Ireland Itinerary Advice Please
May 11th, 2006, 07:20 PM
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Ireland Itinerary Advice Please
I will be in Cork on business for 10 days, and then Galway for 4 days (in July). My family (spouse and four children) will be traveling with me. We have a place to stay in both Cork and Galway, but would like to travel out from there when I am not working. We will have a long weekend free when in Cork (Thursday through Sunday), so I have rented a 6-person minivan. These will be our only free days, so I have the following thoughts on what to do:
Accommodations: Thursday and Friday night: Stay in Dingle Saturday night: Stay ?
Thursday: Drive from Cork to either Dingle or Ring of Kerry. See ROK or Dingle Peninsula. Friday: ROK or Dingle Peninsula Saturday: ?
Would like to see Kinsale perhaps, and other places. I am having a hard time planning the itinerary because this is our first time to Ireland, so I don't have a feel for what exactly to see, travel times, etc. As you can see, I need some major advice!!
When we are in Galway, I will have one free day that we can use for sightseeing. Of course, I would like to see the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren, etc. We will be traveling with a group from Cork and Galway, so that day of travel will not be ours to plan.
Thanks!
Accommodations: Thursday and Friday night: Stay in Dingle Saturday night: Stay ?
Thursday: Drive from Cork to either Dingle or Ring of Kerry. See ROK or Dingle Peninsula. Friday: ROK or Dingle Peninsula Saturday: ?
Would like to see Kinsale perhaps, and other places. I am having a hard time planning the itinerary because this is our first time to Ireland, so I don't have a feel for what exactly to see, travel times, etc. As you can see, I need some major advice!!
When we are in Galway, I will have one free day that we can use for sightseeing. Of course, I would like to see the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren, etc. We will be traveling with a group from Cork and Galway, so that day of travel will not be ours to plan.
Thanks!
May 13th, 2006, 11:13 AM
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Tracy
I wouldnt advise driving from Cork and doing the ROK all in the one day , that would be quite tiring, the road on the ROK is a challenge if you are not used to driving on Rural Irish Roads. Kinsale is nice, but i wouldnt go out of my way to see it, I would rather spend the time in perhaps West Cork, Clonakilty is very pretty or staying longer in Kerry.
I wouldnt advise driving from Cork and doing the ROK all in the one day , that would be quite tiring, the road on the ROK is a challenge if you are not used to driving on Rural Irish Roads. Kinsale is nice, but i wouldnt go out of my way to see it, I would rather spend the time in perhaps West Cork, Clonakilty is very pretty or staying longer in Kerry.
May 17th, 2006, 02:35 PM
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May 17th, 2006, 03:41 PM
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tracy,
You are hardly getting any help. This is what I would do. Spend first 2 nights in Kenmare. You can do the Ring of Kerry from there as a day trip but not on the day you drive from Cork. That is too much driving. Spend you next 2 nights in Dingle.
Kinsale is not that far from Cork City. You could go down for the day or after work if you get off early.
You are hardly getting any help. This is what I would do. Spend first 2 nights in Kenmare. You can do the Ring of Kerry from there as a day trip but not on the day you drive from Cork. That is too much driving. Spend you next 2 nights in Dingle.
Kinsale is not that far from Cork City. You could go down for the day or after work if you get off early.
May 17th, 2006, 04:47 PM
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I'm a kerrygirl! Drive via beautiful West Cork to Kerry. Stop off at Blarney Castle first and kiss the Blarney Stone.
Kerry is our most beautiful county with the best sights in Killarney and Dingle. You can cover the Ring of Kerry in a day....but stop off instead at Dingle and enjoy the music and the craic in the bars. Drive around Slea Head if the day is clear...when its foggy in Dingle and Killarney the view is lost. In Dingle take the boat out to see Dingle's most famous resident, Fungi, the wild dolphin who lives in the bay by choice and is a huge tourist attraction for more than a decade. Look at the big cream building across the bay from Dingle town ....that's my old boarding school ! West of Dingle you will hear the Irish language spoken. Stop driving and unwind...get into the rhythm of the place.
If its literature you are interested in stop off in LISTOWEL and visit the writers museum, and go into the pub of the late John B. Keane (name over the door) and meet his family and if its a Tuesday or a Thursday night take in a free show there.
Have a wonderful time.
Kerry is our most beautiful county with the best sights in Killarney and Dingle. You can cover the Ring of Kerry in a day....but stop off instead at Dingle and enjoy the music and the craic in the bars. Drive around Slea Head if the day is clear...when its foggy in Dingle and Killarney the view is lost. In Dingle take the boat out to see Dingle's most famous resident, Fungi, the wild dolphin who lives in the bay by choice and is a huge tourist attraction for more than a decade. Look at the big cream building across the bay from Dingle town ....that's my old boarding school ! West of Dingle you will hear the Irish language spoken. Stop driving and unwind...get into the rhythm of the place.
If its literature you are interested in stop off in LISTOWEL and visit the writers museum, and go into the pub of the late John B. Keane (name over the door) and meet his family and if its a Tuesday or a Thursday night take in a free show there.
Have a wonderful time.
