My daughter and her boyfriend, both 23 years old, will be in Ireland for a week later this summer. They will be on a pretty tight budget - looking for ideas to maximize their available travel funds. Anyone have suggestions for cheap, but safe lodging? They have looked at paddywagon ... but are wondering if there might be better options. Ideas for eating on the cheap? Itinerary ideas?

They will arrive and depart from Dublin, but hope to figure out a good way to see some other areas of the country in the limited amount of time they have. This is their first trip to Ireland, but they have both traveled in Europe once before (not with each other) a few years ago.

Have them check out throntree's chat board, I believe it is geared towards backpackers.

I travel to Dublin quite a bit for work and find it to be VERY expensive. But there are cheaper places to eat, street food, fast food etc. Check out Jury's Inn for reasonable rates, I think my hubby and I got a room at one of their locations for €120 a night last year.

Dublin is relatively expensive, as jamikins says. This hostel is well located, and has a good reputation: http://www.kinlaydublin.ie/ I can't vouch for it personally, as I don't have to rent accommodation in Dublin.

I am sure that your daughter and her boyfriend know how things work: once you are in a hostel, there is information exchanged on value-for-money eating and tourism options. In that part of the city (which is fairly central) there are some less expensive eateries, including Burdock's, considered by many to be the best chipper in Ireland.

Paddywagon has a good reputation. Their target market is the young and those who like to think they are young.

One option that the might consider is to base themselves in Dublin and make day trips to places like Glendalough, Newgrange, and Kilkenny.

I think jamikins may have meant thorntree NOT "throntree".
I just returned from a wet day in Dublin on Sunday. Nearly hit by a car running a redlight so tell them to be careful!!
Dublin was OK, the countryside is much better. A 20 something I met on the plane who had been traveling Europe in hostels for a month did not care for Dublin but loved Galway.

Sorry, yes deladeb, I did mean THORNTREE!

We spent several days in January in Dublin on the cheap.

Here's my trip report. Maybe there are a few ideas they can use!

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm