Killarney

Old Feb 23rd, 2017, 12:22 PM
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Killarney

So on our 8 night trip. We will be travelling from Kilkenny to Dingle. Most likely we will stop at the Rock of Cashel on the way. I have noticed that so many first time Irelanders (great word!) have Killarney as an overnight stop on their trip. So my question is general overall thoughts on Killarney. Is it a must stop or is there something you think we would have time to visit (and should visit) on our route from Kilkenny- Rock of Cashel- Dingle???

I recognize it is hard to give advice when you don't know me but I was just hoping for your impressions.

Side note: Young couple, explorers, live for the outdoors, and like good beer (well good food too!).
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Old Feb 23rd, 2017, 03:52 PM
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No, most first time to Ireland folk flock to Dingle.

Killarney has been a base for visitors for a couple of hundred years, so much to see in the area and the town is a great touring base.

Kenmare is the tourist base for folk that have been told Killarney is too touristy.

In Honesty it depends on the full Itinerary. putting a night into one place means taking that night from somewhere else so I never look at a piece of a jigsaw without knowing the picture.
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Old Feb 23rd, 2017, 04:02 PM
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On the east side, the Killarney side, consider the small city of Cork, with plenty of history (including the Titanic), a pleasant tour of the real whiskey distillery Jameson, and local music played for each other rather than tourists in the pubs at the start of the week. Good train connection to Dublin, too.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cork_(city)
http://www.cork-guide.ie/corkcity.htm
http://www.corkcity.ie/traveltourism/
http://www.irelandwhiskeytrail.com/?...llery_cork.php
Jameson Cork: The Dublin location is an "experience" ie: showroom. The historic distillery is just outside of Cork, on a city bus run, and is one of the best I have visited if the tasting is included. https://www.jamesonwhiskey.com/us/vi...esonexperience
Yes, in Ireland it is whiskey with an 'e' My British friend's definition, after diligent research: "Angel pee."
A few words about beer: What Guiness doesn't own, Heinekin does. Nevertheless a craft beer movement is brewing (pun intended) especially around Galway and an Internet search should turn up craft pubs in the big cities, especially Dublin.
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Old Feb 24th, 2017, 03:14 AM
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That's a fair contribution except Killarney is West not East and Cork is Ireland's 2nd largest City behind Dublin. Finding Trad in Cork outside a festival? not impossible I suppose. And finding a pint of Guinness in Cork can be a challenge they stick to Murphy's down there.

Great place to visit if you go there for the right reasons.
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Old Feb 24th, 2017, 03:42 AM
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I love Murphy's stout and the Cork area.
Don't forget Belfast is very close to Dublin. Worth a visit.
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Old Feb 24th, 2017, 06:11 AM
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I guess I should give my rough itinerary to help with this question.

Fly into Dublin and out of Shannon (we will be going in July....nothing booked yet). I dont know if Cork or Belfast will fit into this itinerary for a 8 night trip. I always plan my trips with the mindset that I will return....ie. I won't spend the night at a different place each night and sacrifice a real experience just to see everything.

-Dublin 2 nights

-Kilkenny 1 night (we may actually stay outside of kilkenny at a working farm B&B I discovered)

-Dingle 2 nights (in route to Dingle hitting Rock of Cashel and maybe Blarney Castle....hence this thread). Since we are missing the RoK, we wanted to spend 2 nights in Dingle to drive around that area one day

-Doolin or Galway (I am leaning towards Doolin since we really want small town vibes....I live in a big city. Though, I heard Galway is neat) - 3 nights. The reason I say 3 nights cause the first day and night we will take the whole day to get to Doolin from Dingle (may stop some places in route....need to figure this out). The second day/night, we want to hike to the Cliffs. The last day/night we want to bike on the Aran Islands.

-Fly out of Shannon

So, I think that to stay in Killarney, we would need to sacrifice a night in Dingle or a night in Doolin. Honestly, I don't know if I am willing to sacrifice a night in Doolin because the two things I was most looking forward to were hiking to the Cliffs and the Aran Islands!

Is there a must see in the Killarney area that we could swing by in route to Dingle? The Gap of Dunloe looks gorgeous! Blarney Castle a must? The stone seems a bit dumb to me but maybe I am wrong.
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Old Feb 24th, 2017, 07:48 AM
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Dublin 2 nights Fine.
Kilkenny 1 night fine

Kilkenny to Dingle for 2 nights ? not via Blarney.I wouldn't have 2 nights in Dingle anyway, not that fond of mass tourism

That last statement means I don't rate Doolin either. Liscannor is at the Southern end of the Cliffs section of the Burren way and you can walk from Hags Head to the Cliffs avoiding everyone who is heading uphill from Doolin

Inis Mor should be reached from Rossaveal west of Galway, if you don't want to stay in Galway then consider Spiddal, but be warned you might meet a local that isn't employed in the tourist industry.. can you handle a local local? even one that might speak Irish?

You need to be closer to Shannon on your last Night. Ennis generally gets my recommendation if you want a night out.
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Old Feb 26th, 2017, 05:00 AM
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Thanks Tony. I don't mind some tourism aspects to town. We are talkers and some of our favorite memories from trips is meeting new friends from all around the world. I will never forget bar hoping in Italy with some British travelers we met in the street and just started talking to. That is why I think Dingle and Doolin will stay on our route. The flight out I am looking at from Shannon is in the afternoon and, thus, feel like as long as I am an hour or so away from the airport, I'm not worried.

So, are you saying that compromising my itinerary for anything in Killarney is not worth it??
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Old Feb 26th, 2017, 02:22 PM
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The point of Killarney is that its a base with options, Ring of Kerry, National Park, Muckross Gap of Dunloe and Black valley etc etc, if you drive over from Kilkenny via Cashel you won't see much that day and the next ur up and off to Dingle so don't see anything. Based on that Killarney makes no sense.

Thing I have about new places, meeting new people in New places I like to meet someone who lives there, has roots there. no point going to Dingle to chat to some bloke from Dublin who just bought a Holiday home there off the old bloke I used to sit and talk to about farming, fishing and what was happening around the place. Or some bod that's just got off a coach and wants to know where they can see fungi?
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Old Feb 28th, 2017, 07:40 AM
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Thanks for all the advice. Figured I would update you all on our plans. We ended up deciding to use an extra vacation day to extend our trip a day. Thus, no compromises! Just booked our flights officially last night. Originally I wanted to fly into Dublin and out of Shannon but some direct flights to and from Dublin won me over. Figured we would just do our two nights in Dublin on the back end instead of the front, like planned.

As for Killarney, we are staying in Killarney one night as a way to split up the drive from Kilkenny to Dingle and a base to be close to the Gap of Dunloe. After our stay in Killarney, in the AM we are going to do a self guided hike to the top of the Gap of Dunloe (parking at Kate Kearneys).....I believe it is 3.5 miles one way (that is to the summit...not the entire thing). Probs have lunch at Kate Kearneys and then make our way to Dingle. Don't think that day should be too rushed.

Thanks again for everyone's feedback!! If anyone has a B&B in Killarney they loved, I am all ears!
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Old Feb 28th, 2017, 01:19 PM
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Generally for Killarney, Sunnybank B&B or the Eviston Hotel.
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Old Mar 1st, 2017, 08:18 AM
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We had a wonderful stay at Killarney Lodge:
https://killarneylodge.ie/about-killarney-lodge/
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