MileKing

Planning trip to Ireland for May and would like to visit both Rock of Cashel and Cahir Castle. Any thoughts from those who have visited about how much time to allocate to each?

Also, if we left Kilkenny in the morning, visited both of the above sites, and Blarney, then drive to Kinsale where we would spend the evening, is that too ambitious for one day?

Thanks for your input.

Clifton

It's hard to answer this one, really. It depends mostly on your interest levels once you get there. It would be too ambitious for me, but maybe not for everyone.

We were last there in May as well. Cashel we were there for 3-4 hours, but our lodging was right on the other side of the parking lot and so got in early and had no line. But, I tend to dawdle, am fascinated by history and will linger looking for photographic angles and such.

Cahir is a lot of fun and we were there for almost 3 hours, plus we walked down to the Swiss Cottage, had lunch in town and poked around an artist's shop in Cahir. The castle is of the fortified variety without all the manor type renovations, so you can walk the walls, climb the towers, peer down in the dungeon, etc.

Blarney is, in my opinion, a lesser structure with a huge "gotta do it" reputation. It's mainly a ruined keep, but you wait in lines to climb to the top and lie down & bend over backwards to kiss a rock in the wall. The grounds (gardens) around Blarney Castle on the other hand, in May, will be very lush. A very unusual garden, very natural with a three dimensional quality to it. Still, if it were me and I had to pick something to drop, it would be Blarney that got the miss.

But if you aren't one to dawdle, photograph, etc then you may make it if you get an early start. Kilkenny to Cashel to Cahir isn't a bad drive. And Blarney is last, so if you had to skip it you could and could even backtrack from Kinsale if need be.

isabel

I was there in August and loved both the Rock of Cashel and Cahir Castle. I had no interest in dealing with mobs of tourists at Blarney so didn't go there. I more or less agree with Clifton but think most people could do both the ROC and Cahir Castle in 2-3 hours and feel satisfied. I spent a little longer than that in Cahir Castle, a little less at the Rock. I really loved Kinsale as well. If you skipped Blarney it sounds like it would be an enjoyable, leisurely day. If you included it you'd have to rush a bit.

MaryZ

We spent about 2 hours at Cahir Castle. I could have spent days at the Rock of Cashel, but my family pulled me away after about 3 hours, I think. Your day can be done, but it would be too much for me.

reddattitude

MileKing.. that does seem like a lot to do in one day! I would plan to spend 2-4 hours at each of the places. At the Rock of Cashel, there is a great tour that provides history (I enjoyed it, but I'm a history nut). I think we spent 4 hours there, maybe 2-3 at Cahir, and 2 at Blarney.

I agree with Clifton, Blarney isn't an exciting castle to see, but you really do have to go! Kinsale is a great town to walk around in. I would suggest going to Blarney on your way down to Kinsale, and then perhaps, hit Cashel and Cahir on your way to your next destination? I went on my way back (from Kinsale actually) to Dublin to fly home.

Have a wonderful time! I went to Ireland in May and it was my favorite trip yet!

JuneAnn

I think that is too ambitious for one day.
In September we drove from Kilkenny to the Rock of Cashel and then on to Dingle. We skipped the Cahir and Blarney because we did not have enough time. Keep in mind that the roads are narrow and driving is pretty slow so it takes considerably longer than expected to get from place to place. We left Kilkenny early, after breakfast and drove to the Rock. We spent about 2 hours there and had a lovely lunch in a nearby cafe.

It's beautiful country.
June

Koshka

I have to agree; it's too ambitious. We made it to Blarney Castle very early and so didn't have to cope with hoards of tourists. DH and I felt it was a "necessary" visit.

We found Cahir Castle even more fascinating, finding a "Renaissance Faire" style event going on there which necessitated an extra trip.

We were in Cahir on 9/11/01 and found the Swiss Castle a wonderful distraction from the horrors.

The old gaol/bridewell in Cahir is owned by a wonderful family and you would not be sorry to break up your flurry with an overnight there. Carrigeen Castle: http://www.tipp.ie/butlerca.htm and http://www.ireland-now.com/castles/carrigeen.html

sjbisanz1

A great deal of this depends on your person preferences. We spent maybe 1 1/2 hrs. at Cashel and that included the video they presented. It was very quiet; only 4 other people there besides us. I'm sure that makes a big difference, but there were so many places on our "to do" list, that rather than spend 3-4 hours at each, we did half that. We drove around alot, but also so a great deal of the country, only missed one thing on our list, and did not feel rushed at all. But again, it is all a matter of preference. You may be one of those people who linger in a place for a long time. Maybe compare it to how you spend time in a museum, would you rather try to see it all, or pick the areas you are most interested in and devote your time to them.
Either way, have a great trip and try to see the Rock lit up at night. It was breathtaking!

