Itinerary Reality check

luckygreen · Veteran Member

Itinerary Reality check

Melissa5 · Guru

LuckyGreen, you have a lotta good choices on your itinerary, and let me add 2 more!

Since your hubby likes bluegrass (so do I), I think he would enjoy Matt Malloy's Pub in Westport, County Mayo. Matt Malloy plays with the legendary Chieftains Irish group. Of course he's not always in his pub, but there is great music there! I have to say it was the closest to bluegrass music that I heard in Ireland. We were in Westport, County Mayo for 3 nights, and went to Matt Malloys all 3 nights for great music. Wandered into other pubs but the music was better at Matt Malloys.

I have a chapter on County Mayo in the trip reports section, just posted it.

Now, you may go at a different pace than we did, but, travelling with hubby the biologist, and my 3 daughters and I (who are poets, writers, dreamers), we needed 1 1/2 days to appreciate the Burren and walk out on our own private piece of Burren; and a whole different day to enjoy the Cliffs of Moher. Might I suggest you spend 2 nights at least near the Cliffs of Moher and Burren area? We actually had 3 nights in County Clare at one b&b and thought it was a perfect amount of time.

We also had 3 nights in Dingle, and we devoted 1 1/2 days to explore the Dingle Peninsula and still didn't see it all. (Again maybe you go at a different pace.) We all wished for 1 more night in Dingle so we could go to the Great Blasket Island on a boat, but it was time to move on to the next b&b.

If I was planning a 9-day itinerary, I would stay in 3 places where there is a lot of appeal to you and a lot to do. I would do day-trips from my 3 b&bs.

Michele gives great advice. Thanks to her we had a wonderful trip!

Have fun! ASk your hubby if he has heard the McKrells. Mark D is a fan of theirs and I followed his advice and bought myself some of their music. It is Celtic bluegrass, great stuff.

Willie · Veteran Member

Oughterard to Kilkenny seems like a whole lotta driving for one day. To be honest, though, I've never done that route.

I always figured that bluegrass was a direct offspring of Irish and other "Celtic" traditional styles. Especially instrumental bluegrass. Bill will indeed probably love it!

I plan to be back in Ireland next May, too. I also want to stay in Oughterard...just 'cause I think it's fun to say.

Mark D · Senior Member

Oughterard is a really fun place. If you are looking for ponies, there is a horse farm across from the Connemara Gateway Hotel. We saw our first white pony there.

Cheers!
Mark D.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Kelly,

You have already received some good advice from other forum members. I think that you are trying to cover too much territory in 9 days. Much as I like Kilkenny, you might want to consider skipping it. Also, Kenmare and Bantry are pretty close together. I would choose Kenmare and do day trips from there.

Perhaps a trip back to the drawing board will be best. It usually takes many tries to get an itinerary right. Don't be disappointed if you have to go through several before finding one that will work.

Michele

Melissa5 · Guru

Luckygreen, I polished my itinerary so many times I was wearing holes in it!

Once I arrived in Ireland, here is what we all found to be true. Everyplace that we had dropped from the itinerary "disappeared" and we didn't feel like anything was missing.

No regrets. Because once you arrive, Ireland is alive and green and singing all around you...IT IS ONLY THE MOMENT THAT MATTERS once you arrive. There isn't any sense of "missing" things.

It is only at home, when you are juggling various options, that you will feel a sense of regret that you have to "miss" something.

At home, you are juggling dreams and you want to keep all your dreams. But you won't feel that sense of regret once you arrive in Ireland! WE didn't.

The most frequent feelings I felt in Ireland were a sense of wonder and joy; regret at leaving each wonderful place behind as we left (always wanting one more day in each place, even with 3 nights in each location); and an aggravating desire to boot my fueding daughters out of the car at times and let the leprechauns have them! I have decided we're NOT A GOOD car-travelling family and we are better off spending about 4 or 5 nights in one fascinating place and taking short day-trips from there!

Also since you are the planner, the other people in your party (your Bill) must give you the ultimate power. I am the planner in my family because everybody knows I will include a good balance between what each member of the family wants, but everybody accepts they won't get everything that they want. It always works out great.

Good luck! Let us know how it's going.

-- Edited by Melissa5 at 14:10, 2006-07-30