Our first Ireland adventure - 3/26/2010-4/2/2010
 

Hello all - we returned from our first trip to Ireland (and to Europe for that matter) this past Friday 4/2. We had an AMAZING trip! I want to start by thanking everyone for their direct and indirect help (as I have definitely lurked on other postings aside from my own).....here we go....

Friday March 26th:
We had a 6:45 pm flight non-stop from JFK to Dublin.

We used Smartpark JFK for long-term parking as they had the best rates and came highly recommended. The process of checking in and getting to the airpot was quick and painless. We made reservations prior to our arrival.

We flew on Aer Lingus and do not have one bad thing to say about them! Service was professional and courteous and the plane was clean and comfortable. The only thing I found was that it was difficult to store our backpack under the seat in front of us - meaning that the space was smaller than what we were used to. Aside from that - no delays or issues!!

Saturday March 27th:
We arrived in Dublin at approx. 5 AM and made our way to the AirCoach after collecting our luggage and made our way to the Temple Bar area where our hotel was.

We stayed at the Arlington Temple Bar hotel on Lord Edward Street - one word of caution is that there are 2 Arlington hotels - the Air Coach bus driver had no idea what we were talking about so that definitely led to some confusion. He dropped us off near the bank and we initially had trouble finding our bearings (even with a map). We ended up taking a cab b/c we were tired and did not have the energy to search around which in the end was worth it.

Our room was obviously not ready (it was 7AM) but while my husband napped on the chair in the lobby I was plotting our day. Luckily (after they changed shifts - we were able to tell that the gentlman who was working the overnight shift could not be bothered with us) - the receptionist at the front desk informed us that our room would be ready by 10AM and we went to get breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Food there was very good - I had porridge and the hubby had french toast - our room was ready by the time we finished.

After a brief nap we decided it was time to explore the city! We purchased tickets on the Hop On/Hop Off bus - this is a MUST do in Dublin. Great way to see the city and get some history. We explored the Guiness Factory, St. Stephen's Green, and Grafton Street before hitting a pub for drinks then dinner. Let me add that I had my first ever Guiness (my friends and coworkers at home were very surprised by this - not sure if that is a good or bad thing) - I absolutely LOVED it! Although from what I also heard I will be forever ruined drinking Guiness here in the US (I will have to let everyone know that since I have a work function this upcoming Thursday and plan on having one there!).

We started out at The Bankers near the tourist center. It was small but perfect for us since it wasn't crowded. We enjoyed our meals and pints! I had Traditional Irish Stew and the hubby had Chicken goujons. We were very tired and had a big day ahead of us and headed back to our hotel.....

Next up 3/28 - Newgrange and final afternoon/evening in Dublin along with Hotel review

Woo! A new trip report! Welcome back, can't wait to read it!

Yes looking forward to more of your trip report - Ireland on my list of places to visit

March 28, 2009:
We decided that we really wanted to see Newgrange. We utilized "Over the Top" tours to get there. I must admit my ignorance b/c I misunderstood that they are purely a shuttle company and do not provide tours.

Our scheduled pick-up time was 9AM in front to the tourist office. We also found out that if there are less than 7 people they can cancel the shuttle - given that at first there was just the 2 of us, I was not pleased at all. The driver offered to drop us off at half-price but either we would need to wait until 4 when he can pick us up or we would need to find our own way home. At this point I was becoming severely agitated and did my best to "go with the flow." Luckily, 3 college guys ended up joining in so it was a moot point - I mention it only for information purposes. I am on the fence about recommending this company - the driver was nice enough however it would have been nice if we received some information about where we were and any facts along the way - we would have used Mary Gibbons except she didn't offer service on Sundays....

For those not aware, Newgrange is the home of prehistoric tombs first developed by neolithic farmers. We found this to be absolutely fascinating. I highly recommend this - however, please note that the passageway to the tomb is very narrow (and this is an understatement) and the ground is uneven - this may be an issue for some.

We arrived back in Dublin around 2pm and immediately caught the Hop On/Off bus. From here we visited the Kilmainham Gaol. This was one of my favorite sites to see. The history behind the jail and how it affected the people of Ireland really puts things in perspective.

