annieladd

We will be flying to Ireland from US for wedding in Galway. We plan to leave on a Friday (arriving on Saturday), travel around a bit, arrive in Galway on Thursday, do wedding on Friday, and return to US on either Saturday or Sunday. I will do my homework, but just thought I'd see if you have any suggestions for this short trip. DH will want to golf one day. The rest of the time we are happy to enjoy good food and wine, small villages, pretty sites, art, and history. We will have a car. Any general suggestions for an itinerary? Also, any specific suggestions for lodging in Galway would be appreciated. We love to travel in Europe, but have never considered Irelaned, so all suggestions are welcome. Thanks! annieladd

celticdreams

First recommendation: Don't even think about leaving on Saturday. I promise, even if you don't drink, you won't be in a condition to get to the airport and then fly home. Irish weddings, in my experience, last for hours and hours and hours - it's wonderful!

Where are you flying in and out of?

chatham

annieladd,

What are your dates?

Joan

chip

day 1-Doolin (good pubs/pub grub, music and nice B&B's) or Lahinch (golf)-see cliffs of moher and may have time to explore more of coast or burren
or
head further south cross killimer-tarbert ferry to ballybunion (golf)

days 2/3-Dingle(good pubs, music, dining, shopping, B&B's in town, site seeing)-slea head loop drive
also golf opportunities in nearbye Ballyferriter (this was option we used since Dingle provides shopping or other activities for nongolfers

days 4/5-Kenmare(good dining, pubs, music, B&B's, shopping, sites)-on way drive thru killarney national park (could tour gap of dunloe or muckross house and ross castle ) then past ladies view and moll's gap
next day could tour beara peninsula/healy pass

6/ drive to galway

I would agree with above to leave sunday...would also stay closer to airport last night (bunratty)

nycgirl1

I would fly into Dublin, spend 2 nights there, rent a car, and then make your way over to Galway.

Bunratty Castle, the Burren, Cliffs of Moher, Aran Islands, are my favorites.

Ditto not leaving on Saturday - you'll need a day to recover.

We have stayed at the SeaBreeze B&B in Galways and would recommend it.
http://www.seabreezelodge.org/

crazychick

Irish weddings are a blast and they last a long time. The one I went to in Cork Started in a pub on the Friday evening as everyone was flying or driving in town that day. The wedding was on the Saturday. People were still up at 9am on the Sunday morning. I am afraid I had was a light weight and went to bed at about 3am. Then Sunday afternoon was another get together the brides mother layed on a lovely sepcial tea to thank friends for travelling over to Cork and then it was all over to the pub again for everyone to say goodbye to each other. I was told that this is normal to celebrate for a few days. When we got back on the Monday I needed a day to recover i waa so tired, it was not such the drinking, but all the singing and dancing.

annieladd

Thanks for you responses. The wedding is in late April. We haven't yet decided where to fly in and out of, I guess we'll let our travel decisions dictate that. Thanks for the advice on not traveling on Saturday. We always like to have a day's rest before we head back to work, but it certainly sounds like it makes more sense to wait until Sunday to head back. Any other itinerary suggestions are most welcome! Thanks for all your comments. annieladd

chatham

annieladd,

Dingle is beautiful any time of year but April is magic. I'd head down to County Kerry and back up for the wedding. On your way going or coming you could stop by The Cliffs of Moher. I'd fly in and out of Shannon as that would save you so much driving and it is close to Galway. I don't have recommendations for Galway accommodations but I have for Dingle. Many of our fellow posters will have some places they have enjoyed staying.

Happy Planning, Joan

NEDSIRELAND

If you happen to viait NW County Mayo (aka the wild, wild west) north from Westport to Achill Island, you should continue to Belmullet where (IMHO) one of the World's best Golf Courses (Links, of course) is located for your DH to play. It costs about one fourth what he would spend at Ballybunion and they do have about a dozen 'buggies' (riding Golf Carts). There are good links layouts in County Galway, Clare (Lahinch) and Kerry (Ballybunion) but I prefer Carne Golf links in Mayo:
www.carnegolflinks.ie

Carne has the distinction of being grouped w/Ballybunion and Royal County Down as one of three top links courses in Ireland.