persimmondeb

I am in the middle of starting to plan what is still a somewhat hypothetical short trip to Ireland next March. The travellers are myself, my DH, and our DS15. I have been to Ireland before, and lived in Dublin for several months in the late 80's. but they are first timers. We're pretty set on basing in Dublin, since we do not have much time, I have relatives there that we would like to pay a visit to, and I love Dublin and would like to show the city to my family.

We are operating on a very bare bones budget -air and hotel are running about $2200, which is what is making this possible at all, and I would like not to spend more than $800-$1000 on food and sightseeing. The hotel that is included in the package is out by Croke Park, so I am figuring that we will be in for at least one round trip fare on Dublin Bus each day. I am figuring to hit the national museums and just do a fair amount of walking through the city, which is an economical and pleasant way to spend our time.

However, we will want to get out of the city for at least one day, and see something that is not Dublin! My husband wanted to go to Blarney, but that doesn't seem very practical, even if we were to rent a car for a day, and frankly Blarney doesn't have much appeal to me, since I think of it as a target of tourist hype, rather than something that's really interesting in its own right. I can get day tours easily to Glendalough and Kilkenny, which I think everyone would like. I also think that the Rock of Cashel would appeal to my gang, but I can't find any day tours to it. We definitely don't want a car for the duration of the trip, but we might be open to renting a car for a day, although I don't want to get too ambitious in terms of distance. My DH has never driven on the other side (although he is comfortable in a non-automatic) and I do not drive at all.

What I'm looking at right now is:

Wed 3/23-drive to NJ, leave car at relative's home, bribe one of said relatives into driving us to JFK, fly out

3/24-arrive Dublin, and figure out how to get to hotel (I'm comfortable with the bus system, but I'm thinking 3 jetlagged people and bags might be better off with what should be a fairly short cab ride)-leave bags at hotel, and put ourselves on a bus for Center City. I'm thinking maybe Colllins Barracks and a little bit of a wander. Maybe a ride on the Luas if DS thinks it is irresistable.

3/25-Center City, Archaeological Museum, some roaming, maybe a wander through Trinity's grounds, and a visit to Bewley's to have a snack and admire the Harry Clark windows. Depending on their schedule, this might be a good day to visit my relatives in the evening

3/26-Day trip to somewhere with ruins and scenery

3/27-More Center City roaming, and Natural History Museum. This is very high on DS's list of priorities. Maybe Kilmainham Gaol, or the National Gallery

3-28-DART to Howth or Bray, or possibly Malahide Castle

3-29-We fly back to JFK. I'm thinking we should have a little time for shopping, or to see something quickly, but I'm paranoid about missing flights, and like to get to the airport early. DH and DS think airports are fascinating, anyway.

I'd like to try one night in a pub with music at least, and I'd also like to fit the National Gallery in there somewhere, although DH will have very little patience with that and DS is probably only good for a couple of hours. Any feedback?

persimmondeb

Any feedback at all?

jaja

On the 26th, how about a tour of the Hill of Tara and Brú na Bóinne? Mary Gibbons Tours gets good reviews.
http://www.newgrangetours.com/newgrange-tara.html

Once you get to Dublin and settled in, perhaps the hop-on-hop-off bus tour will give you an idea of what you want to see.

I wouldn't recommend Blarney although the grounds are lovely. It's a long way to travel from Dublin, as is even the Rock of Cashel although it's really impressive and Cahir Castle is just down the boreen. From Dublin in a day I would either do Newgrange et environs or head south and see Glendalough.
Or if you care to drive yourselves go see Trim Castle, Kells, Loughcrew and/or Fore Monastic site.

All in all, I think I would take Mary Gibbons Tour north.

persimmondeb

The Gibbons tours look very good, actually. I'm not sure which one would be best though, I've been to Glendalough twice, but not to Newgrange, but I think Glendalough is probably more to DH's taste. DS will think it's all good.

The hop-on, hop-off is a little rich for my blood, and the regular buses are going to be a delightful novelty for DS and DH since they are double-decker. Dublin Bus's Ghostbus looks like it would be right up DH's alley, but I don't know if that's in the budget either, and the "not suitable for children under 14" is making me a little nervous. DS is very childlike for 15, and while he loves history, and is comfortable with the idea that some of it is very gruesome, he DOES NOT like skeletons.

While I'm at it, I know Dublin has good bookstores, but can anyone recommend a toy store, preferably one well supplied with toy soldiers, tanks, etc?

jaja

I have been to Glendalough once and Newgrange three times. Everyone I have ever taken has loved Newgrange. Claustrophobics needn't go into the tumulus; there is plenty to see and photograph on the outside. I sent the grandsons inside and sat outside on the grass by one of the standing stones and just enjoyed life in general.