From there we took the bus to Temple Bar. We explored the area and made our way to the pubs. We started out at the Auld Dubliner - this was a blast! Fun crowd and live music to boot! We had many many pints of beer and shared an appetizer between the two of us. I forget the name of the place we went to next - but it was definitely in the same area.

After many, many pints of beer we finally decided to retire for the evening.

Hotel: Arlington Temple Bar Hotel on Lord Edward Street. Overall very friendly staff (aside from the overnight front desk receptionist - although if I were him I would probably be cranky too...). This seemed like a typical business hotel - the decor and room are dated but clean (the clean part is always our main concern). The price was very reasonable (approx 170 euros for 2 nights).

The one thing I was a little bitter about was the fact that when they stored our luggage, my bright pink luggage strap mysteriouly disappeared. I triple checked my luggage and everything was intact - overall I would definitely recommend the hotel.

Next: trip back to airport to pick up rental car and onto Kilkenny!

March 29:
We woke up (without headaches surprisingly enough) and immediatel packed up. Upon check-out we noticed it was raining (for the first time of our trip). We ended up taking a cab to the aircoach stop near the tourist center - this is generally a 5-10 minute walk but for 5 euros it was worth not having our luggage soaked. After a long wait, we caught the aircoach and went back to the airport to pick up the car.

Now this is probably an area I did some of the most research on - car rentals. The horror stories made me extremely apprehensive. After much deliberation, I finally chose to utilize IrelandTouring.com which utilized Hertz (also known as O'scainlann I believe - excuse me if the spelling is off). They were significantly cheaper than Dooley - another front runner.

I will just cut to the chase on this one instead of waiting until the end when we dropped the car off. What a GREAT experience! I do not have one bad thing to say about either Hertz or IrelandTouring.com (Journey Through Ireland Ltd). After I booked I received a pre-paid voucher for an automatic car with CDW. Important to note that you must pay gas, super CDW, and additional driver at Hertz - this is not included in the voucher.

We ended up with a Ford Focus that already had some body damage to it - which I was relieved about. I highly recommend this service - the contact at Journey Through Ireland Ltd was Carol.

We had brought our TomTom from home and had purchased the Ireland/UK map. Overall this worked great. We then made our way to Kilkenny! This was approximately a 1.5 hour drive and we took very manageable roads (which I nicknamed "M" and "N" roads - I never paid attention to what number was next to it - that was my navigator's job).

We stayed at Carriglea B&B which is a 3 minute walk to the castle. When we arrived Josephine O'Reilly (our hostess) greeted us and was very apologetic that our room wasn't completely cleaned. We didn't mind (she had to clean the shower) - all we wanted to do was drop off the luggage and begin exploring!

First stop - Kilkenny Castle. This was our first castle experience and it was wonderful! This was one of my husband's favorite things. All the rooms, furniture, paintings were incredible - not to mention the grounds. It is amazing that something built so long ago still stand today.

Next we walked down the street and got some lunch (we ended up skipping breakfast). Again (and I apologize for this) I forget the name of the place - I think it was City Bar or something along those lines. I had soup/brown bread and hubby had a BLT - a little pricey but good and quick enough for what we needed at that time.

We then walked to St. Canice's - this was closed but we still managed to explore the outside. I would have loved to take a tour or go up the tour - oh well! I was absolutely floored by this church. The tombstones, church, tower are breathtaking. It puts things in perspective when we think about our church which is considered to have character in Bay Shore, NY - it pales in comparison to this. Definitely worth the visit.

We then talked to the Black Abbey - I was again floored by this. We walked in and I was speechless - words cannot express the feelings of awe and admiration of this place. Between the alabaster relic found in the walls to the spectacular stained glass window I could've stayed here for hours just sitting and reflecting.

At this point we did some shopping (always fun) and went to Kyteler's Inn. We had a few pints then decided to change locations (I was feeling a buzz at this point) - only to discover everyplace stopped serving food and we ended up right back where we started!! Delicious, simple food and a great staff/atmosphere. I definitely enjoyed the night.

