Yep, I would highly recommend the hop-on hop-off bus tour, friends of ours from Glasgow were in Dublin recently, they went on the tour and had great craic, the drivers are good, and have a great sense of humour, and you learn quite a lot about dublin, dont miss it.

Lucielou, thanks again for all the insight. Don't think anyone in Dublin can know any more than you!! Pick a pub, and my wife and I would love to share "the black stuff" with you nexy summer.

You are more than welcome Rog, glad to be of help.
Let me know when you will be in Dublin next summer, and we are not on holidays, me and my hubby will meet you and you better half :)!! for a drink

Lucielou, we will be there the first weekend of August. Just pick a place for that drink!! Are you and your husband available at 5:30 AM when we arrive?? Again, thanks for all the insight and help. You're terrific!!

lucielou,

we are going to be in dublin in Dec. and I was just wondering besides the food places that you mentioned as your favorite. Do youknow of any good fish and chips places and once that have good Irish food?

thank you

Hi ya Princess,I have to admit i'm not really into fish and chips myself, so all i can recommend are the following, i'm told they are good

Beshoffs Fish and Chip Shop
14 Westmoreland Street.

Beshoffs Fish and Chip Shop
7 Upper O'Connell Street.

Leo Burdocks in Werberg Street.

As for Irish food, exactly what are you looking for? Do you mean traditional Irish food,ie Cabbage and bacon and spuds? if so , most of the old pubs around Dublin will do those sort of pub lunchs, to be honest, there is not much call for that type of food any more,its not very tasty in my book! The older generation will still eat it, but most of the younger people dont bother. Ireland has beautiful beef and pork, so you will find most good restaurants will be to your liking. I generally find the pub lunchs are the best for traditional food.

There are many beautiful fish and seafood restaurants in Dublin. Have a look at the link below

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguid..._restaurants-i

Hope this is of some help to you, if not, let me know and i will try to get some more names.

lucielou,

I have been reading your responses and enjoy them very much. My question is related to Dublin and Ireland travel but at a more basic level. My wife and I have never been to Ireland. We live in Boston and see inexpensive airfares if one travels in January or February. I researched temperatures that time of year and it is certainly a little warmer than Boston but not short sleeve weather. Would you recommend this time of year for a first timer? Alternatively, should we pay the premium and come in the summer? Also, if we have 7 to 8 days, how many would you recommend in Dublin and where would you suggest we travel from there? Thank you.

Hiya Iguazu
I know I should be promoting tourism in Dublin, but I feel I should be honest with you, personally speaking, I wouldnt choose Jan or Feb to come if I could afford the Summer, it can be bitterly cold in Jan & Feb, and also very wet plus the days are very short then so you are limited with where you can travel and the sights you want to see. The summer can be dodgy here in Ireland, as i'm sure you are aware, but you will always get a some decent weather. Save you pennies for Summer, and come then:)
As for where to come, well if you have 7 or 8 days, thats not that long really, so you need to choose wisely, do you like cities or do you prefer the countryside, what kind of holiday are you looking for, cultural, shopping, or just wanting to see the country. I would suggest 2 days in Dublin, then maybe 2 or 3 days in Cork/Kerry, then head up North to Donegal and around Antrim, the coast of Antrim is stunningly beautiful. It will be a tiring trip trying to fit everything in, but Dont miss Kerry,Cork or Donegal if you like beautiful scenery. I would also suggest you hire a car, dont depend on public transport,you miss so much when you are dependent of public transport, plus its slower than a snail going to china! I will let you know if I come up with any other places you could visit.

Thank you for your very helpful suggestions. Based on them, we'll wait until the summer for our visit and add a few more days to the original seven days we planned. As we get closer to the actual planning time, I'll write with more specifics. Enjoy the winter.

Prices tend to start going down for flights sept Oct and its also a nice time of year. They seem to go hoigher from May onbwards for the summer season.

Also beware the early houses :-) I would not reccommend these places unless you are from Dublin and probably drunk as a skunk before you go in :-).

A lovely old style pub across from the Westin on Fleet street in Temple Bar is the Palace bar. Its an old victorian style bar and has literary links. I cannpot think of anything open at 5:30 but it will take time to get your luggage and make you way to town so you may be closer to 7:30 by the time you get in and many places are open for breakfast near this time or eight. Close to the Hotel is Elephant and Castle which does a good breakfast from 8 or 8:30am on fleet street (?) just down from the Oliver St John Gogherty pub.

Sorry for the interruption -
Lucielou, do you have a Dundalk connection by any chance??

Nope, no Dundalk connection, Dublin through and through;)

Ah! For a moment there I thought it really was a small world (wide web) and that you might be someone I knew!

Aw sorry to disappoint you! :)