amelia

This message is directed toward Ned because he seems to know the details of doing BusEirann extensively; however, please feel free to jump in, anyone, if you can help.

We hate to rent a car in Europe, and driving on the left just increases that dislike. We are , flying into Shannon, going on a group tour out of there, and staying in Adare for a couple of days before we meet up with another group tour in Cork Airport on a Sunday at noon sharp. We know we can get a taxi from Shannon Airport to Adare (Dunraven Arms) specifically, and we've tapped into the BusEirann website enough to see the Monday through Saturday, we can hop into Limerick if need be. Ergo, for the first few days of our trip, no need to rent a car.

The tricky part is the Sunday Adare to Cork Airport ride. Using the website, have found that the Limerick to Cork to Cork Airport is rather hassle-free. The problem is getting from Adare to Limerick in time for the start.

If you've made it through that wordy explanation, congratulations. Now the question part.

Question no. 1 is "Do you think we can get a 7:30 Sunday morning taxi from Adare to Limerick?"

Question 2: How on time are the busses? I can get an 8:30 bus from Limerick to arrive by 10:20 in Cork, and then a 10:25 bus to Cork Airport. Is that too close?

Question 3: Should I buy our tickets ahead of time? If so, how much ahead of time.

Question 4: How specific are the tickets? If I miss a connection because the bus is late, can I just hop on the next one?

Question 5: How much luggage have you been lugging on the bus? Do you carry it on? Do you ask the bus driver to store it underneath?

Thanks for any answers!

amelia

topping in hopes Ned will sign on soon!

drsawyers

I don't have the schedules at hand, but I would suggest not cutting it too finely. The buses are usually on schedule only when you REALLY need them to be.

Have you considered staying in Cork? It may not be quite the cute, touristy postcard view of Ireland, but I found it an interesting place and easy to see on foot. Plus, Blarney Castle and Cobh are nearby.

NEDSIRELAND

I don't consider myself an expert on BusEireann although my Ireland travel is very heavily bus-oriented.
Question #1: Yes; just be sure to book your taxi in advance.
Question #2: Buses run pretty much on schedule. They may depart Limerick Bus station a few minutes late but usually have a lot of slack built into their schedule. I think 5-minutes is cutting it too close: You might be able to make it but don't bet the farm on it.
Question #3: I wouldn't buy my tix in advance.
Question #4: You're expected to use them the same day. Yes, you should be able to catch the next bus.
Question #5: I travel with one large bag that I stow in the luggage compartment (below) and one carry-on. The overhead racks are very narrow.

Re. Question #2 and #4: I move very slowly. I have to use a walking stick. May 20, I missed a connection in Galway - I had to use the restroom and the only ones were at the end of the rail station platform. The schedule indicated a 15-minute connection; it was actually 10-to-12 minutes. I caught the next bus.
BTW
I have visited Adare (Ireland's 'Tidy' village) and I don't think it's worth more than a day unless you happen to be a golfer.

I believe there may be a way to get the Cork bus without having to go all the way into Limerick City. Patrickswell is a village on the Limerick-Tralee and the Limerick-Cork routes. If you take a bus Limerick-Adare it will be the Tralee Bus and you pass thru Patrickswell. A BusEireann driver told me I could connect there for a Cork-bound bus. I didn't try it.

Slainte!

amelia

Thanks, Dr. Sawyers and Ned.

Dr. Sawyer, I certainly am reconsidering our location, but I have to keep in mind what we need: a two-day pit stop to do laundry and not budge unless one feels like it. On Friday before our Adare stay, we'll be meeting up at Shannon because one of us will be arriving from the states; three of us will have driven in from Letterfrack from a week of on-the-go biking. So as tempted as I am to go immediately over to Cork, I have to keep reminding myself that this is a vacation, not a treadmill.

Ned, thanks for answering all my questions. While I was able to get bits and pieces from some other spots on the web, you gave me the concrete details I needed.

In the meantime,as you suggested, I have been checking out different bus routes. I'm tempted to skip the pick-up at the Cork Airport to go straight to our hotel in Kenmare.
There's an Adare-Killarney bus, and I'm checking out taxis in Killarney. There would have been a bus straight to Kenmare, but it stops running on Sundays in July/August--darn!

NEDSIRELAND

For a 2-day 'kick back and relax' stop you might consider Killeline Leisure Park. Do an Internet search on 'Killeline.' It's on the Old Cork Road about 1km south of Newcastlewest, Co. Limerick. There's a 34-room Lodge that opened in May, 2000, a fully equipped Spa with a 20m indoor heated swimming pool. Adjacent there's an 18-hole golf course recently redesigned by Golf Course Manager Kevin Doorien (formerly of the Legends Course in Myrtle Beach, S.C.). The owner of the Golf course and Mick McCoy's Sports Bar and restaurant is John McCoy, former member of the Irish Parliament (Dail, pronounced 'doll'). The McCormick family owns the Lodge and the Spa.

They'll arrange Transportation, laundry and whatever ...

They will likely be fully booked for the dates of the Listowel (Co. Kerry) 'meet:' second week of September