jhg

Hi everyone-
you have all been so very helpful in planning my july vacation!!! (i'm driving around ireland with my sister). but i have to say, this small portion of it is really confusing me and i would appreciate a little bit more of your help if you can stand me anymore.
the plan has changed so many times, but here's the idea:
1. we will be flying into shannon airport. i think we arrive around 9:30. we'll drive to ennis and spend the day there, staying at the grey gables b&b.
2. the next day we'll get an early start and go to the cliffs of moher and the burren and then head to galway, hopefully get there in time to see a little bit of galway.

now, the next few days are what are confusing me. i have 3 more nights to spend. i want to go to the aran islands, i want to see kylemore abbey, i think i want to stay in westport and i would like to go to the achill islands. anything else around here you would suggest seeing? after connemara we will be driving to bru na boine and staying in dublin.

can anyone recommend what i should do here? i was thinking of going to aran islands on day 3 and then either heading back to galway to stay or finding somewhere to stay nearby? and then proceeding to kylemore abbey and onto westport? then achill islands? and then possibly back to galway?
any suggestions would be so appreciated, as i am going slightly crazy with the planning.
thanks so so so much!
:0) joanna

CAPH52

FWIW, I can tell you that we stopped at Kylemore Abbey on our way from Galway to Westport. And that Achill Island (singular) is a nice day trip from Westport. I know it's long, but you can look at days three and four of my trip report (Our Wonderful Irish Celebration). I hope it helps! And, please feel free to ask me any questions!

I don't think you'd regret choosing either Westport or Achill Island. As far as I'm concerned, they were the best part of our trip!

NEDSIRELAND

You can get to te Aran Islands from Doolin (Co. Clare) or Ross a'Veal (Co. Galway). If you go from Galway they wil probably bus you to Ross a'Veal to get on the boat. I stayed a couple of nights in Ross a'Veal at An Cheibh Guesthouse: It's the first picture in my album http://groups.msn.com/NedsIrelandPubsandgolf It's about 500m from the boat dock; or you might stay in Spiddal. The Ross a'Veal guesthouse has Irish Country & Western music Thursdays and Trad Irish music Fridays. Sorry, I don't know their Phone # and I can't seem to find them in Galway listings.

Croagh Patrick isn't far off your route in southwest Co. Mayo; and when you head for Dublin you may want to visit Knock Shrine (in east Co. Mayo almost to Roscommon).

jhg

thanks so much everyone!
caph-you're the reason we even began looking at achill island in the first place. i took notes on your post!

lmhornet

"2. the next day we'll get an early start and go to the cliffs of moher and the burren and then head to galway, hopefully get there in time to see a little bit of galway."

Skip Galway. There is zip to see and the roads there are a horrendous maze. Save you energy. After the driving you'll be doing, you;ll need it.

celticdreams

I haven't driven this area, but I did spend a weekend in Galway a couple years ago. I loved it - it's a great town to walk around, relax, eat, drink, shop, etc. I would absolutely not skip it.

Worktowander

You might also consider staying the night on (presumably) Inishmor and taking a ferry back in the morning. It might help make your Aran's trip less rushed, then get you off to a fresh journey in the morning.

I have a B&B recommendation if you're interested.

SiobhanP

I would chooses a night in Inish Mor over Achill. Leave galway city go to Spiddle and get the ferry or Fly (Outside Spiddal) and spend a night. Then drive up tyo Westport through leannane and stop at kylemore on the way. Westport I woul;d enjoy and forget the car for a day or head to achill if you are looking for a day out. If you are there in the summer I love Clare Island. Its not too far from westport and you get the pirate queen ferry to it for a day. We brought our bike on the ferry. Its tiny and not built up at all but I loved it.

CAPH52

jhg, I'm glad my trip report influenced you towards Achill and Westport! I'm thinking maybe I should have clarified a bit in my response to this post. While I highly recommend Achill for a day trip, I'm not sure I'd recommend it as far as spending a night. I'm sure it's much different in summer. But, when we were there, there didn't seem to be a lot to do other than seeing the amazing scenery. It really depends on what you're looking for, of course.

jhg

i think what we will do is go to the aran islands via rossaveal on the third day, take the 5:00 ferry back and then find somewhere to stay near clifden, someone suggested roundstone?
the next day we will visit kylemore abbey and head up to achill island and then stay in westport. and then the next day drive back down to galway. how does that sound? any suggestions on where to stay near clifden, or basically between rossaveal and kylemore abbey?
and i really appreciate all of the help, even though the variety of responses are just confusing me more :0)
thanks so much!
joanna

wojazz3

Hi Joanna:

