~~Got Any Good Ideas?~~
 

Hi there, <BR> I will be travelling Ireland and Northern Ireland for about a week and a half during the end of June and I was wondering if there was anyone who could give me some advice on some really great things to see or do. I would love to hear from some natives or anyone who has travelled the island and has any good ideas to share with me. Thanks for your help!

Lisa, <BR>Check out www.ireland.travel.com and all the relevant links to the regions from that site include the link to northern ireland site. For events in Dublin check out www.ireland.com. When travelling in N Ireland in June avoid any town that has a parade as they are flash point issues rfor both communities. Pre book B&Bs etc in the large cities as June - Aug is high season. Are you renting a car ? Public transport in Ireland is not the best. Have a good time and post if you have any more specific questions, <BR> <BR>Cathy

We just got back from an incredible trip to Ireland. We spent two days in Dublin, which was fun, but wish now that we used the extra to travel more of the country. <BR> <BR>I wouldn't waste time on the Ring of Kerry, boring in most places. The Muckross House is a must-see though. <BR> <BR>When you get to Ireland try to find a Heritage Card. You can purchase this for $15 per adult and it will let you in to lots of historic places. There is a brochure, which shows all of the places it works for. Check that out first, but the card will save you money. <BR> <BR>Spend time on the Dingle Peninsula, we found quite a few neat places to visit there. <BR> <BR>Do try to get an automatic car if you can. We had two vans for 8 people and the four drivers spent a lot of time getting used to shifting with their left hands and trying to find reverse. <BR> <BR>Have fun!

Hi Kim, Where does one obtain the heritage card? This is the first time I've heard of it and I've done quite a bit of planning. Your messages are great to read as my family of four is spending 10 full days in Ireland at the end of June. Seven days will be spent on the Dingle Peninsula! We're looking forward to it as you can imagine. Sounds like the Heritage Card would be great for us. Where can I find one? Thanks so much!

Leslie, <BR>Check out www.heritageireland.com. It lists all the sites that you can use your card at. <BR> <BR>There is a Heritage Card Application Form on the site which you can fill in and post prior to your departure or else just wait and purchase it at one of the sites. The Dúchas Heritage Card cover many heritage sites - all the state controlled ones. It will give you (you can get single cards or a family card) unlimited admission for one year to over 60 heritage sites throughout the country. <BR> <BR>The card can be purchased in any of the following ways: via the web site. Simply print off and complete the form either fax or post it.You will get it within 28 days.If you are travelling soon then a Heritage Card can be purchased at most of the Dúchas heritage sites. <BR> <BR>Membership Categories: <BR>Price Irl £ Price Euro <BR>Adult 15.00 19.05 <BR>Senior Citizen 10.00 12.70 <BR>Child/Student 6.00 7.62 <BR>Family 36.00 45.72 <BR> <BR>For more information: Mon-Fri 10.00-17.00 Telephone: +353 1 647 2461 <BR>Fax: +353 1 661 6764 <BR> <BR>email: [email protected] <BR> <BR>Postal address is Heritage Card Officer, <BR>Dúchas The Heritage Service <BR>6 Upper Ely Place, Dublin 2, Ireland <BR> <BR>Hope this helps, I would, if I were you, wait and buy it at the first site you visit. Post if you have any more questions, <BR> <BR>Cathy

Cathy <BR>Thanks for info about the Heritage card and all the other tidbits of endless information. Keep wishing for good weather for the end of June! <BR>Leslie

Six Counties (northern Ireland) is a wonderful place to visit (not a lot of tourists); stay in the local B&Bs (mostly widow ladies who rent out rooms, and feed you a breakfast that keeps Christian Barnard in business). Some of the things to see: the hill where Ossian is buried (also where the Little People live); Giant's Causeway; Red Hugh's castle; Blue Mountains; Rathlin Island; Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge; Ulster Folk Museum; Bushmills Distillery. <BR> <BR>We had wonderful meals in terrific restaurants (the most exquisite meal I have ever eaten was at the Bushmills Inn, in the town of Bushmills), sometimes from guidebooks, sometimes by asking the widow lady (or cabbies!). <BR> <BR>We always felt safe, and welcome. <BR> <BR>Best of all, inexpensive for western Europe. <BR> <BR>

Connemara is fantastic.

I envy you! Dingle is so beautiful and has a bunch of hidden treasures. <BR> <BR>The Heritage Pass can be purchased at the Muckross House or Friary, the Blasket Centre, Ardfert Cathedral, which looks like it is north of Tralee a bit. I first saw it at the Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin. You can use it at 75 locations. Their website is <BR>www.heritageireland.ie <BR> <BR>Have fun and feel free to write back with more questions.

Hi folks, <BR>Just to warn you about the possible dangers of bringing Republic of Ireland registered cars into Northern Ireland. I found this in one of the Irish newspapers today. <BR> Three Irish-registered minibuses and a rental car were destroyed by <BR> arsonists in Belfast last night. <BR> <BR> The buses had brought 39 foreign visitors to Belfast and they attack was <BR> believed to be the work of hardline loyalists. <BR> <BR> "Other vehicles nearby were Northern Ireland registered and were not <BR> touched, so you can draw your own conclusions," one security source <BR> said. <BR> <BR> No-one was hurt when the vehicles, parked outside a hostel in a quiet <BR> city centre sidestreet, were torched around 1.30 a.m. <BR> <BR> The visitors were mainly young backpackers, according to one of the bus <BR> drivers. <BR> <BR> The hostel had to be cleared while a bomb disposal expert examined the <BR> burnt-out vehicles following a telephoned security alert. Security sources <BR> said no devices were found <BR> <BR>The Peace process is alive and well in N.Ireland and you shon't have any problems travelling in the North but just take added precautions about leaving Republic registered vehicles unsecured ie in hotel acr parks etc. Avoid any town in which there is a loyalist/orange parade in the months of June to August. have a good time and post if you have any questions, <BR> <BR>Cathy

Ireland actually punishes the non-stop traveller. To be rewarded by this country you have to stop the car; give yourself a quest…something that you have to search out, be it a place, an ancestor, an unusual souvenir or yourself. A few days spent in one locality should be much more rewarding than days spent grinding along narrow roads on the wrong side endlessly unpacking and packing up again. True, some areas are very beautiful on the right day but every country in the world can produce scenery. Leave the cities behind...you will recognise a lot of your nearest city in the cities of Ireland, but the soul of Ireland is in the country, in the towns and villages, down the boreens and in the fields. The moments you will remember are those where you stop; when you sit dangling your legs over the side of the harbour, or the hedge or the bar-stool and you listen and you hear the heartbeat of this special country.

good advice <BR>!

Favorite places near Enniskillen: <BR> <BR>Devenish Abbey, on an island in Lower Lough Erne. <BR> <BR>National Trust houses: Castle Coole and Florence Court. See: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/scri...rthern_Ireland