Advice for First trip to Ireland September4th-11th

monmcg · Newbie

Advice for First trip to Ireland September4th-11th

Michele Erdvig · Host

Monica,

Welcome to the forum. So your actual overnight stays look like this? That would be a better way to figure out an itinerary.

Day 1: Dublin

Day 2, 3: Cork

Day 4, 5: Galway

Day 6: Shannon

Rather than be trying to insert more sightseeing items, you should be crossing things off your list and paring down. You probably won't see much in Dublin. Most of your first day will be bus and train to Dublin. Then you are departing the very next day for Cork.

Ireland's charms are found in its countryside and smaller towns. But perhaps you are "city people"?

As painful as it is, you have to face the reality that you have a very short time in Ireland. Your arrival and departure point is Shannon. Those are facts you can't change. What you can change is your expectations and what you want to see and do in Ireland. You are covering way too much territory. Whittle down your "must see" list. Start from scratch and see what you can delete. Think of seeing the west of Ireland rather than trying to see everything. With such a short trip that is impossible anyway.

Michele

P.S. Each area of Ireland is unique. What are you looking for in a scenic drive that would make you choose Connemara or Beara, Dingle or ROK? Have you looked at photos or read up on those areas to see what appeals?

monmcg · Newbie

Thank you for your reply, Michele!

My husband and I have very different interests and that's part of the problem we're running into. I want to tour the seaside towns and countryside and my husband has only really expressed interest in Dublin and the Guiness Storehouse. We may be forces to do 2 nights in Dublin and give up a night in Cork or Galway, depending on which scenic drive we choose. I have "google searched all of the drive locations and I'm really torn. Mountains and seaside/cliffs are high on my list of things that I want to see. I've heard that Ring of Kerry can be very touristy/backed up and/or dense with buses and stopped cars and this is a major reservation that I have about that drive. I LOVE photography, and would enjoy myself more if I weren't waiting in line to take pictures of a particular location. Thank you again!

~Monica

tony2phones · Guru

For Galway out on the Connemara

http://ireland.activeboard.com/t50055177/n59-galway-route/

Green Dragon · Guru

Any chance you can interest your husband in one of the distilleries or brewery tours in the west/southwest? Dingle Brewing Company or Tig Bhric on Dingle, Burren Brewery in Lisdoonvarna, perhaps the Old Midleton Distillery in Cork? Or Tullamore Dew in Offaly? That he could get in some Irish brewing culture but not have to travel the length of the country and back to do so :)

Mountains and see cliffs are great on the west coast. I would recommend Ring of Beara and Dingle over Ring of Kerry for a couple reasons - crowds, and quality of the scenery. I like the ROK, I just find the other two much more stunning.

I would also recommend visiting the cities, but staying in towns. Kenmare is one of my favorites, as is Westport... walkable, charming, and intimate. Yet, well placed for exploring Cork/Galway.

monmcg · Newbie

Tony, Thank you for the link. This is a wonderful resource - I'll be looking through it for the rest of my afternoon! The more that I read, the more that I am really getting excited about the idea of traveling through Connemara.

monmcg · Newbie

Green Dragon,

Thank you for the recommendations. Ring or Beara and Dingle sound more my style/speed. And thank you for the brewery/distillery names! I'll be sure to pass them by my husband. I keep hearing a lot of wonderful things about Kenmare and Westport. I'm looking at a few B&B's in each of these towns. I greatly appreciate your reply!

Michele Erdvig · Host

Don't forget to look at my Lodgings page.