One week in West Ireland
Jan 30th, 2010, 01:42 PM
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One week in West Ireland
I took my 16-year-old son to Ireland for a week of exploring the west coast area. We loved (almost) every minute, and we both agreed that Dingle was our favorite spot. I hope to return some day!
9/21
Monday
Arriving in Shannon around 9:30 a.m (from Los Angeles)., we picked up our rental car at Dan Dooley and drove about 3 ½ hours to Dingle. I, of course, was jet-lagged and it took a few minutes to get used to the narrow roads, to driving on the left, and to the round-abouts, but I caught on pretty quickly. Joe (age 16) was a fabulous navigator; he had the map in his lap the whole time and told me which exit to take at each round-about. He also has an instinctive sense of direction, which I lack!
We arrived at the Lighthouse B & B in Dingle around 1:30 p.m. We rested a while, then walked into town (an easy 10-minute walk). Explored in town a bit and ate an early dinner at The Old Smokehouse (fresh fish chowder and fish and chips: both very good!). We had our first taste of Irish Brown Bread here, and it was fabulous. Obviously freshly baked. We ordered dessert—apple crumble with cream and fresh berries—but as we were both starting to fall asleep (we’d been awake almost 24 hours), we asked the waitress to wrap it for us, and we took it back to our room. It was delectable, too. The bill came to around US$45.
We really enjoyed the walk to and from town, and the weather was just what we were hoping for—cool, misty and windy! (We live in southern California, where it’s warm, dry and sunny ten months of the year!) The air smelled so good: a mixture of sweet grass and salt water, and sometimes a whiff of smoke. We were in bed by 8:30. This B & B is very clean and pleasant, and Mary is a lovely hostess. The view is incredible: we look out over a meadow and onto the bay from my bedroom window. It’s quiet and beautiful.
9/22
Tuesday
We slept in and missed breakfast; had the rest of our trail mix and a few Cheez-its to start us off (but we did make tea in our room). We took off walking around 11:00, and enjoyed just browsing the shops (lots—Irish tweed, knitted wear, bookshops, etc.) We spent some time in the little Dingle library…had lunch at John Benny Moriarty's pub (delicious sandwiches on toasted Irish brown bread), and got dark chocolate ice cream at Murphy's Ice Cream shop. (We had samples of Chocolate Whiskey, Irish Coffee, Bailey's Coffee, too—ice cream, that is).
Then, we took a boat ride out on the bay to see Fungie, the resident Dingle Bay dolphin. He's been here since 1983 and seems to LOVE to play with the boats and ham it up for the people. It was a delightful time—we enjoyed chatting with our skipper (he's from Scotland) and Joe took lots of great pictures of the dolphin and the bay. The weather was perfect (for Joe and me): cloudy, breezy and misty, with the sun peeking out now and then. The sun came out late this afternoon as we were walking 'home', around 5:00, and it was gorgeous.
9/23
Wednesday
Today we took the Slea Head drive around the peninsula. Breathtaking! Just a bit nerve-wracking on those extremely narrow roads when a tour bus came by from the opposite direction (!), but no mishaps. We stopped often to explore on foot. We walked through some of the abandoned “famine cottages” (sobering) and explored the ancient Gallarus Oratory, so quiet and worshipful, and still water-tight after 1300 years! From the Oratory we followed the “Way of the Pilgrim” trail for about two miles on foot for an invigorating photo op. Joe brought a nice camera and enjoyed shooting close-ups of individual flowers and other gifts of nature. The rain blew in and drenched us for about 20 minutes (we’d left the umbrella back at the B & B!), but that was all part of the adventure.
We continued on in the car, stopping to inspect a dolmen—an ancient burial place dating from Neolithic times—, ring fort ruins and finally Kilmarkedar Church and cemetery.
