Fall Ireland Trip

dc · Member

Fall Ireland Trip

Michele Erdvig · Host

dc,

Welcome to my forum! Let me answer your questions first.

The best way "around" Belfast is the motorway through Belfast. At off peak hours I have never had any back ups or problems on the motorways. Just study your map in advance so you know where you are going and the routes you need to take.

There is a ton of construction on the M50 around Dublin. Bring you patience with you and try to avoid rush hours.

I would say you are hitting most key sites. You may want to cross some off your list and refine your travels. I will not add to it because you won't have time to see what is on your list.

As for you proposed itinerary, I notice that you have three days in Dingle. Other than that you are speeding through the country with one-night stays everywhere else. Dingle is not the best spot for doing day trips around the SW. Since it is out on a peninsula it takes time to drive off the peninsula, sightsee and drive back. That will give you lots of time traveling the same roads. For doing Killarney and ROK, Killarney would really make more sense.

I know you are trying to see it all. Ireland is full of sightseeing options. Travel is slow. It takes time to travel, sightsee and enjoy. Ireland is like a rich, decadent dessert. Eating little pieces of it at a time is fine. Gulping it all down at once will give you indigestion.

Only you know what your traveling style is. Your proposed itinerary is very fast. I suggest you go back to the drawing board, include some two-night stays, cut out some areas of less importance and let us know what you come up with. Refining it now will mean a much better trip. Let us know if we can help.

Michele

P.S. What month in the fall?

dc · Member

Hi Michele,

Thank you ever so much for your advice! I really appreciate it. I will have to go back to the drawing board by the sounds of things. My flight arrives on Sept 6th (mid-day) from Ontario into Dublin and the return is from Shannon on Sept 16th. I agree about savouring Ireland instead of trying to rush it. I am beginning to realize how much there must be to really see in Ireland! smile

I guess my hope is to savour the areas I do get to and eventually get to see Cork, Kinsale and Kilkenny, Mizen Head, etc.... on my next trip.

My key points of interest are the Giant's Causeway, the rope bridge, Mourne Mountains, Slieve League (and Malin Head), Donegal, Kylemore Abbey, Connemara National Park, Cong, Cliffs of Moher, Dingle and Killarney National Park. My friend is very interested in seeing a number of castles and abbeys.

I appreciate the suggestion of Killarney over Dingle. Do you know of any cottages that rent in the southwest on a daily basis in that area? I was hoping to have a homebase to travel from instead of having to change locations each night.

Thank you for the update on the construction around Dublin. I am hoping to bypass that area on the second day, but will be landing around noon on the
6th and will need to drive through it to get to Glendalough on the first day.

Is this time in September still fairly good daylight? Will we be arriving during the changing of the leaves? Is the current "Day 6" too long? Do you know how the roads are up by Donegal? I have heard wonderful things about the cruise of the Cliffs of Moher (would it be plausible for me to fit that in as well?).

I will review the itinerary and hope to post another possibility in the coming week(s).
Thank you again Michele for your help :)
D

-- Edited by dc at 22:52, 2008-06-18

youngka · Guru

Hi DC. I have been to some of the places you have mentioned and wanted to suggest a nice B&B in Clifden -- Buttermilk Lodge - www.buttermilklodge.com. Patrick & Cathriona O'Toole, who own the B&B, are really nice and the rooms are quite comfortable and cute, breakfast is very filling and quite a variety of food to choose from. It was nice having coffee in the sitting room and reading after we had arrived. If you have time to walk around the town of Clifden, you will enjoy nice shops and places to eat lunch. We like to go to Off The Square Restaurant on Main Street - for lunch, tea, coffee, etc. We also like going to Malachy Kearns "Roundstone Music, Crafts & Fashion" in the town of Roundstone www.bodhran.com. Very interesting shop plus you can see where Malachy creates the Bodhran. The Connemara Region is very unique and the Kylemore Abby is beautiful. We were only able to take pictures, because we were too early to go on a tour, so headed on to Westport -- one of my favorite town, but we were unable to be there for very long. Just South of The Cliffs of Moher, their is a really neat Rock Shop www.therockshop.ie, with lots of beautiful items you can purchase made of Connemara marble. They also have a nice cafe, in the shop, if it is open in September. Right near is a very small, but unique shop, called Roundstone Ceramics. Rose is really nice and makes beautiful ceramic ear rings. Also, very nice high fired stoneware by Seamus Laffan. We loved Dingle and stayed in a self catering house for a week. So many places to see around the penninsula and in the town of Dingle itself. We like to have lunch at John Benny's Bar & Restaurant. If you need a place to stay near Galway, there is a nice B&B Southwest of Galway very near the ocean -- Conneely' B&B - in Kinvara www.kinvara.com/accommodation. Shiela is very nice and she, too, makes a wonderful breakfast with lots of extras. Have a really nice trip and be prepared to take lots of photos!! Youngka