We ate dinner and stayed for a few more pints until retiring. We had a long day ahead of us.

B&B: Carriglea - Josephine was so friendly and wonderful. I enjoyed meeting her and staying at her B&B. This place has 3 guestrooms. You selected what you wanted to eat the night before and what time you were going to eat. Breakfast was delicious! The room (which was en suite) was clean and comfortable. My husband did not want to leave!

Overall - I felt Kilkenny deserved one night - anything more would've been too long for us.

Next up - drive to Dingle with the Rock of Cashel en route. This will probably wait until tomorrow!

Interesting about Over the Top - when I went with them to Newgrange in 2005, I was the only person on the first bus of the morning on the way out (I can't remember if it was the same on the way back). The guy did try briefly to convince me to wait for the second bus of the day, rather than have him drive me out there by myself, but when I said I really preferred to go that morning, he didn't push it. They must have changed their policies since then.

I loved Kilkenny and wished I'd had more time there - but I was only there about 12 hours, including my sleep time! Poor planning on my part.

March 30th:
After a delicious and filling breakfast at Carriglea, we were on the road again by 9:30am. Unfortunately, TomTom (or Suzanne as we so affectionately called her) took me through the actual city of Kilkenny.

Let me back-up for a moment.....Just to give some background about how I felt about driving, driving on the left side was not hard for me, nor did I find the roads bad. I had a drifting problem - I consistently drifted to the left. This of course gave my hubby many heart attacks. After he scared me about a dozen times with his loud gasps we decided that the code word "drifting" would be used. This was my indication to get towards the right.

Now I will fast forward back to driving through the city of Kilkenny - I definitely hit one of the posts on the sidewalk with my sideview mirror. Thank goodness no pedestrians were around and also thank goodness that the sideview mirror already had a huge paint chip on it. I was also tensed up the entire time and was praying to be out of the small confines of a city. After that debacle we reached the main road and were on our way.

First stop - Rock of Cashel. Suzanne wasn't recognizing that acual ROC so she took us very nearby. We ended up parking (with a meter) and walking about 5-10 minutes to the ROC. On any other day we probably would've taken the tour and relished the unbelievable sight. However, the wind was absolutely atrocious. It was almost knocking me down!!! This put a damper on what could have been one of our favorite sites. Nonetheless - I am really happy we decided to make this stop. It took us approx 1 hour from Kilkenny.

Next up - same day...continuing our drive to Dingle

I noticed many typos - and at the risk of someone pointing them out I am just going to come out and apologize ahead of time. More to come...hopefully w/less typos

Kerry - it's you and me here so far! :)

That's too bad that it was so windy at the Rock of Cashel. I understand how weather can completely change one's perception of an experience!

For anyone else to follow, or if you go back, when I was at Cashel, I also went to the Bru Boru Cultural Center, at the base of the Rock. They have nightly performances of Irish traditional music, song, and dance, and I was able to make reservations for an amazing dinner on site before the performance.

I don't know why it's so hard to find information about this dinner and performance, even on their own website. I remember the same being true when I was researching for my own trip five years ago. I didn't remember that the performances were nightly, but that's what the site says. It also references more performances in July and August, so maybe the performance I'm thinking of is only available in July and August. If this sounds appealing to anyone out there, though, go to http://comhaltas.ie/locations/detail/bru_boru/ and send an inquiry to their e-mail address. The performance and dinner were both spectacular - one of the highlights of my own trip.

Kerry, can't wait to hear about Dingle - it sounds like you're taking my trip in reverse!!

We are in the beginning plans of a Sept.'10 Ireland trip so I am enjoying your report. Since we plan a good part of it in Dingle, I am looking forward to your next post. I will check out IrelandTouring.com for our car----thanks for the tip.

March 30th:
We easily navigated our way out of Cashel and began the long trek to Dingle. I have to admit I had a little anxiety about this leg of the trip b/c I have heard various things about the road leading to Dingle. In the end, however, it wasn't as bad as I anticipated (not saying it was a cake-walk either).