Upon arriving back in town around 3:00, we were famished! We found a little tea shop and stopped for a bite. Not quite Joe's cup of tea (pardon the pun) but I loved it! My lunch was a very fresh salad, brown bread, locally-made cheeses and a pot of Earl Grey, with milk, of course. We sat outside on a lovely little balcony overlooking the bustle of…Green Street, was it? I went back to our B & B to rest, and Joe took off with his camera on a trail leading from the Dingle Skellig Hotel up to the lighthouse. He spent a couple of hours traipsing around on his own taking pictures.
Dinner and music session at Murphy’s tonight—very fun! We later noted as we were driving along the west coast that virtually every single town has a Murphy’s pub. That would have been a cool photo montage!
I used my Visa whenever I could; for everything else, I had cash from the local ATM. I found that in Dingle there was no problem running Visa through with Euros only; the further north we went, the more difficult it was to get proprietors to do that. Perhaps it’s that Dingle is used to tourists? But no, so is Westport, and the shopkeepers and restaurant workers there absolutely refused to do that, or perhaps they didn’t know how? I’m not sure.
9/24
Thursday
Today we said goodbye to Dingle and headed north via the Shannon River car ferry to the Cliffs of Moher (aka “The Cliffs of Insanity” from The Princess Bride movie). They are spectacular! It was cold and windy, but the sun came out for a few minutes and, once again, Joe got some beautiful pictures. We spent a couple of hours here before driving on. Just before we reached our B & B in Ballyvaughan, we discovered a beautiful, lonely beach; we had to stop and explore. We climbed over boulders and through long, wind-swept grass to get down to the sand, which was a swirl of browns, grays and whites and littered with beautiful shells and rocks. It was overcast and breezy—perfect! It was great to stretch again after so much driving today.
We arrived at Cappabhaile House late in the afternoon. Rested a bit, then played a game of pool in the game room. This B & B is out in the middle of nowhere, but it is large and very nice. Our room was huge, and had a view of a very green meadow (surprise) and some friendly-looking cows. Actually, I’ve never seen a mean-looking cow! We drove a few minutes into town for dinner. The food at Logue’s Lodge was plentiful and excellent, but the service was poor. We were seated in a cold, damp room (at the only table in there!) and left alone for 30 minutes before anyone came to take our orders, then waited about another 40 minutes for food. We were also promised a fire in the fireplace, which never materialized. I think that would have made all the difference.
We loved our stay at Cappabhaile House, but next morning after a scrumptious and plentiful breakfast, we were on our way to explore the burren.
9/25
Friday
The burren is a stony, isolated region in the west of Ireland. We enjoyed its eerie beauty, and came upon the Poulnabrone dolmen (an ancient tomb made from three huge stone slabs) during our drive. We stopped to inspect it and marveled at the sheer age of it: excavations reveal that it was probably erected around 2500 BC!
We arrived in Westport in the late afternoon, but got lost trying to find our B & B. We pulled off to peruse a map posted at a bus stop, and a nice Irish gentleman came across the street to help us. (I’m sorry to say, this man and our B & B hostess, Sandra, were the only friendly Irish we met in Westport! I’d heard such great things about this town, but somehow we missed experiencing the charm of its people. The drivers seemed impatient, honking at each other continually, and the shopkeepers and restauranteurs seemed to want as little to do with us as possible. We only had this experience in Westport).
9/26
Saturday
Right after breakfast at the B & B (Plougastel House in Westport) we drove out to Achill Island for the morning. We. loved. it. There weren’t many people about, and it was a windy, misty day, just right for exploring this lonely and beautiful place. We drove around much of the island, stopping often to investigate the beaches, the ruined farm cottages and an ancient watchtower, thought by many to have been used by pirate queen Grace O’Malley. Some of the cottages still had farm implements, rusty from time and exposure.
We spent this afternoon walking around Westport, doing a little shopping and enjoying the street scene. We stopped for a few minutes to watch a dog show in the town square. We browsed the outdoor market, consisting mostly of local art and Wellies. Ate lunch at Cosy Joe’s: seafood chowder and brown bread once again! It was quite good, and the service was fine, although as I mentioned above, they insisted on running my credit card through with US dollars, not Euros. Dinner at Dunning’s Pub was a major disappointment, both in terms of the food and the service.