youngka · Guru

Hi D.C. I just tested the sites I put on my email and the one for Connellys doesn't come up. This is what I found looking at the Kinvara.com site:
Conneelys Guesthouse Sheila Conneely
sheilaconneely@kinvara.com Kinvara West, Kinvara, Co. Galway
Tel: 091 637206 Her site about her B&B is not coming up any more. Just write her an email and perhaps she can tell you how to access it.
youngka

dc · Member

Thank you ever so much for your information youngka! That is really useful. I will definitely keep those places in mind. :)

What are the roads and driving times like in that region? (Connemara and Donegal)?

-- Edited by dc at 21:12, 2008-06-20

youngka · Guru

Hi D.C. Actually from Clifden to Westport it is not bad and there are such nice views along the way. Don't forget you can take a picture from the parking lot of the Abby and also as you leave the Abby on way to Westport. Two nice views. As people have written, it is not a really fast country to travel in, the roads are narrow, not well maintained, but "N" routes are more like our freeways that the backroads. I am not familiar with the Donegal area. In fact, you are taking the same route we are taking next May.......Don't forget to see Newgrange Tomb, just North of Dublin, and Northwest of Balbriggan -- M1 - checking for signs along the way. Perhaps someone else has better directions? My son and his girlfriend enjoyed going there. Anxious to hear about your trip when you return! Youngka

Michele Erdvig · Host

dc,

Most cottages rent Saturday to Saturday. Some in the off-season will rent for a weekend or a mid-week break of a few days. I do not know of any that rent for only one day. Go to my self-catering page for more info.

The only part of your "must sees" that are not in the northern half of the island are Killarney and Dingle. Had you thought of concentrating on the northern parts this time and the southern half for your other trip? It surely would simplify matters.

You can go to my Weather page for sunrise/sunset times in Ireland. I find that the leaves don't ususlly change till October. But it does depend on the weather so no one can really predict it.

Day 6 would be an extremely full day. Most people would just do Connemara, not all the rest.

Michele

Burningbarricade · Newbie

If you're looking for castles there's one near the Giants Causeway which has fantastic history. There are a few castles in the area but most are smaller keeps (tower houses). Dunluce castle is a bit ruinous but there's still plenty of it.

http://www.lynx2ulster.com/OldBuiltUlster/Antrim.php - some castles in Antrim

It has a great history and I suggest checking it out

-- Edited by Burningbarricade at 07:33, 2008-06-22

dc · Member

Thanks everyone for their comments. Michele, I will look at revamping Day 6 (still in the works). Good to know that the weather and daylight are still good in September.

Burningbarricade, I took a look at that website and it is excellent :). Thank you ever so much for your suggestions.

Also, I was just wondering, what are some good phrases to know in Ireland?

-- Edited by dc at 21:34, 2008-06-26

Michele Erdvig · Host

dc,

I'm not entirely sure what your question about phrases means. Would you care to elaborate?

Michele

youngka · Guru

Michele/dc dc, aren't you referring to things like: "good morning" "have a nice day""it sure was nice seeing and meeting you" in Galic?? Some like Bit uses when she is signing off? Youngka Like: Slan Beo

CowboyCraic · Guru

Dc,

Of all the phrases that will not instantly find you in a flurry of Irish, this is the one most appreciated :

Go Raibh Math Agat - gurrah mah hahgut - Thank You

Another would be:

Slan - Slawn - So Long or good bye

If you pick up the Pimsluers Irish Language CD set, You can pick up a few other phrases which will help you along.

Slan Beo (Take Care), Bit

youngka · Guru

Thanks Bit! Since they do speak English it is nice to have a phrase or two to say to everyone.Youngka

Michele Erdvig · Host

I always think the best phrases are please and thank you!

Michele

youngka · Guru

Michele -- those are nice. I remember how much fun it was to say hello and good bye in German, It just seemed like I was really involved in the country. Youngka

dc · Member

Thank you michlele, youngka and bit. I really appreciate being able to know a few phrases in Galic.

How would one say "hello" or "please"?

thank you again!
Updated itinerary to follow shortly.

