Itinerary advice -- late June

China Cat · Veteran Member

Itinerary advice -- late June

Green Dragon · Guru

Wow, we are doing EXACTLY opposite of what you are doing! :)

My two girlfriends and I will be arriving 6/24 in SNN, and leaving 7/9 from Dublin. We have four nights in Ennis, four in Killarney (actually a self-catering place in Caherbarnagh), 3 nights in Kilkenny and 4 nights in Dublin.

We'll wave to eachother as we pass by!

Here are some decent sites with lots of megalithic information:

http://www.megalithicireland.com/

http://www.megalithic.co.uk/mapserv/

On your trip to Newgrange, there are lots of sites around there. Don't miss the Hill of Tara, which will have construction started near it next spring.

Near Kilkenny, a good stop would be Jerpoint Abbey, near Thomastown, and Kells Priory (both south of Kilkenny about 20-30 minutes)

I haven't been to Kinsale, so can't say whether it's worth a trip or not, but I know there is no end of things to see around Killarney or using it as a base.

Craggaunowen is an iron age folk park near Bunratty, might be interesting to your mother. We're planning on visiting as well :)

There's Lough Gur, too:

Lough Gur

Grange Stone Circle
Located 300m west of Lough Gur is Grange, one of the most impressive stone circles in Ireland. Its near perfect shape, together with a posthole found in the very center of the enclosure, indicates that the circle was measured out from a central stake with a rope. The ring is made up of 113 contiguous standing stones, with an internal diameter of approximately 46m.

An earthen bank stands outside the circle of orthostats and forms a backing for them; it is 9m in width and about 1.2m tall. There is no ditch, and so material for the bank was probably scraped from the surface of the surrounding area. Twelve large orthostats have been placed at intervals around the stone ring; each slab stands directly opposite one of the other “axial” stones. Two of these orthostats flank the entrance to the circle on the northeast side. A narrow stone-lined passage leads to this entranceway through the surrounding embankment

If you like, I can send you my 'pretrip' reports that I prepped for my co-travelers, complete with a bunch of things to see/do in each area.

-- Edited by Green Dragon at 16:11, 2006-04-03

China Cat · Veteran Member

Green Dragon, that's a pretty funny coincidence.

We specifically decided to start in Dublin, so that we won't drive at all the first couple of days. My husband will be doing the driving, but he can't sleep on the plane at all, so its best to do the city stuff first.

I think we will probably use a guided tour for Newgrange, so we won't have as much flexibility as we might like. I do think the tour I was looking at visits the Hill fo Tara too, though.

Thanks so much for those megalithic websites, there is some very useful information there, I will hav to spend a little more ime on it. The one thing jumped out at me from looking at the map...I was right to concentrate on the southwest this trip. There are so many sites in that area.

I would love to see your pre-trip info. I've seen your website, so I'll contact you through that, rather than posting my e-mail address here. Thanks!

Green Dragon · Guru

China cat:

Thanks, I'll look forward to your email :) I am also interested in megaliths and ancient sites. My passion is for stone, it seems -- especially old stones, made into things, be they abbeys, dolmens, stone circles, or castles !~

Michele Erdvig · Host

China Cat,

Your itinerary looks good. I would suggest a night in Cashel. With all you want to see and do it will take all day. You don't want to be doing the long drive to Killarney in the evening. Also, with an overnight in Cashel if you miss a thing or two you can see it in the morning and then be on your way to Killarney. You might also consider Kenmare instead of Killarney. It is a very good base for Beara and a charming town.

I like Ballyvaughan a little more than Doolin. Doolin can be quite crowded in the summer with the backpacking crowd. It is not much more than a long road with three famous pubs along it.

The Shores is marvelous. If Annette is doing dinner when you are there definitely eat there. In fact she has won my 2006 Emerald Award for Fantastic Food.

It takes about 1 1/2 hours to drive from Doolin/Ballyvaughan to Shannon Airport. But I would give yourselves at least two hours because the plane waits for no one.

For megalithic and ancient things:

Glendalough: In the main area near the cemetery go over the bridge at St. Kevin's Kitchen. There you will find the megalithic "Deer Stone". Turn left down the path and a short way on the left is a rag tree or fairy tree.

Ring of Kerry: lots of stone forts, stone alignments, etc. Get an ordnance survey map with the greatest detail to find them

Near Cashel is Hore Abbey.

Kenmare: Druid's Circle stone circle and dolmen.

Scenic, Castles & Gardens:

Loop Head (Co. Clare)

Woodstock Gardens (Inistioge)

Anne's Grove (between Mallow & Fermoy)

Muckross Gardens Killarney

Reenagross Park Kenmare

That's a start.

Michele

-- Edited by Michele Erdvig at 19:18, 2006-04-04

China Cat · Veteran Member

Michelle,
thanks for the ideas. There are a few there I hadn't known about.

I think I like the central location of Killarney for a few days, I'm thinking of booking Earls Court. But maybe we will go to Kenmare for a day, or as part of a day.

I saw your Emerald awards about the food at The Shores. After all the other good stuff I had read about it, that pushed me over the edge. In her e-mail Annette did say she'd be serving dinner those nights.

There are a couple of very nice looking places to stay in Ballyvaughan. I'd been having trouble deciding between there and Doolin. How far apart are they? I figured we'd be driving into Doolin to get the ferry to Inishmore, so that was one reason I was thinking of staying there.

Michele Erdvig · Host

China Cat,

You are right that Killarney is very central. Earl's Court is very nice and within walking distance of town. They do a great breakfast there. You can definitely do Kenmare from Killarney.

Ballyvaughan is perhaps 40 minutes from Doolin, depending on the route you take. There is nothing wrong with Doolin I just wanted to give you a "head's up" on the backpackers there in season. Also weekends are a real crush.

If you dine at The Shores eat a very light lunch. You will want to be hungry for the feast.

Michele