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Itallian Chauffeur


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Personal Gathering in 2013 -- Initial Plans
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After MUCH hemming, hawing and a few false starts, I finally broke down and purchased tickets for myself and the Mrs. for this June! biggrin biggrin

OUCH! furious furious furious  Looks like a lot of companies are using this year for 'Gathering' EXTRA profit! 

We'll depart GNV on 17 June and return on 8 July.  Daughter, Son-in-Law and our two Grand-daughters (age 5 & 8) will meet us in Dublin on 18 June and they will depart on 28 June.  My wife is recovering from surgery for a torn miniscus, so we will probably return to Northern Ireland during the remainder of our time.  We HAD planned (originally) to take the train through Germany, Switzerland and Italy, but that will need to wait for another year ...

I have an email out to Elizabeth O'Sullivan at Ivy Bridge Farm Lodge, checking on availability.  It's really handy to the Cousins AND within 'Striking Distance' of West Cork and Kerry. 

I found decent rates at Dooley for a Qashqui and a Focus for 18-28 June, but the price more than DOUBLED for 28 June - 8 July!!!!  Hertz corporate offers a Peugeot 5008 (which would hold all of us together) for $700 (waiving the CDW), which is about the same as both Dooley cars -- but they also offer a mid-size, Opel Insignia for the July portion of the trip, for 125 Euro -- which is 1/3 of the price Dooley is quoting!?!  confuse

I've tentatively reserved with Hertz, but I'll need to call their Corporate to verify that they allow me to waive the CDW, etc. -- so that I have NO suprises waiting, come our arrival on 18 June!  Hopefully, I won't end up having to go back to the drawing board.  I know that a couple of our Irregulars have had good experiences with Hertz over the past year or two, so I am CAUTIOUSLY optomistic ...

Nothing Concrete beyond this -- so far  biggrin --

Bob

 



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CowboyCraic


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If ya have wee ones that will be grand! Keep an eye out for the foxes in the paddock to the rear of the house...David will take great pride in showing the wee ones around the place.  David and Eilish are fabulous folk...Pup-pup will wear them out... or try to anyways

The Lodge was quite reasonable in price actually... I am looking forward to a stay there in June of 2014..we are launching a Devine invasion of Ireland in 2014..we may end up needing all three lodging facilities there biggrin



-- Edited by CowboyCraic on Monday 18th of March 2013 03:51:18 PM

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CowboyCraic


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I do hope that you can secure IvyBridge...You won't be disappointed! I was tempted to become a permanent guest biggrin They have three homes on offer...Just you and the missus will be rattling about the big lodge ...but it will be grand



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Itallian Chauffeur


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I agree with you, Bit.  Wife and I rented the Farm Cottage, last Oct.  We could probably make that work, in a pinch, this year, but am hoping to stay at the Lodge, this trip, as we will have four more bodies.  Besides, I think the wee ones would LOVE being next to the Equestrian Center!

All we can do is hope that there is availability and that given that we are wanting a Tues - Thurs, 9 night stay, that the rate isn't out of reach ...

Bob



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Michele Erdvig


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Bob,

Congrats on getting your tickets. Hope your wife is healing well after her surgery. It sounds like a fun trip with the little ones along for the ride.

Michele

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Roy


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Sounds great Bob! Our dates are locked in 30 June-17 July.

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I agree that there's a lot of "Gathering gouging" going on.

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Itallian Chauffeur


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The kid's tickets are bought and their passports are applied for.

Still waiting to hear back from Ivy Bridge, but plans are taking shape.  The Wedding from last April is due to 'Net' a new baby, in May.  Talk is to plan the Christening for while we are there!  Should be an interesting experience.

I found it rather un-nerving how FEW seats were available -- this far out.  Implication is that it could be VERY crowded in Ireland this Summer!

Bob



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Yes, The Gathering is a brillliant PR plan. It is bringing them in! Wonder what they will do to top it next year?

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CowboyCraic


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Even Roscommon is ramping up their festivals and activities... Just sent the Mayor and his wife home yesterday. It was very interesting to hear what they have planned. A lot of focus on Lough Key. Even more now I wish that I could be there!

I think that the Ireland Reaching Out project will be the next "big" deal for the Ireland tourism push...It was launched in conjunction with The Gathering...but is set to expand after all the Gathering hoopla has died down... I am excited to be in on the ground floor so to speak... b



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yesiree


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My tickets are booked as well, and I too was surprised to see how few seats were available for the flight over in May... the return flight in August was still pretty open though.