-- Edited by dc at 22:36, 2008-07-02

dc · Member

09/06/2008 (sept)
· land in DUBLIN
· Visit Powerscourt
· Drive up R759 to Sally Gap and enter national park from the north.

09/07/2008
· Glendalough
· Hill of Tara
· Trim Castle
· Slane (hill)
· Dundalk

09/08/2008
· Newry
· Mourne Mountains (Spelga dam, Silent Valley, Bloody Bridge)
· Newcastle
· ? Carrickfergus/Causeway Coastal Route
· Ballycastle

09/09/2008
· Giants Causeway
· Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge (opens 10 am)
· Dunluce Castle
· Whiterocks
· Portrush
· Grianan of Aileach
· Newmills Corn and Flax Mills
· Donegal

09/10/2008
· Malin Beg
· Glencolumbkille
· Slieve League
· Ballyshannon
· creevykeel megalithic tomb
· Sligo Abbey
· Glencar Lake/Benbulbin Mountain

09/11/2008
· Sligo to Westport
· Strade Friary, round tower
· Murrisk abbey
· Croagh Patrick
· Aasleagh Falls
· Kylemore Abbey
· Letterfrack
· Connemara
· Cliden (Sky Road)
· Cong (sleep)

09/12/2008
· Cong (aghalahard castle, market cross, abbey and stone circles. Quiet Man cottage)
· Galway
· Burren
· Cliffs of Moher

09/13/2008
· tarbert ferry
· carrigafoyle castle
· Listowel Castle
· Tralee windmill
· Brandon Point and Mountain
· Slea Head and Blasket Centre

09/14/2008
· Inch Beach
· Ring of Kerry
· Killarney
· Dingle

09/15/2008
· open day.
· Open for suggestions as to what we can see that is nearby.

09/16/2008
· return flight home

(I'm hoping I didn't add or remove too much, but am open for suggestions as to feasibility timewise or if there are any other areas I could potentially see).

Are there any hiking routes for the Twelve Bens that are good for beginner/intermediate hikers? How long is the hike up Croagh Patrick?

Any suggestions for the final day??
Thanks to all of you for your input to date. I have really appreciated having your advice and look forward to your responses :)
dc

Michele Erdvig · Host

dc,

Everyone in Ireland speaks English. Although there are a lot of Europeans as wait staff. Maybe knowing Polish or Russian would serve you better. You really don't need to be concerned about knowing any terms in Irish. You will be accepted and understood in English.

You will have plenty to do on your trip. After a few days you will know your own pace and what you want to cut.

There is hiking in Connemara National Park. The climb up Croagh Patrick can take several hours to all day, depending on weather, your condition, etc.

I assume you are spending your last night nearby Shannon. You could do Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, a banquet or Irish Night, some shopping, etc.

Michele

dc · Member

hi Michele, Thank you again :) ... yes, I will be nearby Shannon on the last night.
Thanks also to everyone for their input and the few Irish phrases. I will let you all know how it went in the fall :)

youngka · Guru

Hi dc! Bunratty is a good experience, take it all in - fun! Have you a place to stay before flying out of Shannon? Bunratty Lodge is a very nice place to say and close to the airport. I am not sure if this was mentioned above, but I am sure it was, because I didn't read your whole post. We really like the place. Worth looking into. Mary is very nice and will make reservations to any place she may suggest that you like, or already know of. She even checked to see if our flight was on time. www.bunrattylodge.com Have a WONDERFUL trip, you will love every place and activity you have chosen. If you don't see them all, just see them your next trip! I have appreciated your writing in because I have gotten a lot of ideas for our trip in May '09! We are landing in Dublin, heading North, around to Bantry. We love the SW, but want to see as much of the rest, as possible, in May. OOPS wrong location: my note 6-19 . >>Right near is a very small, but unique shop, called Roundstone Ceramics. Rose is really nice and makes beautiful ceramic ear rings. Also, very nice high fired stoneware by Seamus Laffan.<< This shop is in Roundstone right near Malachy Kearns "Roundstone Music...... shop" Youngka Keep checkin' things out, before you leave, you never know what may come up.........

dc · Member

hi youngka,

thank you for your suggestion. Yes, I am looking forward to staying much closer to the airport on my last night. I will definitely take a look at bunratty lodge. Good luck with your trip planning too!
dc

youngka · Guru

dc actually have done a little bit each day, eventho it will not be til May. I need all the good luck I can get. It takes time and changes ----- as you well know! Bye for now, Youngka