Suzanne did not recognize the address of our B&B (Lighthouse B&B on The High Road). Once we got into town we stopped at the first pub we saw for directions. 3 minutes later we arrived! We got to Dingle around 4pm - approx a 4 hour drive. We had room #1 which was in the front of the house - one of the more private rooms if you ask my opinon. Denis and Mary Murphy have a beautiful home. Our room overlooked to water and which we loved! We settled in and closed our eyes for about 30 minutes before again exploring.

We were very excited about Dingle - plus we had 2 nights here and were looking forward to staying in one place for a little while. That afternoon was meant for leisurly walking the town and grabbing some food/drink.

After walking/shopping we ended up at the Dingle Pub. The poor bartender was the only one working the bar and table area (and where were many people). We were happily surprised that wait time still as good as if others were working - this is a true testament to his skill/professionalism. I had soup/brown bread and the hubby had a burger. This of course coupled with a few pints of beer.

Next we went to "The Small Bridge" - at least how its known in English (it has a gaelic name that I will look up once I am home). Here we had our first true flavor of local banter.

We first spoke to one man who you can tell was not originally from Ireland - he seemed nice enough at first but was really angering the other gentleman who was born/raised in the Dingle area. I won't go into specifics here! Here I learned what I thought was an interesting fact - you should be careful to whom you say "Northern Ireland" too - the gentleman informed me that such a description illustrates that they are indeed separate. Instead, it should be known as the "north of Ireland." I can't begin to fully understand the politics and emotion that go into this - some people I am sure care more than others. Nonetheless, I will always remember that fact out of respect.

Both of us ended up pretty sloshed - the B&B was a 10 minute walk from town. It was very refreshing but may be a big of a hike for some.

Next up: March 31st - Dingle/Slea Head Drive

Really enjoying the installments so far- thanks for putting it up! :)

Thanks for sharing an enjoyable report.

A good read, thank you! We are going to Ireland on Friday and are also staying at the Lighthouse in Dingle. Glad to hear you liked it.

Hello Kerry, I have never been to Ireland but have always enjoyed books that take place in Ireland and I am so enjoying your lovely and interesting trip report! And good for you regarding driving on the left..I don't think I could..I would probably be a holy terror on the road!

March 31st:
After a wonderful breakfast (we each had the scrambled eggs with bacon) we wanted to begin our day.

I originally had my heart set on biking slea head drive. Denis Murphy strongly advised against it and suggested we drive the car instead. Boy, am I glad I listen to him!! Not only was it incredibly windy, the bike ride would've taken all day. Again, I plead ignorance - but I am so happy we ran into Denis before we left!!

Slea Head Drive is one of the highlights of the trip for me. If you want scenery - here is where you can get it. The water, mountains, grassy hills, and more sheep then you will ever encounter in your lifetime! We visited the beehive huts - its costs 2 Euros to see them. Can't say its worth 2 euros each but I don't regret getting out of the car and seeing them. We stopped everyplace we could - I suggest that anyone driving this route do the same! My only regret is I wished I stopped at either a pub/cafe/shop - oh well. The drive took us about 2 hours - the road is about 1.5 lanes for both ways of traffic. My game plan was to stop the car anytime a vehicle larger than a minivan was passing by the other side. It seemed to work for us!

After we got back, we went back into town. I had my eye set on this woolen blanket (which I absolutely love). After some souvenier shopping we stopped for lunch at Murphy's Pub. I again had soup with brown bread (anyone noticing my lunch trend here) and hubby had chicken fingers/fries. I loved this place! Perfect location for a late lunch.

While we were in Dingle - it would randomly start hailing these perfect small little ice pellots. Not sure if this is seasonal or all the time. This generally lasted about 1 minutes before stopping.

After some more shopping and exploring the town, we ate dinner (yes we ate dinner very shortly after we ate lunch haha). We stopped at John Benny's where we both had the Guiness Stew. Very delicious!!

We were both very tired. This was a perfect place and time for a 2 night stay. It allowed us to relax and be on our own terms.

I loved Dingle and I HIGHLY recommend it!

Next: April 1 - Drive to Galway - Cliffs of Moher along the way

the Lighthouse was our favorite b&b, and so reasonable. That dining room view is a lifetime memory.

