Galway area help!
Feb 16th, 2006, 09:41 AM
#1
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Galway area help!
Hi,
I received excellent advice here when I was planning my honeymoon, and I hope you can help me again!
Just a few days ago, I booked a surprise trip to Ireland for my husband's 30th birthday. We just honeymooned there in Sept, and loved it so much that we're going back a mere 5 months later. Here's the problem -- we leave NEXT FRIDAY!
We fly into Shannon, arriving on Saturday morning. We fly out on Wednesday, March 1st from Shannon.
I have no plans, no suggestions, no accomodations, nothing! I've NEVER done anything like this before! I'm interested in any suggestions for "must sees" or "must dos" anywhere in the Galway/Connemara region, or even elsewhere nearby.
On our honeymoon, we spent two days in Doolin at the Sea View. We've done the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren. We also spent two days in Galway, staying in Eyre Square. We LOVED both places, and really just love the region. We didn't do too much while we were in Galway -- mainly listened to lots of music.
Any ideas? I'm open to anything!
Thanks in advance!
I received excellent advice here when I was planning my honeymoon, and I hope you can help me again!
Just a few days ago, I booked a surprise trip to Ireland for my husband's 30th birthday. We just honeymooned there in Sept, and loved it so much that we're going back a mere 5 months later. Here's the problem -- we leave NEXT FRIDAY!
We fly into Shannon, arriving on Saturday morning. We fly out on Wednesday, March 1st from Shannon.
I have no plans, no suggestions, no accomodations, nothing! I've NEVER done anything like this before! I'm interested in any suggestions for "must sees" or "must dos" anywhere in the Galway/Connemara region, or even elsewhere nearby.
On our honeymoon, we spent two days in Doolin at the Sea View. We've done the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren. We also spent two days in Galway, staying in Eyre Square. We LOVED both places, and really just love the region. We didn't do too much while we were in Galway -- mainly listened to lots of music.
Any ideas? I'm open to anything!
Thanks in advance!
Feb 16th, 2006, 12:56 PM
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As you are flying into Shannon go to www.shannonregiontourism.com
On the top left you will see 'Clare' 'Limerick' and you will get a lot of ideas.
Why not try a medieval banquet. go to www.shannonheritage.com
Remember Bunratty is only 15 minutes from Shannon Airport and it would be a good start.
www.ireland.ie/getting_around.asp and
www.goireland.ie are also full of information.
As you have been to Galway hit towards Bunratty - Limerick- on down towards Kerry- back by the shannon ferries and into Ennis and back to Shannon.
Look at www.shannonferries.com
No need to worry about accommodation as there plenty this time of year.
www.irishmusicbars.com
On the top left you will see 'Clare' 'Limerick' and you will get a lot of ideas.
Why not try a medieval banquet. go to www.shannonheritage.com
Remember Bunratty is only 15 minutes from Shannon Airport and it would be a good start.
www.ireland.ie/getting_around.asp and
www.goireland.ie are also full of information.
As you have been to Galway hit towards Bunratty - Limerick- on down towards Kerry- back by the shannon ferries and into Ennis and back to Shannon.
Look at www.shannonferries.com
No need to worry about accommodation as there plenty this time of year.
www.irishmusicbars.com
Feb 16th, 2006, 11:18 PM
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Some highlights around Galway / Connemara. You will need a car, and a few days to explore, to fit in all of this:
- Go to south Connemara to the villages of Spiddal and Rossaveel, Carraroe where the locals speak Irish and the bogs stretch for miles. You can catch a plane from this area to the Aran islands, which is worth doing if you have a week or so but not if you only have a couple of days.
- a "must" is a tour of North Connemara. This can be a one-day trip or longer (the longer version is below):
- Drive out from Galway through Moycullen and Ougherard into Connemara. Stop off in Roundstone for lunch (or even better, for a night). Roundstone is a charming fishing village with lots of lovely fish restaurants and bars. Or you could have lunch / stay in Ballinahinch castle, a top hotel where you can sit by the log fire and get some of the best open crab / prawn sandwiches ever.
- Carry on through Connemara stopping off in the village of Clifden. Take the sky road from there to Letterfrack National Park (where you can climb a mountain - well, a large hill - if you are so inclined!) and stop off to have a look at Kylemore Abbey, one of the picture postcard castles on a lake (now a girls school). Don't bother paying to go in to the visitor's centre though - it's not worth it.
- Then if you have time you could head on to Leenane (lovely village, where The Field was filmed) and Killary harbour, Ireland's only fjord where you can take a bracing boat trip.
- If you are spending a few days touring the region you could then go up to Ashford castle in the village of Cong - there's also a ruined Abbey in Cong surrounded by woods/streams that you can stroll around. If you have time you can venture north into "real" Mayo and visit places like Louisburgh and Westport.
- In Galway town, the only must dos are to chill - stroll around in the evenings, catch some traditional music in the pubs as you did before.
Enjoy!
- Go to south Connemara to the villages of Spiddal and Rossaveel, Carraroe where the locals speak Irish and the bogs stretch for miles. You can catch a plane from this area to the Aran islands, which is worth doing if you have a week or so but not if you only have a couple of days.
- a "must" is a tour of North Connemara. This can be a one-day trip or longer (the longer version is below):
- Drive out from Galway through Moycullen and Ougherard into Connemara. Stop off in Roundstone for lunch (or even better, for a night). Roundstone is a charming fishing village with lots of lovely fish restaurants and bars. Or you could have lunch / stay in Ballinahinch castle, a top hotel where you can sit by the log fire and get some of the best open crab / prawn sandwiches ever.
- Carry on through Connemara stopping off in the village of Clifden. Take the sky road from there to Letterfrack National Park (where you can climb a mountain - well, a large hill - if you are so inclined!) and stop off to have a look at Kylemore Abbey, one of the picture postcard castles on a lake (now a girls school). Don't bother paying to go in to the visitor's centre though - it's not worth it.
- Then if you have time you could head on to Leenane (lovely village, where The Field was filmed) and Killary harbour, Ireland's only fjord where you can take a bracing boat trip.
- If you are spending a few days touring the region you could then go up to Ashford castle in the village of Cong - there's also a ruined Abbey in Cong surrounded by woods/streams that you can stroll around. If you have time you can venture north into "real" Mayo and visit places like Louisburgh and Westport.
- In Galway town, the only must dos are to chill - stroll around in the evenings, catch some traditional music in the pubs as you did before.
Enjoy!