9/27
Sunday
We left Westport after breakfast and drove south to Galway, where we bought a smoothie for lunch and stopped to browse in Dunne’s, a popular department store. Joe bought a pea coat there, and is getting a lot of use out of it during this uncharacteristic cool California winter.
Although I love the countryside, I must admit that the modern wide lanes in and around Galway were a relief to me, after a week of driving narrow, winding, often muddy country roads.
Arriving at Shannon Airport in the afternoon, we turned in our rental car, and called for a shuttle to our hotel. I figured it would be easiest to turn the car in a day early, and not have to deal with that on the morning of our departure.
We really enjoyed the atmosphere at Bunratty Castle Hotel. Some might consider it a bit touristy, but the grounds are quiet and lovely, the service is friendly, and overall it was a great choice for our last night in Ireland. We settlied into our room, then had a late lunch at the hotel pub, Kathleen’s Café. Once again, the seafood chowder was excellent. You really can’t go wrong ordering chowder or fish and chips in Ireland! These cooks know their seafood.
After making some tea and resting for a bit, we walked all around the grounds, stopping to shop at Blarney Woolen Mills, which is on the premises. It was a quiet, gray day outside, but inside the store it was warm and bustling. For dinner we walked to a nearby pub—Durty Nelly’s, where we discovered a small band (guitar, violin, and drums) playing just outside. A group of female athletes on tour (soccer, I think) was there; they were pulling each other up to the stage area to try dancing an Irish reel (or was it a jig?) and laughing their heads off. Delightful entertainment! Dinner was delicious, and the service was great.
Ironically, this hotel was the only lodging we used that did not have free wireless access. The little country B & Bs all offered it, but while Bunratty Castle Hotel does offer free internet, you need a cable to access it, which I didn’t have. They were very conciliatory when I called the front desk to ask about it and sent a guy up with a cable, but he couldn’t get it to work. He was only familiar with PCs, and I have a Mac. Not a big deal; it’s just that we’d gotten used to communicating with the folks back home. My Mac-genius husband could have fixed me up, but of course he was halfway around the world. (Well, maybe not quite halfway…)
As we had an early morning flight, we turned in early, and had a very restful night’s sleep on excellent mattresses.
9/28
Monday
Our stay at this hotel included a full breakfast, and for a buffet, it was quite good! We shared a shuttle to the airport after breakfast, and without incident flew home, stopping again for a couple of hours in Philadelphia. Wish we’d had time to explore the city, but that would have cut things too short.
This trip was dream come true for me, and a fun adventure for both Joe and me. I’m glad we kept to the west coast and didn’t try to cover the whole island. There will be time for Dublin some other trip. We both prefer the quiet solitude and beauty of the rugged countryside, anyway. Thank you, dear hubby, for making it possible!
9/21
Monday
Arriving in Shannon around 9:30 a.m (from Los Angeles)., we picked up our rental car at Dan Dooley and drove about 3 ½ hours to Dingle. I, of course, was jet-lagged and it took a few minutes to get used to the narrow roads, to driving on the left, and to the round-abouts, but I caught on pretty quickly. Joe (age 16) was a fabulous navigator; he had the map in his lap the whole time and told me which exit to take at each round-about. He also has an instinctive sense of direction, which I lack!
We arrived at the Lighthouse B & B in Dingle around 1:30 p.m. We rested a while, then walked into town (an easy 10-minute walk). Explored in town a bit and ate an early dinner at The Old Smokehouse (fresh fish chowder and fish and chips: both very good!). We had our first taste of Irish Brown Bread here, and it was fabulous. Obviously freshly baked. We ordered dessert—apple crumble with cream and fresh berries—but as we were both starting to fall asleep (we’d been awake almost 24 hours), we asked the waitress to wrap it for us, and we took it back to our room. It was delectable, too. The bill came to around US$45.
