Need suggestions for the 1st week

Silverstreak02 · Veteran Member

Need suggestions for the 1st week

Michele Erdvig · Host

You will love Doire Farm Cottages. Plus Anne is a sweetheart.

If you want an low-key arrival day then staying in Bunratty would be easy. The castle and folk park would make good sightseeing and then maybe a short nap if needed.

Do you know what direction you want to go after that? Clare, Dingle, Kerry, Cork?

makkamore · Newbie

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-- Edited by Itallian Chauffeur on Saturday 19th of April 2014 09:50:48 PM

Silverstreak02 · Veteran Member

Michele Erdvig wrote:
You will love Doire Farm Cottages. Plus Anne is a sweetheart.

If you want an low-key arrival day then staying in Bunratty would be easy. The castle and folk park would make good sightseeing and then maybe a short nap if needed.

Do you know what direction you want to go after that? Clare, Dingle, Kerry, Cork?

Michele

I booked Doire Farm Cottages after your recommendation a few months ago. Anne was very nice when I spoke with her and I'm looking forward to our time there. I thought we would use her place as a base to explore the Ring of Kerry, Beira peninsula and other spots close by. The first week is the big question. We don't want anything too ambitious, but would like to see some castles and the countryside. I had considered the Aran Islands, Rock of Cashel and Dingle as possibilities, but I'm not sure how to do that since they are separated especially the Aran Islands. Also this is our first trip and I haven't done the research I probably should have. I'm not firmly committed on any of those. I thought the forum could steer me in the right direction. Thanks for the help.

Jeff

Michele Erdvig · Host

Although it would be quite a long day you could do Dingle from Kenmare. Just get an early start. You might spend a couple of days in Galway for the Aran Islands and/or Connemara. Maybe down Lough Derg way or even via Birr to Cashel. Then meander toward Kenmare with whatever days are left. There is a wonderful little hideaway south of Clonakilty in West Cork: http://www.henrys.ie/www.henrys.ie/Welcome.html

Mac_T · Veteran Member

A few suggestions -- not that I have firsthand experience with all of these places, but I've run across them in my own research.

I think the hard part is the castle stay. My own experience is that such places are fairly expensive & the castles themselves are kind of overgrown manor houses. They can be infested with wedding parties, as well. Not sure of your price point for a castle stay, but, given what you said, there are a few that might be worth what I'd consider a splurge, given your itinerary: the Manor House at Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort (are villas there, too). Dromoland Castle in Newmarket-on-Fergus. Ballyseede Castle near Tralee might be the "budget" option. I've seen listings for other places in County Clare, but they get pretty mixed reviews & seem to be coach tour stops. Here's a link to a map that shows a good number of castle hotels on a map -- another of the great reference resources from a Tony2phones post:

https://maps.google.ie/maps/ms?msid=215571892271980732006.0004f3a28aee8a323bfc2&msa=0&ll=53.435719,-7.646484&spn=3.894481,7.064209&dg=feature

Another good overview: Michele's castle hotel page: http://irelandyes.com/castles.html

After Bunratty, you could stay in Clare, using Doolin, Lisdoonvarna, or Ennis as a base -- each is different from the other, depends on what you want. Plenty of castles to see in Clare, as well. If you want to get to the Aran Islands, you can take the ferry from Doolin without driving as far as Galway.

As you head south toward Kenmare, you could make the Dingle Peninsula a stop for a day or two. If you haven't done the castle stay, yet, Ballyseede would be along the way, more or less. We are staying in Kenmare for a couple of weeks (& arrive in 13 days), and plan to see the Rock of Cashel as a day trip from there. Probably our longest day trip, distance-wise, but doable.

Hope you enjoy Kenmare. Doire Farm was in the running for us, too. May check it out while we are there, for a possible future trip.