Is SEPTEMBER in Donegal, Dublin, & Connemara still bright and cheery?

Melissa5 · Guru

Is SEPTEMBER in Donegal, Dublin, & Connemara still bright and cheery?

stewh · Guru

Good to hear you're considering another Irish trip. All of our previous trips have been in the Spring and we have certainly seen all kinds of weather. This year, for the 1st time, we'll be visiting in September/October.
I think it fair to say most people don't go to Ireland for the weather; it is changeable and difficult to predict. You can check 30 year averages in various locations. There are a lot of climate data available online but no guarantees!! Have a great trip wherever you go.

Stewart

CowboyCraic · Guru

Melissa,

Céad míle fáilte, we hope that we can help you make this a wonderful trip for the two of you!

To begin answering your questions, September is still travel season for the european set but not as busy as Mid June to late August. In September, you should still have sun in to the late evening. Depending on where you are, the sunset or twilight period is around eight o'clock and sunrise is around six o'clock or half past.

As to the weather, i have had lovely sunny weather in September. I have also had chilly, windy, rainy weather in September. Sometimes I have experienced all four seasons in a day's time. It is why I tell folks to layer up when they travel over. That way they can peel off as the temperature increases. Your Average temperature in September will usually be in the low to mid 60 degree range. In the North and Northwest, the temperatures will be a bit lower, usually.

With two weeks, you should be able to cover your areas, even though they are wide spread. To give you a better idea of a rough itinerary, what are some other things you would like to see?

Slan Beo (Take Care),

Bit

tony2phones · Guru

September is a dificult month to predict but its my main staycation time and it has not rained on me on the 12th anytime in the past 7 years but it has been windy and occasionally cool. September has though Clifden Arts week so if you are looking for good Trad and mighty craic then you could do a lot worse than to be around there between the 15th - 25th. Watch this space;-

http://www.clifdenartsweek.ie/

Last September and the closing parade.

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/album.php?id=100000256937396&aid=34386

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/album.php?id=100000256937396&aid=34388

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

Or should I say "Nanny"? wink If you go to my Weather page you will find a sunrise/sunset chart. Also, clicking on any of the boxes around the map will give you much more info on each area including history, etc.

As everyone knows spring is my favorite time to visit Ireland. It is so fresh, blooming and I love the little lambs. But my second favorite time is autumn. I wouldn't say that Sept/Oct are warm. Cool sweater weather is the norm and that's the way I like it after a long hot southern summer. Rain is a roll of the dice at any time. Just be prepared with weather gear and backup plans. One problem with autumn in Ireland is that any hurricanes that form and go up the east coast of the States usually blow across the ocean and hit Ireland as storms too. So you can get some windy, rainy weather for a day or two if that happens.

Obviously the beginning of Sept is busier than mid-month and later. But certainly doable.

I sense Italy calling you! biggrin Let us know what you decide on.

Michele

Melissa5 · Guru

Stewart: Have a fun September/October trip to Ireland! Thanks for sharing the link to the 30-year-average link for weather in Ireland. I have obsessively examined weather history for Ireland, on your link and the link Michelle provides. I feel really torn right now, because my heart is wanting to return to Ireland this September, but my worry wart is obsessing about the weather. (Do you know how to remove a worry wart?) wink

Melissa5 · Guru

CowboyCraic: Thanks for the reply. If September average temps are in the low to mid-60's range, that's a bit cooler than I like, but not so bad either. If the North and Northwest are chillier in September, then if I do choose Ireland for our September 2011 trip, I might want to avoid the North and Northwest, and try to stick to the areas that are a little sunnier. Due to my husband's work schedule, any trips we take to Ireland will always be somewhere between June and September. We can't go in May ever because that's my husband's busiest work season.

June and September average temps don't seem that different, looking at the historical info on web-sites. However as Michelle has explained, June does have longer days...so more hours of possible sunshine does help.

Our first trip to Ireland, we had some rain in June, but we also had a heat wave, so we boiled in Ireland! Funny! And as you know there isn't any ice or A/C in Ireland. I LOVED Ireland.

