Ireland 4 days Advice? and Easter, too
 

I am taking my 17 year old son to Ireland for 4 days arriving early Sat. March 26 leaving Wed March 30. We will be there over Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. We don't have a choice of dates because we are flying on to London for a week, then to Scotland after that for a conference.
We are scheduled to arrive in Dublin with one stop in Shannon to change planes. AFter reading all the posts, I'm wondering if we should get off the plane in Shannon and forgo Dublin.
I don't know what to do now. 4 days isn't much. Maybe we shouldn't even have bothered, but I wanted to see Ireland and I didn't know where so I just plugged in Dublin when I was getting the tickets.
So, where should we go for four days, bearing in mind it will be Easter. Will everything be closed? Do I need a car? Can I take my 17 year old into pubs? We're not much for museums or craft shops. He'd like a castle to visit or sleep in.
Thanks so much.
Thoroughly confused (and tired) Mom

If you want to 'see Ireland' you have two choices:
1)Get off at Shannon, rent a car and tour SOME of the west.
2)Go on to Dublin, tour the city and do some limited Daytrips.
Can you change your ticket relative to Shannon/Dublin easily enough (without incurring exorbinate change fees)? Most of what you say you are interested in would be more readily viewable in the west, but four days doesn't give you a lot of time. In the West, you could drive to Doolin and see the Cliffs of Moher and visit Gus O'Connor's Pub on Saturday. (Short day, as you'll be TIRED. Sunday, you could drive down to Dingle, via the Tarbert Ferry and Connor Pass, and spend the night in Dingle Town. Monday, you could tour Slea Head, visiting the Gallarus Oratory, the promontory fort and the Beehive Huts and end the day in Adare. Tuesday, drive to Limmerick, visit King John's Castle and fo on to Bunratty. Visit the Castle and folk park and spend the night. It's a short drive to Shannon.
If you choose this option, you might want to prebook your B&B's, due to the Holiday. It only scratches the surface, but it would give you a nice, digestable "taste" of Ireland.
Dunno how much will be available in Dublin on Easter Sunday and Monday. There are day tours available from many companies but I don't know what their holiday scedule will be like. Perhaps caitlin or SiohbanP may weigh in.
If you opt to do the West, c/o the ferry timetables at:
www.shannonferries.com
for driving directions:
www.aaroadwatch.ie

I would lean more toward getting off in Shannon if you can. Dublin is great but it is much more expensive than the rest of Ireland. If you can't change your itinerary then make your Dublin hotel reservations ASAP!!

In Shannon you will need a car but not in Dublin. Your 17 year old can go into pubs till 9pm but the drinking age is 18 so he can't drink alcohol. Most attractions will be open.

You should make reservations for lunch or dinner on Sunday because this is a big day out for the Irish and they will fill up the restaurants.

Hi Leslie,

I brought my sons age 17 & 20 to Dublin, in 2002. They loved it! They had a separate room from us, little did I know until after the trip, that they "night" toured Dublin on their own. Apparently, you can drink at any pub if you can reach the bar. The two boys had adifference in opinion on which way to return from the pub. So they split up to race to the hotel. The youngest one got lost and was picked up by some Dublin kids (did he remember never to ride with strangers? Not!) who brought him to the wrong hotel, not on purpose, only because it had the same name, different location, so he walked the streets of Dublin, for a few hours.
If I knew this, I would of killed them, but both said, everyone in Ireland, took great care of them, and they were interested in how the Americans live.

Read Fodors in Ireland, we took the train from Dublin (30min) to the southern seaport for a day trip,sorry I don't remember the name, it was beautiful,(Check Fodors Book, I lent it to someone, otherwise I could tell you the name) we only spent 2 days in Dublin, that is enough, they loved Cliffs of Moor, Guiness Factory, etc. We went to the square in Dublin as Fodor suggested and had a great time people watching.

I have found that my favorite places in the world, were not the tourist sites, but a cafe, a warf, a square, spending the time with someone I loved, not having an agenda. Outside Dublin, on the southern coast, on the warf, eating fish and chips with my sons, watching the fishermen, smelling the sea air, admiring the green hillside. Precious.

Since you mentioned spending the night in a castle (missed it the first time through, you could substitute a night at Dromoland Castle for the night in Adare. Pricey, but...

Update: Talked to airline. They won't let us get off in Shannon, unless we fork over a minimum $200 each. So we're stuck going to Dublin. I'm bummed now, because the SW sounds so nice. Tried Ryan air and East jet and they don't fly Dublin to SHannon. Oh well. We'll try to do some day trips out of Dublin. Or stay in a B&B out of town.

If I can offer an opinion - sometimes it is better to pay the price and get what you want. I would pay the $200 fee and you may be able to save that much in the cost of staying in Dublin vs. B & Bs. although you would have to add the car rental. Saving money is great but not if you end up where you do not want to be. Also - since you will be traveling for a while I imagine you will have checked baggage but even if you just have carry-ons, do not de-plane in Shannon thinking you can take advantage of a "hidden city." The airline will cancel the rest of your itinerary.

If you are locked into Dublin, I think you should make the best of it. Your son will enjoy the city as there is much to do in the area. If you don't have your rooms booked, that should be a priority! You can stay outside of the city and take buses or the Dart in. We have stayed in Dun Laoghaire, which is south, and Portmarnock, a bit to the north. I've never been there for Easter, so I have no idea of what's open and what's closed. My teens loved it! (Can that have been 10 years ago already?!)

Siobhan or Cailin, what's open and closed on Easter Sunday?

Can't the best be made of the situation? I'd rather spend the $400 on food, sightseeing and accomodations.

I haven't gone on my trip yet, but what about Dublin..the college, book of Kells, Gravity Bar, Christ Church Cathedral, the jail, Temple Bar, Grafton Street

Wicklow Mtns/Glendalough tour

Newgrange, Monasterboice, Trim Castle

Of course I leave it to the experts that I have been learning from, and bow to your much superior knowlege. (batting eyes & entreating grin) for soon I shall be begging for all of your opinions on my itinerary as well!