4 teachers planning an Ireland Adventure:Itinerary insights, please
Dec 28th, 2004, 08:03 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 403
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
4 teachers planning an Ireland Adventure:Itinerary insights, please
Greetings Fellow Travelers:
What started out as 2 good travel buddies planning their annual re-energizing summer trip, has become a 4-some. We were not interested in driving and sought out tours. Being on a bus with 45+ people seemed not quite the intimate way to get to know a beautiful country...so luckily a husband has agreed to be our driver and another teacher friend is joining us. Please critique and/or offer possible accomodations.Our itinerary as it stands:
Dublin- 2 nights- Glenveagh Townhouse
Kilkenny-1 night- Berkeley House
Kinsale- 2 nights-O'Donovan's or Old Bakery
Dingle-2 nights-Captain's House, Alpine Guest House, or Greenmount
Galway- 2 nights-College Crest House or Petra House or Four Seasons
Dublin- 1 night
Then the 2 original travelers fly RyanAir to visit another teacher friend in Cardiff, Wales, ending in London (hope to use husband's points for free hotel there).
Appreciate any pointers for the Ireland episode. Thanks so much.
What started out as 2 good travel buddies planning their annual re-energizing summer trip, has become a 4-some. We were not interested in driving and sought out tours. Being on a bus with 45+ people seemed not quite the intimate way to get to know a beautiful country...so luckily a husband has agreed to be our driver and another teacher friend is joining us. Please critique and/or offer possible accomodations.Our itinerary as it stands:
Dublin- 2 nights- Glenveagh Townhouse
Kilkenny-1 night- Berkeley House
Kinsale- 2 nights-O'Donovan's or Old Bakery
Dingle-2 nights-Captain's House, Alpine Guest House, or Greenmount
Galway- 2 nights-College Crest House or Petra House or Four Seasons
Dublin- 1 night
Then the 2 original travelers fly RyanAir to visit another teacher friend in Cardiff, Wales, ending in London (hope to use husband's points for free hotel there).
Appreciate any pointers for the Ireland episode. Thanks so much.
Dec 29th, 2004, 12:21 PM
#3
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 560
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The first time we went to Ireland - we tried to hit several towns over a month - (and went to all on your list plus more). When I returned home, I was very dissappointed with the trip. We just found so many Irish towns are the same - and we ran around frantically and didn't connect with what makes Ireland special - the people. What differentiates Ireland (to me) is the small town life and the lovely, friendly people. We have returned several times since this first trip (my husband is the product of Sandra O'Dwyer and Patrick Callahan)- and now we base ourselves in a small town near Kinsale flying into Cork... and we love it. We hang out at the Pub every night (we are not bar people back home)... we sing around the piano (every year someone asks us to sing Yankee Doodle Dandy), we did a fund raiser walk and had tea afterwards (over 200 people with glass mugs!).. we went to a wedding reception (with great Irish music)... we hike, visit Kinsale and other small towns nearby, and of course cheesy Blarney castle and the lovely gardens. We might take one long day trip - last year we went to Bantry. I think Ireland is one country best viewed with a microscope than a telescope.
Dec 29th, 2004, 04:22 PM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 403
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for sharing your experiences, Julie. I certainly don't want to be spending all our time driving and not taking time to drink everything in (and I don't mean just the Guinness!). We'll see what towns we could cut out and spend longer in just a few instead. As this is our first trip to Ireland, want to see a range, but not go crazy. . Happy travels!
Dec 30th, 2004, 04:43 AM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 560
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Every opinion differs - but if I were to cut something out - I'd consider Galway. You really don't have time to do much more than the city - and I didn't find the city that special compared to the other places on your list.
Dec 30th, 2004, 05:03 AM
#6
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Consider flying open jaws, into Shannon and out of Dublin. Then revers the order of your towns: start in Galway, then go to Dingle, Kinsale then Dublin. Galway makes a good 'first day' city when you're jetlagged. the second day drive around Connemara. The third day head to Dingle, stopping at the Cliffs of MOher. Personally, I'd spend an extra day or two in Dingle. Then head to Kenmare, stopping in Killarney & Gap of Dunloe on the way. Have a day or two on the Beara Peninsula. Depending on how much you really want to see Dublin, I'd use those days in Kinsale or Kilkenny. Remember that driving is slow over there, so you'll spend most of a day moving between stops, so the fewer bases the better.