The Hill of Tara is interesting but more so on a clear day when you can see xxx number of counties (I forget the number).

persimmondeb

I don't think he'll have issues going into the tumulus (DS is a little less predictable, since close quarters won't bother him, but he is hyper-sensitive to odor, and if he doesn't like the way it smells, out he'll go), but DH is generally more interested in the later period. They will both be interested in standing stones, etc., though, and DS is responsible enough to walk around by himself.

persimmondeb

It's looking more and more like we probably will be going, and I have fine tuned the itinerary a bit.

23rd-the same (leave JFK to fly to London)

24th-the same-Collins Barracks and a wander, although my wander has acquired a little more definition and will likely include the GPO and Eason's

25th-looks essentially the same, although depending on how the day looks, and especially if we are visiting my relatives, a Luas ride to Airfield Farm (which is billed as Dublin's only urban farm) is probably on the agenda. It should be quite close to where they live. The minute DS saw that in the guidebook it became an extremely high priority.

26th-our day trip. We looked at all kinds of possibilities, and then DH discovered that it was possible to take a FERRY to WALES. It's actually fairly logistically easy, although we'll need to be up and at 'em early. I'm a little unsure that Saturday is the best day for this, but I want to keep Sunday open, and I'm afraid of our waking up on time on Friday, and a little uncomfortable with going that far afield the day before we fly out (we'll be taking the swift ferry back, and apparently gales on the Irish Sea can interfere with its schedule).

27th-the same, but I am wondering if we will end up kidnapped by relatives at some point. If it's later in the afternoon that might be a day for Airfield Farm.

persimmondeb

And my computer just posted this in an unfinished state.

28th-I'm thinking not to get involved in Malahide or Howth, or Bray, but just spend the day walking around, do Natural History if we missed it on Sunday, and walk throught the grounds of Dublin Castle and pay a quick visit to the Chester Beatty (or fit in a little National Gallery).

DS likes the idea of Dublinia, but it's not a high priority.

Padraig

It looks to me as if you are not planning too hectic a programme, and I think that is good. Maintaining flexibility is also good, particularly as some of your proposed activities are weather-dependent.

A word of caution: some museums are closed on Mondays.

persimmondeb

I've been really trying not to cram too much in, and some of this will not only depend on the weather, but the schedules and whims of elderly people whom I don't really know well enough to predict, but who will want to see us. It's really easy to get greedy when you're planning a trip like this and start going "Ooh, this! And can we sandwich in that?"

Thank you for reminding me about museums and Mondays. That would be a reason to save Wales for Monday. Do you have any opinion about the likelihood of the swift ferry having issues in late March? The next car ferry isn't until 2 in the morning, and I'm assuming that if they are cancelling swift ferries it'll be crammed to the gills and we may or may not get on it. Our flight out won't be until 4:30 in the afternoon, but worrying about being stranded in Holyhead and missing it is just not my idea of a good time.

Amy40

I have taken the ferry from Hollyhead to Ireland....we went for just an overnight many years ago. I don't remember Hollyhead feeling like much of a destination, more of a jumping off point. I'd look into it before you go.

littlejane

Don't get too excited about Airfield farm - I bring my daughter (4) there all the time but it's not anything special, interesting for Dublin kids who have never seen cows or donkeys before, but that's about it. The little gift shop there has a few toy airplanes and the cafe is nice.

A good toy shop is Nimble Fingers in Stillorgan, might be convenient if your relatives are based on the south side. Not sure what it has in terms of soldiers etc and it is quite small but they do have a website so you could have a look. Also in Dundrum shopping centre (unfortunately this is my least favourite place in the whole of Dublin) you can find a branch of Hamleys the wonderful London toy shop. They would have lots of soldiers, tanks etc. Both Dundrum and Stillorgan are southside, close to Airfield park.

persimmondeb

My relatives are very close to Stillorgan, so that would work well. I am actually likely ditching both Airfield Farm and Wales since we are now going to be travelling in December. Dundrum shopping centre sounds inconvenient, but I'm sure he would love Hamley's, so we may think about it. We are not too dignified for Santa/Father Christmas either, if you know of a particularily good one.

littlejane

Dundrum should be convenient if your relatives live near Stillorgan, and there's a stop on the Luas line (the light rail system that goes by Stillorgan and Dundrum) If you are there on a workday it might not be a bad place to visit but at the weekends it gets PACKED, takes forever to park and has about as much atmosphere as a shopping mall anywhere. Having said that it's usually lovely at Christmas with all the decorations.