May 17th, 2006, 04:54 PM
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tracy: If it were me, I'd be sure to spend time in Dingle and the peninsula (it's beautiful), do the Ring of Kerry (I've done it twice and really haven't had any problems with buses like people warn about), and skip the Blarney Castle. If you're in Kilarney, Ross Castle is wonderful -- much, much better I think than Blarney. Galway is great, especially on a nice sunny day.
Enjoy your trip!
Enjoy your trip!
May 19th, 2006, 06:12 AM
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Thank you for all your suggestions. I have reworked our itinerary:
Thurday: Drive the ROK, stay near there.
Friday: Skellig Michael trip, drive to Dingle, stay in Dingle.
Saturday: Dingle Peninsula, stay in Dingle.
Sunday: Drive back to Cork.
Based on your suggestion, Irisheyes, we will visit Kinsale some day during the week. Do you know if there is transportation (bus, perhaps) from Cork to Kinsale?
Should we eliminate one night in Dingle and drive back to Cork on Saturday (saving us a night's lodging)?
Thanks!
Thurday: Drive the ROK, stay near there.
Friday: Skellig Michael trip, drive to Dingle, stay in Dingle.
Saturday: Dingle Peninsula, stay in Dingle.
Sunday: Drive back to Cork.
Based on your suggestion, Irisheyes, we will visit Kinsale some day during the week. Do you know if there is transportation (bus, perhaps) from Cork to Kinsale?
Should we eliminate one night in Dingle and drive back to Cork on Saturday (saving us a night's lodging)?
Thanks!
May 19th, 2006, 08:11 PM
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tracy,
If you want to do Skellig Michael then you will need to overnight on the Ring of Kerry, perhaps Waterville or Cahirciveen. If you do the tour that lands on the island it will take a good deal of time. You can also get a tour from the Skellig Center that just circles the islands and does not take so much time.
I would not eliminate the extra night's stay in Dingle. You can catch some fun at the pubs and perhaps music. Why have to rush? Remember, this is your one long weekend away from work. Make the most of it.
Kinsale is best seen on a weekday because on weekends it is inundated with visitors (many from Cork City). Check on the bus schedules: http://www.cie.ie/home/
If you want to do Skellig Michael then you will need to overnight on the Ring of Kerry, perhaps Waterville or Cahirciveen. If you do the tour that lands on the island it will take a good deal of time. You can also get a tour from the Skellig Center that just circles the islands and does not take so much time.
I would not eliminate the extra night's stay in Dingle. You can catch some fun at the pubs and perhaps music. Why have to rush? Remember, this is your one long weekend away from work. Make the most of it.
Kinsale is best seen on a weekday because on weekends it is inundated with visitors (many from Cork City). Check on the bus schedules: http://www.cie.ie/home/
May 20th, 2006, 04:48 AM
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IrishEyes,
Thank you for the suggestions. Do you know of any places to stay in Waterville or Cahirciveen? Also, I tried the timetables for the buses, but I must not be working it correctly. Can you see what the price is for one person from Cork to Kinsale and back? We can go any day during the week, as I will have some free afternoon and evenings.
Thanks!
Thank you for the suggestions. Do you know of any places to stay in Waterville or Cahirciveen? Also, I tried the timetables for the buses, but I must not be working it correctly. Can you see what the price is for one person from Cork to Kinsale and back? We can go any day during the week, as I will have some free afternoon and evenings.
Thanks!
May 20th, 2006, 06:10 AM
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with 10 days in cork and 4 days in galway...I am sure that you could arrange for day tours for the family or have a rental for your spouse and kids to explore!
from cork...day trip to-kinsale/charles fort, blarney, cobh, cahir castle, rock of cashel, killarney-muckross house/abbey, ross castle, torc falls/ladies view, gap of dunloe, explore coast around kinsale,etc.
from galway...aran islands, connemara, cong, kylemore abbey,burren, bunratty,etc.
get the family some guidebooks from the library and have them check out the web for day trips form cork and galway
from cork...day trip to-kinsale/charles fort, blarney, cobh, cahir castle, rock of cashel, killarney-muckross house/abbey, ross castle, torc falls/ladies view, gap of dunloe, explore coast around kinsale,etc.
from galway...aran islands, connemara, cong, kylemore abbey,burren, bunratty,etc.
get the family some guidebooks from the library and have them check out the web for day trips form cork and galway
May 21st, 2006, 05:41 PM
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Waterville: http://www.watervilleguesthouse.com/
Cahirciveen: http://www.dirl.com/kerry/cahirciveen/harbour-hill.htm
Cahirciveen: http://www.dirl.com/kerry/cahirciveen/harbour-hill.htm
May 22nd, 2006, 10:03 AM
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Tracy, how old are your children?
If they are not in the teens yet the long drive like ROC will be exhausting for both, them and you. I think Glendalough, Laragh one of the best sites to visit with kids. You can spend two days at Killarney exploring Ross castle, Muckross House, cruise on Lough Léin from Ross Castle and more.
If they are not in the teens yet the long drive like ROC will be exhausting for both, them and you. I think Glendalough, Laragh one of the best sites to visit with kids. You can spend two days at Killarney exploring Ross castle, Muckross House, cruise on Lough Léin from Ross Castle and more.
