Angie

My husband and I are planning a 15 day self drive vacation to Ireland this spring. We really hope to cover the best spots from the whole island in this time. We don't want to get too carried away and miss too much by rushing either. Do you think we can cover the major spots all over in that time or should we shoot for a particular region? Also, how easy is it to get a room in B&Bs or castles without pre-booking during late March-early April (post St. Patties pre Easter)? We'd rather not structure so much by making reservations but we don't want to sleep in the car every night either. We'd also appreciate itinerary suggestions. We're trying to get our flight into Shannon rather than Dublin. Thanks!

kATHY

We flew into Shannon and then traveled the local The roads in Ireland are just horrible and distances are longer than you could ever imagine as there is nothing in the US to compare with the conditions there. There isn't much to see in the interior and traveling around the area for 15 days should give you more that enough time to see the sights. See if you can land in shannon and leave from dublin. It is a beautiful country.

Maggie

15 days--- I am very jealous!!!! I do not think you will have any problem finding palces to stay, particularly at the time of year you are going. But I would suggest that once you have a tentative itinerary developed you think about making a few reservations. We usually try to do a mix of reservations and on our own. I try to find places that sound pretty special and reserve those so if you have a few nights of not so great, you have something to look forward to. ireland is so special----have a wonderful time.

christy

The roads in Ireland are not bad at all. We enjoyed the small winding roads (not all are like that), and the many small towns they wind through. We spent 15 nights last September but booked a variety of accommodations beforehand. I'd would advise staying 2-3 nights in a couple of areas and do daytrips. We flew into Shannon then drove down to Kinsale (my favorite) and then west and up the west coast through Connemara, but were able to do see the mid-country from daytips from Galway. It was pefect. Email me if you need any reccomendations, i'd be happy to help. You'll have a great time. We can't wait to return.

Tom

Dear Angie, <BR> <BR>I spent about 2 1/2 weeks in Ireland in the Summer of 98. I flew into Dublin and spent the first 3 days there dealing with jet lag and touring the city. There is much to do and see there -- Dublin Castle, Book of Kells, National Art Museum, Guinness Brewery, Grafton Street, etc., No need for a car -- too much traffic, no parking, right hand drive etc., Next, I took a train to Killarney and did some hiking in the area. Muckross house is a good stretch of the legs from city center. The next part of my trip was a hike around the Ring Of Kerry (Kerry Way) for a week or so (Bus to Glengeigh hike back to Killarney via Kenmare)-- I'll skip over that since this isn't anything you seem interested in. After getting back to Killarney I rented a car and drove along the Burren to Doolin, then up to Galway and Connemara. Then returned to Dublin going where the spirit took me. I dropped off the car at the airport. More to the point -- you may wish to combine rail/bus/auto. I wouldn't recommend long distance driving days -- if you have to cover a lot of ground the train is best. The car is best for short drives in scenic areas not well served by public transportation. <BR> <BR>The West of Ireland should not be missed. I would concentrate my touring there. B&B will not be a problem. You can book ahead each day thru the Irish Tourist Board using a public phone.

Kathleen

Dear Angie, Start with a loose plan of what you want to see, then stay or move on as the spirit takes you. You could do everything in 15 days, but you'd be driving so much it will take all the fun out of the holiday. The west coast is pretty spectacular, so fly into and out of Shannon if possible. A good start is in the SW, around Cork, then work your way through Co. Kerry, Co. Clare and up to Connemara. If you get a chance, stay for a day or two on Inishmore(not just a day trip)--buy Tim Robinson's local guidebook and set off on the back roads. Lodging shouldn't be a problem at this time of year--stop at the local booksellers and pick up the Bridgestone Guides for places to stay and eat. But if in your research you find someplace you'd really like to stay, go ahead and pre-book. I'll be there for three & 1/2 weeks in April, and will just stay in the West--it's so much more fun to stay in one spot for a few days and become a regular at the pub! Good luck with your trip, and e-mail me if you have any other questions.

Helen

Angie, my husband and I spent 17 days in Ireland last March. We found it relatively easy to get a room or B&B for the night. We would drive until around 4:00/5:00, stop and look for someplace to stay. We did, however, book a couple of castles in advance. We flew into Dublin and spent four days there before driving up the east coast to the north. We tended to drive along coast roads which I believe are slower. The roads are very narrow so get the smallest car possible. We could have probably spent 3 more weeks there and still not seen everything we wanted to but it was certainly a good start. Don't miss the north, it's incredibly beautiful! The area around Sligo and Mayo is what I always dreamt Ireland would look like. I had pictures in my head since both of my parents came from Ireland. The people are extremely friendly. When you're driving if they raise their finger to you don't worry, they're just giving you a bit of a wave. If you would like anymore information I have tons of guide books at home. Please e-mail me and I'd be happy to pass along any information I can. <BR>

maria

You can see a lot in the Republic in 2 weeks, though I'm not sure what "best spots" you mean. A couple of years ago, I went to Ireland in May and had no trouble finding accommodations as I needed them. I did not, however, go into Dublin—I'd been there twice before, in the 80s. Irish friends told me that now on weekends in Dublin, it can be hard to get a room on short notice, so that's something you might want to consider. Evidently, Dublin is a "Euro Spot" now. Itinerary suggestions? Try checking out the Dingle Peninsula, the Burren, Galway, Connemara, and up into Sligo, all along the west coast. (Inishmore, as someone above mentioned, is "trip-worthy," but I'd check out the cost of getting your car there, and the frequency of boats off-season—you could do a day-trip there, and simplify things, but you probably wouldn't get to see much of the island that way; personally, I'd skip Inishmore in favor of mainland travel, and keep the travel simple.) If you're ambitious, go even farther north into Donegal. It's gorgeous almost everywhere there. (Horn Head is spectacular.) Personally, I'd concentrate on the west part of island. If you want a good place in the east, the Carlingford Peninsula is nice, with a view of the Mourne Mountains across the water in Northern Ireland. Do you like "ancient sites"? If so, you might enjoy Newgrange, s. of Carlingford, n. of Dublin; it's a bit "Disneyfied" now, requiring a shuttle bus ride to the site, but it's still a major ancient site in Ireland, and a magnificent one at that. <BR>As for more traditional, mega-tourist sites like the Blarney Castle, I've always avoided most of them. Cashel is the one exception. It's not far from Limerick, and well worth the visit. If you want a special insight into a less "tooted" side of the Irish, visit Tobernault, a holy well site outside Sligo (locals will be happy to give directions). This well is highly used, and its setting is beautiful. Hope some of this info helps. You will love Ireland. (Also, I've never found the roads there bad at all.) <BR>

Lizzie

If you want to see the "real" ireland outside of the cities and away from the tourists. head north from Shannon and take in Mayo, Sligo and Donegal. This is truly God's land!