Easter Holidays

fennellkevin · Senior Member

Easter Holidays

Dude · Guru

Kevin, my daughter and I planned our first trip to spend Easter in Ireland. We attended Mass at St. Columkille's in Rathcommon (near Sligo). We were WAY overdressed; the locals seemed to regard it as just another Sunday Mass and were casually dressed.

We had taken along Cadbury eggs so that we could enjoy our traditional Easter treat and you can imagine how silly we felt to see Cadbury candy and especially chocolate everywhere we looked! But we ate the eggs anyway.

Now I'm hungry.

fennellkevin · Senior Member

Thanks, Dude

Michele Erdvig · Host

Kevin,

Not all sightseeing will be closed on Good Friday but you should check in advance. For instance a few years ago I was in Ireland on GF and the Foynes Flying Boat Museum was open. Your B&B hosts can usually check on things like that for you. Actually on Easter Monday things should be open. Not banks or businesses but sightseeing, pubs, restaurants, etc.

You will need to have dinner reservations made at a hotel for Good Friday. Most restaurants are closed.

There will be special services at all the churches and cathedrals in Ireland on Easter Sunday. Were you looking for something special or of a particular denomination?

Michele

fennellkevin · Senior Member

Michele,

When you say reserve dinner at a hotel for Good Friday, we don't necessarily need to be staying at that hotel that night, do we?

I don't yet know what town we'll be in, but when that is decided, how would I know which hotels are there to choose from?

Thanks,

Kevin

Michele Erdvig · Host

Kevin,

First priority is always given to guests staying at the hotel. However, generally there is no problem for a non-resident of the hotel to eat there. But you do need reservations. Once you get your itinerary firmed up tell me where you will be and I will try to suggest a hotel for you. You can also look at hotels in various areas: http://www.irelandhotels.com

Michele

fennellkevin · Senior Member

Hi Michele,

Another question regarding Easter:

Will Easter Sunday be about like any other Sunday in terms of what is happening or not happening? Or will there be more of a "shut down" feeling than on an ordinary Sunday?

In other words, Suppose we end up doing something like what I have in mind at the moment, and find ourselves at Doolin on Easter Sunday. We live in New York City, and even here Sunday is not the busiest night for night-life.

So, If I'm attracted to Doolin because you call it a Mecca for traditional Irish musicians, is it a wrong move to go there on a Sunday, or Easter Sunday in particular?

Then the possiblity also exists that we would still be there on Monday night. Is it reasonable to suppose there might be music in the pubs on a Monday night? Easter Monday in particluar?

Because if this is the case, I could drastically re-arrange our itinerary and go to Doolin straight from Dublin and spend the Wednesday and possibly Thursday before Easter there and then travel around in the opposite direction, ending in Dungarvan rather than beginning there.

A further possibility is that we could somehow save Doolin for Tuesday and Wednesday of our second week (after Easter) and head fly out of Shannon instead of Dublin (thats my least favorite option; I'd like one more glimpse of Dublin before saying goodbye, and besides we'd have to pay the airline a penalty to change).

Anyhow, am I making too much of Doolin? I seemed to be charmed by the idea of it. But I can imagine you saying there's plenty of music in other towns without driving myself crazy about which town I'm in at Easter.

Thanks,

Kevin

Michele Erdvig · Host

Kevin,

O'Connor's Pub in Doolin advertises itself as having trad Irish music every night of the year. This is their website: http://www.oconnorspubdoolin.com/index.php I suggest you drop them an email to find out what's on over Easter.

Michele