We are planning a trip to Ireland and we like off-the-beaten path places. Don't like big cities. Also when is the best time to travel. Don't like crowds - but do want somewhat favorable weather.

Mary Anne, <BR>My cousin lives in Carlingford, County Louth, offered the following: <BR>Crowd avoidance - <BR>Best bet for your needs would be early Spring (avoiding Easter time). <BR> <BR>Favorable weather - <BR>His comment "How do you think the place stays so green?. . . It's a question of degress of wet". There's more chance (marginally) of staying dry if you go in Spring and visit the SE of The Republic. <BR>

Hi Mary Anne. We've travelled different times of year to Ireland but have enjoyed Sept. the most. Some out-of-the way places we would recommend would be Ardmore in the south (Waterford). Lovely cliff walks, great beach, pub w. good food (Paddy Mac's.) Also enjoyed Galway, almost everywhere seems off the beaten track. Even Roundstone in Sept. was deserted. Busier places we've enjoyed were the Folk Palk at Bunratty, Muckross House, Glengarrif, Cobh (you must go to the Interpretative Centre if your ancestors came fr. Ireland). Never stay in Dublin more than two days. The North, particularly Donegal, is out of the way. In Mayo head for Achill Island. Have fun.

Head for the Midlands - just a hour's drive from Dublin - stay in either Mullingar, Athlone (2 hrs) Navan (45 minutes but more like a commuter town) Kells (1 hour) or Oldcastle (1 hr 30 minues. All are east and North-east of dublin with wonderful ancient sites, walks, cheap B&Bs, realtively few tourists - all in all perfect. Check out the Ceili house Pub in Oldcastle on a Monday night for a traditional irish music session with real irish people and music and not just those hired for the tourists. Bistro castello in the town is also very good and Currans B&B is very cheap. In Kells try the Headford Arms Hotel and in mullingar the Greville Arms Hotel - lots of lakes and walks. contact kelltic walks in kells for good walks and hire a car - public transport is not the best outside the cities. Travel Sept through Feb. best weather in the fall rather than the spring. Good luck

My husband and I traveled in June. we did a self driving tour. Flew into Shannon, went to Lahinch, stayed there at Shamrock Inn and day tripped to The Cliffs and the Burren and Galway. Then traveled to Clonmacnoise and Cavan. <BR>Stayed in Tullamore at the Morhill House. Then went to Dingle peninsula at Doyles Seafood house, which was great. Then off to Kenmare via Killarny Park. Daytripped to Cobh. And last night in Adare. A wonderful restaurant in Kenmare is the Lime Tree. A great web site that helped alot was Patricia Tunison Preston and she has a great book called Daytrips Ireland. You can give her your itinerary and she'll give you great advice. <BR>Plan to drive about 30mph, take a rain coat and a couple sweaters and shoes like rockport walkers. They'll keep your feet dry. It's usually at least misty. Be sure to take time to meet people. They are very friendly and willing to help you out. People will help make dinner reservations, good idea to do ahead. You can find bargains for gifts away from major tourist areas. We stayed in out of the way places and tried to stay away from touristy areas, so we could get to meet the locals. As you can tell, I could go on for ever and bore everyone, but it was a trip of a lifetime for me and it was great, especially the people!!! <BR>Have fun planning and making it your trip. <BR>Darlene <BR> <BR>

My two daughters and myself are planning a trip to Ireleand the last week of August, first week of Sept. We are planning on going to Castletownbere where my Mother was born. I need all of the information I can get hotels ect. Fly into Dublin or Cork. Someone out there must know of this area please help. <BR>Thanks, <BR>Lillian

Lillan, <BR>Castletowmbere is a large town near Cork so if you can get a direct flight into Cork from the States then take it - otherwise fly direct to Shannon, rent a car and head down to Cork. Take a night in Shannon or Adare or Limerick to recover from your jeg lag. Are you spending all your time in Cork/Castletownbere and don't intend to see any other part of the country ? Do you have relatives in Castletownbere or will you be hunting up relatives ? If so contact the parish priest before you travel so as to avoid wasting time tracking down relatives. Post here if you want more help.

Darlene your trip sounds exactly how my husband and I prefer to travel,see the country and visit with people. <BR>Have ask for help concerning Eire,Wales and England budget B&B's, no replies as of yet. Since we have 2 weeks we may be able to see a little more country or do you think more time should be spent in Ireland? Do want to ferry to Pembroke as my ancestors are from there. Husbands from Tipperary Co.Will be there early May. Any info you or Cathy can give is highly appreciated.

Fare, <BR>To ensure that you get the most value of tracking down your husnband's hometown ect and relatives (if any) find out exactly where in Tipperary his family comes from and then contact the localparish priest asking for details _ give him as much details as posssible re birth dates, names and maiden names. By the way it is Co. Tipperary not Tipperary Co. Also contact some of the local papers - search for them through www.nuj.ie. Write a letter to them seeking help tracing relatives etc. The same applies to your quest for ancient ancestors in Wales. Early May is quite a good time to travel although it is part of the nearly year round tourists season in Ireland (later fall and winter excepted). I would recommend fly/drive option as public transport is not that extensive to small towns. Hire the car as part of the package or at least before you go - finacially better than hiring in Ireland. Try Hamills Car Rental (they have a toll free number in the States) Otherwise the various airlines have good links with the car rental companies - eg Aer Lingus. I would suggest flying into Shannon - spend the night in Adare (small quaint town with beautiful and expensive hotel in the old Manor house - but there are a lot of cheap B&Bs around - Tourist board registered ones are not as cheap as those registered. Unreg. B&Bs are sometimes of a better standard than registered ones. Expect to pay in the region of £18-20 ($25-30) per night. That also includes a full breakfast that will keep you going for the whole day. If you don't book them all ahead of your trip then ask the hosts recomendations for a B&B for the next night - some will even book ahead. You could also check out the universities - they offer accommodation in and out of term - the only one not based in a city is Maynooth. Their accommodation is excellent - ask for the suites. Contact Bill Tinley there. Maynooth is on the edge of Dublin - you could leave your car in the town and bus or train in and out of the city. In Dublin try Jurys Inn hotel - they are very good quality and you pay by the room not by the person - they have several hotels but the only Inn one/ the per room rate is located in Christchurch (very central 5 mins walk from Trinty College and near the Guinness Brewery) Otherwise Bewleys Ballsbridge (leafy expensive neighbourhood)has an Inn style room too. They both charge about £60 per room which does not include breakfast. <BR> <BR>If you do decide to spend the full two weeks in Ireland - Pembrook is possible as a day trip from Dublin by ferry - be careful of the contractual obligations if you are thinking of taking the car out of Ireland. Perhaps an overnight or a shrt2-3 day trip, with a flexible ferry return ticket might be an option. For cheap flights into regional airports in the UK and London check out Ryanair at www.ryanair.ie. <BR> <BR>By the way when you posted about B&Bs you didn't include any details - just a heading. As regards to do and see in Ireland that depends on your interests. I would be happy to advise and suggest some sights - popular and not so well known. Good luck planning your tour and contact the Irish Tourist Board for free material.