Two more versions

Dude · Guru

Two more versions

kathy · Veteran Member

Dungaire has dinner banquets every night but wednesday and thursday - i thought i would add my one piece of knowledge at the moment.

i took my in-laws on a connemara drive yesterday - followed the same figure 8 route as the day tour buses but backwards - it was heavenly. the weather is perfect and the air so clear. the gardens at kylemore are spectacular right now too.

Dude · Guru

Hi Kathy, what is the Connemara tour route? That sounds perfect for us.Thanks for the heads-up on the banquets. I'll have to see whether the others want to go back to Bunratty or branch out and do Dunguaire, Knappogue or the Ceili. My preference is the Ceili but I'll bow to superior numbers, especially when they're family.

wojazz3 · Guru

Hi Dude:

Nice to be getting a good start on your planning. Here are a few thoughts.

More multi night stays would be nice, but most of the plan is doable. It seems pretty hectic with a lot of moving around. I get the impression that some of the planing here has you trying out different B&Bs which is an interesting idea, but again a bit hectic.

The first Tuesday is too much. There is no reason to merely drive through Youghal, Cobh and Kinsale. Each require some time if not a full day to enjoy and all you will be able to say is that you have driven by them. Granted, I know nothing about Youghal except how to pronounce it.

It would by no means be impossible to do the second Sunday-Wednesday from the same place and I'd make that place close to Galway. The drive from Kinvarra (after Dunguaire) to the otherside of Galway might be the hardest part. Just don't get too drunk at the banquet. Really, the mead and wine aren't that good . The Spidall location would work pretty well.

Ballyseede looks nice, but try to get a night or two in at The Shores. You'll be done with the Gap of Dunloe tour by 4 and it's probably only 1.5 hours to Castlegregory. There may be music on at Ned Natterjack's in Castlegregory and that is a fine session.

The figure 8 in Connemara has a few variations but basically takes the N59 west from Galway than back NE to Lenaun then south to Rossaveal and back to Galway, do it in either direction and make a side trip to Roundstone and Slyne Head.

Just some thoughts ...

Bill

Dude · Guru

wojazz3 wrote:

Hi Dude:
Nice to be getting a good start on your planning. Here are a few thoughts.
More multi night stays would be nice, but most of the plan is doable. It seems pretty hectic with a lot of moving around. I get the impression that some of the planing here has you trying out different B&Bs which is an interesting idea, but again a bit hectic.
I'm trying to get in more two night stays but there is just so much we want to do...
The first Tuesday is too much. There is no reason to merely drive through Youghal, Cobh and Kinsale. Each require some time if not a full day to enjoy and all you will be able to say is that you have driven by them. Granted, I know nothing about Youghal except how to pronounce it.
I agree. What I'm basically trying to do is get from Cahir to Kenmare. Perhaps we should take a more northerly route, through Mallow. It's still going to be our roughest day.
It would by no means be impossible to do the second Sunday-Wednesday from the same place and I'd make that place close to Galway. The drive from Kinvarra (after Dunguaire) to the otherside of Galway might be the hardest part. Just don't get too drunk at the banquet. Really, the mead and wine aren't that good . The Spidall location would work pretty well.
That's a good idea. And being sober after the banquet is no problem. Three or four days in one place does seem like a wonderful idea. We could certainly do the Figure 8 from Spiddal.
Ballyseede looks nice, but try to get a night or two in at The Shores. You'll be done with the Gap of Dunloe tour by 4 and it's probably only 1.5 hours to Castlegregory. There may be music on at Ned Natterjack's in Castlegregory and that is a fine session.
A couple of the ladies in question are definite about staying one night in a castle hotel, and I'm not sure we can afford Ashford. Any other suggestions would be welcome. If we re-work to have an extra day on the Dingle Pen we could stay, as you said, after the tour, at the Shores, drive around Dingle for two days and then stay at the castle on the way north.
The figure 8 in Connemara has a few variations but basically takes the N59 west from Galway than back NE to Lenaun then south to Rossaveal and back to Galway, do it in either direction and make a side trip to Roundstone and Slyne Head.
Looks easy enough, and I definitely would want to do that Bog Road that someone mentioned. And in v. 5.1 we could also stay two or three nights in the Burren area.
Just some thoughts ...
and good ones. Thanks for the ideas; now I'm going to work on V. 4.2 and 5.2!
Bill

Dude · Guru

Okay, folks, Bill is right and those first two days are bothering me. If we stay in Dundrum the first night (drive in from Shannon) would we possibly see the Plantarum on that day, or get up the next morning, do the Plantarum, Cashel and Cahir and then how far should we try to drive to get to Kenmare a day later? (Sunday night in Dundrum, Monday night where? Mallow? and Tuesday in Kenmare to do the Beara Peninsula on Wednesday).
The coast road would be nice, but just too many miles in one day. No desire whatever to see Cork, and we did the Blarney Stone thing last trip. Tuesday is just going to be a transition day, except that if we get to Kenmare early enough we could mess around there a bit.

yesiree · Guru

The Plantarum is an easy stop. It's a leisurely garden walk...nothing fancy, nothing formal, so you could spend any amount of time there...I'd suggest about one or two hours. As far as I know, it's pretty much open when the sun is up. Cahir, Cashel and Dundrum are all very close to each other and the drive between each is easy.

