Third try's a charm;
Re-posting with Dublin in the topic line: sorry!

Well, we've booked all our lodgings for our trip in March/April, now for the next step of planning.

We arrive in Dublin at 8:40 on a Thursday morning and plan to pick up our rental car and head to Powerscourt garden. We're traveling with a toddler and would like to pick up car snacks, bottled water, diapers, etc. before we head into the garden. Can anyone suggest a convenient place near there or between the airport and there?

At home in the Chicago area we'd be looking for a Target or Walmart. Does Ireland have any kind of discount stores like that?

Thanks!

OK instead of taking any long detours you can a. go to the Spar shop (like a 7-11) in the short term car park area across from arrivals and stock up or wait 1 hour and do it in Enniskerry which is the small village you go through to get to the gardens and they will have a convenience shop there probably a SPAR as well. We don't have Target or Kmart style discount shops. Dunnes stores would be the closest as a department store with a supermarket attached and is mid priced.

Is there really no Tesco (the chain that wallops Wal-Mart wherever they both trade) along the airport-Powerscourt route?

I don't know my directions around Dublin/airport areas so I'm not sure the location will work for you, but there is a huge Tesco just about a mile or so outside the airport. It's right across the street from the Dublin Hilton Airport Hotel.

That said, why go through all that trouble upon arrival? As suggested above, go to one of the airport shops or the one quickmart shop that's located in the airport garage building and purchase the few necessaties that will get you through the first day. It may cost few extra $ but IMHO worth every penny at that moment of your trip.

There is a huge tesco in Malahide (Not the cute village but nearby in an industrial area) and this is near ish to the airport. It is impossible for me to explain how to get there without driving it myself. I think it is easier and quicker to get a spar shop at the airport and go to Tesco/Dunnes at a later time. Also less stressful as there may be some leftover rush hour traffic.

In case you are still set on Tesco, I copied these driving directions from the Hilton Airport hotels web site on how to get there from the airport. Tesco is right across the street from the hotel.

<b>Directions: Follow signs to the M1 and head towards City Centre. Take 1st exit off the M1 signposted M50 and take the Malahide exit. Continue on road and drive for 3 mins. The Hotel is situated on the left hand side of the Junction of the Malahide rd.</b>

There is a huge Tesco across from the Hilton Dublin Airport Hotel, its called Clare Hall in an area called Malahide, you will also see a very big Gym just beside it called Total Fitness.

When you leave the Airport follow these directions.


From M1 Motorway
take the exit where the M1 meets the M50. Follow the signs to Malahide along the N32 and continue on this road for approximately 3 Minutes. The hotel is situated on the left hand side of the junction of N32 and R107 . Once you see the hotel, you will also see Clare Hall, you cant miss it.
Lucie

Is there an echo around here???