robinja

I got a lot of help from this message board, so I thought I would give back a little.

My husband and I just returned from a 10 day trip to Ireland - Oct 1-10. Flew in and out of Dublin, rented a car, and worked out our itinerary on the fly except for 1st and last nights' accommodation. Here are some lessons learned from our trip:
- Should have flown into Dublin and out of Shannon or skipped Dublin altogether. I enjoyed Dublin, but I don't think it was worth all of the driving it added, since most of our interest was on the west coast.
- Did the Musical Pub Crawl in Dublin the first night - great introduction to traditional Irish music. http://www.discoverdublin.ie/musicalpubcrawl.html. Reservations are recommended, but we showed up and got in via the wait list.
- Probably should have bought the Irish Heritage Card. Not sure if it would have gotten us into everything, but it seemed like most of the interesting ruins, etc., charged admission, and we got "euro-ed" to death at these.
- We enjoyed the Cahir Castle much more than the Rock of Cashel, but the castle got very little mention in the guide books.
- Loved Doolin. If you're into music, this is a slam dunk. We almost skipped it because of bad reviews. I'll bet it gets ugly during the heavy tourist season, but off season it was great. Music in all three pubs every night and great pub grub. Also beautiful scenery - Cliffs of Moher and the Burren.
- Dingle was a bit of a disappointment. The scenery was beautiful, and there were plenty of pubs, but it was chock full of Americans, both tourists and residents. It just didn't feel like Ireland to me - maybe we should have picked Connemara or Mayo instead. We stayed two nights anyway and had a great time - just didn't realize it was so touristy.
- We could have spent more time in Killarney National Park. We love to hike, and there was plenty to keep us busy for 2-3 days. However, didn't think the pub scene there was the best.
- Dublin hotels. We stayed in the Pembroke Townhouse in Ballsbridge - good location, good rates, nice hotel! The last night we stayed at the Clontarf Castle Hotel. Although it was a nice hotel, I thought it was a rip-off because they advertise it as having been built in 1147. Actually, it was a castle then, but it was torn down and rebuilt in the 1800's. I have stayed in US hotels older than this. The rooms are actually in an annex - not even part of the castle. The food was just so-so.
- Loved Cork. I could easily have skipped Dublin and let Cork be my urban Ireland experience. They had a great music scene, both traditional and otherwise, and the people were among the friendliest that we met. Lots of shopping, too, and not tourist-oriented.
- Driving was a pain, but I would still recommend it. The cities are poorly marked with street signs and street names change on a whim. It also takes forever to get places, and we spent more time in the car than we expected.
- Hiking. As I mentioned, we love to hike, but we found it difficult to get information on hikes once we were at destinations. The Irish call hiking "walking" or "climbing". I wish that I had done more research beforehand so that we didn't waste so much time trying to get this information on the trip.
- Pub food was almost universally awesome. We found that most restaurants were more expensive and no better than the pubs - for both lunch and dinner.

Anyway, we had a great time. Found traditional Irish music every night of the trip - loved it! I hope these tips are helpful to anyone planning a trip!

vinolover

Thanks robinja for the great info. Will definitely look into the Dublin Music Pub Crawl We are going in the off-off season (February) and we are also hikers. That may not be the best walking weather but if you have any other information or recommendation on hikes in the west and southwest I'd love to hear about it. Also any other specific recommendations on the pubs and music would be appreciated.

isabel

robinja - I agree with almost all of your comments, especially the part about skipping Dublin. We felt the same way, it wasn't until we got to the west coast that we really felt we had "arrived" in Ireland. Also agree with you about Cahir Castle. That was one of our highlights.

hopingtotravel

I'm 3 years late but trying to "give some back" to the helpful folks here. I think the stonework tower around the fireplace at Clontarf Castle may be part of the original. We were booked there for one night 9/11/2001. It was a great shock to us to discover we were stranded having expected to fly out the next morning. The hotel staff was/were wonderful. It was 4 days before I could reach Alaska Airlines. We had been ticketed Aer Lingus, BA, then AK Air. As it turned out it was a week before we could fly. After 2 or 3 nights at the castle, my husband booked a cheaper spot for us. That turned out to be so incredibly depressing that we came back to Clontarf for our last 2 nights. Our last night at dinner we met a wonderful retired couple who had flown to the states many times. We also spent many afternoons walking around the neighborhood and running into locals. I have nothing but favorable memories of Clontarf Castle although I understand your "annex" concerns. I don't usually book at spots where the tour buses do. That time it was good that I had.

djkbooks

What a fabulous list! Thanks ever so much for posting!

jef_e

Chiming in to say "yes" to Connemara - I think that it was one of my favorite places. We spent 3 nights in Clifden, exploring the area - enjoyed it much more than Dingle, as well.

flanneruk

robinja:

On walking - or "hiking" as you quaintly call it - in Ireland (the term really does sound very 1930s).
You're right that tourist offices aren't very good on this. Others may disagree, but I'd suggest there are two reasons.

