Hi Maggie,

All is going well here. Glad to see you are planning another trip to Ireland in a couple of years. Well, you have a tall order. First, thatched cottages are few and far between. I stayed at one in the village of Adare but many are not right in town like that one was.

I assume that you will not be doing any day trips since you won't have a car. Will you just stay put in a town for a week? If you wanted a town with access to day trip tours you might consider Killarney or Galway. But I don't think you will find a thatched cottage actually in one of those towns. I can recommend a townhouse in Kenmare but it is not thatched.

But keep searching. You never know when you will stumble across the right place. You have time to explore your options.

Michele

I hate to shatter a dream but the days of quaint little thatched cottages are distant memories.  Little cottages tucked away generally require a car because the donkey has retired and the cart is broken.

A possibility might be http://www.imagineireland.com/Galway-cottages/Galway-City-4325.asp  as you can reasonably get into Galway and take tours.

Shamrock Cottages and Imagine Ireland both have places available to put you into the country or town but you would need somewhere with a bus service. 

The nearest pub to our 200 year old, no longer thatched cottage is 300yards, our nearest village 5 miles and our nearest bus stops on a regular (more than once a week) service are 14 miles and 20 miles. Guess you cant have peace tranquillity and public transport?

http://www.imagineireland.com/default.asp

http://www.shamrockcottages.co.uk/

Maggie,

The self-catering townhouses close to Kenmare are Kenmare Rentals. The Foley's who own O'Donnabhain's Pub in town own them and take very good care of them. This is one I have not visited but have had my eye on: Shelbourne Townhouse. It is owned by the people who own The White Room in Kenmare.

I did find you some thatched self-catering cottages near Kenmare at Sheen Falls Lodge - very expensive.

This one is listed near Kenmare but I don't know exactly where it is: O'Sullivan's. You would have to inquire.

Here's one that is 3 km from Kenmare: Danloe's Cottage.

Michele

P.S. I think if you are staying in Kenmare you should have a car. 

Maggie,

I enjoyed my week in Adare and Gate Lodge Cottage. Even though Adare is often dissed as being too twee and touristy it is different once the tourists leave for the day. It has good pubs and restaurants and a supermarket all within walking distance of the cottage. If you stay, ask the owner what the code is for the side gate into Adare Manor.

Michele

If you do decide on Kenmare instead, I'll add my recommendation to Michele - the Foley's are a great couple, and we truly enjoyed our stay at their B&B in town, O'Donnabhain's. They are a class act. Gerry and Vanessa, is that right, Michele?

Ah, decision, decisions... I love it!!! :) Thank you!!!

I love the planning part, and couldn't agree with him more!!! :) 

Yes, they have a TV in the dining room and in the living room. As I recall you have to use a switch to get more channels. Ask Eamonn about that. They could have a new system in place now.

We all want our modern conveniences even if we are staying in a 300 year old thatched cottage!

Hi Tony, Is that your primary residence in Ireland? Brrrrr...no hot water...

WOW! Great job! Thanks for sharing. Maggie

Not sure about the "celebrate as we do" part, but they do indeed make the day quite interesting.  I've been in Ireland on St. Patrick's Day both in Dingle and Dublin area, and it is indeed a party!

Bert

Thanks Bert that's good to know! :) 

Thanks Tony, Thank you too! I'll check out those links...only thing is we're not renting a car that day...

Once we get closer to our trip I'll start posting more questions and will really appreciate ANY advice we can get!!! :) Cheers!

Good point -- same thing we did in Dublin.  Took the bus from out near the airport and had a great time all day.