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bdokeefe


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It'll Probably be windy, cold and rain
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My wife and I will be in Ireland 7 nights, 21-28 March.  We booked a Tulip River cruise through the Netherlands and  Belgium with included airfare, it was no more expensive to fly out a week early, so a 7th visit for me and 5th for the wife.  Even bad weather can be handled as long as the wife has her knitting and I have a good book (fireplace/pint are implied).

 

Pretty much locked in, 2 nights Glendalough, 2 nights Clonakilty, 3 nights Cork.  Cork to Amsterdam direct is 120 Euro, once you include a seat and check a bag with Aer Lingus.   I wanted a place near Wicklow so I wouldn't have to drive far after getting off plane.  Never many options for lodging, even less about 3 months out.  We'll check out the monastery for a repeat, along with Avoca Mills, some gardens...of hunker down if the weather is bad.

 

Clonakilty was for the Tuesday session at O'Donovans, found a nice converted stone stable with loft bedroom to stay in, walking distance to town.  The midnight-ish walk uphill to the Fern's Hotel was interesting in the past, and won't be missed.

 

Drop off the rental car in Cork and just wander, my wife hasn't been to Cork yet.  We'll take the train to Cobh for a daytrip and check out Spike Island.  The rental is with Eurocar, and the dropoff is a little joint in Cork about 2 blocks from out lodging.  $100 for 5 days in a little economy car, which is what I prefer.

 

Should be a nice prelude to being taken care of on the River portion of the trip.  You go from planning and being responsible for every detail of the trip, to just being a sheep, heading where told for the most part, everything taken care of for you.

Excited!

 

 



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Itallian Chauffeur


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Sounds like a good plan!  March can be just about anything, weather-wise, so don't count out the possibility of decent weather.  biggrin  biggrin

As your time gets closer, check out:  http://debarra.ie/listings/  for other music sessions during your Clonakilty time.  Pity you'll miss John Spillane's First Thursday's Gig, but Debarra's is a very active venue.    

https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/features/magic-of-de-barras-clonakilty-makes-it-an-ever-popular-venue-for-music-enthusiasts-239276.html

Whilst in Cork, the train to Cobh also makes its way to Midleton and offers up: 

https://www.jamesonwhiskey.com/en-IE/visit-us/jameson-distillery-midleton/jdm-our-experiences/jameson-experience?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6Oz4p8-m5gIVJYNaBR3NNAwvEAAYASABEgKw4PD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

AND -- The 'Feathers'":  https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/cork-sculpture-recalls-generosity-of-choctaw-nation-during-famine-1.3118580

 



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Bob

Help Us to Help You.  The more you tell us about your plans (dates, interests, budget), the better we can tailor our advice to suit!
bdokeefe


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Bob- Thanks for the links...here's what the helpful lady at Mt Usher Garden's stated is typically blooming "Spring flowering bulbs, early Rhododendrons , camellias and winter /spring flowering cherries. There is Scilla under loads of trees which has naturalised, however many trees will not have their full leaves yet." So hoping for a mild winter and some color to look at. We got a deal on the early sailing date, and not being retired yet, have to schedule around our work load.



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bdokeefe


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So that's not happening...

supposed to fly out in a week, was really get stoked. Things were lining up. On my jump from Glendalough to Clonakilty, i was going to swing wide to the west and hit the donkey sanctuary, Carrigadrohid castle and the Kilmichael Memorial enroute. And when we went to Cork from Clonakilty, it would be market day in Kinsale, and then visit Fota Park before dropping off rental car in Cork.

I did learn that Spike Island doesn't open Mon-Fri until at least April.

I hope everyone is healthy and this comes to pass. Still have to deal with river cruise company for that part of trip, I did have insurance.

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Michele Erdvig


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Sorry your trip is impacted by the Corona virus. But I am glad to hear you have trip insurance. At least you were not there yet. I know people who are there and are trying to get back to the US now. Hoping everyone stays well and safe!

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Itallian Chauffeur


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Sorry for your disappointing outcome.  Given the recent announcements here and throughout Europe of flight embargos / cancellations and activity closures, I would hope that your travel insurance would allow for a 100% refund.

Maybe a 'do-over' in the late summer / early fall?



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Bob

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bdokeefe


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It'll be a do over at some point just not not real soon. Visiting my daughter in Alaska in August, and Poland in late September, already have tickets for both.

Yes, very happy that we had a week's notice. I've never seen a situation go south so completely, so quickly. The schools in my area just shut down for 5 weeks. We've had no positive tests in our county, or the adjacent ones.

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