First Trip to Ireland

Mo · Newbie

First Trip to Ireland

Maggie117 · Guru

There's no right or wrong way to post!!! I can't chime in on your itinerary because I'm not an Ireland expert!!! (Just a person who loves Ireland!)

With that said, welcome and you're in good hands on this site!!!

Maggie

-- Edited by Maggie117 on Friday 3rd of September 2010 05:45:36 PM

-- Edited by Maggie117 on Friday 3rd of September 2010 05:46:18 PM

Michele Erdvig · Host

Mo,

Welcome to my forum. First thing to keep in mind is the shorter days in Sept/Oct. You won't be able to fit in as much as you think. I don't know if you are able to change any of your reservations, but you could get a jump-start on your trip by departing Dublin on your first day and spending your last two nights in Dublin. Just a thought. Of course, if you are arriving in Dublin in the late afternoon or evening that wouldn't work.

See my day by day comments below:

Day 1- Arrive in Dublin. Stay at Westin for 2 nights * See comment above. If this cannot be changed then stick with it.

Day 2- Day trip to Glendalough through Day Tours Unplugged. * Okay.

Day 3- Drive to Rock of Cashel. Then drive to Kilkenny. Leave Kilkenny in the evening to stay 2 nights at Fotah Island Resort and Spa. * Too much and you are backtracking. Skip Kilkenny and do Cashel & Cahir Castle.

Day 4- Blarney and Muckross. * Why would you drive to Killarney and back to Fota when you are driving through Killarney tomorrow? Makes no sense. Do Blarney, maybe the Queenstown Museum at Cobh and Barryscourt Castle.

Day 5- Ring of Kerry and Dingle. Still looking for a B&B to stay in this area for the night. * I would suggest you skip the ROK and drive to Killarney for local sightseeing there. Then on to Dingle. If you can possible steal a day from somewhere else and have two nights in Dingle you won't regret it.

Day 6- See rest of Dingle and Cliffs of Moher. Still looking for a B&B to stay in this area. * Suggest this night in Dingle. Do Slea Head Drive. Beautiful!

Day 7- Visit Aran Islands. Drive to Athlone and stay the night there at the Sheraton due to a free night using points * Since the Aran Islands are weather dependent and take the whole day, and you have to cut something this would be a good day to do the COM and Burren. Save the islands for another time.

Day 8- Drive back to Dublin * You could stop at Clonmacnoise, about halfway from Doolin.

Day 9- Leave Dublin

I have suggested places to stay on my Lodgings page.

Michele

-- Edited by Michele Erdvig on Saturday 4th of September 2010 12:13:39 AM

Mo · Newbie

Michele,

Thank you very much for your input on our itinerary. I knew we were trying to do much!

After reading through your post we've made adjustments to the plan and have decided to stay at Pax House in Kenmare for two nights (we stole a night from Athlone) and skip Kilkenny and the Aran Islands. Hopefully we'll be able to make it back to Ireland sooner than later after our trip so we can see the rest of the sites we'll miss on our upcoming trip.

Thank you so much for the recommendation from Pax House (from your lodgings page). We've read some great reviews about Pax House online and have already booked with John.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Mo,

Glad you have made a few adjustments. Pax House is in Dingle not Kenmare. It must have been on a different website than mine. You should check your itinerary to be sure of where you have booked.

Michele

Mo · Newbie

Thanks Michele for pointing that out. You're right, it is in Dingle.

Mo · Newbie

Hello Michele,

I wanted to drop you a line and thank you for your advice on my trip to Ireland. It was simply amazing. I wish I could've spent more time in Dingle. The food there was amazing. The day trips from there were awesome.

Before we left for Ireland, my girlfriend and I thought that Ireland would be a place we would visit only once but after our trip we know we'll be going back.

Thanks again for all your help.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Mo,

I was delighted to help with your trip. I'm glad it was such a success. Thanks for checking back in to let us know you had a good trip. It is wonderful that Ireland was an excellent experience for you and you want to return some day. If you have the time we would really enjoy hearing all the details of your trip under Trip Reports.

Michele

keithenbailey1 · Newbie

Hello, I am planning a trip to Ireland for the end of March beginning of April...we are staying 11 nights and I have listed below each place we are planning to stay. I don't mind at all picking up and staying at all these different places...I think it's kind of cool and we will be able to see alot this way I think. We are flying into Dublin and making our way back to leave from the Shannon airport.

2 nights Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin 2
1 night Waterford Castle, Waterford
2 nights Hayfield Manor, Cork City
2 nights Killarney Park Hotel, Killarney
1 night Adare Manor, Adare
2 nights Ashford Castle, Cong
1 night Dromoland Castle, Newmarket-on-Fergus

I was told there are many things to do at each stop and along the way. I would love it if anyone had any suggestions for me about each of these places and anything inbetween.
I have been researching online about the crime in Ireland. I honestly didn't think twice about it until my parents and inlaws both said they woulnd't travel anywhere right now outside the United States.
The things I have read scare me a little...they talk about pick-pocketing and petty theft. Also I read how some tourist have their rent cars broken into. I would love to hear if anyone has ever had a bad experience while visiting Ireland. I was told by a few people that the people in Ireland are so nice and then I heard that they were rude.
I would appreciate any comments or suggestions!
Thanks,
Cassie

Michele Erdvig · Host

Cassie,

Welcome to my forum. Feel free to start your own subject if you like. Your itinerary looks fine and your accommodations are all very posh and first class.

