mom929

Hello all. Could use some advice as I'm about ready to book our airline tickets for our trip to Ireland August 2006 (high season, I know, but drat those kids and their school and camp schedules!). We are a family of 4 with two boys, age 7 and 10, and this is our first trip to Ireland.

We are spending 7 days in a self catering cottage in Ballinskelligs in County Kerry. We plan to take an extra 3-4 days beforehand to travel around. My boys desperately want to go to Killkenny and stay in Foulksrath Castle (actually they just want to stay in a castle, but this one is a hostel so we can afford it. If anyone knows of any low cost castle stays I'd be open to suggestions). Dublin is not a priority for us.

My 7 year old really wants to kiss the Blarney stone (although the boy talks so much that the "gift of gab" is the last thing he needs lol). I'll accomodate that request if it's not way out of our way, but personally would prefer to skip that and most other really touristy spots.

It seems that flying into Dublin and leaving from Shannon or flying in and out of Shannon are about the same cost. Which do you think would better suit our itinerary so far.

I'm finding prices of about $575 per person for airfare. That doesn't seem too bad to me giving that it's high season. Frequent travelers do you know if I should nap that fare or if there are certain periods when the airlines publish competitive deals?

Thanks all for your answers!

rms882

Sorry that I don't have an answer to your question, but I was just wondering where you are finding that airfare at and where you fly out of.
I am trying to convince a friend of mine to meet me in Ireland the first week of August, so both of us have been on the airfare search...

mom929

I found that flying out of Newark on Continental, but I saw some similar fares going out of Kennedy on other airlines.

Good luck in your search. What kinds of fares have you been finding, and where are you flying from?

rkkwan

With tax, that fare should be about $666 on CO. But yes, it's still pretty affordable for August, at least from the New York market.

caseyhen

We've just booked 2 tickets into and out of Shannon for mid-August, but the key to a slightly lower fare seems to be flying home on September 1 (Friday) as opposed to a higher fare if we were to return on 8/31. We're flying from Boston on American Airlines, which ended up about $40 to $50 more all told than a Continental ticket from Newark, but we went with Boston for ease of driving and preferred departure and arrival times.

We also saved a small amount by booking through AAA (only about $10).

If arriving home on September 1 is a possiblity for you, give that a try and see what it does for the fare.

CU

As most of your interests are down South I would fly into Shannon.The hassle of going into Dublin and getting out of Dublin is a no no at that time of year.
To see what is on around Kerry, Clare and Limerick have a look at www.shannonregiontourusm.ie also www.shannonheritage.ie
For Castle accommodation go to www.celticcastles.com and click on 'Irish Castles'(kind of expensive)
To see Blarney Castle go to www.blarneycastle.ie
www.goireland.ie will also help you out.
www.kilkennytourism.ie for Kilkenny.
Enjoy.

mom929

Thanks CU for all those great sites, I've bookmarked them and will start investigating further. I took your advice and booked our trip going in and out of Shannon, so we avoid the Dublin traffic (this will probably make our rental car cheaper as well, since we'll pick up and deliver in the same city).

rkkwan the price I mentioned of $575 actually included all taxes, fees and trip insurance. The published price was actually $490, so your post gave me a pretty good feeling that if I book now I won't be kicking myself that I'll see significantly cheaper flights in a couple of months. Thanks for the peace of mind!

caseyhen, I checked your September 1 suggestion, but it actually didn't change the cost for us, and it would lose us one day of our Sat-Sat self-catering rental. So an extra day in Ireland for me. Hurray!

Right now our itinerary looks like this:

Arrive Shannon 6:00am Tues. Stay somewhere nearby (where?)

Drive to Killkenny, stay in Foulksrath castle youth hostel (1 or 2 nights?)

Take one or two nights to travel from Killkenny to/through County Kerry and possibly Cork (for the Blarney Stone). Where to stay? Possibly Killarney?

Nights 5-11 will be in Ballinskelligs in our cottage by the sea. Then drive to Shannon for 1:30pm flight home.

I'll probably post more on my itinerary as I start working it out, but would appreciate any suggestions for sites and places to stay both the first night, and as we make our way from Killkenny to Ballingskelligs. Especially things that would interest two young boys (and break up time spent in the car listening to "are we there yet?&quot

Thanks!

Itallian_Chauffer

First day, drive to Cashel or Cahir for the night's stay. Your children will enjoy The Rock and Cahir castle (You will LOVE the views). You could book a family room at Carrigeen Castle in Cahir fairly reasonable. Gets sometimes spotty reviews due to the hostess's business-like manner, but it is quite nice.

Bob

caseyhen

mom929, it sounds like you were already coming back after 9/1 (Sat 9/2)? That would explain why the rates didn't improve with the change - I noticed that they went down if you came back in September, not August. It sounds like you have a wonderful trip planned. I'm going to watch your responses as much of the advice you're getting is helpful to us as well. Enjoy!

CU

mom929 I made a little mistake on one of my web sights Thefollowing should read www.shannonregiontourism.ie
If you would like to spend your first day near the airport could I commend Bunratty where you can tour the Castle and Folk Park. Go to the above web page and click on 'Clare' and then on 'Bunratty'The Folk Park and especially the farm is a big hit with the kids who never saw farm animals close up.
If you are looking for good accommodation anywhere in Ireland go to www.townandcountry.ie
You can nip across the road to the Blarney Wollen Mills (www.blarney.ie)
That should give you a good start to your holiday.
Enjoy.

Jayneann

Mom929,
Sounds like your airfare cost is reasonable for summer travel to Ireland. We booked AA Boston to Shannon for $628 per person for mid July and have been told that was a decent rate. I do keep checking to see if the rates go down as AA will refund the difference (or so I was told)! Maybe you could do the same! Have a great time!

chip

I agree with first night in Bunratty, with kids...book the early banquet for the evening...at some point in the day a drive to the cliffs of moher would be a must see for me.

I would then head to kilkenny for a night in the castle hostel, I checked out the site, may be fun for a night for kids, but I don't think it is going to be very comfortable for a family. kilkenny castle and jerpoint abbey are great!

then I would spend 2 nights in kinsale...on the way there see the rock of cashel and cahir castle.

from kinsale you can visit blarney, cobh (titanic left from there), and charles fort. kinsale has a fun, not scarey, ghost tour.

I am sure you will check out killarney national park during your stay in the cottage. you may want to check into horseback ridind which is on my niece and nephew's list of things they want to do on our trip this summer