We really enjoyed the walk to and from town, and the weather was just what we were hoping for—cool, misty and windy! (We live in southern California, where it’s warm, dry and sunny ten months of the year!) The air smelled so good: a mixture of sweet grass and salt water, and sometimes a whiff of smoke. We were in bed by 8:30. This B & B is very clean and pleasant, and Mary is a lovely hostess. The view is incredible: we look out over a meadow and onto the bay from my bedroom window. It’s quiet and beautiful.
9/22
Tuesday
We slept in and missed breakfast; had the rest of our trail mix and a few Cheez-its to start us off (but we did make tea in our room). We took off walking around 11:00, and enjoyed just browsing the shops (lots—Irish tweed, knitted wear, bookshops, etc.) We spent some time in the little Dingle library…had lunch at John Benny Moriarty's pub (delicious sandwiches on toasted Irish brown bread), and got dark chocolate ice cream at Murphy's Ice Cream shop. (We had samples of Chocolate Whiskey, Irish Coffee, Bailey's Coffee, too—ice cream, that is).
Then, we took a boat ride out on the bay to see Fungie, the resident Dingle Bay dolphin. He's been here since 1983 and seems to LOVE to play with the boats and ham it up for the people. It was a delightful time—we enjoyed chatting with our skipper (he's from Scotland) and Joe took lots of great pictures of the dolphin and the bay. The weather was perfect (for Joe and me): cloudy, breezy and misty, with the sun peeking out now and then. The sun came out late this afternoon as we were walking 'home', around 5:00, and it was gorgeous.
9/23
Wednesday
Today we took the Slea Head drive around the peninsula. Breathtaking! Just a bit nerve-wracking on those extremely narrow roads when a tour bus came by from the opposite direction (!), but no mishaps. We stopped often to explore on foot. We walked through some of the abandoned “famine cottages” (sobering) and explored the ancient Gallarus Oratory, so quiet and worshipful, and still water-tight after 1300 years! From the Oratory we followed the “Way of the Pilgrim” trail for about two miles on foot for an invigorating photo op. Joe brought a nice camera and enjoyed shooting close-ups of individual flowers and other gifts of nature. The rain blew in and drenched us for about 20 minutes (we’d left the umbrella back at the B & B!), but that was all part of the adventure.
We continued on in the car, stopping to inspect a dolmen—an ancient burial place dating from Neolithic times—, ring fort ruins and finally Kilmarkedar Church and cemetery.
Upon arriving back in town around 3:00, we were famished! We found a little tea shop and stopped for a bite. Not quite Joe's cup of tea (pardon the pun) but I loved it! My lunch was a very fresh salad, brown bread, locally-made cheeses and a pot of Earl Grey, with milk, of course. We sat outside on a lovely little balcony overlooking the bustle of…Green Street, was it? I went back to our B & B to rest, and Joe took off with his camera on a trail leading from the Dingle Skellig Hotel up to the lighthouse. He spent a couple of hours traipsing around on his own taking pictures.
Dinner and music session at Murphy’s tonight—very fun! We later noted as we were driving along the west coast that virtually every single town has a Murphy’s pub. That would have been a cool photo montage!
I used my Visa whenever I could; for everything else, I had cash from the local ATM. I found that in Dingle there was no problem running Visa through with Euros only; the further north we went, the more difficult it was to get proprietors to do that. Perhaps it’s that Dingle is used to tourists? But no, so is Westport, and the shopkeepers and restaurant workers there absolutely refused to do that, or perhaps they didn’t know how? I’m not sure.
9/24
Thursday
Today we said goodbye to Dingle and headed north via the Shannon River car ferry to the Cliffs of Moher (aka “The Cliffs of Insanity” from The Princess Bride movie). They are spectacular! It was cold and windy, but the sun came out for a few minutes and, once again, Joe got some beautiful pictures. We spent a couple of hours here before driving on. Just before we reached our B & B in Ballyvaughan, we discovered a beautiful, lonely beach; we had to stop and explore. We climbed over boulders and through long, wind-swept grass to get down to the sand, which was a swirl of browns, grays and whites and littered with beautiful shells and rocks. It was overcast and breezy—perfect! It was great to stretch again after so much driving today.