You will be covering a good portion of the south of Ireland and a bit of the west. There is so much to see and do. But it all depends on your interests. I have written a whole book about what to see and do in Ireland but you will have to narrow down your interests. For instance you might prefer to see castles and gardens but might not be interested in visiting caves or boat rides. So without knowing your preferences it is very hard to suggest what to see. Perhaps you might clue us in on that.

There is crime in Ireland (like everywhere on planet earth) but far less than you will find in the US. If you are smart and alert you will avoid petty crime, which is mostly a crime of opportunity. For instance don't leave your GPS unit, laptop or camera visible the car when you park. Don't leave anything visible that will tempt theft. In over 37 years of visiting Ireland I have never been pickpocketed or had my car broken into. Don't let a few rumors scare you off.

The Irish people will treat you the way you treat them. Generally they are helpful and kind. But you can run across a rude person in any country. I will be curious to learn what you think of the Irish when you return.

Let us know if you have any other questions.

Michele

tony2phones · Guru

Without wishing to give the wrong impression the Hotels you have listed dip deeper into your pocket than any petty thief is likely to. I once left the car keys in the car door on Kinvarra pier for about an hour and only found out because they were there when we got back to the car. I wouldn't recommend doing the same sort of thing with a hire car but common sense is all you need in Ireland. Most of us are quite friendly, provided you treat us as equals and of course want to join in and banter (chat). Lately I have found visitors rather stand off ish possibly a result of the type of warnings issued by ill informed and negative press warnings.

Unfortunately I can only advise on the Cong area of your Itinerary and with two nights you will have the chance to explore the Connemara and West Galway on your way down to Dromoland you can run down the Clare coast and cross parts of the Burren. I would recommend heading through the Tunnel under the Shannon and going straight up the M18 to Galway and Cong rather than cross country on your way up.

keithenbailey1 · Newbie

Michele,

Thank you for the response and the welcome. I don't have a particular interest to be honest. My husband and I have both just always thought Ireland to be so beautiful and wished to visit one day. So I guess the beauty is what we are interested in...I have always had a fasination with Castles so just seeing those along the way will be a great treat.
I will Not let the rumors scare me off at all...as I said before I never even thought twice about it until my parents and inlaws mentioned not traveling anywhere outside the US right now...they didn't pinpoint any one country though. But as I told my husband...I am not going to keep that from letting me travel. Crime can be bad anywhere you go or live these days and I know that! Reading everything on this website has just made me want to visit that much more and I am so excited!
I didn't plan the itenerary myself...I found a website that does everything for you and I have talked to them on the phone and feel very comfortable with them. I will have to get your book, I want to know has much as I can before we go!

Tony,
Thank you for your response too. I realize after researching the places we are staying that they are expensive but as I said before I didn't pick them but after looking at them I am impressed and will probably leave them as is (: I am so glad to hear how friendly the people are...I have heard that more than not. I do not plan to be stand off ish at all...I am a talker and I will take every advantage possible to meet the people and have a wonderful experience! I appreciate greatly your thoughts and advice!

Thank you both so much!

Michele Erdvig · Host

Cassie,

Not only are you going to see castles and beautiful scenery along the way, but you will be staying in some of Ireland's best castle hotels. What a treat! biggrin

For Dublin, this website will be very helpful: http://www.visitdublin.com/

On your way to Waterford you could drive south through Wicklow and visit Powerscourt Gardens & Glendalough. And of course everyone visits the Waterford Crystal Factory in Waterford City.

Going to Cork you will most likely drive along the Copper Coast. Along the way are Old Jameson Distillery, Barryscourt Castle, Fota Gardens & Wildlife Center and The Queenstown Story Immigration Museum in Cobh. Of course Blarney Castle is near Cork. The Cork City Gaol is interesting.

In Killarney you will want to see the area, Muckross House & Gardens, Killarney National Park, Ross Castle. Then you have a tough decision: will you do the Ring of Kerry or the Gap of Dunloe or Dingle? Each takes a day to do so you must decide.

Adare is a lovely village to stroll around in and Adare Manor's estate and gardens are beautiful.

In Cong be sure to take a walk through the woods. Rent the movie The Quiet Man, which was filmed in and around Cong. You might be interested in falconry, fishing or a boat ride on the lake from the castle. Connemara would make a great day trip.

Your last day you could go down the coast to see the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren and take a peek at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park.

Your parents may have heard the foreign travel alert about 6 weeks ago suggesting that Americans could be targets abroad. But the US government never gave any specific countries or info. It was probably CYA in case something did happen. Then they could say "we told you so". I wouldn't worry about it much in Ireland. I was there when the alert came out and it didn't impact my trip in any way.

Just relax and have fun in Ireland.

Michele