Denis sent us to the Sleahead Loop, which included the Famine Cottages Museum on the right-hand side. I haven't heard anyone mention it here.
CAUTION: On the left-hand side of the road is some private museum, featuring a mastodon fossil and some artifacts,which, IMO, was a rip off.

This is as good a place as any to relate one of the most embarrasing moments in my life.
I was in an off-license place on Goat St. On the telly, sound turned off, was a news story. I asked my fellow patron if this was a piece about terrorism somewhere. "No", he said, "It's about the IRA." Without a thought, I heard myself saying, "Well, they know about terrorism".
"No, they fought for our freedom." Despite my immediate apologies, he had the good taste to absent himself within a few minutes. I left right after that.
I have thought of this often. If the opportunity and the right moment arises, I need to make amends with that classy gent.

Bronxbomber wrote: "... I need to make amends with that classy gent."

I don't think so.

We leave in about 2 weeks and I'm enjoying your report.

Thanks everyone! More to come....

Planning a trip in the fall (my DH has never been) and enjoying the report too.

Travelled to Ireland over 20 years ago, I remember the fear my passenger had too when I overcompensated and almost had her in the bushes. I was also able to hit a curb within the first 10 minutes of driving and ended up with a flat....oh, the memories :)

April 1:
This morning I had my first traditional irish breakfast and the Lighthouse did not disapoint!! After breakfast, we sadly parted Dingle. This is a place I would certainly visit again.

We started up Suzanne and told her to take us to the Tarbert ferry across the Shannon River. This saves approx. 85 miles and is a 20 minute ride across the Shannon River. This was a pretty easy ride (approx an 1-1.5 hours) with mostly "N" roads.

We deliberated during the 20 minutes ride about whether we should go straight to Galway or take the detour to the Cliff of Moher. My husband's motto is "you've seen one cliff, you've seen them all" but recommended that we go see the cliffs in the event I would later have regret on the plan ride home (which even I will admit is not something anyone who I like should have to endure - I can be brutal). The matter was settled and we decided to see the cliffs and cut through the burren. I mean, how bad of a detour can this really be?

I cursed Suzanne out about a million times and went into "Kerry meltdown mode." She thought the quickest way was to cut through these dirt roads that went through farms - in US standards barely a one-way road. I thought I was going to lose it! Actually, I did lose it but God bless my very calm and understanding husband. We got lost and ended up taking a 45 minute-1 hour detour. Oh well, we "got to see the Irish countryside."

We FINALLY arrived at the cliffs - 8 Euros to park and visit. In the end, I was not overly impressed. Don't get me wrong, they were breathtaking - but I have since inherited by husband's motto re: cliffs. I don't regret seeing the cliffs - I was glad we made the trip b/c now I can say we went. If we get back to Ireland (which i hope we do) - this will definitely not be part of a second visit.

Another area which will never get a second visit from us is the burren. Now, this is only our opion - to each their own we always say. BUT - we do not understand how people flock to see this. Rocks. All rocks. Rocks that I ran over and viewed for miles and miles. By far the most boring part of our drive.

HOWEVER, I will say that we wouldn't trade one bit of this in for anything. Certainly no regrets. We came, we saw, we conquered this area and it will always serve as a funny memory of my Ireland meltdown.

Next up: same day - arrival in Galway

April 1 - continued

I was never so happy to reach a destination before! Of course, we arrived right during what I perceived as rush hour traffic. It didn't bother me too much b/c I was happy to move slowly so we can better navigate where we needed to go.

We stayed at Jury's Inn on Quay Street - we passed it about twice before actually figuring out how to get there. We utilized the parking garage immediately next door - the hotel has a special rate of 10 euros per day. This was very convenient.

I chose Jury's Inn b/c of its location, recommendations, and also b/c I was able to secure a really great price. The price was 59 euros which we pre-paid.

First impression was how clean the hotel was, the friendly front desk receptionist, and the great location. This is my opinion gave us a lot of bang for our buck and I definitely recommend this hotel.