It sort of depends on how strong your interests are for the different places you are looking at. Let's consider the Burren and the cliffs day. First, hit the road early and get to the Cliffs early before all of the tour buses arrive. If you're going to walk the entire trail along the Cliffs and then walk any reasonable amount of the Burren, that will be a full day. If you are going to stop at the cliffs, walk along the edge for just a bit and then walk back (which is what most people do) you can probably spend 30-60 minutes there. Then drive through the Burren and stop at a few intersting spots (Poulnabrone dolman for instance). OK, why am I asking this? Because you might want to consider heading to Inverin, catching one of the afternoon flights (there is a 5:15 flight in the summer to Inishmor) and then spend one night on the island. Spend the next two in Westport. Here is the website for aer Arann (http://www.aerarannislands.ie/)

I don't agree with IMhornet that there is nothing to do in Galway, but from reading your posts, I don't see a lot of things that show an overwhelming interest. It does take a while to find your way around town, get parked and wander from there. It sounds like you could live with skipping it and not miss a lot.

Since everybody is linking you to there personal adventures, here are the ones that I've published online:

http://www.geocities.com/obeirne_ireland_2005_1/

http://www.geocities.com/obeirne_ireland_2003/

wojazz3

oops, I hit post accidentally:

and:

http://www.geocities.com/obeirne_ireland_2002/index.htm

Hope this helps

CAPH52

Hi, Joanna. I've never been to the Aran Islands so can't comment on that. Your itinerary the next day looks interesting. But I'm a little concerned you may be trying to do too much. I'm guessing we left Roundstone around 1:30 or so. We stopped at Kylemore Abbey and Croagh Patrick and didn't get into Westport until around 5:30.

The next day we spent at least 3 hours on Achill Island (and probably close to an hour stopping for pictures along the Atlantic Drive before we actually got on the island). And we didn't see everything we would really have liked. And then it's another hour or more back to Westport.

I've forgotten exactly when you're going. But I'm assuming it's during the summer. So the long days will help. And, of course, I don't know exactly what route you're taking. Or just how intensively you want to see the island.

But I'm hoping you'll get some input from others as to whether they think that's a lot of ground to cover in one day.

And I realize that I may be confusing you again! For which I apologize. It's not that I think it's not possible to cover that ground in the time you have. It's just that I'm wondering whether you'll have time to really enjoy it.

jhg

thank you so much! what wonderful websites and beautiful pictures!!!! i'll have to take some time to read through them. i cant wait to take pictures like that!!!

hopingtotravel

Just driving through Connemara is beautiful. If you want to save some money at Kylemore Abbey, it's most beautiful to take pictures outside. Paying to go inside is a bit of a rip-off as you don't see many rooms. If you're in the area, having a tipple or a bite at Ballynahinch Castle or at the large castle hotel near the "Quiet Man" town (sorry, the name briefly escapes me) is always recommended. I'm talking about the large castle on a lake where Pierce Brosnan had his wedding party stay.

Holldoll

You mean Ashford Castle on Lough Corrib near Cong.

lmhornet

"I haven't driven this area, but I did spend a weekend in Galway a couple years ago. I loved it - it's a great town to walk around, relax, eat, drink, shop, etc. I would absolutely not skip it."

Name one thing to see there that is special, unusual or of any interest whatever. Name one thing that every other city in Ireland doesn't have more and better? The restaurants are poor, the pubs average and the shopping boring.

NEDSIRELAND

About Galway, Imhornet writes: "Name one thing to see there that is special, unusual or of any interest whatever... restaurants are poor, the pubs average and the shopping boring."

Salthill (beach/promenade) area, the Claddagh Port, te Spanish Arch, Eyre (aka John F Kennedy) Square, 'Trad' Irish music in the afternoon (I don't like to wait until 10:00 PM) at several Pubs in the Pedestrian area (including Taaffes); BusEireann tours all over and Galway is a hub for BusEireann for the west of Ireland.

And. although I haven't been there for the annual Oyster festival, I like the seafood chowder at Garvey's.

SiobhanP

The arts festical, the Oyster festiuval and the races are all fantastic events the rest of the country does not have. Also I always feel its the San Francisico vibe as opposed to the more NY vive of the capital (I live here and love it too). Go 45 minutes outside in a car to spiddal and you will hear Irish Spoken in the pubs. Seafood is excellent and good fun nightlife. Do you live in Galway? when did you last visit if not? I always reccommend Galway to people heading to the West and then onwards. P.S. shopping is good everywhere if you like to shop ;-)

darnellkebo

We just got back from Ireland and we stayed in Galway for 3 days. One day we went through the Burren and the Cliffs of Mohr. One day we did the Connemara and Kylemore Abbey. One day we wandered around town and went to the Atlantaquaria, the Greyhound races, and checked out their local cinema.