Lismore is a great village. I recommend Northgrove B&B. It's a two minute drive to town centre or about a 20 minute walk. Breakfast was delicious, the hosts were gracious and the bedroom was very nice with several extras (tea kettle, biscuits, an iron, TV, and I think they'll let you use their internet connection too). http://www.lismorebedandbreakfast.com/.

When in Lismore, don't miss Ballysaggartmore Towers, it's a nice wooded walk with some surprising architecture (be sure to see both sets of towers). After talking to our hostess at Northgrove about the towers the night before, she introduced us to her mother in the morning who had several stories to tell about her father who worked at Lismore Castle and lived in the gatehouse at Ballysaggartmore.

Definitely take the inland route to Kenmare (you'll have plenty of coast in Dingle and Clare). The Blackwater River region between Lismore and Mallow is very nice and not on the tourist trail. Consider some places like Annes Grove Gardens, Dromana Gate (Cappoquin), Glanworth (beautiful little town with a castle/hotel/restaurant), Bridgetown Abbey. You won't be able to see all these, but one or two would break up the drive...even if you went directly from Lismore to Kenmare.

Version 5 takes in a lot more amazing scenery. Version 5.1 has more culture and a slower pace.

Dude · Guru

Good ideas, Corey. We could drive in to Dundrum, rest up and then check out the Plantarum the first day, second day drive to Lismore via Cashel and Cahir and stay in Lismore, then take the inland route to Kenmare. Then:
2 nights Kenmare
2 nights Castlegregory
1 night Ballyseede Castle Hotel in Tralee
1 night Doolin or somewhere along the coast
1 night Kinvarra and 2 Spiddal or 3 nights Spiddal
Last night Bunratty area

or
after Tralee
2 nights Ennis
2 nights Ballyvaughn
Last night Bunratty area

This is looking pretty good. But still written in pencil.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Dude,

I waited to reply so that everyone else would offer you some advice first. And very good advice it is.

So far I like this one:

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We could drive in to Dundrum, rest up and then check out the Plantarum the first day, second day drive to Lismore via Cashel and Cahir and stay in Lismore, then take the inland route to Kenmare. Then:
2 nights Kenmare
2 nights Castlegregory
1 night Ballyseede Castle Hotel in Tralee
1 night Doolin or somewhere along the coast
1 night Kinvarra and 2 Spiddal or 3 nights Spiddal
Last night Bunratty area

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Since Doolin and Kinvara are so close, if you skipped Doolin and spent the night in Kinvara you would have an extra night for elsewhere. Would that give you your 3 nights in Spiddal then?

Michele

Dude · Guru

True, Michele, but Tralee to Kinvarra is a loooong day, especially if we make the Loop Head drive on the way. I was thinking of staying somewhere along the coast and then the next day messing around the Burren and perhaps doing the Dunguaire Castle banquet that night and staying in Kinvarra or going on to Spiddal since we won't be drinking.That would be a long evening, though.

We could even sleep in in Tralee (if we're spending money to stay in a castle we don't want to rush in and out, do we?) see some Tralee sights and take the ferry, do the Loop Head drive and then stay in Kilrush or Ennis. Next morning we could head for the Burren and then if we do the banquet, stay in Kinvarra, otherwise go on to Spiddal.
I need to get a new map. Mine says "Kinvarra" and everyone else spells it "Kinvara."

Speaking of maps, Michele, do you still sell the ordnance maps from the site? I loaned mine out and it never came back. Or maybe we will just spring for the $20 and get you to do us a custom map.

Unless it is a trade secret, Michele, I'm curious as to how you decide which B&B's to visit and which to stay at. There are so very many of them--do you use the T&C or Farmhouse books as a starting point, for example? Surely you can't just drive around and look for the ITB signs.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Dude,

You're right. If you are doing Loop Head you will want to stay somewhere close by like Kilrush. I don't have the ordnance maps on the site any more. However if you do a search you can find out where to buy them online. The mapping that I do is on a basic map, unless you care to send me your ordnance map to plot the course on.

As for finding B&Bs, I use all resources open to me. The various books sent out by Tourism Ireland, others only available in Ireland, websites, web searches, word of mouth, recommendations from other B&Bs, recommendations from readers, and anything and everything I can think of. Sometimes it is pure serendipity. I ran across a fabulous place in Co. Kerry many years ago that had just opened that week. They have since gone on to win many, many prestigious awards in the industry. But it was my book they were first listed in.

Even though I have a dream job it can still be work. But enjoyable work.

Michele