DavidD

Mile,

Perhaps it would be best if you limit your visits to Cashel and Cahir, as these are a good deal more compelling and rewarding.
Even with the reduced itinerary, you'll no doubt feel well worn by the time you pull into Kinsale (thankfully you'll have a good many dining options in this town).

Regarding Cashel, make a point of accessing the Rock via the grounds of the
Cashel Palace Hotel, a decidedly "Old World" accommodation and a terrific place in which to enjoy lunch. In addition, after touring the Rock, consider hiking down to the 13th century remains of Hore Abbey, the last of medieval Ireland's Cistercian houses. There's little to see inside Hore, but the views looking back up to the Rock are splendid and provide many fine photo ops.

Best of luck.

chip

Last June, going the other direction, we left Kinsale and toured Cahir Castle, the Swiss Cottage, and The Rock of Cashel. We spent the night in Cashel, then went on to Kilkenny. The drive between Cashel and Kinsale was the easiest (fastest) of our trip.
The previous day we visited Blarney Castle...well...my wife shopped at the woolen mills while I hiked up for a view of the castle and grounds which were nice (I didn't feel the need to go up and kiss the Blarney Stone).
I think that Cahir, Swiss Cottage, and Cashel would be plenty for a day, but if you get to Kinsale with time to spare you could always tour Charles Fort (interesting tour and great views). Another detour we would suggest is the Midleton Distellery (volunteer for the taste testing)
If you stay in Kinsale, I suggest Jim Edward's for dinner. Be sure that your place to stay isn't across from the noisest pubs in town and that they have parking (we had to park at a public lot...at our own risk). Also enjoyed the "Ghost Tour";more entertaining than scarey.

MileKing

Thanks for all the great replies! Our preferences usually run towards seeing more sights, but at the same time, not neglecting things that really interest us and we do like to take pictures.

My view is that we are atypical of most Fodorites. We have no problem with moving from one hotel to another every nite, and usually try to do as much as we can without feeling "rushed". For us, arriving at our lodging for the evening before 6 PM is rare. Even given our travel style, I have to agree that the day from Kilkenny to Kinsale (with Rock of Cashel, Cahir, and Blarney) is too much, especially since Mrs. MileKing wants to hit the woolen mill. Both Michelin and AAroadwatch estimate the driving time as 3 hrs 15 min. from Kilkenny to Kinsale (via Cashel/Cahir/Blarney). And we are actually starting out in Thomastown which adds another 20+ minutes. So we've altered plans slightly. We are still doing Cashel and Cahir, and ending in Kinsale. We'll see how our time runs and go to Blarney (Castle and woolen mill) if we can. If not, we'll go the following day from Kinsale (only about 45 min. drive) and take a bit less time for walking around Kinsale town and Charles Fort. We plan on staying at the Blindgate House in Kinsale (highly recommended by Frommers) so if anyone has any experience there, please post. A search turned up one or two references but no direct experience.

Also, if anyone has any thoughts on time spent at Waterford Crystal, please post. Thanks again for the help!

DavidD

Mile,

Given your stay in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, try to make a point of visiting nearby Bennettsbridge and the superb Nicholas Mosse Pottery. Mosse is a world-class potter, and his shop is a real delight. Like his pottery, the shop has a quietly elegant style. The Mosse shop/factory features a wonderful "seconds (slightly flawed) section, along with a wide-range of Irish-made crafts and goods. Plus, there's a lovely cafe on the premises.

As regards Waterford, the tour of the factory is slick and fairly informative, but not worth a special trip. Should you be staying in or around the area, do take the tour. While in town, also make a point of visiting the very fine Waterford Treasures Museum. Located aty Merchants Quay, the museum effectively and entertainingly tells the history of Waterford City. Finally, while in County Waterford, make a special effort to tour the coast. It's non-touristy and highly scenic, full of quaint seaside villages, such as Annestown.

Best of luck.

Koshka

As Waterford collectors, DH and I felt the trip was a "pilgrimage." We made a special trip of it and enjoyed it very much indeed.

But it was also a lovely sunny day along the coast.

I agree the factory tour is very well done and might not be everyone's cup of tea, worthy of a special trip.

WE just thought it was.

wojazz3

My 2 cents ....

Agree that it is too much. If you must make in to Kinsale, leave out Blarney. It's harder to get to than the other sights too. But another concern arises. If you plan is to arrive after 6:00 PM to your lodging, you should probably restrict your stays to hotels and not use B&Bs, which in my opinion, is a tragic loss. B&Bs don't have a staff on hand to handle late arrivals and it is customary to check in between 4-6PM. Arriving after 6:00 should always be arranged and should be a rarity. Hotels on the other hand have a reception desk as do some guesthouses.