You asked where we would want to go. I'm flexible on that...I want to feel very Irish, as Irish as possible...I like feeling the "soul" of my Irish grandmother, who emigrated from Ireland when she was 17. I like the Irish trad music and anything about Irish writers, I like wild seacoasts. We'd like to see Connemara and Dublin since we skipped that on the first trip. We also skipped the Rock of Cashel on the first trip. I want to sleep in what feels like a little Irish cottage but have someone else make me breakfast. Well that really DOESN'T narrow it down!

My brain tells me perhaps Italy would be better as far as the weather in September...but my heart wants me to choose Ireland. I get to choose, because we are taking turns and its my turn! Yay! My husband thinks I am funny because since it's my choice I must be arguing with myself...he says if I pick Ireland I will be so thrilled I won't even notice the weather...we will be in the pubs listening to amazing Irish trad music.

Melissa5 · Guru

Tony2Phones: Thanks, I couldn't get the link to facebook to work, but I opened the link to Clifden Arts Week, although I couldn't seem to see how to get more info on the Trad music events. But thanks for mentioning that...and if I choose Ireland for September I will definitely look more into that.

Melissa5 · Guru

Oh Michelle, I'm not sure if I am choosing Ireland but Ireland is choosing me! biggrin

I haven't made the final decision yet as far as where I will definitely choose for our September 2011 trip. I thought I should choose someplace warm...because I like to collect all the sunshine I can before November-February, which is the time of year that I get blue due to the shorter days and less sun (S.A.D.) BUT September is actually still a good month for me...and October is pretty good as well...also September comes just after the summer, when I am just "full" of our wonderful southern California sunshine.

My husband thinks I shouldn't worry about the September weather in Ireland because he said if I choose Ireland he knows I'll be so thrilled... Although he is secretly hoping I'll choose Italy... We are taking turns choosing our vacations, which is really cool! So he's trying to sound impartial since it's my turn! aww

What a good man!

On our first trip to Ireland, I took my biologist husband to places in Ireland such as the Burren, which was great in June...interesting to a biologist. Plus he loved the fantastic Irish Trad music in the little pubs, as I did.

But this is supposed to be my trip to plan. But I think we would both love Connemara...is the Connemara National Park a wild and beautiful place? We drove past it on the way up to Westport and he wanted to stop there but we didn't have time on our June trip. (2005 or 2006)

I did look at the weather links you provided, as well as the weather links someone else posted. It's confusing because the difference in temps between June and September don't seem all that great...however as you mentioned, June has longer days so September would have somewhat fewer hours of sunshine. Plus you did mention September might get storms.

We can't ever go to Ireland in May because that's my husband's busiest work season. So any trip to Ireland that I take will always have to be sometime between June and September.

I also have a dream of taking 3 generations of our family to Ireland someday including my first grand-daughter who isn't 2 years old yet. However we could pay for the lodging but the airfares for 8 people would be too expensive I think.

Anyway back to this trip for September 2011 which is just for my husband and I. Thanks for listening, Michelle. I think I have somewhat lost touch with myself, since becoming a "Nanny", I've been babysitting every afternoon for a few months...I just need some "me" time to get back in touch with the creative writer side of me...and that worked so well in Ireland last time! My husband and I also need some "we" time. smile

So I"m asking myself...what did I just say?!

Michelle do you think there are "warmer" parts of Ireland in September? I did study the temp charts but it seemed like I would be fortunate in September to get weather in the 60's...which isn't too bad actually...although weather in the 70's is ideal in my opinion... In June on our Irish trip we had some weather in the 90's+, it was a crazy heat wave, we saw a melted road! September looks a little bit cooler than June historically for Ireland, with shorter days in September, from what I could research. I wonder if it would help if we started our Ireland trip at the end of August and then into the beginning of September...or we could do anytime in September.

Sorry for rambling a bit.

CowboyCraic · Guru

Melissa,

The North & Northwest are my favourite places to be in the autumn season. Connemara National Park is the place to find the conenmara ponies at almost every turn. It is wild, as is most of the Connemara region. Achill Island is also a grand place to go to feel immersed in the history of Ireland. A walk in teh Famine Village is powerful and humbling.