The Gathering seems to be bringing out the best and the worst in Irish tourism. Deals on flights seem sparse... although I was lucky that my ticket was $300 less than last summer (which was the highest I ever paid), but I'm traveling a little earlier this year. Meanwhile, a lot of tour operators are "offering" special itineraries and rates for The Gathering, but they're the exact tours they offer every year at the same price (or higher)... we must forgive them, many of them don't realize The Gathering has the potential to be more than a marketing slogan.

It's been great seeing smaller communities engaging in tourism. I think that is where visitors should look for things to do (use the link CowboyCraic provided)... these small communities actually took time to ask themselves "what can we do that will make people come visit us." They weren't basing their decisions on how many tickets they can sell, they just want us to join the craic.

There's something to CowboyCraic's thought that Ireland reaching out might be the next thing.... especially since Christopher Guest (the director of Best of Show, The Mighty Wind, and Waiting for Guffman) will have a new series on HBO where Irish actor Chris O'Dowd traces his relatives to the US. I have a feeling this trailer below won't do the show justice...



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CowboyCraic


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Corey, mo chara, glad to hear you have your flight booked...did I read correctly...return flight in August? WoooHooo!

I am now wishing I had access to HBO... what a wonderful thing this might turn out to be!

THe GAthering, much like the Celtic Tiger days, does seem to bring out the money grabbers...I am recalling a 15 euro per minute rate that somebody wanted to charge me for internet service during the CT days....f

However, it also brings a chance for smaller areas, largely overlooked, to shine....

double edged sword



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Roy


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Are there any incentives to my wife's family to register their reunion as a "gathering"?

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Itallian Chauffeur


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An update:  Pre-paid my Hertz rental at $643 and received the voucher in the mail, yesterday.  It should prove a unique experience to drive an Automatic, after all these years...

Kids and Grands arrive DUB on USAIR, just a little before 7 AM and Delta drops us off at 7:30.

I've 'Penciled In' a Brunch stop, in Cashel, at Ryan's Daughter for some GREAT scones!

Secured our reservation at Ivy Bridge Farm Lodge, just yesterday, after phoning David direct.  He offered us a very attractive rate -- considering that we are renting mid-week to mid-week, in late June!  The Grand-daughters are SO excited!  The Master Bedroom has a canopied, four-poster bed and they can't wait to sleep in a 'Princess Bed' ...

On the radar are visits to the Donkey Sanctuary in Liscarroll, Kissane Sheep Farm near Kenmare and the wonders of the Killarney area -- as well as seeing family AND family related sites like Millstreet, Macroom and Drimoleague.  Will likely visit Bunratty and possibly Lough Gur and  Craggaunowen.  Dunno about my 'Round Tower' QUEST, this trip ... as I want to try and keep the 'Driving Time' to a minimum.

Open to suggestions for any 'Kid Friendly' sites and/or activities in the vicinity .. confuse

I've booked two rooms at the Premier Inn Dublin Airport for the night of  27 June (the kid's fly home at 9 on 28 June.  I also booked one room, for us on 7 July, prior to OUR return flight.  I have a booking with Hertz (NOT Pre-paid) for an manual shift, Opel Insignia from 28 June through 8July, for 128 Euro (sans Insurance).

As of now, we have NOTHING planned for our last 10 days or so.  Depending upon the Cousins, we MAY head back down, to Cork, or re-visit Northern Ireland --

In which case, the Round Tower Quest is SO 'On'!!! biggrin  biggrin  biggrin

Bob



-- Edited by Itallian Chauffeur on Tuesday 9th of April 2013 08:50:01 AM

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Bob,

Sounds like all your ducks are in a row. Also near Kenmare is Star Outdoors, Seafari, Molly Gallivan's and Gleninchaquin Park. How about Ilnacullin Gardens near Glengarriff? The boat ride is fun and plenty of room to play and roam on the island.

Michele 



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CowboyCraic


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Bob,

So glad that you were able to get booked in at Ivy Bridge! Please pass along my regards to David and Eilish. Make sure the girls keep an eye out for teh foxes in the paddock behind Ivy Bridge... They usually are out at twilight

You might also consider FOTA. It could be a fun adventure with the girls



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