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Old Jul 3rd, 2009 | 02:27 PM
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Ireland Itinerary Help!

I'm afraid I have too much packed in here, especially with bus times (no car for me), but I'm not sure what I should cut out. Ideas would be lovely.
This is starting mid-november.

1. Fly into Dublin, get settled, explore a bit
2. See the musuems and such around Trinity College
3. Go to the gaol and things in the Temple Bar area
4. Maybe another day for the stuff I missed?

5. Bus to Glendalouch, spend the night

6. Bus back to Dublin and then to Kilkenny. spend the night, see the castle
7. Spend the morning in Kilkenny then...
bus to Killarney (so far away!)

8. Killarney - Gap of Dunloe
9. Another day?

10. Bus to Doolin, relax
11. Hike to the Cliffs of Moher

12. Ferry to Inisheer (Aran Islands) spend the night?
13. Ferry to Galway
14. More time in Galway

My thoughts:
I can add a few more days, I think if this is too crowded
I could see Cork and surrounding things if I had time between Kilkenny and Killarney
Ennis perhaps?
greenlady09 is offline  
Old Jul 3rd, 2009 | 03:00 PM
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Have you checked bus routes and timetables? You can find most of them on http://www.buseireann.ie/ but the Glendalough service, which is run by another operator http://www.glendaloughbus.com/

November in Ireland can be cool (frosty mornings, but not much likelihood of snow), wet or overcast, and the days are short. A lot of your programme is vulnerable to bad weather. I suggest that you base yourself in larger centres and make day trips, the timing of which should be flexible until you can get weather forecasts.
Padraig is offline  
Old Jul 3rd, 2009 | 03:09 PM
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Some highlights of our trip ~ not sure how much of this you can do without a car, but these are the areas I would send a friend to

Glendalough and Powerscourt 1 day

Newgrange and Monasterboice 1 day

Cliffs of Moher ~ 1 day

Dingle ~ 2 days not too much, great town

Killarney ~ 2 days not too much

We did not go Kilkenny, hear it's nice.

Have fun!
wrenwood is offline  
Old Jul 3rd, 2009 | 05:58 PM
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The ferry from Doolin to the Aran Islands stops running October 31st -- but the ferry from Rossaveel runs twice a day in November. Seems like it would be better to base the latter portion in Galway (rather than planning some days in Doolin) -- you can see Cliffs, the Burren, etc. on a day trip from Galway...with another day for the Aran Islands. As Padraig says, you'd then have more flexibility to plan your trips according to the weather.
skibumette is offline  
Old Jul 3rd, 2009 | 06:52 PM
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What is there to do in Dingle, wrenwood? I've heard it's nice, but I can't find anything that's actually there when I look - except a couple of things that aren't open in November. What would you do if you were there?
And a zillion times thanks for the ferry info - that would've been unfortunate.
Yeah, I checked the bus routes - most of them are running a good half dozen times a day at least, which is good enough for me. There are a couple to smaller side trips that aren't so great, but they still seem to be running.
Do y'all think it's safe to not book hostels ahead at that time of year so I can stay off a super fixed schedule, or do you think I'll need to plan ahead to have space?
greenlady09 is offline  
Old Jul 3rd, 2009 | 09:13 PM
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Okay, new itinerary. How's this one look?

1. Fly into Dublin, get settled, explore a bit
2. See the musuems and such around Trinity College
3. Go to the gaol and things in the Temple Bar area
4. Bus to Newgrange (via Drogheda)and back.

5-7. Bus to Glendalouch spend 2 nights @ Hostel

8. Bus back to Dublin,then to Kilkenny(arrive noon) spend the night. see the castle

9. Kilkenny to Killarney (5.3 hrs ug) check out the town St. Mary’s Cathedral, spend the night
10. Killarney - Gap of Dunloe

11. Bus to Doolin, relax spend the night
12. Hike to the Cliffs of Moher spend the night again

13. Bus to Galway spend the night

14. Ferry to Inisheer (Aran Islands) spend the night

15. Back to Galway spend the night
16. Fly out of Galway

I'm having a hard time finding out if the Gap of Dunloe tours happen in November also. I've put in a few inquiries, but does anyone know of one that does?
Should I throw in an extra day at the end just incase?
Thank you everyone who is helping me out here. Lifesavers.
greenlady09 is offline  
Old Jul 4th, 2009 | 04:21 AM
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Deros Tours (www.derostours.com) is the big player for Gap of Dunloe tours -- they don't indicate that they stop offering tours after "the season." But they don't specifcally address the issue and there is no way to contact them other than calling. Tel. +353 64 31251 or +353 64 31567. Gap of Dunloe Tours (www.gapofdunloetours.com) looks like it might be a smaller operation, but at least it has a link (contact us) where you can email questions.
skibumette is offline  
Old Jul 8th, 2009 | 01:24 PM
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greenlady09 ~ depends on what you like to do. We never made it to the Blasket Islands, but would have liked to. The drive around Slea Head is spectacular, the town is really nice to walk around, shop. (great crystal place) We also enjoyed our trip down to Skellig and the drive around the Skellig Ring.

November in Ireland I'm sure could be dramatic or a bust, depending on the weather.
wrenwood is offline  
Old Jul 8th, 2009 | 03:38 PM
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I am not sure why you are spending two nights in Glendalough. Dark comes shortly after four in November and there is not much to do after dark. I think I would try to do Glendalough in one day. Catch an early bus, explore and back to Dublin by early evening. this would give you an extra day somewhere else.
irishface is offline  
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