Ireland

Hello all!!

I am planning a trip to Ireland this summer (probably end of June/beginning of July) for about a week and a half, give or take a day, with a friend.

I'd love to hear recommendations from people who have been there or live there. 

What should I see?
What should I skip?
Any good hole in the wall restaurants/pubs/shops/etc.?
Any general Ireland travel tips?

I believe I won't be renting a car, so please keep that in mind when recommending places to go, must be accessable by public transportation and/or walking.

Thanks in advance!!!

yay!  i love Ireland and studied there for a semester when I was in college, and then went back for a week last April.

Ireland's a small country and easy to get around by bus or train.  I would recommend first recommend getting a lonely planet (or similar) book for the country.  I would spend several days in Dublin.  There are many museums and sites to see, which any guide book  can point you to.  Some of my favorite Dublin activities are walking through Temple Bar and Grafton Street, sitting at St. Stephen's Green, etc.  

I honestly never encountered a pub I didn't like when I was there, but I was in college and not very picky! Temple Bar has some great pubs with live music, which are always fun.

Aside from Dublin, I would also recommend going to the west coast.  It's all beautiful, but Dingle and Connemara are two of my favorite places.  Galway is fun too, and you can go out to the Aran Islands.  When we were there we rented bikes and rode all around.

If you like history and whatnot, I would definitely go by Belfast.  There's lots of change in Northern Ireland in the past few years.  You can go on a black taxi tour and see all the political murals, which are really interesting.  If you do go up north, definitely stop by the Giant's Causeway, because it is really cool.

Okay, I hope that gets you started. Feel free to ask any more questions.  You should be able to get to all of these places by bus or train.  I would also recommend trying to see a play when you are there.  There are some great theaters in Dublin (i would skip the Abbey theater...it's famous, but pretty touristy, and i never liked any productions that i saw there).

thanks aasil!

bumping the thread up for more  :-)

I went to Ireland in Sept and stayed with my friend (who is Irish) in Dublin.  I spent two days exploring the city and enjoyed walking around.  I went to Trinity College, the National art gallery, and Merrion Square (lots of Georgian houses!), and of course the Temple Bar area and the Guinness factory tour.  (the best part of that is the free pint at the bar at the top!)

I took a day trip outside of Dublin on a bus tour (arranged the day before at the tourism office, downtown Dublin) through the Sally Gap to the Wicklow Mountains and down to Avoca.  It was a nice day trip, with some walking and time to explore the towns.  The next day I took the DART train up to Howth, the seaside village.  Very pretty, lots to walk around and see (if the weather is nice). 

I was lucky enough to go on a road trip with my friends to the west coast, County Clare.  We saw the Bunratty castle, and then went out to see the Cliffs of Mohr.  We stayed in an amazing B&B in Doolin, and went to the matchmaking fesitval in Lisdoonvarna. 

There are lots of places you can get to by bus or train.  If I go back, I would go to Northern Ireland for sure to see Belfast and the Giant's Causeway. 

I think no matter what you see or do, you will have a great time!  Everyone I met was friendly and fun, and the atmosphere was great.

I think no matter what you see or do, you will have a great time! Everyone I met was friendly and fun, and the atmosphere was great.

indeed! i wouldn't try to do everything ...it's just not possible. instead pick a few things and enjoy them...there's always another trip. i still haven't been to the cliffs of mohr.

I am from Dublin, though I now live in the US and I must say, there are some great suggestions above. I second everything they said.

