or morning)ON Kinsale
Day 3: drive to Kenmare  maybe Killarney National  park (everything I have read suggests the coastal route is the preferred method) ON Kenmare
Day 4: Ring of Kerry ON Dingle
Day 5: remaining Dingle drive to Cliffs of Moher/Burren ON? Ballyvaughan Any suggestions?  I understand Doolin can be quite crowded.
Day 6: Drive to Trim  (stop for break Clacmanoise) ON Trim or somewhere else in Meath
Day 7: Newgrange drop off car at airport into Dublin ON Dublin
Day 8: Dublin ON Dublin
Day 9: to the airport to return home

In general, we are more interested in the countryside than cities. My father wants to see one castle, the scenery and eat great seafood, and my mother wants to see Dublin, the Ring of Kerry and Galway bay. I am particularly interested in Newgrange and the Burren.  I also wondered about going to Newgrange right from the airport on Day 1.  We all like Irish music.  We know much of the advice suggests staying in places for 2+ nights -- would you delete something from the itinerary to stay longer in any of the other locations? Any other suggestions?

On another note, my mother's ancestors hail from Ireland and she has expressed some interest in doing some research there (which could change the itinerary).  She does not have details of their lives in Ireland which would make it difficult to know where best to look.  Any advice?

Thanks so much for any advice you can provide.  The posts on this site have been an invaluable resource so far.

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Michele Erdvig


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kbpeng,

Welcome to my forum and congrats on your 40th! 

Your itinerary is what I call a green blur tour of Ireland. You have a different stop each night with the exception of Dublin. There is hardly time to catch your breath. Not only does driving take time but all your sightseeing stops will too.

Any possibility of narrowing down the areas you will visit and your "must sees"? I realize that with several people traveling together it gets more complicated because everyone has things they want to do. 

I think the family needs to sit down together and make some hard choices. Cut out some things. Plan a couple of two-night stays in especially scenic areas where you can do day trips from.

Let me give you an example of what you are trying to do:

Day 2:  Rock of Cashel and on to Kinsale (Cobh in the afternoon or morning) ON Kinsale. * Departing from Kilkenny it will take 45 minutes to an hour to get to Cashel, depending on route and traffic. If you do the tour, see the A/V and take some time for photos it will be perhaps two hours. Lunch: 1 hour.  Drive to Kinsale (bypassing Cahir Castle & Swiss Cottage -- no time for that): 2 1/2 to 3 hours. If you left your B&B at 9 am this puts you at 4 pm now. See a bit of Kinsale (perhaps Charles Fort) and check into lodgings. No time for Cobh today.  No time for Cobh tomorrow because the coastal route and KNP will take up the entire day. Although the daylight hours are long in June sightseeing attractions close around 5 and may not open till 9 or 10. The last admissions are usually 1 to 1 1/2 hours prior to closing time.

Genealogy is best done well in advance so that you have as many facts as possible. You need names, where they are from, birth and death dates, etc. If you don't have a clue as to where the ancestors are from trying to chase them down in Ireland will not happen. You have to narrow your focus down to specifics.

You can accomplish the itinerary you outlined if you get an early start every day and keep on moving. You have no time built in for extras. In Ireland having a tiny bit of time for serendipity is a must. You will enjoy the trip much more if you slow it down a little.

If you agree that you want to have a different itinerary, go back to the drawing board after consulting with your parents. Give it another try and let me know if you need more feedback.

Michele










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