Dec 30th, 2004, 05:57 AM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 560
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Great advice... we always fly open jaw rather than backtrack - and it typically costs very little extra (though perhaps a rental car drop off fee in this case). Another true point -distances in Ireland can be decieving. The major roads are fast - but once you leave them it is slower going than you may plan for.
Dec 30th, 2004, 06:23 AM
#8
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 897
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Personally, I'd miss Galway completely. The most interesting part of Galway (the county) is west and north and not the city. Save that for another trip and spend more time in the south.
Can recommend three pubs in Kinsale, one for meals and two for atmosphere. The White House has great food and is supposed to be one of the oldest pubs in Kinsale. Get a corner seat and stay for hours people watching. We particularly enjoyed the cream of leek and potato soup and they have a delicious salad with a house dressing. Also make a mean Irish stew.
Found the Mad Monk a lot of fun with great seats looking onto the street where you can do some more people watching while listening to great music. It's decorated with pine planks on the floor, candles in wine bottles and everyone was very friendly. I drank Bass and Smithicks ale while we were there, my husband tackled the Guiness.
If you have time, which it looks as if you don't, there are a couple of places you can visit from Kinsale. Three to the west - Youghal, Ardmore and Cobh, and Carrigaline to the south. Youghal has beautiful beaches to walk on and a great seafood restaurant - Aherne's, as well as a place to buy lovely pottery for gifts - Jack O'Patsy's. Also the area where they filmed Moby Dick with Gregory Peck and you can have a pint at The Moby Dick where John Huston also hung out.
I've written about Ardmore many times on this site, beautiful little place with a great pub. If you go into Paddy Mac's at lunchtime you'll see all the fellows from across the road at the garage in for their break. Lots of fun in the evening, too, particularly when the musicians come in. They just kind of crowd everyone over a bit and set up in the corner. Wander about the town, see one of the few remaining Round Towers in Ireland, the amazing Cliff Walk - which is about 2 miles - and will get all the cobwebs out of your belfry. Get an ice cream cone at the corner store and watch the nuns from the local covent walk about in twos, wearing the old-fashioned habits and always giving you a wonderful smile when you catch their eye. Or take a swim in the ocean.
Cobh has also been written about by others, but is really worth a visit, particuarly because you are teachers and if you have Irish ancestors, who if they travelled to North America probably left from here. Also interesting if you are a Titanic or Lusitania nut.
Carrigaline is not a tourist town, but has one of the best potteries. They have an amazing variety of dishes, we bought an entire set of their Blueband, which looks like the English Cornishware. Although they would have shipped it for us, we decided to take care of it ourselves. Can have a great cup of coffee there, too.
Wherever you go I'm sure you'll have a great time. My advice would be to see less and enjoy it more, but then I'm more of a putterer, not the long-distance runner type. Have fun.
Can recommend three pubs in Kinsale, one for meals and two for atmosphere. The White House has great food and is supposed to be one of the oldest pubs in Kinsale. Get a corner seat and stay for hours people watching. We particularly enjoyed the cream of leek and potato soup and they have a delicious salad with a house dressing. Also make a mean Irish stew.
Found the Mad Monk a lot of fun with great seats looking onto the street where you can do some more people watching while listening to great music. It's decorated with pine planks on the floor, candles in wine bottles and everyone was very friendly. I drank Bass and Smithicks ale while we were there, my husband tackled the Guiness.
If you have time, which it looks as if you don't, there are a couple of places you can visit from Kinsale. Three to the west - Youghal, Ardmore and Cobh, and Carrigaline to the south. Youghal has beautiful beaches to walk on and a great seafood restaurant - Aherne's, as well as a place to buy lovely pottery for gifts - Jack O'Patsy's. Also the area where they filmed Moby Dick with Gregory Peck and you can have a pint at The Moby Dick where John Huston also hung out.
