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KG4ONJ


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11 Days in late May/Early June - Self-Catering?
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Hello all..

First off I am new to the forum - what a great wealth of knowledge!  I just ordered a copy of the book and can't wait to get it.

My wife and I are celebrating our 10-year anniversary by taking a somewhat last-minute trip to Ireland, arriving in Shannon on the morning on May 30th and departing Shannon the morning of June 10th (we will get 11 full "tourist" days out of it).  Our tentative plan is to rent a self-catering vacation rental / cottage somewhere in the west or southwest for a portion of the time.  Since most of the rentals go Saturday-Saturday we will probably stay six days.

I would like to know if anyone here has a suggestion of a good area/village/town to look for a rental that would be a good "base" for exploring the west for those six days.  Obviously it will be all day trips but we are early risers and will make the most of each day.

After that we are undecided - I would like to go to Belfast but I don't know if we can make it there and back to Shannon and see all the things we want / need to see in 5 days.

Thanks in advance for your help!

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Michele Erdvig


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KG, 

Welcome to my forum. I'm glad you are finding it useful for your trip to Ireland. Thanks for ordering my book. It will be a big help. 

For a cottage in the SW I suggest either Killarney or Kenmare. I have some personal recommendations in Kenmare but not for Killarney. If it is just you and your wife I would suggest John's Cottage (at Doire Farm Cottages) a couple of miles from Kenmare. It has a big queen bedroom with vaulted ceiling plus a small room with a single bed. The bathroom has a huge jacuzzi tub (big enough for two) and separate shower. It is really first class and squeeky clean. http://kenmareholidaycottages.com/ Anne is offering my readers a 10% discount too. She may be open to renting on dates other than Sat to Sat. Just depends on her schedule.

As for the rest of your trip, you will have to tell me what you planned on seeing and doing for me to know how realistic it is.

Michele



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"Ireland Expert"  Michele Erdvig

Click links for Michele's Book or Custom Ireland Itinerary

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KG4ONJ


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Wow - thanks so much for the great suggestion!  What a great looking cottage - thanks so much!  I will get in touch and find out the availability.  How long will it take to drive from Shannon to Kenmare?  It looks to be about 5 - 5 1/2 hours but I understand that things move somewhat slower there than in metro Atlanta!

Unfortunately we are not nearly as prepared for this trip as we should be - we started reading and planning about this trip about a year ago however as with many the economy made it doubtful that we would be able to go.  Things have turned around for us over the past couple of months and combined with finding an affordable airfare this week the trip is suddenly "back on".

With that said, we are quite unsure exactly what to see.  We are definitely interested in the smaller villages and towns along with seeing lots of countryside and the water.  Natural wonders and castles/ruins are also of interest.  Since we have never been before there is nothing that I can put my finger on to say that we definitely want to see.  We feel somewhat obligated to go to Dublin but I have heard horror stories about driving there.  I have some interest in seeing Belfast and "that end" of the island but it's not required.

At any rate I am certain that everything we see will be amazing.  I'm going to try to get back in to my notes and reading from a year ago and figure out some things that are must-sees for us.

In the meantime anything that you and others are willing to suggest will be greatly appreciated!

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Michele Erdvig


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KG,

I hope the cottage is available because you will love it. Anne is a dear too. Actually, drive time from Shannon to Kenmare is about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, provided you do not get caught in Limerick traffic. The quickest way is to Killarney and then taking the Cork Road N22 to Kenmare. You will have time for the more scenic routes during your stay.

Lots and lots to do and see from Kenmare:

Killarney & area
Beara Peninsula
Ring of Kerry
Kenmare town
Gougane Barra Forest Park
Ilnacullin Garden on Garinish Island
Bantry House & Gardens

Plenty to fill up your time in Kenmare. There is a good supermarket in town and many excellent restaurants. It is my favorite small town in Ireland.

Michele

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"Ireland Expert"  Michele Erdvig

Click links for Michele's Book or Custom Ireland Itinerary

Visit Michele's Irish Shop for unique Irish gifts and beautiful photos of Ireland.
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