I can visit Ireland for 10 days either over St. Patrick's Day or Christmas holiday. We will fly in via Dublin, where I've visited before, so no need to stay there but for the St. Patrick's Day parade or to arrive/depart. Accommodations and expense are considerations. All else wide open, so your help is much appreciated in helping me decide when/where to visit while there. Many thanks!

St Patricks day I would suggest. There is more going on and many places close over the Xmas holidays and its a family time of year. Also you have a better shot at nicer weather oin the spring and longer daylight

But Dublin isn't a nice place to be on St Patrick's Day mainly because the place is full of drunks

Who you calling a drunk! it depends where you go. I think its a great place on st patricks day and have entertained many guests visiting me at this time of year. We see the parade, go to the Ceili and then a few oints and some music in a pub. Nothing too crazy and nice. The one area I avoid is the central part of temple bar in the evening as its a bit rowdy. Otherwise its fine.

It's shaping up for a St. Patrick's Day Holiday. I was considering the Temple Bar Hotel for my lodging during the main celebration. Where would you recommend?

It's very difficult to suggest where you might like to stay without some idea of what you want (other than the not-too-expensive that you have already signalled).

Do you want to be in the party, near the party, or well away from it?

I haven't checked, because I don't use hotels in Dublin, but I am fairly sure that most accommodation is booked out for 2008. I presume you are working towards 2009.

I prefer to be near the parade route so that traffic is not an issue. I thought the Temple Bar Hotel might just fit the bill, but thought someone might have travelled there and have some wise insights. Thanks for any suggestions! And, no, we are talking 2008

You can get a bus close enough to the parade if you were in Bewleys hotel Ballsbridge or the D4 Jurys berley court that are run now on a B&B basis. Sometimes its better to drop in for the fund and then go hone to peace and quiet. I think the Temple Bar hotel will be rowdy and years ago I saw a room and was shocked to see it was a tinx box. Smallest I saw in a long time!

Thats fun NOT fund!