I find staying at B&Bs the only way to travel through Ireland. The prices are much better, frequently the accommodations are much nicer and the personalized service and contact has so much over a hotel. A hotel here and there is OK, but B&Bs are the way IMO.

Also, don't rely on the times listed in either the AA or Michelin. They are virtually always too conservative. They don't take into account traffic, weather, sheep or anything else that might get in your way. For instance, Dublin to Galway is listed as 2 hr 52 minutes and while staying just outside of Galway last week, we met a couple of Dubliners who had made the trip and it had taken them over 4 hours to make the trip. Again, these were people that are seasoned travelers in Ireland.

Waterford is a personal taste issue. Many have to go and others just want to buy some somewhere. Consider some other manufacturers also which, according to locals, are far superior to Waterford. Galway, Kinsale and Dingle do wonderful work though they probably all buy their blanks from Waterford. You would probably get close to the Tipperary Crystal showroom which is on the N24 somewhere around Clonmel (can't remember exactly where). They have some pretty simple and elegant styles which are different from the bulk of Irish crystal.

Carrigeen Castle has had some mixed reviews, Peig Butler runs a tight ship, and if you are traveling with children, she might make your stay a bit less pleasant. We had a great time there, and the building is very cool, but it was clear that she is rather no nonsense.

OK, that was more than 2 cents. It was kind of negative too wasn't it. Didn't mean it that way. I must just be a whiner today.

Whatever you do, you'll have a great time.

Bill

Jayne11159

If you're a Waterford collector, then I think it's worth taking the tour. I don't know if this is an everyday thing, but when we were there, designers were available to "sign" if you purchased one of their pieces. If you are interested in purchasing, scope out the pieces you like in the US and compare the price before you buy. It's not always a bargain so shop wisely. I found a beautiful set of candle sticks and a particular vase I'd had my eye on and saved about 35%, even with shipping. And do ship--it will save you the VAT and you don't want to pack it! FYI, you don't have to comparison shop--all retailers are required to charge the same so that no one is undercut.

You've gotten great advice about Cashel Etc. We spent about and hour at Cashel and ate lunch at an adorable cafe down the hill.

Have a great time. Ireland is beautiful.

Sandy4

Just have to ask why you are going to Kilkenny. We took the ferry from Wales & spent our first night in Kilkenny. If I were doing it again, I would have headed for Cashel. We stayed at Legends so we could see the rock lit up at night - I don't recommend Legend at all. However, we ate at Chez Hans & it was the best meal we had in Ireland (and there were many other excellent meals.) Seeing the Rock rising up in the distance as we drove in from Waterford (which was a nice place to visit, but could have been missed) was one of the high points of our trip.

MileKing

Regarding Waterford, neither Mrs. MileKing or I are collectors, although she would like to be. Consensus here on Fodors, and elsewhere, seems to be that the tour there is worthwhile and Mrs. MileKing really wants to visit.

Spending some time in the Kilkenny area to see Kilkenny Castle and Jerpoint Abbey, amongst other things.

As far as our lodging goes, it will mostly be guesthouses with a few hotels and possibly one or two B&Bs. It may be customary to arrive between 4 and 6 PM at B&Bs, but that is a negative for B&Bs in general in my view. In Ireland in May there is plenty of light at that time and we would rather be doing/seeing something than getting settled into our lodging. Again, this is a personal preference. Of course, we would schedule a late arrival at a B&B ahead of time.

DebD

Re: Sandy4

Why would you not recommend Legends? We are booked there in June. I still have time to make changes if necessary. I have made changes based on viewpoints on this posting site several times now and have moved away from "travel experts" reviews. So I would welcome your comments. Where else did you stay in Ireland?

Thanks

lmartin129

Anyone have a suggestion on where to stay in Cashel? We are looking for a modest hotel or B&B within walking distance of the Rock of Cashel.

corader

I'm not much of a poster, but have been a Fodorite for a couple of years and could'nt resist answering your question! Spent my honeymoon in Ireland last May, Did the Waterford tour, which was enlightening,(prices were a little high for our budget!). We did find driving from Waterford to the Hook Lighthouse a very nice drive with a lot of history enroute,(something I have'nt seen on here?) Cahir and Cashel are must see's and 2 to 3 hours would be plenty in my opinion. You might try Rockside House in Cashel, which is at the base of "The Rock". Very nice B&B owned by Rem and Joan Joy. "The Rock" at night thru our window (and outside)was beautiful! And it was only 60 Euros a night for both of us.