help, we're in ireland now and it won't stop raining.
 

HELP! Today is day one of (what is forecasted to be) seven days of rain!!!
We are presently in Kenmare, have no resevations until Friday and would prefer to avoid Dublin. Any suggestions?

P.S. And yes, we have learned our lesson about traveling in the off-season. : )

It's Ireland. This means that rain is quite likely anytime of the year. According to the locals I have asked, it can be quite rainy anytime of the year and weather data appear to agree. So, when visitng Ireland you must adjust. Drive more carefully, spend more time in the pubs etc. Dublin may also be a good place to camp for a few days in the rain unless you have already seen Dublin. Pat Preston also has a good website for Ireland and she is very good about answering questions like yours in more detail.

OK- rain? Ireland? Who'd a thought?

With a few exceptions, you can do all the same things in the rain that you can on a sunny day. Castles, beaches, etc don't close in the rain. All my trips to the UK and Ireland I just assume it will rain and then it is gravy if the weather is nice. So just head to wherever you were planning in the first place.

Go to the nearest pub and have a Guiness with the locals. Enjoy the Ceoil agus Craic (singing and fun).

It simply isn't true that "it won't stop raining". And there's no forecast of seven days of non-stop rain.

It's going to rain a lot today (Tuesday). It'll rain a bit for the next few days. As it does in Ireland every season of the year.

There's no lesson here about travelling in the off-season: God doesn't base His weather decisions on the presence of foreign tourists.

If you were dumb enough to come here without the right clothes, go and buy them now. Then get out into Ireland's wonderful countryside.

And for crying out loud, stop dramatising and learn to read a weather forecast.

Geez! And I thought my reaction was unsympathetic!

OK It will not rain all week so cheer up :-) It never really does anyway.
1. There is no 7 day forcast in Ireland as it changes too quickly. If you find one on an international site for ireland don't believe it.
2. Forcast for Tralee is light rain today and tomorrow and Thurs/Fri mixed clouds (there can be great days for travelling and sightseeing and Sat cloudy. see http://www.ireland.com/weather/cities/tralee.htm.

As my gradma used to say
"You're not made of sugar, you'll not melt"

As the others have said, buy a light raincoat and go out and enjoy yourself and if it's pouring, nip into a pub.

other respnses are on the duplicate thread
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34693743

See http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34693967

Best wishes,

Rex

Wow, what happy and helpful people. I love this place sometimes. It just warms my heart.

If it is really raining that hard, and you are in Kenmare, take the road on the north coast of the Beara Peninsula. Look for the little sign to the Inchaquin Falls. If you get to the Healy Pass road, you've gone too far. You'll have to pay the farmer a couple of Euro to walk back, but the falls should be out of control beautiful with all of the rain. It's a bit slipperry by the way so watch your step. You can easily see the falls from the other side of the Kenmare river on a clear day on the coast road between Kenmare and Sneem.

Bill

Don't let the rain spoil your trip - Ireland's all about rain!

I once spent three weeks in June in the Dordogne with my kids and it rained 19 of the 21 days. After a couple of days of moping around and reading, we just started doing what we'd normally be doing. We went horseback riding in the rain, hiking in the rain, canoeing in the rain, even swimming in the rain. We look back on that as one memorable trip!

There's never bad weather -- only bad clothes. ((b))

Hi Kate,

You have a car I presume? Rain slickers and waterproof shoes are highly recommended and then laugh at the weather! Don't you just love all that free romantic Irish atmosphere? ; )

I highly recommend the museum at Cobh, a departure port for the immigrant ships. The Gap of Dunlough..gorgeous. The Rock of Cashel (really a group of Medieval buildings), an assembly place for Irish Kings and subsequently a church - St. Patrick and Brian Boru (it doesn't get much more goosepimply than that). Innishmoore and the Aran Islands, beehives in Dingle, Galway is a huge party city with lots of cool shopping and why don't you want to go to Dublin? It's a ditto party town and fabulous museums of Irish artifacts, Trinity and Dublin Archaeology. If you have any interest in Irish authors there are museums for them - James Joyce is fantastic! Tara - where the ancient Irish Kings got together! Bewleys for soda bread. Eat fish and boxties (potato pancakes)from coast to coast and don't forget the Guinness!

If you notice many locals walk around sans umbrellas or jacket of any kind - it's a mindset! Hope you find a lot of things to interest you!

kakalena

We had an incredibly romantic then somewhat scary then somewhat funny walk in a drizzle turned strong storm outside of Roundstone. I don't think we'll ever forget it. Learn to love the rain.

Thank you Bill for the Beara tip. I find myself kind of hoping for rain when we're in the area in May.

It could be worse; you could be home in the rain. It has been raining here for a week. I'd much rather be in Ireland staying warm in a pub. Stay dry.
((c))

Hi oopsy. I'll be driving by there in May myself. Perhaps we will pass each other. It's pretty poorly marked but there are some beautiful walks there. Stop and have a pot of tea at the farmers cottage.

Bill

When we were in Antrim County of Northern Ireland they said, "If you can't see Scotland it's raining, if you can, it's going to rain."

Kate1-

My family consisting of me, my husband, 11 month old daughter, brother in law, 7 year old niece and my parents went to Ireland at the end of May. The first day we were there it was so windy and cold I couldn't believe it. They said the wind was stronger than they normally get. We actually took a ride up the coast north of Doolin(We have stayed twice at the Ballyvara House and it is great!!!!!) and went to the beach and discovered the burren.

Put the rain behind you....put on a raincoat and cloves if it's cold and have a great time. A pub is always a great way to get dry and warm up!

Here's another perspective. We, who have to go to our mundane jobs (mine is), would gladly trade places with you who is on vacation even if the rain is falling.