We arrived at Cappabhaile House late in the afternoon. Rested a bit, then played a game of pool in the game room. This B & B is out in the middle of nowhere, but it is large and very nice. Our room was huge, and had a view of a very green meadow (surprise) and some friendly-looking cows. Actually, I’ve never seen a mean-looking cow! We drove a few minutes into town for dinner. The food at Logue’s Lodge was plentiful and excellent, but the service was poor. We were seated in a cold, damp room (at the only table in there!) and left alone for 30 minutes before anyone came to take our orders, then waited about another 40 minutes for food. We were also promised a fire in the fireplace, which never materialized. I think that would have made all the difference.
We loved our stay at Cappabhaile House, but next morning after a scrumptious and plentiful breakfast, we were on our way to explore the burren.
9/25
Friday
The burren is a stony, isolated region in the west of Ireland. We enjoyed its eerie beauty, and came upon the Poulnabrone dolmen (an ancient tomb made from three huge stone slabs) during our drive. We stopped to inspect it and marveled at the sheer age of it: excavations reveal that it was probably erected around 2500 BC!
We arrived in Westport in the late afternoon, but got lost trying to find our B & B. We pulled off to peruse a map posted at a bus stop, and a nice Irish gentleman came across the street to help us. (I’m sorry to say, this man and our B & B hostess, Sandra, were the only friendly Irish we met in Westport! I’d heard such great things about this town, but somehow we missed experiencing the charm of its people. The drivers seemed impatient, honking at each other continually, and the shopkeepers and restauranteurs seemed to want as little to do with us as possible. We only had this experience in Westport).
9/26
Saturday
Right after breakfast at the B & B (Plougastel House in Westport) we drove out to Achill Island for the morning. We. loved. it. There weren’t many people about, and it was a windy, misty day, just right for exploring this lonely and beautiful place. We drove around much of the island, stopping often to investigate the beaches, the ruined farm cottages and an ancient watchtower, thought by many to have been used by pirate queen Grace O’Malley. Some of the cottages still had farm implements, rusty from time and exposure.
We spent this afternoon walking around Westport, doing a little shopping and enjoying the street scene. We stopped for a few minutes to watch a dog show in the town square. We browsed the outdoor market, consisting mostly of local art and Wellies. Ate lunch at Cosy Joe’s: seafood chowder and brown bread once again! It was quite good, and the service was fine, although as I mentioned above, they insisted on running my credit card through with US dollars, not Euros. Dinner at Dunning’s Pub was a major disappointment, both in terms of the food and the service.
9/27
Sunday
We left Westport after breakfast and drove south to Galway, where we bought a smoothie for lunch and stopped to browse in Dunne’s, a popular department store. Joe bought a pea coat there, and is getting a lot of use out of it during this uncharacteristic cool California winter.
Although I love the countryside, I must admit that the modern wide lanes in and around Galway were a relief to me, after a week of driving narrow, winding, often muddy country roads.
Arriving at Shannon Airport in the afternoon, we turned in our rental car, and called for a shuttle to our hotel. I figured it would be easiest to turn the car in a day early, and not have to deal with that on the morning of our departure.
We really enjoyed the atmosphere at Bunratty Castle Hotel. Some might consider it a bit touristy, but the grounds are quiet and lovely, the service is friendly, and overall it was a great choice for our last night in Ireland. We settlied into our room, then had a late lunch at the hotel pub, Kathleen’s Café. Once again, the seafood chowder was excellent. You really can’t go wrong ordering chowder or fish and chips in Ireland! These cooks know their seafood.
After making some tea and resting for a bit, we walked all around the grounds, stopping to shop at Blarney Woolen Mills, which is on the premises. It was a quiet, gray day outside, but inside the store it was warm and bustling. For dinner we walked to a nearby pub—Durty Nelly’s, where we discovered a small band (guitar, violin, and drums) playing just outside. A group of female athletes on tour (soccer, I think) was there; they were pulling each other up to the stage area to try dancing an Irish reel (or was it a jig?) and laughing their heads off. Delightful entertainment! Dinner was delicious, and the service was great.