1. The best place for information is usually bookshops: there are a number of "Lots of good walks in Ireland" style books in real bookshops (admittedly easier to find in Dublin or Cork than in many more tourist-oriented places where "bookshops" just sell two airport thrillers and a shelf full of 'Ireland of the Welcomes' photalbums)

2. Actually, Ireland's surprisingly disappointing for serious walking. It's never developed England's wonderful system of footpaths, property ownership makes formal trails difficult to create, it's increasingly difficult simply to walk across private farms etc, and the traditional solution in Ireland - just walk along the hundreds of thousands of miles of deserted roads - is getting more and more unpleasant and dangerous with rising affluence and car ownership. The real reason many tourist offices are hopeless about walking is that there aren't any decent walks in much of Ireland any more.

Buzzy

A lot of people assume that if they visit Ireland they have got to vist Dublin but like any city Dublin does not really represent life as it is lived by the majority of Irish citizens.

I have friends and family in Dublin and it is fast becoming the new Ibiza. Full of stag and hen night pub crawlers and clubbers arriving from all over Europe to get absolutely blind drunk and create trouble. Many families are moving away from Dublin to get away from the drug problems which have escalated beyond belief and the violent drug related crimes.

Don't be fooled by the usual pictures of Trinity College etc into thinking that Dublin is some sort of romantic city like Paris. If you want to experience beauty in Ireland go any where but Dublin. You'll enjoy the scenery more and you'll be helping the smaller local communites who could do with your Euros a lot more that drink and drug soaked Dublin.

Buzzy

leisa

Buzzy ...
Your comments are outrageously exaggerated !
Cleary, you have never been to Ibiza, to draw the same comparison is silly. I wonder if you've even been to Dublin !
Dublin has a very lively social scene, particulary on w/e's ... particularly aimed at the local younger set ... and it's not for the faint hearted. Drinks and drugs are high on the agenda, much like it is for kids in most cities in the world. What makes it seems worse in Dublin is that the city is so compact... it's difficult to avoid.
Dublin is a beautiful and interesting destination to visit. The city offers a wealth of theatrical and music productions ... it's not all hens and stags. (In fact, there are very few).
So many Americans come to Dublin expecting a twee irish theme park, only to discover it is a major European city, unique in many ways, yet just like any major city when it comes to high prices, crowded streets, traffic congestion, crime and drugs.
Most families moving away from Dublin city, are doing so to afford housing, not to escape violent crime and drug addicts.

Be realistic, not hyperbolic.

Buzzy

You've actually just confirmed everything I said you just didn't like the way I said it. Re: people moving out of Dublin I know families who have done this to get their children away from the scene I mentioned above. Re: the stagg and hen parties I know of groups who have gone on these organised trips and they are becoming a quick way to go somewhere to binge drink especially for the English although now other Europeans are joining in. It has been coined the "new Ibiza" amongst this particular English set. The fact is that many people coming to Ireland are not necessarily seeking red haired people in thatched houses but are certainly not seeking what Dublin has to offer.

For a little extra information all my family comes from Ireland stretching back generations, all my husbands family originate from Dublin and many are still there I also have many friends and relations in Waterford, Wexford, and Wicklow. My own mother lives in Enniscorthy Wexford.

Buzzy

Ardfert

Dublin is a modern European city and is becoming more and more like an American city every year.Bit by bit they are knocking down the ancient parts of the city and building modern office blocks.The tourist trade is becoming less significant as other businesses take over.According to a report I read in a British newspaper recently Dublin in two years time will be the second richest area in Europe,(the city of London being the richest) so cheap accomodation and cheap meals are a thing of the past.

Shane

I second Doolin as a must visit for visitors to Ireland. When I was in Doolin, I heard and experienced traditional Irish folk music, much of it done in impromptu sessions in the pubs. In Dublin, all I got to hear was Irish redos of Jimi Hendrix.

SiobhanP

Buzzy while I appreciate your impression/view I must come to the defense of Dublin as I have lived here for 9 years before and after the Celtic Tiger Economy.

The comparison to Ibiza is hiliarious and so untrue. I have a feeling the only place you fgo out is in Temple Bar which is the only place that will really still tolerate the "wild" hens and stags. A typical hen night from abroad would probably not be allowed into Cafe en Seine or the Morrison if the were dressed up in outfits and loudly drunk. Many years ago Temple Bar banned Stags (they were easier on hens)that came over from other countries because there were too many problems and fights and hassle towards women in the pubs . I have been on the receiving end of it a few times in the past myself. They died down as no more than 2 blokes could enter a pub or they would be thought of as stags if they were not Irish. They are back now but seemed to be contained in a few pubs and restaurants in Temple bar. Dubliners tend to go abroad or to the countryside for hens/stags.

There is a tiny club scene here compared to Europe. More crappy discos unless you go to Spirit or the POD etc. This may changes as closing hours may be brought back earlier and kill this scene completely. We don't go out clubbing the same way people do in London etc. The scene does not exist like that or on that scale.