If you are taking two weeks, you might want to do the Northwest the first week and the southern region the second with a midway stop, such as Ennis or Doolin, in between. That will give you a mixture of temperatures.

Something along the lines of:

Dublin - 2 Nights
Donegal - 2 nights
Connemara - 2 nights
Ennis or Doolin - Overnight
Dingle - 2 nights (Loophead enrt)
Kenmare - 2 nights (Use one day to drive the Ring of Beara)
Kilkenny - two nights (Rock of Cashel & Cahir Castle enrt)
Dublin Airport - overnight

Do you know from where it was your Gran immigrated? That would give you another area to explore. If you need help, you can private message me with what information you have and I can see what I can dig up.

Most of the thatchies in which I have stayed are self-catering rentals and not B&Bs, with the exception of Spiddal (Cloch na Scith). I will check my files for others and perhaps others will chime in with other Thatchies.

I always follow my heart over my head. I find that way I am open to the faeries when they speak. Perhaps that is why I have traveled back so often to Ireland. It wouldn't do to ignore the Faeries when they whisper... biggrin

Slan Beo,

Bit

egnolive · Veteran Member

Melissa5,

I think you know that if weather is your most important requirement, Ireland is not the place to choose as the weather can be unpredictable. If you absolutely need warm weather, go to Italy. There is really no point in analyzing Irish weather in September because you will never get the answer that the weather will be as sunny as you would like.

I live in San Diego also. Everyone that doesn't live here thinks it is sunny 365 days a year. But of course, it isn't. It is always rainy or cloudy whenever my visitors come.

If Ireland is calling you, go to Ireland and forget about the weather.

Roy · Guru

Even my wife, who is from Ireland, says you don't go to there for the weather.

tony2phones · Guru

The Arts week link wont give information until probably August when they have all the details and venue's sorted out but its a full 10 day music program from Classical to Rock and lots of Trad along with many contributions from the other arts. Will have to work on getting my photo's onto another more accessible medium.

This link might work

http://tripwow.tripadvisor.com/tripwow/ta-00ff-0250-c76a?ln

-- Edited by tony2phones on Thursday 3rd of March 2011 04:02:59 PM

Andi · Senior Member

The last thing I want to do is discourage you from traveling in Ireland. Looking at averages, however, really doesn't tell you much if you require good weather. You could have a succession of sunny days, or you could have sun and rain, or you could have several days of settled rain. If sun is absolutely a requirement, you need to choose a place that's sunny. On the other hand, if you're prepared to accept whatever weather comes, Ireland is great!

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

Those charts just show "averages". I've had days in the 70s in Sept. In fact a few years ago I just wore a long-sleeve blouse most days in Oct. It can be very mild. There is really not a big difference in temps from the southern parts of Ireland to the north. It is such a small island that the temps are pretty consistent throughout.

If Ireland is calling then heed the call and go!

Michele

Melissa5 · Guru

Ireland, YES! I decided we are going to Ireland in September 2011 ! biggrin

I'm so excited! You know what tipped me over in favor of choosing Ireland? Don't laugh, but I made myself cry. I had a big pile of guidebooks for Europe. One of them was a Fodors Ireland guidebook....I just happened to open it up to a page which has my quote on it, from their forums. I had forgotten that my quote was in there...and I inspired myself! I told you not to laugh. It reminded me of how much I miss my creative writing time...and I found Ireland so inspiring. Anyway here is what they quoted, taken from my trip report, although it doesn't make total sense, since they took it out of context, it still inspires me!

"All of you 'Irish' dreamers, who are remembering Ireland and longing for her with every drop of Irish blood you have in you, are just awakening the poetry and music in my soul. And you know, of course, that even for those who have not a drop of Irish blood, once you spend some time with the Irish, you come home changed. Ireland slips into your heart and won't ever let go. Only there do you get to have the whole bowl of cream - or any real cream at all!" -Melissa5

My husband turned some pages in the book and found another one of my quotes:

"Connemara is hauntingly beautiful. No one has been able to describe it to me. They just look at me, dreamy-eyed, and say "Ah, Connemara". I'm going there on my next trip and I'm going to translate Connemara into poetry, so I can take a piece home with me." -Melissa5

So, here I am, so happy to be here on Michele's Irish forum...and now I have to keep my own promise to myself...I'm putting Connemara on my itinerary for our Ireland September 2011 trip...and now I've got the huge challenge of translating Connemara into poetry!

