Oh, October

Ambyrlynne · Member

Oh, October

tony2phones · Guru

Congratulations.

B&B's start to wind down the end of September but many remain open through October and you won't be short of accommodation.

Some sights will have closed for the winter but scenery is always open.

You do not need a car for Dublin or the Aran Isles (probably Inis Mor in October as boats may have stopped sailing from Doolin) so fitting those at either end will reduce the car hire days, if they are in the middle you will be paying for a car that's parked up. If you are competent/comfortable driving at home there is no reason at all you cant drive over here.

Give us a list of your must see and must do options and you will get informed advice.

Ambyrlynne · Member

We don't have a list of places yet unfortunately. I know a few off the top of my head. Hook head lighthouse, Dunbrody Famine Ship, Ferns castle, Saltee Islands, Tintern Abbey. That's as far as I've gotten thus far. If it helps any, we are very much into architecture, culture and the outdoors. If we fly into Shannon, my plan was to head southwest towards the Aran Islands then southeast through Limerick, Kilarney then east to Cork and Cobh, then up through Kilkenney and into Dublin and either fly out of Dublin or head back to Shannon to fly out.

I am comfortable driving here so that's comforting that I should be fine there as well.

Edited to add: We must do falconry in Kilkarney. It's a must.

-- Edited by Ambyrlynne on Wednesday 28th of October 2015 02:55:17 PM

tony2phones · Guru

The Aran's are North west of SNN so I presume a typo. Not sure of the dates for the Trad music in Doonbeg for 2016 but that might be of interest.

Falconry and hawk walks are available all over the Island, Aillwee caves/Birds of Prey Ballyvaughan, Drommoland Castle. Ashford Castle, Eagles Flying Sligo and many others including the Kerry option and perhaps suited to your other must see's, a couple of options in Wicklow.

I can honestly say I have never heard the Saltee Islands mentioned on any forum before and Tintern Abbey is a rare mention nothing wrong with that you clearly have some research done.

Ambyrlynne · Member

Will there still be boats traveling to Saltee Islands and the Aran islands in late october? Tintern abbey looks full of fascinating history to me, I'm surprised nobody really mentions it. We love churches, abbeys, etc. for the architecture. I know it's going to be difficult to see and do all the things we want with only 2 weeks there, but we're going to try without rushing ourselves.

Today I have added a few places to see: Coolwood Wildlife Park, Torc Waterfall, Kilkarney brewing company, Guinness storehouse, university of Limerick and Saint John's Cathedral.

tony2phones · Guru

Boats will go to Inis Mor as they do all year from Rossaveal west of Galway. The Saltee Islands are a different animal being privately owned and Irish sea rather than Atlantic. It used to be the case that there was only one local boat with a permit to land on the Island try sending an email to the centre mail@salteeislands.info

Coolwood Wildlife Park again privately owned and will only be open at weekends in October. Fota down by Cobh might be an alternative?

The Guinness storehouse is not a Brewery tour but an interactive museum folk who go expecting to see the brewery are often disappointed.

Geno · Guru

I would be one of those quite disappointed with the Guinness Storehouse. Overpriced and not a tour at all. Not a thing I would tell people to do.

Ambyrlynne · Member

We'd love to see the brewery and the storehouse, that is if the brewery is open to the public, we have some here that are not, so I understand.

I will most definitely send an email regarding the Saltee Islands.

Is there enough to do on the Aran islands that we should spend 1-2 nights?

tony2phones · Guru

I have never spent the night on any of the Arans, would be far too quite for my tastes, quiet I can do at home bit of craic's required when out for a night.

If the weather is kind and sailing is extended from Doolin then you could consider Island hopping for a couple of days/nights between the ports, if the weather blows in off the Atlantic then I'm not sure I'd want to be on the Arans by choice.

That's probably not much help but if you leave those two days/nights floating then decide near (very near) the time, you will find enough alternatives to fill the time. This year October has been decent enough weather wise all month but last year October started really well but changed literally overnight from Autumn days to Winter squall.

Ambyrlynne · Member

How is your bus transportation over there? My fiance is super worried about the insurnace and policies associated with driving a car and I'm super worried I wont like sitting in a bus for 1-3 hours at a time to get from one place to another and that you can't just jump out of the bus like you can a car and take a picture of something you think is beautiful.

Michele Erdvig · Host

The best way to see Ireland is by car. As you say, if you want to set your own pace, stop where and when you want then renting a car is ideal. Getting around by bus means sticking to their schedule and planning your trip more carefully. Sometimes they may not go where you want to go. Another idea is to base in a couple of areas that have local tours such as Dublin, Killarney and Galway. But in October the local bus tours may be less frequent.

If you are younger than 25 renting a car could cost more.

Ambyrlynne · Member

We are both over 25, (I'll be 26 at the time of the trip and he'll be 28) and I'm perfectly fine with renting a car and learning to drive on the other side of the road, he's just over-worried about the renters insurance and what happens if you get into an accident over there. I tried to explain to him, taking a bus would not work because we wouldn't be able to stop when we want and enjoy the countryside.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Instead of worrying this is what to do when renting a car:

Rent an automatic
Get CDW insurance
Purchase Super CDW insurance

There are a few credit cards that cover the insurance for free in Ireland. Call yours to see if they do.

Ambyrlynne · Member

Sounds good!

Here is our tentitive itinerary, let me know if I'm missing anything or something should be skipped. I'm open to ALL suggestions. Is this a possible thing to accomplish in 10-12 days?

Dublin

· National Botanic Gardens

· St. Michan's Church

· Abbey Theatre

· Saint Patrick's Cathedral

· Grafton Street

· Dublinia: Experience Viking and Medieval Dublin

· Temple Bar

· An Evening of Food, Folklore and Fairies (Tour)

· The Porterhouse Brewing Company (Food)

o Flyover Bed and Breakfast

Wicklow/Arklow

· Falconry Ireland

· Wicklow Mountains National Park

· Mount Usher Gardens

· Powerscourt Waterfall

· National Garden Exhibition Centre

Kilkenny

· Kilkenny castle

· St. Canice's Cathedral & Round Tower

· Woodstock House and Gardens

· St. John the Evangelist Church

· St Marys Cathedral

o Pembroke Hotel

o Langton House Hotel

o Newlands Country House B&B

o Butler House

o Fanad House

Cork

· Old English Market/City Market

· Ballycotton Cliff Walk

· St Fin Barre's Cathedral

· Iago

Killarney

· Killarney National Park

· Gap of Dunloe

· Torc Waterfall

· Killarney Falconry

· Tomies Wood

o Dan Linehan's Bar & B&B

o Dromhall Hotel

o Scotts Hotel

Limerick

· St. John's Cathedral

· St. Mary's Cathedral

· The Milk Market

· Animal Magic

Gallway

· Wild Atlantic Way

· Connemara National Park

· Menlo Castle / Blake's Castle

-- Edited by Ambyrlynne on Sunday 10th of January 2016 05:58:51 PM