People moving away...People are moving to the suburbs beacuse its cheaper but a large portion of the population lives in and around Dublin. Most capitals have the larger population due to work and international companied that set up and create jobs. I know of 1 person who moved away and it was because she wanted to move back to her home in Cork. Its more likely that a country person will move back over a period of time but Dubliners born and bred stay.

Drugs...There is a large problem in the countryside compared to Dublin. Kids are bored and have too much time on their hands and experiment...same in the countryside in the U.S. The population is approx 4 million I think and 25% of the country lives in and around Dublin. Most violent crime here is not linked to Drugs unless you are thinking of the people who import and sell into the country which are lifetime criminals that always existed and still do in EVERY country. If there is money to be made some ejit will always do it.

My family too comes from Dublin, Clare, Leitrim, Cavan etc. SO I do have a feel for outside Dublin as well. Dublin is NOT Paris but there is a really lovely side that you don't know. Maybe we keep the best for ourselves and not all revolves around the city centre. Have you been to the rose Gardens in St Anns? Killiney beach for a picnic on a hot day, the Iveagh Gardens (The secret Garden as My neighbors daughter calls it) and just chill with a book and some cheese and crackers from Sheridans. Coffee in the Chester Beatty Library or mint tea and unusual gifts for people in the giftshop. Salsa on Tuesdays or watching salsa/tango with a glass of Barbera wine outside the enoteca in the new Bloom quarter on the weekends. That's my Dublin.

There is a lot of culture here but most visitors want to get pissed and buy crap in the leprechaun stores to take home as gifts. The countryside is lovely and do see it I go away every 2 months for a weekend in the countryside but Dublin is great too and we have a lot to see and history as well.

P.S. I Live in the City Centre of Dublin and go out for dinner or drinks every weekend and walk the city every day/evening so I feel I do know what I am talking about. I live it good and bad every day .

SiobhanP

When I say pissed I mean drunk! Not angry

justjude

Travelling to Ireland this spring with my 18 year old daughter. We are renting a car and plan on driving. We were trying to decide if we should stay one or two nights in Dublin but after reading your remarks I might just stay in Dublin for a night and head west. We aren't really interested in the clubs and would rather experience rural Ireland. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Ozarksbill

Wait a minute...let's don't bash Dublin! Thanks, leisa, and I was indeeed waiting for some defense from SiobhanP. So you want beautiful scenery? OK, go west. But let's not paint things too idyllically green! Maybe some nice pubs, but I also like Temple Bar itself.

Yes, Dublin is to Ireland what Madrid is to Spain or Athens to Greece. These are CITIES with lots of traffic and noise...and that also means some wonderful historic places and museums. Who would want to miss the Prado or the Acropolis?

I am very glad we took in the Writer's Museum, Kilmainham Gaol, Book of Kells at Trinity, Christ Church Cathedral (including Evensong, also Dubliana), Abbey and Gate Theatre performances, and more. Also trips south to Wicklow and Glendalough, and north to Knowth/ Newgrange, Tara, Trim castle, etc.

When you come to Missouri please do enjoy the sights in St. Louis before you visit us in the pleasant Ozark Mountains. BTW, we do have a real meth problem in Missouri small towns.

Ozarks Bill

welovedonegal

siobhan: your posting was brilliant. well done. you have it in a nutshell.

anyway, if people want to come to ireland and do walks, forget about the usual tourist paths and head for sligo, leitrim, donegal. i live in donegal and believe me, you can go to certain parts and walk and walk without meeting another person. it is amazing and lots of clean fresh air and fabulous scenery.

turn right at dublin NOT left if you want to experience what you are looking for when travelling to ireland

SiobhanP

I forgot this post. justjude I guess I did not entice you but enjoy the trip anyway. I think an 18 year old would like Dublin.

justjude

A lot to think about. Thanks for all the comments. I think we might just head northwest, probably to Sligo, don't think we can get much further in our 8 days. Then down to Shannon and back up to Dublin. The midlands and the west seem the most intriguing to me. I still want to see Dublin. There's so much history and after reading SiobhanP and OzarksBill's remarks, I'm looking forward to it. I don't mind the extra drive. I always enjoy the adventure of getting to a location as much as arriving. I wish we could make it further north and south but there's always time for that on future visits. I think I'll spend some time at the bookstore this weekend. Thanks again for all of your comments. I'll let you know how it turns out.

rickmav

Thanks for your very honest report. It's nice to see that you weren't intimidated to say that you liked a place when you didn't.

Last time we went to Ireland we had to go to Adare because, at that time, everyone on this site raved about it. But when we got there we were very disappointed. If more people gave honest assessments then at least it would provoke you to do more research or not get your expectations too high.

We were glad we went to Dublin, but wouldn't go again. We also loved the Cork area and Waterford. And we really loved Mayo, particularly the area north of Newport. We've always found Galway the city overrated, but as you go west or north it improves.

Of course, people are infinitely complicated, and what one person loves another detests. And when people are honest about that, it's what makes this forum so interesting.