The website for Spinners Townhouse is under construction so there are no pictures or information available. Is anyone familiar with this place and what is it like?

Aussie,<BR><BR>It's too bad to hear of the Spinners snag. I stayed at Spinners a few years back and I can recommend it. <BR><BR>Spinners has several good things going for it, one of which is its location, directly across from Birr Castle. This is a real plus. Also, the accommodation features a good bistro on the premises. <BR><BR>Should you reserve a room, I'd strongly suggest that you ask for one of the larger rooms, as mine was neat, but quite small. The room overlooked an attractive courtyard, but, once again, it was too compact for my tastes. Unfortunately, the size of the non-deluxe rooms was not mentioned in the Alistair Sawday Guide to Ireland. The rest of the review, however, was on target.<BR><BR>Best of luck.<BR><BR>P.S. Birr makes for a good base to visit one of ireland's great monastic sites, Clonmacnoise. You might also consider taking a cruise along the Shannon, as this is very scenic, non-touristy countryside.

Hi David: Thanks for your comments. Actually we'll be coming from Clonmacnoise and wanted to stay overnight close by instead of heading over to Dublin, our ultimate destination . We start off in the morning from Kinsale, want to stop off and see the Rock of Cashel and hit Clonmacnoise late in the afternoon. I know that's alot of traveling. That's why I cancelled our reservations in Dublin for the night and made reservations for the Ashbrook Farm Guest House in Shannonbridge. I thought Shannonbridge would be even closer than Birr and we'd also have a shorter drive to Dublin the next day then if we had gone on to Birr. Am I correct in my mapreading? Maria

Aussie,<BR><BR>Your map-reading skills are just fine, as Shannonbridge is located a short drive south from Clonmacnois, just outside County Roscommon. Heading back to Dublin would be a cinch as you'd drive north to Athlone, then east along the N6 to Dublin. <BR><BR>At the same time, however, the drive from Birr to Dublin would be quite easy as well. You'd want to go south to Roscrea, then east along the N7 and into Ireland's capital.<BR><BR>All in all, the drive from S'bridge to Dublin would appear to be shorter, but not by a great deal.<BR><BR>Best of luck.<BR><BR>P.S. Whichever route you choose, you might - before driving into Dublin proper - consider making a stop at Castletown House, located in Celbridge, County Kildare. This Anglo-Irish home was built in the early 18th century and is considered one of Ireland's greatest examples of classical architecture. Should you enjoy touring the interiors and grounds of stately homes, a visit to Castletown will be well worth a visit.

David: Thank you for the tip. Both of my teenagers are interested in architecture. Are you familiar with Frank Lloyd Wright's resort home &quot;Fallingwater?&quot; We live near to it, in Pittsburgh, PA. That is one of our favorite sites.<BR><BR>I would like to be able to contact you directly if I have more questions about our trip to Ireland. Would you be willing to give me your e-mail address. If not, I'll just try through the Talk site, if you are a frequent visitor. <BR>Thanks again. Maria <BR><BR>

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Aussie,<BR><BR>I'm sorry to say that I've not visited Wright's &quot;Fallingwater&quot;, though I certainly would like to. In addition to Ken Burns' documentary on Wright, I have fond memories of watching a documentary series by Robert Hughes, art historian and architecture critic for TIME magazine. The documentary has a fine segment on Wright's resort home. While I don't recall the name of the series, it was a standout and well worth seeking out.<BR><BR>As regards e-mail, I am a regular visitor to this site, and I'd be more than happy to respond to any queries you have concerning Ireland and your trip. It's a good topic for discussion.<BR><BR>Best of luck.