We immediately dropped off our luggage and headed down Quay Street. First impression – what a neat city! Very young too (I assume due to the university). I had a few more relatives to shop for so we popped in and out of shops along the way. However, we were famished and needed nourishment! We stopped at The Front End. This was a nice place down a small street. I had shepherds pie and hubby has bangers and mash. The food and service were both wonderful! It was the perfect last dinner in Ireland for us!

Again, we set out to explore. While there are sites to see, nothing really called out to us. We wanted more than anything just to see the city sites and if we happened to cross anything interesting we would take a peek. It was a relaxing stroll and while we didn’t get the full flavor of Galway, it gave us a taste and a reason to return.

We tried to pop into a few bars with live music but none had open seats (at this point sitting was mandatory). We made our way into the Spanish Arch Hotel bar – there were perhaps 5 or so other people in the place. We didn’t leave our seats and within a couple of hours, the place was jam packed and to our surprise we had great seats to listen to some live music. These guys were great!!! The atmosphere and bartenders were great and the live music was a welcomed surprise. Very happy we found our way here!!!

So with a full belly and a happy heart, we bid adieu to Galway and headed back to our hotel. We wanted to pack and get a good night rest!

Next up: 4/2 – Drive to Shannon Airport and general thoughts

As I said in an above post, we are in the beginning stages of planning a Sept. trip to Ireland. Your trip report has been a great source of info for us. It sounds like you had a wonderful time.

Wonderful report. Thanks for sharing. FYI, I too, was "underwhelmed" by the Burren and the Cliffs. I might have felt differently if it had not been freezing and raining at the cliffs.

Friday 4/2 – a sad farewell

We had a 1:00 direct flight from Shannon to JFK. We planned what time to leave by counting backwards. (a) 1pm flight, should get there at least 2 hours ahead of time (b) 11AM – need to return car (c) 10:30AM – drive is about 1.5 hours (d) leave Galway at 9AM.

Since we prepared the night before, we were out the door by 8:30! The drive wasn’t as straight-forward as I envisioned (although it was one of the easiest drives). I was reunited with my dear friend… the “M” road. Nothing like a cement divider b/w you and opposite traffic to make a girl feel secure.

The Hertz rental office is VERY easy to locate. Actually the entire airport is easy to maneuver (I compare is to Macarthur Airport in Islip, NY (Long Island)). We dropped off our car with no issues. I was so relieved!!! We caught a shuttle to the departure area (literally a 2 minute drive). After checking in, we were on the look-out for breakfast.

Before the security gate there was an area upstairs to get food and sit down (cafeteria style). I had the porridge (which was in all honesty horrible) and hubby had scrambled eggs and hash browns.

After that, we went through security and nosed around the duty-free shop for a little bit. We then did that VAT tax return thing – someone else may be able to explain it better. All I know is that they were putting money back on my credit card).

We were done with walking around and made our way to the gate. The gate was much further than we anticipated and we were greeted by airport security who checks ALL bags and pats everyone down. We were very early so this was quick. If we had delayed going to the gate by 10 minutes or so, we would’ve been on a very long line. It pays to be early sometimes!! There was free Wi-Fii in the airport so I checked a few personal e-mails, some facebook, and relaxed until it was time to board.

Again, I must give Aer Lingus glowing reviews. I couldn’t have been happier with a flight experience. We boarded the plane, settled in, and got comfortable for a long flight back home after a wonderful Ireland adventure. =)


