Hello, My husband and I will be traveling to Ireland for a week at the end of April. We intend to rent a car after spending our first night in Dublin and visit relatives who live in County Armagh (Craigavon) just for a day. We won't be staying with them so we are looking for a nice B&B. Any suggestions? I looked at Carlingford which looks nice and does not seem too far of a drive up to Armagh. After this we thought about staying in Kilkenny as it doesn't seem to be too long of a drive on the major routes. What are your opinions of Kilkenny? We would stay there for two days.
Also, do you know anything about the one day tours that go to the Wicklow Mountains? The photos look beautiful- I thought about staying there instead of Kilkenny but wondered if the end of April would be a bit chilly in the mountains.
I've NEVER stayed anywhere that Michele has recommended and been disappointed and I've stayed at MANY of her approved lodgings.
As to chilly, I guess it would depend upon where you hail from. We live in Florida and have visited Ireland five times during the past 11 years and found the weather to be only slightly cooler then during our June visits. We've had temps between 40s and 70s and have often had whole weeks of sunshine. There are no guarrantees, though April does tend to be one of Ireland's drier months ...
Michele LOVES Kilkenney and she has a link to a TERRIFIC walking tour. I spent 4 nights in Glendalough, last June and had a WONDERFUL time, though it was cool and the last two days were quite rainy. Either location would make for a good trip, depending upon your interests. Wicklow is more rural -- mountains and sea shore, whereas Kilkenney is very much a compact, urban delight filled with lots to see and do ...
Bob
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Bob
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Thanks for your reply! I'm glad to hear there is a walking tour in Kilkenny. I'm big on getting out and walking. I have some worries about renting a car and learning to drive on the wrong side of the road. How difficult is it? I hear the round abouts are tricky.
I'm probably the wrong one to ask. over the last 13 years, I've logged 10's of thousands of kilometers driving on Irish highways and byways -- some of which were so obscure that it shocked and amused my wife's Irish Cousins -- with nary a problem.
Roundabouts in Ireland flow Clockwise (as opposed to Counter-Clockwise in the US. MOST require you to Yield to any vehicles to your Right (already IN the Roundabout) though some of the bigger ones are controlled by Traffic lights.
The key to success is to accept that Speed Limits are for Residents and Professionals -- NOT Tourists -- and to either have a really good navigator / co-pilot, or a fair sense of the road. GPS can be a hinderance, as there are so many NEW roads, that what used to be the Second Exit, is NOW the THIRD ...
I usually have more trouble re-adjusting to driving in the US!!!!
Hope this helps.
Bob
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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!
Welcome to my forum. I see the forum members have your questions well under control. There is plenty to do and see from Kilkenny. If you have two days just plan on staying in the vicinity. The Rock of Cashel is not to far either. You can get a guided walking tour from the tourist office or DIY: http://www.knockahopple.com/downloadkilkenny.html
Carlingford is a lovely little town and it close to No. Ireland. You could also stay in Armagh. Go here to look for accommodations in Armagh: http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/