Woooooooooooooooooo! Yes! Ok I'll be back to pester you all with questions. Thanks for listening!

CowBoyCraic: I hear fairies!

I might need to post a new question, but I wanted to tell everybody here thanks for helping me with my decision. My husband and I will spend about 2 weeks in Ireland...maybe 15 nights or so in Ireland...not counting the flying days...and the dates available to us will be somewhere in between September 4 and September 21.

Michele, I mean Goldilocks, I need the new edition of your book, which is coming out in March, right?

-- Edited by Melissa5 on Sunday 6th of March 2011 08:10:17 PM

Michele Erdvig · Host

Melissa,

Way to go! Glad the decision is made and now the fun can begin. Your story didn't make me laugh. It made me smile. Loved the quotes!

The 20th Anniversary Edition of my book is coming out in a few weeks. It may edge slightly into the beginning of April (I hit a few "roadworks" en route to its release). But plenty of time for your September trip.

As we progress you will have to refresh our memories of what you saw last time. Some of it still lingers in the cobwebs of my mind but it has been several years. I should find your Trip Report when I have a moment. I know you were in Westport. Did you get to Achill Island? It is a special place. As is Connemara. I will never forget some tourists I ran into at a B&B one time. They had just been to Connemara and hated it. I was confused. I asked why they hated it and they said it was "Nothing but rocks and sheep". Well, that is true...but what about the loughs and the ocean, the mountains and the beaches? It can be bleak and barren but the ever changing light is what artists would kill for.

Michele

Andi · Senior Member

I don't remember the author, but one of my favorite Connemara poems says "This is not landscape. It is my father, or rather an image from the race of fathers, of sea and sky and stone . . ."

Itallian Chauffeur · Moderator

Mellissa5 -- I just KNEW you would Return! It seemed clear - TO ME - that Dark Rosaleen had cast Her spell on ye ... biggrin

Will you finally 'DO' Dublin, as we discussed? Croppie's Acre still awaits.

DUBLIN

Andi -- I found THIS:

The Irish Cliffs of Moher
by Wallace Stevens (1879-1955)

Who is my father in this world,
in this house,
At the spirit's base?

My father's father,
his father's father, his --
Shadows like winds

Go back to a parent before thought,
before speech,
At the head of the past.

They go to the cliffs of Moher
rising out of the mist,
Above the real,

Rising out of present time
and place, above
The wet, green grass.

This is not landscape,
full of the somnambulations
Of poetry

And the sea. This is my father
or, maybe,
It is as he was,

A likeness, one of
the race of fathers: earth
And sea and air.

Bob

Andi · Senior Member

Thank you very much! It's been years since I saw the poem, so I got it a little wrong. But I do love it, and now can keep a record of it, and who wrote it.

Melissa5 · Guru

Connemara poem and Dublin

Melissa5 · Guru

RE: Is SEPTEMBER in Donegal, Dublin, & Connemara still bright and cheery?

Itallian Chauffeur · Moderator

OK, Guys 'n Gals --- I'm feeling INSPIRED --- biggrin

This is just ONE of the reasons why I LOVE Irish music:

The Land You Love The Best
John Spillane

When angels with wings come to collect you
And carry you over the stormy sea
Whispering things as they caress you
Gently they'll press you with sweet words undress you
Will you fly to the land that holds and keeps you
Or the land you love the best

The land you love the best, the land you love the best
Will you lie in the garden of peace and of order
Or the cold wild field in the west

When night and her shadows come to surround you
And touch you with fingers of cold, cold fear
When the voice of the stranger echoes around you
When strange words confound you, strange accents drown you
Will you fly to the land that fed you or found you
Or the land you love the best

The land you love the best, the land you love the best
Will you lie in the garden of peace and of order
Or the cold wild field in the west

Bob

Michele Erdvig · Host

Bob,

Great poetry. It makes me homesick for Ireland.

