Suggestions for Ireland trip

**Colin** · 6th October 05, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by highlander_Daz

go to belfast and get on a ferry to Stranraer!!

That was one of the most impressive ships I have ever been on. Of course I went the opposite way.

**Kiltedmusiclover** · 6th October 05, 07:24 PM

Killarney is a fairly short drive from Cork City.

Killarney National Park is renowned for its hiking trails and beauty.

The ring of Kerry is quite close and I highly recommend it as well.

You will enjoy Ireland and fall in love with the hospitality of its
people.

**Colin** · 7th October 05, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by Kiltedmusiclover

Killarney is a fairly short drive from Cork City.

Killarney National Park is renowned for its hiking trails and beauty.

The ring of Kerry is quite close and I highly recommend it as well.

You will enjoy Ireland and fall in love with the hospitality of its
people.

The Ring of Kerry is nice, but as an alternative, go stay in Dingle for a few days. Great little sea side resort (includes Fungi the dolphin) and it's right near the ring of Kerry. The place has 1500 residents and 56 pubs! (somewhere I hear Jimmy Carbomb packing).

Dublin was alright, but was just another big city. Although St. Stephen's green was a nice walk. A word of caution** and I may get tarred and feathered for this but, while the idea of the guinness brewery is nice, don't waste your cash going in. Take your photo at the gates, and spend that money (it was 10 quid each when I was there) and just go to one of Dublin's many great pubs for a pint of the good stuff. The Foggy Dew, the Trad pub (great live music), and a few others in Temple bar were way more enjoyable than an hour and 20 quid for a pint each.

Belfast was great. Forget our deluded North American sense that we even have a clue about NI politics cause we don't have the foggiest idea. Just enjoy a great great city. Cool open air markets (in may anyway), the crown liquor saloon, black cab tours, murals, etc. If you want a decent hostile, check out Arnie's near Queen's University (it's in all the travel books). It's a good place with a fair size kitchen and a Tesco near by. The only down fall is the limited number of bathrooms (be quick in the morning).

We unfortunately missed the Giant's causeway, as we had planned to take the ferry from Campbelltown into NI. Unfortunately that ferry didn't start running until the month after we were there. Who wants to go to a place named after the Campbells anyway?!

Galway is a cool university town, and can be the starting points for a lot of great day trips. (Burren/Cliffs of Moher, Arran Islands, etc)

Innishmore on the Arran Islands is beautiful. We took an overnight trip from Galway that included transport to the ferry, the boat ride over (still on of my best Ireland stories), and a hotel (the only one, it doesn't even have locks on the doors) for around 40 pounds for 2 of us.

Cork was a lot of fun, and a good place to catch a transit bus to Blarney for an afternoon.

Hope this helps a bit.

**bikercelt1** · 7th October 05, 08:52 AM

If you haven't already done it, grab a copy of Rick Steves' book about traveling Ireland. It's not the end all and be all but it will be a valuable resource for you. I second (or would that be third) the suggestion to go up to Dingle and take the drive out around the pennisula. That may well have been the highpoint of my recent trip. The pupbs were great fun and the sense of history seeing the behive huts and the Oratory were overwhelming. Whatever you do, you're going to have an awesome time.

Jamie

**macsim** · 7th October 05, 10:09 AM

I liked Wicklow. We drove in in the late afternoon sun and the way it reflected on the hills was beautiful. The graveyard, round tower and old church provided a sort of "supernatural" feel to the place. We only drove through Dublin. I was nervous enough driving on the wrong side of the road and the traffic was bad that day. I must've looked like a bedraggled tourist. Some guy pulled up next to us, motioned us to roll down the window and he says, "Are ya looost?" The Rock of Cashel was pretty cool and the Cliffs - say no Moher! Breathtaking! My memories have dimmed after 18 years but I'll never forget the beauty and the people. And, the driving!:o

**jfellrath** · 7th October 05, 11:21 AM

Before you go, read Patricia Monaghan's The Red-Haired Girl From The Bog (ISBN: 1577311906). It's a look at one woman's view of Ireland from a pre-Christian point of view. Even if you aren't a new-ager/Wiccan (which, as I remember, the author is), I think it'll show you another side of Ireland that is really part of the psyche of the Irish people.

I read this not too long ago and it opened my eyes to a lot of stuff in Ireland that might not be right on the surface or in the tourbooks, but no less relevant to understanding the Emerald Isle, its history, and its people.

**GMan** · 7th October 05, 09:53 PM

My only advice, take me with you! OK if you can't do that, have a really good time. You have been given some great suggestions.

**Hamish** · 8th October 05, 10:14 AM

I'd love to help you with a few suggestions, Your Reverence, but alas I have never been to Ireland, nor even close to it at ground level. The closest I have been was when flying back to London from NYC two years ago - we flew over Bantry Bay at about 30,000 feet!

Come to think of it, there are so many parts of these beautiful British Isles that I've not visited, and may never get around to doing so.

Ah, well!