I've written about Ardmore many times on this site, beautiful little place with a great pub. If you go into Paddy Mac's at lunchtime you'll see all the fellows from across the road at the garage in for their break. Lots of fun in the evening, too, particularly when the musicians come in. They just kind of crowd everyone over a bit and set up in the corner. Wander about the town, see one of the few remaining Round Towers in Ireland, the amazing Cliff Walk - which is about 2 miles - and will get all the cobwebs out of your belfry. Get an ice cream cone at the corner store and watch the nuns from the local covent walk about in twos, wearing the old-fashioned habits and always giving you a wonderful smile when you catch their eye. Or take a swim in the ocean.
Cobh has also been written about by others, but is really worth a visit, particuarly because you are teachers and if you have Irish ancestors, who if they travelled to North America probably left from here. Also interesting if you are a Titanic or Lusitania nut.
Carrigaline is not a tourist town, but has one of the best potteries. They have an amazing variety of dishes, we bought an entire set of their Blueband, which looks like the English Cornishware. Although they would have shipped it for us, we decided to take care of it ourselves. Can have a great cup of coffee there, too.
Wherever you go I'm sure you'll have a great time. My advice would be to see less and enjoy it more, but then I'm more of a putterer, not the long-distance runner type. Have fun.
Dec 30th, 2004, 06:54 AM
#9
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 897
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry, forgot to recommend the third pub in Kinsale - it's early and I haven't taken my medication yet! The Spaniard is on a hill away from the main part of town, has tons of atmosphere and you wouldn't be surprised if Sir Walter Raleigh came in and pounded on the bar for a pint.
Dec 30th, 2004, 07:21 AM
#10
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 525
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Having visited all of these cities in Ireland, I would agree with the above and leave out Galway(you'll get enough big city with Dublin which has so much more to offer and I enjoyed much more than Galway).
I would opt for spending the 2 days in Kenmare...Killarney National Park (not Killarney the town)is a not to be missed! My second option would be 1 Kenmare, 1 Doolin...the Cliffs of Moher were another not to be missed for me.
We did stay in two B&B's you have picked, you may want to reconsider...
Kilkenny-Berkeley House was more of a small hotel, not very friendly and the only place we stayed without hot water, but it did have off street parking,was close to Kilkenny Castle, and had a moderate price.
Kinsale-O'Donavan's had a friendly host, moderate price, and was centrally located but VERY noisey at night and parking in an "at your own risk" lot up the street (we didn't have a problem, but unlike other places we stayed at, we felt compelled to drag all our bags and souvenirs up to the room).
I preferred Cashel to Kilkenny which I found to be bigger than expected, confusing to drive in and not as friendly/fun. It is the one town I would not stay in again or recommend to a friend. This is the only town where all of the pubs we came across had a cover for music. Did enjoy the castle and loved Jerpoint Abbey just outside of town.
All and all you can't go too wrong...you'll be in Ireland! Enjoy the Murphy's, it's really not the same back home.
Slainte!
I would opt for spending the 2 days in Kenmare...Killarney National Park (not Killarney the town)is a not to be missed! My second option would be 1 Kenmare, 1 Doolin...the Cliffs of Moher were another not to be missed for me.
We did stay in two B&B's you have picked, you may want to reconsider...
Kilkenny-Berkeley House was more of a small hotel, not very friendly and the only place we stayed without hot water, but it did have off street parking,was close to Kilkenny Castle, and had a moderate price.
Kinsale-O'Donavan's had a friendly host, moderate price, and was centrally located but VERY noisey at night and parking in an "at your own risk" lot up the street (we didn't have a problem, but unlike other places we stayed at, we felt compelled to drag all our bags and souvenirs up to the room).
I preferred Cashel to Kilkenny which I found to be bigger than expected, confusing to drive in and not as friendly/fun. It is the one town I would not stay in again or recommend to a friend. This is the only town where all of the pubs we came across had a cover for music. Did enjoy the castle and loved Jerpoint Abbey just outside of town.
All and all you can't go too wrong...you'll be in Ireland! Enjoy the Murphy's, it's really not the same back home.
Slainte!
Dec 30th, 2004, 07:50 AM
#11
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 311
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
With 10 nights available to you, there is much, much more you can do in Ireland.
Others have suggested skipping Galway. I would agree except that it does serve as an excellent base from which you can visit the Connemara environs, and Joyce Country. Taken by itself, Galway is an interesting city for no more than a day. As a base, however, you could easily find lots to do for two or three nights. We stayed in the Salthill suburb, and the public transportation made it easy to get into the city for a few hours.