Ironically, this hotel was the only lodging we used that did not have free wireless access. The little country B & Bs all offered it, but while Bunratty Castle Hotel does offer free internet, you need a cable to access it, which I didn’t have. They were very conciliatory when I called the front desk to ask about it and sent a guy up with a cable, but he couldn’t get it to work. He was only familiar with PCs, and I have a Mac. Not a big deal; it’s just that we’d gotten used to communicating with the folks back home. My Mac-genius husband could have fixed me up, but of course he was halfway around the world. (Well, maybe not quite halfway…)
As we had an early morning flight, we turned in early, and had a very restful night’s sleep on excellent mattresses.
9/28
Monday
Our stay at this hotel included a full breakfast, and for a buffet, it was quite good! We shared a shuttle to the airport after breakfast, and without incident flew home, stopping again for a couple of hours in Philadelphia. Wish we’d had time to explore the city, but that would have cut things too short.
This trip was dream come true for me, and a fun adventure for both Joe and me. I’m glad we kept to the west coast and didn’t try to cover the whole island. There will be time for Dublin some other trip. We both prefer the quiet solitude and beauty of the rugged countryside, anyway. Thank you, dear hubby, for making it possible!
Jan 30th, 2010, 05:34 PM
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Thanks for sharing! And imo you're right in leaving a few things for the *next* trip and maybe even the one after that? 
I haven't even made it over there for the first time and I already have half an itinerary made out for a second trip...
I haven't even made it over there for the first time and I already have half an itinerary made out for a second trip...
Jan 31st, 2010, 02:21 PM
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Thanks so much for the report. I am planning my first trip and originally scheduled three nights for Dingle, but am tempted to reduce to two so we can spend more time other places. Yet, post after post I think I should stay three nights. Such a tough decision.
Jan 31st, 2010, 07:54 PM
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cmf: I have some great photos, but I'm not sure how to post them. Maybe I can put them in a file elsewhere on the web. Do you know how to go about that?
I'm very glad we stayed three nights in Dingle. But since we came from so far away, we were too tired to do anything that first afternoon. I don't know where you are, but if you're coming from elsewhere in Europe, you may be able to do a lot in the first day, and stick to two nights. For me, a week in Dingle would have been great!
I'm very glad we stayed three nights in Dingle. But since we came from so far away, we were too tired to do anything that first afternoon. I don't know where you are, but if you're coming from elsewhere in Europe, you may be able to do a lot in the first day, and stick to two nights. For me, a week in Dingle would have been great!
Feb 1st, 2010, 02:57 PM
#9
Super report!! And just in time for our trip to some of the same areas in a little more than 2 months. We'll be staying in Clifden for 3 nites and am wondering if we should try to get out to Achill Island on one of those days. How much time should one allow to drive around and take in the sights there?
Feb 2nd, 2010, 08:50 PM
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Thanks, Sandy.
dcd, I think we spent about 3.5 hours on Achill Island, and we didn't drive around the entire place. There are about 3 different routes you can take; I believe we chose the medium-length one. It was just right for us; we still had time to have lunch and do some shopping in Westport in the afternoon. Enjoy your trip! I hear spring is a wonderful time to be there.
dcd, I think we spent about 3.5 hours on Achill Island, and we didn't drive around the entire place. There are about 3 different routes you can take; I believe we chose the medium-length one. It was just right for us; we still had time to have lunch and do some shopping in Westport in the afternoon. Enjoy your trip! I hear spring is a wonderful time to be there.
Feb 3rd, 2010, 08:31 PM
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I tried putting my pictures in a file. See if this works: http://gallery.me.com/lori.fischer/100016
Feb 4th, 2010, 05:34 AM
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Nice pix! 
We stayed at the Lighthouse in June, 2004. I've recommended it a few times. We had upstairs rooms, with terrific views of the bay.
Glad that you avoided the 'Green Blur'. Ireland is MUICH more enjoyable at a relaxed pace...
Bob
We stayed at the Lighthouse in June, 2004. I've recommended it a few times. We had upstairs rooms, with terrific views of the bay.