• Cliffs of Mohr (or alternatively Dun Aengus on the Aran Islands/Inish-more) are a must.
• Killarney is a beautiful town. Check it out if you have time.
• I would say Galway is a must also (and you would do Galways if you do Cliffs of Mohr or Aran Islands)
• I agree with the above poster in the Belfast is wonderful. It's majestic and just a short train ride away from Dublin.
• Cobh in Country Cork is a great place to go if you have interest in a beautiful small very quant sailing town or Ireland's emmigrant history as there is a museum there.
• If you have some extra money to spend Ashford and Dromoland Castles are lovely to spend a night in luxury.
• Dublin is a must for all the reasons outlined above. The National Art Gallery of Ireland is incredible.
• Kilkenny Design Center and The House of Ireland are shops with all your traditional and more artistic Irish paraphernalia for gifts or for yourself.
• Also in the Dublin area you can go to Powerscourt House & Gardens (also the waterfall). I did that last time I was home and it was amazing.
• For a great pub in I suggest you go to Johnny Fox's. It's in the Dublin mountains and is sort of touristy but is great fun and lots of trad music - sometimes even have Irish dancing! It might not be so east to get there though without a rental car (which I would suggest you go ahead and take).
• Another great pub for tourists but also is a lot of fun is Oliver St. John Gogarty in Temple bar. Definitely accessible by walking since it's in the middle of Dublin City.

Have fun and let me know if you have any questions!

You're going to have a great time!  I would suggest:

Aran Islands--I spent a couple of days on Inis Maan (which isn't the most touristy one).  It was so relaxing and beautiful.  We went to the pub every night, and it was exactly how I pictured Ireland--the people were so friendly, there was a little band, the whole bar was singing, it was great! 

Dingle--Again, really pretty, really friendly people, just a cute little town!

Dublin--take the Guiness tour (even if you don't like Guiness), go shopping, go to pubs!

MOST IMPORTANTLY: go to a grocery or convenience store and buy a Magnum bar.  It is the best ice cream bar you will ever have!  I haven't been able to find them anywhere else!

I was born and raised in Belfast but now live in Western canada.  I go home often and love it.  The "toubles" are long ago in the past and being a child of a prostestant father and catholic mother, I can honestly say I have never had any trouble on my visits.  If you go to Belfest take the free tour of City Hall.  it is really interesting.  And take a guided tour of the Antrim Coast. it is too cool.  You'll hear how a castle fell into the ocean during a dinner party, visit Giant's Causeway, cross the carrick-a-rede- bridge (quite the experidence on a windy day) and I knwo every one has been telling you to take the Guiness tour for the free beer, but the Bushmills (Whiskey) tour will give you several free samples!!!!  You will never meet more friendly or more happy people anywhere in the world.  Enjoy your trip

My Goodness. I have goosebumps just reading your posts.

Someday, I am definitely going.

I was there a few years ago.  Don't miss kissing the Blarney Stone! Giant's Causeway/Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge are spectacular.  The beach near there is great too - Portstewart or Portrush.  I loved the Cliffs of Moher and actually did a really nice one-day bus tour of the Galway area.  No idea what the company was called, but it was worthwhile and an easy way to see out-of-the-way things without a car.

Skip: Waterford Crystal Factory, "Genuine Irish" Boxty restaurants in Temple Bar (superexpensive and not that yummy ... but actually, ALL the food there was superexpensive )

*Oh yes, the Book of Kells at Trinity College in Dublin is AMAZING.  Also, hostels I stayed in were grotty; bed and breakfasts were not that much more and so much nicer.

For public transportation, I would check out www.buseireann.ie for cities and timetables.   The train website is www.irishrail.ie -- these two websites should help you figure out how to get around Ireland once you're here.

For bed and breakfast locations, try http://www.family-homes.ie/ -- when we were here in April we booked all our reservations online through this site.  Just click on the county you want to book your room.

I currently live in Cork County - my family has relocated to Cork County from America - but have also taken a car tour around the entire island last April, before we moved here.  The Euro is really strong right now, so your dollar won't go as far as it would have even a year ago.  But it sure is a fantastic island!

All the best on your trip!

RENT A CAR!!!

I've been to Ireland twice now for a week (and a little) trip both times.

DRIVE IT.