General comments and random thoughts (in no particular order):
1. Capital One does not charge a fee when you utilize your cc overseas.
2. Notified Bank of America prior to leaving and took money out of ATM’s – they did charge a 1% fee plus whatever the ATM charged (if anything) – we could go to any ATM with a VISA of PLUS.
3. I felt we chose the right times/locations for 2 night stays – it allowed us time to relax and take a step back. I recommend to anyone traveling to allow yourself this small luxury.
4. I am obsessed with Ireland B&B’s – so is my husband and he was a little nervous at first.
5. Anytime you use your CC, tell them to charge it in Euros and not US Dollars – I thank those who brought this point up before and I will repeat it now.
6. Brown bread is awesome and I want more
7. Vegetable soup is not what you would be used to in the US – it is pureed (at least in the 4 places I ordered it in Ireland in all different parts of the country). However, it is delicious!
8. Guinness is awesome in Ireland and after my first taste of it last night in NY (The Long Room midtown NYC) I declare myself ruined for life and can no longer order it here (well – unless it’s a car bomb).
9. Driving is not easy in Ireland – plan ahead. I generally did not surpass 80KM on 100 KM roads and didn’t surpass 100 KM on 120KM roads – needless to say many people passed me on the road. I was OK with that!
10. To repeat my method of driving by stopped the car and letting the opposite traffic do the work when they passed me (this is on “R” roads) – I love how people point their finger (pointer finger, not the middle one haha) while still holding the wheel. Where I live, we give a full exaggerated wave – I was loving the point. I did it many times.
11. If you are in Dublin – do the Hop On/Hop Off bus. This is a great way to see the city.
12. You can do Kilkenny in under 5 hours (actually – you can probably do it in less than 3). It does deserve a visit.
13. If you are ignorant to it (like I wish I still was)– never ask what is used to make “black pudding” and “white pudding”
14. If you are on the Dingle peninsula – please do yourself the service of driving Slea Head Drive – absolutely breathtaking.
15. If you do Slea Head drive – you probably don’t need to see the Cliffs of Moher.
16. We were greeted in bars with “your welcome” – if you are from the US – “your welcome” usually comes after a “thank you” – they do it to say hello and welcome you into the establishment. We loved this!
17. When they hand you the bill, many say “now here is the bad news”
18. When they hand you the drink, they always say “cheers”
19. Soccer is on all the time – I still play soccer so this was a great bonus for me.
20. Go to Ireland. It is a beautiful country with so much to see. We had a packed schedule but are glad we did it they way we wanted. We are always on the go and definitely travel that way. Ireland is beautiful, the people are amazing, and the pints are plentiful!

If I think of any other random thoughts I will add….

Hope you enjoyed my trip report. Please let me know if you have any questions, I would be happy to answer. My husband and I thank you all for your advice and opinions.

Great job!! Thanks for all the pointers. We'll be renting from Hertz, too.

Great report and super job on your afterthoughts! thanks for sharing.

I really appreciate all the time you took to write such a wonderful trip report! Thank you!! Did you ever try the black and white pudding? My husband and I will be going mid-May and will be following a very similar route as you. We pend 2 nights in Dublin, 1 in Kilkenny, 3 in Kenmare, 3 in Dingle, 1 in Galway, then fly out of Dublin. I am also planning to bike Slea Head...but I guess I may have to play that by ear if the weather doesn't cooperate. I am sure you must be sad it is all over, but remember that a part of you will always remain in Ireland ...your little pink luggage strap!

Great report!! When are you going back? ;)

Regarding your list above -

#2 - I don't have the definitive answer on this but I THINK the reason you got charged the 1% on your ATM use was simply because it's the unavoidable VISA fee. I have two different ATM cards from my bank - a credit union. One is a regular VISA debit card/ATM, and one is ONLY an ATM. On my trip to Scotland last year, I took along both, to see if I could get away with using the one that is ONLY an ATM, and I was able to use it without any troubles at all to withdraw money. In this way I avoided all VISA fees. I still had to pay any ATM fees, but avoided the stupid 1% VISA fee. If you won't need your ATM card as a debit card, see if your bank offers an ATM card that is nothing but an ATM card, no VISA attached.

#7 - Agreed!! Loved it!

#20 - Agreed as well! I'm going back ... some day!

Thanks again for the report!

Great trip report! Thanks for sharing. I've been to many of the places you went, and am planning another trip (my fourth) for 2011.

The place you ate in Kilkenny could be Marble City Bar - it had great sandwiches when we went there. It was right across the tiny alley from Kyteler's Inn.

Wasn't the stained glass amazing in the Black Abbey? Very organic and abstract... http://www.greendragonartist.com/Gal...orofSpirit.jpg

On my list of must see destinations.

Thank you for your trip report

Thanks for posting and it is a good read

Thanks everyone for your kind words - glad you all enjoyed the report! We had a fabulous time!

And yes, despite learning what was in the black/white pudding I still tried some - it was delicious!!