Glad that you avoided the 'Green Blur'. Ireland is MUICH more enjoyable at a relaxed pace...
Bob
Feb 4th, 2010, 06:03 AM
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fischerl - Thanks for that lovely trip report which reminded me of so many things we did last year in Ireland! I am so glad we were'nt the only Fodorites to tackle Archill Island!
Your photos are lovely and well thought out. What camera?
Your photos are lovely and well thought out. What camera?
Feb 4th, 2010, 06:09 AM
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I used my Visa whenever I could; for everything else, I had cash from the local ATM. I found that in Dingle there was no problem running Visa through with Euros only; the further north we went, the more difficult it was to get proprietors to do that. Perhaps it’s that Dingle is used to tourists? But no, so is Westport, and the shopkeepers and restaurant workers there absolutely refused to do that, or perhaps they didn’t know how? I’m not sure.
Can you elaborate on this? Was it a problem? I'm not sure what you even mean?
Great log. Thanks for it!
Can you elaborate on this? Was it a problem? I'm not sure what you even mean?
Great log. Thanks for it!
Feb 4th, 2010, 06:44 AM
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We will be in Dublin the first week in March but my husband and I don't drive and won't have a car so we will depend on tours out of Dublin to see a lot of Ireland. Wonder if anyone has a suggestion? We are at the Harding Hotel I think right next to Temple Bar. Thanks.
Feb 5th, 2010, 10:28 AM
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tod: Joe took a Canon Rebel XTI; I just had my little Polaroid digital i832. The pics are both of ours, all mixed up. Glad you liked them! How did you enjoy Achill?
Dr.Toonz: from this forum and another, I learned that you get a better exchange rate if you pay in Euros, not dollars. So you're actually spending less money by doing that. Many places of business in Europe give you the choice, but as I found in Westport, some don't! I'm sure others can explain it better; hope they'll jump in to help you understand.
redhead...Check out irelandexpert.com and post your question there, also. It's a wonderful and friendly forum for all things Ireland. Pat Preston should be able to give you excellent advice. Also post your question on this forum, in a new posting, so lots of people will see it. Good luck and enjoy Dublin!
Dr.Toonz: from this forum and another, I learned that you get a better exchange rate if you pay in Euros, not dollars. So you're actually spending less money by doing that. Many places of business in Europe give you the choice, but as I found in Westport, some don't! I'm sure others can explain it better; hope they'll jump in to help you understand.
redhead...Check out irelandexpert.com and post your question there, also. It's a wonderful and friendly forum for all things Ireland. Pat Preston should be able to give you excellent advice. Also post your question on this forum, in a new posting, so lots of people will see it. Good luck and enjoy Dublin!
Feb 6th, 2010, 02:28 AM
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Fischerl, here are some of my photos taken with a Canon 50D:
http://tinyurl.com/mx4uy5
Here is what I wrote:
tod on Jul 3, 09 at 4:25pm
REMOTE AND DRAMATIC ACHILL ISLAND - Wednesday 13th May
Our long drive yesterday to Knock was rewarded by entering an imaculate caravan park and the offer to take up any space we fancied. While Peter went out to take photographs in the late afternoon sun I prepared our dinner.
I grilled a rack of Irish lamb, boiled some young Irish potatoes and added a salad on the side.
My ever complimentary husband said it looked so good he just had to take a photo or two!
This morning we are all set for the drive to Achill Island and set off at about 8am stopping in Newport alongside the river for breakfast. There are old fishing boats around in various stages of repair and it is lovely and peaceful while we eat our kippers and toast.
Passing through Mulrany on the mainland we notice a large hotel called The Park Inn and Bistro. Newport Bay is full of what looks like oyster beds or fish farms.
Achill is just 24km by 18km, it is joined to the mailand by a bridge built in 1888. Once across Achill Sound the stark landscape appears to be vast and lonely. Every now and then on a hillside or tiny village a brand new house appears on it's neat plinth of cement. Nearly all sport a red door and a facade of local stonework on the front of the house. Some houses have outlined red windows and roof, and mostly painted stark white.