I have not done Dublin, so I cannot recommend it, but what we did in Ireland emphasized the southwest on our first trip. We came in from the States at Shannon, and visited Dingle, Kenmare, Doolin, Galway and returned to spend the first and last nights near the airport.
Among the experiences we found particularly easy in Ireland was interacting with people. Just get out of the room, and it will happen. In pubs, restaurants, walking the street, doing the "touristy" sites, we chatted and laughed with both natives and visitors. It was as if the "reaching out" aspect was contagious. (I really believe it was the Guiness effect...)
But to the point: You need two full days in Dingle, to do the peninsula drive, stopping, and wandering to areas along the way. Greenmount is teriffic as a lodging choice.
Kenmare is an excellent base to visit Killarney, the national park, and places south of the Ring of Kerry. Kenmare is one of those town where people REALLY interact in shops, etc., and it is extremely attractive. Do at least two nights.
Dingle provides the Cliffs of Moher (weather permitting), traditional music, and a base from which you can visit the Burren. Two nights should be sufficient.
This would leave you a night or two as your option on a 10-night visit. The point is, focus on a smaller chunk of Ireland and absorb that -- be it the east and southeast, or the west and southwest. Trying to start in the east, swinging around the south and making a circular route up the west will fuzz up the trip. You'll have trouble remembering details when you get back.
Good luck. (Great problem, having too much to do....)
Jim
Others have suggested skipping Galway. I would agree except that it does serve as an excellent base from which you can visit the Connemara environs, and Joyce Country. Taken by itself, Galway is an interesting city for no more than a day. As a base, however, you could easily find lots to do for two or three nights. We stayed in the Salthill suburb, and the public transportation made it easy to get into the city for a few hours.
I have not done Dublin, so I cannot recommend it, but what we did in Ireland emphasized the southwest on our first trip. We came in from the States at Shannon, and visited Dingle, Kenmare, Doolin, Galway and returned to spend the first and last nights near the airport.
Among the experiences we found particularly easy in Ireland was interacting with people. Just get out of the room, and it will happen. In pubs, restaurants, walking the street, doing the "touristy" sites, we chatted and laughed with both natives and visitors. It was as if the "reaching out" aspect was contagious. (I really believe it was the Guiness effect...)
But to the point: You need two full days in Dingle, to do the peninsula drive, stopping, and wandering to areas along the way. Greenmount is teriffic as a lodging choice.
Kenmare is an excellent base to visit Killarney, the national park, and places south of the Ring of Kerry. Kenmare is one of those town where people REALLY interact in shops, etc., and it is extremely attractive. Do at least two nights.
Dingle provides the Cliffs of Moher (weather permitting), traditional music, and a base from which you can visit the Burren. Two nights should be sufficient.
This would leave you a night or two as your option on a 10-night visit. The point is, focus on a smaller chunk of Ireland and absorb that -- be it the east and southeast, or the west and southwest. Trying to start in the east, swinging around the south and making a circular route up the west will fuzz up the trip. You'll have trouble remembering details when you get back.
Good luck. (Great problem, having too much to do....)
Jim
Jan 2nd, 2005, 08:20 PM
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 403
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've been pondering all the good advice offered, and have attempted to work out a better itinerary. Major problem is the four of us will be splitting at the end and going in different directions.
A few tweaks to the plan:
Dublin 2 nights
Kilkenny
Kinsale 2 nights
Dingle "
Kenmare "
Cork- 1 night before flying to Cardiff, Wales or connecting to flights to US.
I took off Galway from the original plan, and realize we are doubling back a bit from Dingle to Kenmare. Does this seem more realistic with less long drives between stops?
Thanks, appreciate your insights.
A few tweaks to the plan:
Dublin 2 nights
Kilkenny
Kinsale 2 nights
Dingle "
Kenmare "
Cork- 1 night before flying to Cardiff, Wales or connecting to flights to US.
I took off Galway from the original plan, and realize we are doubling back a bit from Dingle to Kenmare. Does this seem more realistic with less long drives between stops?
Thanks, appreciate your insights.
