Thanks Tony, I will email the landlord beforehand about what supplies will be needed, especially toilet rolls, I hadnt thought about that important item. One of the places we are renting is metered and the other is charging 10 Euro per person as a flat fee for fuel and electricity. Both houses have fireplaces and wed like to have a turf fire. I had seen turf being sold at convenience stores on a previous trip to Ireland, is it still available from stores like that? Should I be so bold as to ask the landlord if I can read the meter on arrival and departure?

Thanks wc, love that turf fire. Hope we are supplied with some. Glad to hear you enjoyed self catering and would do it again.

Since we know the two areas we want to base, we'll only have to pack-up one time. It beats living out of a suitcase.

Judy

We have self-catered at a number of different locations in Ireland; the relaxed pace and the flexibility suit us. The advice about contacting your host is spot on. We have had a wide variety of experiences with supplies (or lack of supplies). More than once we've been welcomed by our host with tea and biscuits (even sandwiches one time). Another time the door was left open for us with a list of instructions and a bottle of wine on the dining table - did not see any host for the whole week.

The biggest surprise was at our first self-catering cottage in Connemara - NO towels. I have learned now to check that out before we go. It is not that unusual in Ireland to either bring your own or 'rent' them for the week.

 

Stewart

A good landlord will either meet and greet themselves or have someone call round on their behalf and run you through all the bits and bobs taking meter readings is usually part of this. If not take your own or check the one they have left you. As I say this is just protection against the 2% of rouges. Raw turf is not widely available outside dedicated fuel suppliers but compacted Turf Bickettes are available just about anywhere at a cost of about E10 for 3 bundles. Cool bags are available in most supermarkets over here for transporting your frozen purchases for a couple of hours. We also have this magic stuff called Instant coffee which you just mix with boiling water avoiding the need of a coffee maker for everyone but the total purist.

You will be in the heavily Gaeltacht part of Galway at Indreabhán handy for day trips to the Islands and the Trá an Dóilín Coral beach at Carraroe. I think there are a couple of local pubs although one of them used to open just once a week. We used to stay at Tuar Beag in Spiddal quite regularly up to us moving over 4 years ago and had many good nights in the local pubs there. My local in Killarney is O'Connors (bring a $ bill to stick behind the bar) which is a good locals pub with occasional good music and always good pub food as does Tattler Jacks. The Danny Mann attached to the Eviston House (my accommodation of choice) has music every night for the tourists (I walk through on my way out to enjoy myself).

This is so minor, I hesitate to even write it. Don't want to be contentious. But tony2phones, here in Washington State no one I know, and that may amount to 100 or 200 people, would even think about touching that instant coffee stuff! And we don't think of ourselves as purists. We pretty much have quality drive-up expresso stands on every corner, so those upscale coffee marketers have really done their stuff!

-- Edited by Andi on Sunday 27th of March 2011 02:26:34 PM

Instant coffee just does not do it for me.  Every place I've ever stayed had coffee makers, even small "Mom & Pop" self catering houses. If Waterford Castle lodges can have a computer that opens and closes the drapes they should have a coffee maker! After multiple complaints they went into the kitchen and came back with a French press coffee maker - that was broken!!!  The screen that pushed down the grounds was missing. To remedy that they gave me some coffee filters, which I had to cut up into small rounds to fit the press. I should have bought that coffee maker at Tesco, installed it and sent them a bill!

I have the Failte Ireland list of what a 4-star self-catering place should have in order to be listed as 4 stars. Waterford Castle lodges were poorly equipped and an inspector would not give them 4 stars. At least not this inspector. There were other issues there too.

Michele

I'm with you Michele- I will not drink instant coffee. Once, My wife and I were visiting my mother-in-law and were at the Grand Hotel in Moate. After dinner they wanted some coffee. I went to order and they made instant coffee! I was shocked. Fortunately the coffee situation is getting better but I agree that a coffee maker in a self-catering is essential. A very good discussion post going.

Whilst on the subject of coffee, I will share with you a humourous tidbit.

On our first performance tour, we ran into the coffee issue. As you can guess, three American cowboys without decent coffee is not good for anyone's health. Instant coffee seemed to be on offer in most places we stayed. They looked at us oddly when we asked for percolated coffee. Finally someone unearthed a 1960's model percolator from somewhere in the depths of their storage and stood by watching as we showed them how to use it.

Hoping to avoid this problem on our second trip over, my guitarist decided to pick up some of those Folgers coffee bags, which allows you to brew a cup of coffee in much the same fashion as tea. As we were heading to the baggage claim area in Shannon we heard an announcement that the luggage from our flight was being delayed on the tarmac. The customs K-9 had alerted on a suitcase.  Fifteen minutes later, we gathered our luggage and proceeded to Rossaveel to catch our Ferry. Imagine Casey's chagrin when he opened his suitcase and discovered a rather terse note from Customs advising that  it wasn't a wise idea to transport boxes of coffee in his luggage. Apparently, drugs are often shipped in tea or coffee to confuse narco dogs.

 

 

 

-- Edited by CowboyCraic on Tuesday 29th of March 2011 03:07:28 PM

Hadn't thought about the bringing coffee through customs, one of the neighbours had a telling off at Knock a few years ago for having coffee in her hand luggage. I was once pulled over when a dog took a fancy to my bag for some reason at the same airport. Judi Try giving Marie a call when you get over, she might know of something somewhere whilst you are over. take a look at the Lowry's bar page as well on facebook. http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Lowrys-Bar/249499160963