Not sure which santa is the best (I've heard Dundrum is not bad, maybe it's destiny for me to end up recommending that place!) but again steer clear at the weekends as the queue will go on for ever. But IMO you can't beat the city centre (Grafton Street etc) coming up to Christmas.

persimmondeb

I was thinking a weekday early might not be crazy. I had not intended to even let DS know of the existence of Hamleys, but I was on their website last night and he came up behind me and saw it. I was very clear that we are NOT promising that we're going to get to it, but if it can be reached by Luas that might not be too bad, since DH and DS are going to want to ride it anyway. I'm fairly tolerant of malls at Christmas, but it seems a little silly to fly all that way to visit one, and we're staying right by Grafton St.

Do you have any experience of the Santa at Powerscourt? Their website is claiming that they have live deer, in addition to the big man himself. I went to the gardens years ago and really enjoyed them, although it is December.

littlejane

No experience of Santa at Powerscourt though the gardens there are great even in winter. The house itself has probably been renovated since you were here last and has some lovely gift shops and a cafe (the Avoca shops, there are a number of them including one just at the bottom of Grafton street, but the Powerscourt one is way nicer than the Grafton Street one IMO. I'd say it would be a lovely outing.

Wrap up warm as they have a wonderful balcony where you can sit out and have a coffee looking down over the gardens. I sat out there last winter when everything was covered in snow and it was just magic.

persimmondeb

We're thinking that we don't actually need to make a firm decision on Hamleys, Santa's, etc., until we get there, and as my sister said, there's no reason why we can't visit more than one Santa. DH also thinks Hamleys sounds wonderful, and I am wondering if a Luas ride and a wander through the mall would be good for the day we arrive, since we'll be tired and want to go to bed very early. I was thinking we could even go into M&S and get some goodies from its food hall to eat in our hotel room for dinner, so we can be settled and in.

The balcony at Powerscourt sounds wonderful, and we should be alright with the chill, since we're from Pennsylvania and our winters are very cold, if not as damp as yours. And, yes, the house was just a shell the last time I was there. Thank you so much, LittleJane, you have been so helpful (and thanks to everyone else as well).

persimmondeb

Littlejane, I hate to ask, since you've been so helpful, and I may just e-mail them and ask, but Hamley's has a breakfast with Santa that DS thinks he would love. Is it going to be entirely populated with pre-schoolers on a weekday morning, or will there be a couple of older children? He's always the oldest/biggest by a lot at something like that, but he'll feel self-concious if everyone else is four. If there are kids in the 8-12 range, he'll feel like he blends in, and his behavior and physical appearance are about right for that, although he's becoming very big, and is fairly intellectually sophisticated even for 15.

I'm also trying to figure out if I have to pre-pay, since I don't want to spend half of a day on this when we could be admiring Cathedrals and bog bodies, so we'd be coming off an international flight at 5:20 and trying to get to Dundrum, with a stop at our hotel on St. Stephen's Green, by 8 am. It seems like it should be possible, but only if absolutely nothing goes wrong. We have decided to just bite the bullet on Hamley's, since he's been drooling over their model planes online, and figured it was a mighty carrot with which to ensure good behavior on the plane.

littlejane

Please don't hate to ask!

My gut feeling is that there would just be very small children - I see from the website that the breakfast is from 8 to 9, so for most school age kids (that's 4 or 5 upwards) it will be too late as most schools start at 9, so you might even just get preschoolers which sounds like it might be a bit of a disaster. No harm in ringing Hamleys, they might even be able to organise something separate for you straight after a breakfast, maybe a private chat with santa, you never know. I also imagine you would have to pre-pay.

Irish kids tend to outgrow santa quite early, by 8 or 9, but that wouldn't be a problem if you were in a queue with your son to see santa at his grotto as there would be plenty of adults and older brothers / sisters in the queue also. The breakfast sounds like it is just the kids around the table so your son might feel very out of place. Santa's grotto is just up from Hamleys in Dundrum and I'd bet he will be retiring there after breakfast, so you could always tell him you would love to have joined him for breakfast but your plane from the US was late, he would be most impressed with that!

persimmondeb

It sounds like it might be easiest (and cheapest) to just visit Santa in his grotto after the toy shop visit. I'm alternately getting "Oh, that's so cool/I'm too old for it, aren't I?", from him, so he's clearly a little ambivalent about it. It sounds like it wouldn't really be appropriate for a ten-year-old, which is the measure I normally use.

Most American kids have outgrown Santa by 8 or 9, too, if not before, but he's kind of hard-core about it. He is well aware (and has been for a decade) that the guy in the mall is a stand-in, and not the big man himself, but there is definitely a remnant of faith in the existence of an actual Santa somewhere, and he is more than willing to hang out with his deputies (and will rate them critically-which is hysterically funny). I think he is quite convinced that the more Santas he tells, the more likely he is to get his wish list.

And thank you again! I get obsessive about this stuff, but I want it to be a good trip for everyone.