Melissa,

Your trip is coming back to me now. You stayed at Beechwood House in Malahide. Joe's wife Vera died recently and he is a widower. But he is still doing B&B. I think he does it for the love of having a fine Irish chat with his guests from all over the world. He certainly has a great, big beautiful house.

Your scenic drive from Westport was probably Achill Island. But there is something special about staying on the island. Especially at Bervie - right on the beach!

As I recall you agonized about cutting out the Rock of Cashel and some other places. Perhaps this time you can get to a couple of my favorites:

Kenmare: favorite small town

Kilkenny: favorite city

Good idea to start a new post when you are ready for the planning stage.

Michele

Michele Erdvig · Host

A few shots of Connemara to whet your appetite.

Lough Corrib

Melissa5 · Guru

ItalianChauffeur: You are making me hungry for poetry and music! That's gorgeous. Is that poem a song? With all of this inspiring poetry floating about in here...I now want to do more than research Ireland. I want to read some Irish poetry and literature. Of course I have to put on my Chieftains CDs too for a listen. Love the Chieftains. I have a book on my bookshelf written by the woman who lived on the Blasket Islands. I hope to make time to read it soon. (I've been babysitting my grandbaby a lot lately, so reading time is precious and short. )

Melissa5 · Guru

Michele...GASP! Thanks for sharing the breath-taking photos of Connemara!

I'm sorry to hear that Joe's wife Vera died, but glad to hear he's still doing the b&b in Malahide...he's a friendly man.

By the way, on the previous trip, one of my favorite experiences in Northern Ireland was staying at Craig Park guesthouse! And of course trying to re-trace my Irish Nanny's footsteps in Belfast was very special. But overall I did prefer the Republic of Ireland.

Thanks for suggesting 2 of your favorites, Kilkenny and Kenmare...I'm taking a closer look at them. And Bervie, on the beach at Achill island, which you suggested...we just had a day-trip to Achill island last time.

After March 15 I'll be babysitting my grandbaby less hours, so I will have more time for trip planning.

I'm trying to get myself organized enough to post a new question with the skeleton of our itinerary for September 2011. WOW I'M SO EXCITED!!! biggrin

Yes, I did agonize over skipping the Rock of Cashel on the first trip, as you recall! Our first trip was June 2006.

QUESTION: Michele, as your new book won't arrive til April...do you think that I will have any problems booking the accommodations of my choice for our September 2011 trip? (We will have 15 nights in Ireland somewhere between September 4 and September 21.)

Roy · Guru

Melissa5 wrote:

ItalianChauffeur: You are making me hungry for poetry and music! That's gorgeous. Is that poem a song? With all of this inspiring poetry floating about in here...I now want to do more than research Ireland. I want to read some Irish poetry and literature. Of course I have to put on my Chieftains CDs too for a listen. Love the Chieftains. I have a book on my bookshelf written by the woman who lived on the Blasket Islands. I hope to make time to read it soon. (I've been babysitting my grandbaby a lot lately, so reading time is precious and short. )

John Spillane is a singer/songwriter and a strong advocate of the Irish language. He has an album Irish Songs We Learned in School as well as More Irish Songs We Learned in School. My wife knew them all and it was wonderful watching her sing them in Irish!

CowboyCraic · Guru

Some of my most fond memories revolve around sitting in the parlour at MAn of Aran Cottage harmonizing with Maura Wolfe in some handed-down-through generations song in Irish.

Melissa,

For something unique and different check out the writings of Gerard Manley Hopkins, a Jesuit Poet who introduced sprung-rythm poetry back in the late 1800s. He summered in Monasterevin and spent his last five years in Dublin living in what is now Staunton on the Green.

Michele shared the Connemara. Here are some photos from Inis Mor

Melissa5 · Guru

Roy: Thanks for the info on the singer/songwriter John Spillane. My Irish grandmother and all of her sisters had strong Irish accents all their lives...but I'm not sure if any of them spoke Gaelic. I wish I could learn Gaelic! aww