We even see a brand new Chinese restaurant un-opened at this stage - or 'you know who' would be dashing inside!
It was nice to see an effort being made to mend some of the old original stone houses which are much more in keeping with the remotness and landscape.
Suddenly we come upon hundreds of policemen and women, police vehicles, and buses. Stopping to ask what is happening we are told there is a State funeral being held for one of their policemen. We sit in a side road for about 30 minutes to let the procession go past.
The weather dulls and occasionally it rains a little. We take the scenic Atlantic Drive along steep mountain slopes which look down on coves of white sandy beaches.
Our first siting of peat bogs appears as we criss-cross the island.
On the way back we go to the area called the Deserted Village. More than 70 roofless stone houses are all that remain of an 1837 village. It is high up on the slope of a hill and one needs good binoculars if you are not inclined to do the walk up.
INTERESTING FACT
On the western side of Achill Island is Corrymore House, a former hotel built by Capt. Charles Boycott who was a land agent for Lord Erne. His harsh tactics made him extremely unpopular and as no-one would work for him or even speak to him, his surname entered the English language as a word meaning to ostricise or shun. So there is the history about 'boycotting' something!
Our return to Knock takes us via Westport and we go into a cafe for a cappucino. In Claremorris we pull over to take photos of several lifelike bronze statues on the sidewalk.
They are amazing.
http://tinyurl.com/mx4uy5
Here is what I wrote:
tod on Jul 3, 09 at 4:25pm
REMOTE AND DRAMATIC ACHILL ISLAND - Wednesday 13th May
Our long drive yesterday to Knock was rewarded by entering an imaculate caravan park and the offer to take up any space we fancied. While Peter went out to take photographs in the late afternoon sun I prepared our dinner.
I grilled a rack of Irish lamb, boiled some young Irish potatoes and added a salad on the side.
My ever complimentary husband said it looked so good he just had to take a photo or two!
This morning we are all set for the drive to Achill Island and set off at about 8am stopping in Newport alongside the river for breakfast. There are old fishing boats around in various stages of repair and it is lovely and peaceful while we eat our kippers and toast.
Passing through Mulrany on the mainland we notice a large hotel called The Park Inn and Bistro. Newport Bay is full of what looks like oyster beds or fish farms.
Achill is just 24km by 18km, it is joined to the mailand by a bridge built in 1888. Once across Achill Sound the stark landscape appears to be vast and lonely. Every now and then on a hillside or tiny village a brand new house appears on it's neat plinth of cement. Nearly all sport a red door and a facade of local stonework on the front of the house. Some houses have outlined red windows and roof, and mostly painted stark white.
We even see a brand new Chinese restaurant un-opened at this stage - or 'you know who' would be dashing inside!
It was nice to see an effort being made to mend some of the old original stone houses which are much more in keeping with the remotness and landscape.
Suddenly we come upon hundreds of policemen and women, police vehicles, and buses. Stopping to ask what is happening we are told there is a State funeral being held for one of their policemen. We sit in a side road for about 30 minutes to let the procession go past.
The weather dulls and occasionally it rains a little. We take the scenic Atlantic Drive along steep mountain slopes which look down on coves of white sandy beaches.
Our first siting of peat bogs appears as we criss-cross the island.
On the way back we go to the area called the Deserted Village. More than 70 roofless stone houses are all that remain of an 1837 village. It is high up on the slope of a hill and one needs good binoculars if you are not inclined to do the walk up.
INTERESTING FACT
On the western side of Achill Island is Corrymore House, a former hotel built by Capt. Charles Boycott who was a land agent for Lord Erne. His harsh tactics made him extremely unpopular and as no-one would work for him or even speak to him, his surname entered the English language as a word meaning to ostricise or shun. So there is the history about 'boycotting' something!
Our return to Knock takes us via Westport and we go into a cafe for a cappucino. In Claremorris we pull over to take photos of several lifelike bronze statues on the sidewalk.
They are amazing.
