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Itallian Chauffeur


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Tenative Plans For Short March / April Visit
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So ---

We booked a (too) short Ireland Break through Sceptre Tours for 29 March -5 April that included airfare to/from EWR, rental car and 6 nights accomodation at Adare Manor Villas.  Not ideal, BUT it appealed to our traveling companions and it initiates my planned increase to TWO trips per year, so ...

Here's the plan:

We depart GNV on 29 March at 08:15 and arrive in ATL where we are meeting up with two traveling companions at 09:57.  They won't arrive until 11:25, but we depart together at 1:45 on our flight to EWR, arriving there, at 16:14.

Another couple will joins us there, prior to our departure time of 19:30, flying on a United flight operated by Continental, direct to SNN.  Arrival in Shannon is scheduled to be 07:00 on 30 March.

We have Car Hire (via the package) for 6 days through Dan Dooley for a Manual, 4 Door Full Size (Ford Mondeo Class) while our companions from Newark are renting their own vehicle.  We plan to drive directly to Adare and check in as early as possible, for our customary, 2-2.5 hour, 'Disco Nap'.  The rest of the day will be spent taking in the village and local sites, concluding with dinner in town and catching some live music at Pat Collins Bar (It being a Wednesday, and all -- biggrin biggrin ).

Thursday, 31 March (weather permitting) we'll head to Dingle for a day trip.  If the weather is NOT particularly codusive to driving Slea Head and Connor Pass (and traipsing about at Dunbeg, Gallerus and Kilmalkedar), I'll PROBABLY drive to Killarney for the day and avail of some of the INDOOR options like Ross Castle, Muckross House.  Thursday night, in Adare, it's Bill Chawkes Bar, for the music.

Friday, 1 April, the Atlanta Four head to Millstreet for a quick (???)  meet with Sean Radley.  I'm donating an Irish Doll (in it's Original Box) to the Millstreet Museum that was manufactured at the now defuct Clara Toys factory, in Millstreet.  I'll show our companions a few choice sites and then continue on to Macroom, where we hope to meet with the Parish Secretary, to attempt to locate the actual grave Site (or at LEAST the correct Grave Yard) where my wife's Great-Grandfather was buried, back in August of 1902.  Haven't had any luck with the contact info YET, but I have some feelers out through my Millstreet connections, so we are CAUTIOUSLY optomistic.

Once finished in Macroom, we'll continue on to East Cork (Little Island, near Carrigtwohill, to be exact!), where we're booked into the SAS Radisson Blu Hotel for two nights (Fri & Sat).  Our other companions plan to meet us there, on Saturday.  We'll meet with The 'Cousins' most of the time we are there.  Saturday night we've yet ANOTHER Grand 40th Birthday Celebration planned ...

Dunno if I can survive many more (see my old Trip Reports from 2004 and 2005 wink wink)!

Sunday, 3 April we'll make our way (probably late-ish doh doh doh) back to Adare -- hopefully via a detour through Kilmallock ('cause Michele says we should!).

Probably an EARLY night -- to 'lick our wounds'!  biggrin biggrin

Monday, 4 April we'll try to 'Pick Up' Dingle, if we missed it on the 31st, OR head to Killarney, OR up, into Clare, OR just 'Tour Around' NW Limerick -- depending upon how things go ... 

Tuesday, it's back to SNN for our 09:00 Departure  furious  furious  furious  furious

THAT's the Plan, but ...

Then, again ...

We ALL know how Plans have a way of Going Awry ... 

Bob

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Bob

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Michele Erdvig


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Bob,

Plans never go awry...they just change. Bit would call it being fairy-led. You must go where the fairies direct! wink

You will be nearby Fota Gardens. The wisteria is fantastic in the spring but early April might be too early for it. Unfortunately Barryscourt Castle is not open then.

If you get to Kilmallock early enough you must stop at the tiny museum. Hopefully, Mary Fox will be there. She is so enthustiastic about her town. But look out for that stick she wields when pointing out the diorama of town. I've seen her knock a few chimmneys off! She must have a good supply of super glue.

Another good rainy day attraction not too far from Adare is the Foynes Flying Boat Museum.

Your time is so short but I know you will fill it up with good times and more memories.

Have your traveling companions been to Ireland before?

Michele

 



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"Ireland Expert"  Michele Erdvig

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Itallian Chauffeur


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The two meeting us in ATL (herinafter referred to as A&C  biggrin ) have been twice  --a semi-'Green Blur in April of 1999 and a semi-'Grey Blur in Feb of 2002 -- BOTH times with us.  We travel well together.

I've promised them a more Relaxed pace, this trip.  biggrin biggrin

The OTHER couple ( S&S) have been once, on their own.  Two of the four ( A&S) are my wife's sisters.  The other 'S' has family ties  (G-Mother's homestead) located somewhere on Dingle ...

Does anyone know of an impressive looking (along the lines of Caherconnel) Ring Fort nearby any of my proposed routes?  The nearest that I know of -- outside Rathkeal -- is rather 'Bland'.  'A' has expressed to see a 'Good One'. confuse confuse

My wife and I plan to return in mid-June for two weeks -- probably 'Unaccompanied', so I'm tolerating THIS 'Abreviated Visit'   wink 

Fota will doubtless get Short-Shift' as we will spend nearly all our time in and around Cork visiting the 'Cousins'.

Bob



-- Edited by Itallian Chauffeur on Tuesday 8th of February 2011 09:23:35 AM

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Bob

Help Us to Help You.  The more you tell us about your plans (dates, interests, budget), the better we can tailor our advice to suit!
Michele Erdvig


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Bob,

There are some good ring forts on the ROK but you are not going there. I think you will have to skip the fort on this trip.

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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