1. Leave Dublin ASAP (it's just like any other giant metro, but tour the Guinness brewery first) drive two to three hours to the west coast.
2. Stay in nothing but B&B's that you find along the way.
3. Black pudding is gross once you know what it's made of.
4. See the Cliffs of Moher
5. Tour a whisky distillery (Jameson and Bushmills are the big names I believe).
6. Drive the Ring of Kerry (you've never seen beauty like this).
7. Eat lobster in a beach town along Dingle Peninsula.
8. If you've got rocks the size of bowling balls, drive all the way through the Gap of Dunloe, otherwise turn around near the end.
9. Stop at a way out of the way place called Strawberry Fields, for crepes, and ask the owner about his wood carvings.
10. Stop in Cork (pronounced Cark)
11. Never saw the Megalithic tombs or Giant's Causeway, but I've heard about them.
12. Go on the waterford crystal factory tour.
13. Visit Blarney Castle, and kiss the blarney stone if that's your thing.
14. Visit Killarney.
15. Drive through winding roads and stop at deserted watch towers if you come across one.
16. Drink in a pub every night.
17. Enjoy :)

edit:   I also liked something called Queen's View or something like that in the southwest.

Oh! Oh! I have a GREAT suggestion!!!!!!

Take me with you!!! :-D

I rented a car when I was there; went after a concert tour, and since I was a bit tired of people (having been travelling with 300+ of them for some time), I pretty much skipped Dublin and went straight to Howth. (I'm not recommending skipping Dublin; wish I hadn't!) Howth is lovely. I drove around the bottom of the island, DID go on a Waterford tour, which I enjoyed, and bought Waterford, not at the factory but in town, went to the Cliffs of Mohr but couldn't see a thing because of the fog, darn it, but still had a good time there, picked up all kinds of hitchhikers including an American whose name and address I wish I'd gotten, though he was easily 10 years younger than I but we had so much in common, I have always felt that I could have had a livelong friend from Kentucky had we had a way to stay in touch, stayed mostly in B&Bs, went to bars (where I was referred to as "buxom lass" by one of the guys there, which still makes me laugh!), listened to traditional music and saw traditional dancing (in a theater that was so beat up, it was barely standing, but the dancing and music were good), and and and.....

That's it. I'm going with you!

Ohhhhhh I am so jealous. I would LOVE to go there! Half of my extended family is over there, apparently... I've never even met any of them.

I have a recommendation Lily.  Take me with you.  Seriously, I wouldn't want you to regret it ;)

Lily, if things work out for me, you could visit us! Hahahah!!! (See my post called "Anyone in Dublin + A Not-So-Hypothetical Question")

See the cliff of moher if you like awesome views :) Oh and see Galway! (it's a town) I loved it there, it's so lively, alot of students there and even more pubs - where you should drink 1 or 6 guinesses and talk to some citiziens, especially when they're a bit drunk - the best stories an irish tells are slightly drunk ones (that's not meant rude at all)

I would skip Limerick (town again) if you planned to go there, it's pretty um...wanna-be modern, not as nice and rich of flair like most of the other towns.

A very good general tip is probably: bring an umbrella. I was there in summer and it still rained quite often and it wasn't very warm either, so leave the miniskirt at home or bring some leggins with 'em.

I would recomment to go find some un-touristy places, nice is, when you reach places with streetsigns in irish gaelic, I found that pretty cool but that's just me ;)

So for nightlife (clubs etc) -> visit Galway, maybe Belfast and Cork too.

For an irish feeling, try more smaller city or village pubs, it's so cosy to sit in an traditional pub with locals chatting in that cute accent and irish live music.

If you want europeanish, modern shops such as Benneton (is that spelled wrong?) The Body Shop and all I recomment Dublin again (as bigger the city, as more cosmopolitan the shops).

For more finer and wider ranges of shops see Belfast. 

Um yeah... alot of babbling, anyway:to make it short ireland as everything you need and more then you expected, it's an awesome country to visit and I'm sure you won't get bored too quickly, the only thing I not really liked where the foods...but I'm picky so whatever :)

 

Hope you enjoy your trip! 

 

 

Kitty 

thanks for all the tips everyone!  i'm even more excited about this than before now  :-)

i'm definately reconsidering the car rental thing.  gotta see how the budgeting goes first. 

thanks again and keep the recommendations coming!  :-)